Chica De Los Ojos Café: You'll see that guy at the end later on.
GothikStrawberry: Yeah with Slayer that means only major trouble in on the way. Glad you liked the reactions to Emma and the dream she shared and that Kurt and Remy are getting along.
A. Ceretta: Yeah sorry about that that is a good point, but Slickboy wanted some kind of fluff in there. And personally I plan on Rogue having a harder time with it.
LadyDeathStrike1: Haven't heard from you in awhile nice to see ya again. Also yeah she'll be in this later and I hope you read through the whole thing.
The Uncanny R-Man: Actually I think that was AIDS that they couldn't get (I checked the issue where Paige and Annie talked about that) so let's just go with that they're immune to that, but not lesser ones but don't know it yet since I doubt Hank's done that kind of research yet. Plus we kind of wanted to make a point about the reality of that kind of situation.
TheLegendaryManHimself: Yeah I wanted to keep Sage in this story, as for the others being jealous just remember that no one knows they spent the night together. Yeah with Slayer you know something bad is coming.
coldqueen: Slayer will show up later and he's a creation of Slickboy. You can see in a couple of his fics.
Mark C: Yeah you know this won't be easy to get over, and Slayer will slowly come into their lives.
Sage: Don't worry Rogue will come out of this a stronger person, as for Slayer being Vincent's son, lol. Oh you're way off.
X00001: I'll get to that story after the Wanda and Lorna story is out and done with.
Thanks to: Wen1, Lil Jean, Sparky Genocide, Episodic
AN Okay I can't speak for Slickboy but I have to say I HATE reviews that are basically just two words. I like feedback and don't be afraid to say any opinions you have.
Hellfire and Brimstone
CHAPTER 22: ACT 2
Xavier was in the infirmary looking down at Rogue, preparing himself mentally to go into her mind. He wasn't alone in the room, for Remy and Kurt were both there. Remy still in the same clothing as the night before but at least he had showered up sitting on a bed not far watching. Kurt was in his tank top and sweatpants sitting next to him, feeling nervous about all of this. They both hoped that this would work and feared it wouldn't given the gravity of Rogue's condition.
Hank was also there. He had voiced his concerns about Rogue's brainwaves. So far they were more then just her brain activity at the moment. It was now apparent that Rogue's mind had lost control over all the personalities from the stress of everything she had been through. Sage had told them everything she could about what she had done to Rogue's powers. It now seemed Rogue herself had put herself into a coma like state until her mind was back under control. When she had regained her true self, her powers had gone out of control and she most likely placed herself in this state to prevent herself from losing control like she had over a year ago.
Xavier cleared his mind. The only sounds were that of the machines keeping record of her vitals as the other three didn't want to disturb his concentration. Xavier placed his hands on her head and closed his eyes. He felt a falling sensation as he went into her mind.
He found himself in what looked like the mansion, only much more rundown. The wallpaper was peeling down, there were holes everywhere, and when he was walking the floorboards were groaning underfoot. It was also unnaturally dark. There was a light outside, but it was like the place itself seemed to not allow any of the light inside, or most of it at least.
He hard many voices echoing off the walls. Some sounded like memories and others like they might be other personalities. As always, he gave himself the power to walk on these trips. It was more maneuverable and to be fair, it was the only time he could know what it was like to walk again. As he moved through the halls he noticed all the doors seemed to be broken, a sign that her mental barriers were broken and would need to be repaired later.
He heard a thumping sound and found himself in the rec room. There, amongst a broken TV, pool table, and other things was a young girl in a dark dress bouncing a ball against the wall. What really caught his attention was the child's brown hair with a white streak in it. He realized this must have been Rogue as a child.
"Hello there," Xavier said softly, but the girl ignored him. He was about to try again when suddenly she answered.
"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. Irene told me that was bad," the little girl said as she continued to throw the ball some more. He asked her why she was playing alone, but didn't answer.
"Because we have no friends." Xavier turned to see a more grown up Rogue, only this one was all in black. Even her makeup and her hair covered some of her face. Xavier guessed these where different aspects of her personality. The little girl was her 'inner child' and by the looks of it this seemed to be her despair or depression.
"Why do you say that?" Xavier asked this other her.
"Because we were told to stay away from people, not to get too close…And she was right…We hurt people all the time…And we suffer for it…" She looked up at him with sad eyes. "Do you know what it's like to have the minds of others in your head all the time? Do you know how lonely it is to live a life pushing people away because they would get hurt if you let them in?"
"Rogue you're not alone. You've never been alone," Xavier tried to tell her as he walked towards her, but he was suddenly kicked in the back and fell to the floor. Even though this was all in her mind, that still had hurt.
"You will not have her!" Xavier turned to see Mystique behind him. While he wanted to know just what had happened to the other personalities and it seems he found one of them and they were running wild in her mind. "She's mine Xavier. She's my child and I will do with her what I want."
"Enough of this!" Xavier stood up and concentrated. This was just a 'ghost' of a personality Rogue had absorbed and not the real thing and in reality he may not be a fighter, but in the battlefield of the mind he wasn't one to be pushed around.
Mystique lunged at him again, but froze in mid air. This was not a world of physics, but of the mind and here Xavier could make anything happen. He made the floor open up and then let her fall into the dark hole and closed it up cutting off, hearing her screams of anger and rage as she fell. He looked around and found that both versions of Rogue's personality were gone.
He looked about confused and wondered off. He found other personalities such as Scott, Jean, Lance, and a few strangers that he guessed she must have taken like at that concert when her powers went into overdrive over a year ago.
He made his way to Rogue's room, hoping that she was there…The real her that is. He opened the door and found it odd this was the only working door that was closed. Then when he entered the room, he saw Rogue in the corner…And it looked like the real Rogue. The room was quiet and all outside noises weren't here. He walked over to her and when she noticed she pulled away from him. "Get back! Stay away from meh!"
"Rogue, please it's me. It's Xavier," he said calmly kneeling down to her.
"Go away…Leave meh alone," she begged as she obviously didn't recognize him. "Ah can't take it anymore, all the voices, all the memories…All the pain." He reached to touch her, but she flinched at his touch. "Please leave…"
"You heard her." Xavier stood up and came face to face with another Rogue, only this one was in a revealing green clothing and cape and green make-up. "You don't belong here!" Suddenly he was rocketed by a powerful psychic assault.
Xavier pulled out of her mind at that point, unable to keep the connection. He leaned back against his chair hard his eyes shut as the pain he was feeling in his mind and placed a hand on his forehead. The others in the room rushed over to him and it took a moment before he could make sense of their words.
"Charles what happened?" Hank asked him checking his vitals.
"Too much…There's…Too much going on in her mind to make sense of anything. She's confused, hurt, and alone…All the personalities are overwhelming her." Charles cleared his mind thinking back on what he learned.
"Can you help her?" Kurt pleaded to him and Xavier looked in the sad eyes of the boy.
"I believe so, but I need time to collect myself before I try that again." He saw Kurt give a sad look over towards his sister and he could tell the young man was hurting seeing his family there not moving. The poor boy had enough to deal with what happened to him and his sister's condition wasn't helping matters. He knew that Kurt wouldn't start to heal himself until he knew Rogue was better. "Kurt we will help her. A lesser person would have completely lost their mind long ago, but she's still hanging on Kurt. You're sister is a strong person. We just have to show her the way out and she can do the rest."
Kurt nodded and walked over to Rogue and squeezed her hand, hoping that some part of her mind knew he was there and she wasn't alone. He leaned down to her ear and whispered. "Keep fighting sister…We need you back…You've never let anything beat you down. You can fight zhis…I know you can."
With that he decided to get some air. Seeing her like that was hard enough. He ported to his room and sat down, debating if he should eat. He knew that he should and Hank told him he needed to keep his energy up, but he just didn't feel like eating. That last teleport had been harder then it should have been and he knew his energy must be low, but he didn't care.
He curled up on his bed. He couldn't sleep, for he knew he would have nightmares of what had happened to him. He felt sick to his stomach every time he thought about what that woman had done to him. He felt so tainted and dirty. Last night with Wanda had helped, but he still woke up a few times feeling scared and it was only with her comforting embrace that he was able to sleep again.
Now that they had Rogue back, he had more time on his hands to think on things. Lately he and Wanda were getting close and he had to wonder if she felt something more then just friendship for him. So far they had spent two nights together…Which weren't abnormal things that friends did. But he didn't want to think on a possible relationship now. He got off his bed and walked to the kitchen. He would have to force himself to eat or he knew he would end up in a bed next to Rogue and if she-no when she woke up she would be pissed at him for getting sick on her account like that.
He found the kitchen empty at the moment, thankfully that all the other kids were at school. He made himself a small sandwich and started to eat. He was eating slower then normal, but he knew he needed to eat. He also was fighting the urge to think too much. He just wished that he could just forget even for one moment.
"Kurt?" He jumped and turned to see a concerned Wanda looking at him.
She could tell by his looks that not only did Xavier fail, but he was also struggling with his own personal demons. His tail was limp and hung loose, which she already knew was a very bad sign. She sat down next to him and seeing him eat so slowly was also another bad sign. "You want me to leave?"
Kurt thought about it for a moment. "No…please stay…"
-Emma Jean-
Emma Frost was normally not one to let certain things bother her. So far her first morning at the institute hadn't been too eventful. Besides having to contend with the constant gawking of the boys and their rather vivid projections, there hadn't been a whole lot of complications in terms of getting a feel for her new home. Everybody was nice to her, she had the freedom to be herself, and she no longer had to worry about surviving each hard day that came. But despite this welcomed change…One thing still hung strong in her mind…Or more like, someone.
Ever since she woke up in Vincent's arms this morning, the events of the previous night had been dominating her mind for the most part. It wasn't just the fact that Vincent had been there for her in a way nobody ever had, but it was the dream she had that stood out. And not only had she experienced it…Vincent had also described the exact same thing in his dream. But that wasn't possible…Was it? How could she project something like that in her sleep without knowing it?
She remembered the warm, vivid sensations she had felt in that dream. She remembered the wonderful, calm feeling she felt when she was with him in the special, serine place she had used to save his life. In her mind, that place had always been a source of strength for her during the hard, dark times she had been through in her life. But having Vincent with her in that dream made it feel…Different, but in a wonderful way. It was as if him being there had completed and filled in everything that was missing. It was as if he had connected with her somehow in a way more profound than she thought possible. And if he felt the same thing in his dreams…Then could this mean something? She may not have been an expert on connections with other people, given the seclusion and isolation she had endured for so long, but she learned from some gossip that there was someone that might have an idea.
Meanwhile in the library, Jean let out another content sigh as she sunk into the soft cushion of the couch in the institute library. It felt so good to be home again…Safe within the walls of the place she had grown so attached to after so many years. The library and the simple enjoyment of books helped make her feel like herself again and ease the stress over everything that had happened. She still thought about it and it still haunted her mind…Nearly to the point where she just wanted to break down. But she fought it…Knowing she had to be strong and fight this.
After getting up, Jean took the time to get in touch with her parents. While she hadn't told them the nature of what happened to her, she had already talked to the Professor about seeing them so she could tell them personally. In addition, she and Scott had inquired to the Professor about moving in together. Luckily, it didn't take a whole lot of convincing on their part. They were adults now and he knew just as much as the rest of the mansion how she and Scott felt about each other. Now, they were about to take their relationship to the next level. While part of her was somewhat nervous, she was excited for the most part because it truly signified how serious she and Scott had become. There was no denying that it was a lot more than just puppy love now…A lot more.
Last night had been turning point for her. Even though Hank had said she was physically fine from it all, mentally was another story. The lingering image of Shaw looming over her, raping her body gave her a sickening feeling inside and didn't stave off the dirtiness that she still felt. The whole experience of how horrible it felt and how she hurt Scott and her friends still stuck with her…But last night she had found the strength to fight through it. She had managed to convince herself that this was real…Scott was real…And their love was strong and not tainted by the darkness of the Hellfire Club. She remembered how she felt so nervous at first when she urged Scott to make love to her…But after feeling his touch and the love through their link, she managed to overcome the paralyzing fear that she didn't want to let taint her. It had been a horrible ordeal…There was no doubt about that. But being raped and making love to someone she considered her soul mate were two completely different things…She saw that clearly now. She would still have a lot to recover from…But after what she and Scott did last night, it would be easier for her.
There was still a lot of work to do. She would have to think about how she was going to talk to her parents about her ordeal and how she was going to consolidate her stuff with Scott's, but for now…She just wanted to relax and set aside all those little logistics for the sake of a little peace and quiet.
While Jean was engrossed in her book, Emma suddenly opened the door.
"Hey Jean, how are you holding up?" said Emma as she walked over to the young redhead on the couch.
"I'm getting there…" said Jean as she put her book down at sat up, "What about you?"
"Same…" said Emma simply, "It's not easy to get over…Believe me, I know."
Jean didn't say anything in response, having a feeling that she didn't want to know any more than what Emma was implying. It was clear from the look on her face and from her memories of their stay together at the Hellfire Club that she had been through worse treatment than her.
"So how do you do it?" asked Jean, "Does it ever go away?"
Emma wanted to say that it did, but she wouldn't allow herself to lie about something like this. It was just too painful.
"I wish it did…But I guess it just depends on how strong you are," she said as she sat down next to her, "Don't worry though…After what I've seen from you…I think you'll be okay. You definitely have plenty of support…More than I ever had, that's for sure."
Jean felt a little better upon hearing that. Emma was right…She did have a lot of people there for here. She had Scott, the Professor, the rest of her friends, and her family. She honestly didn't know how Emma could have survived such brutal torture herself, but whatever she did…She had fought hard to get through it.
"It still hurts though…" said Jean as she brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly, "I remember after my check-up with Hank how I just jumped in the shower and scrubbed, and scrubbed, and scrubbed…But I just couldn't feel clean again."
"Yeah, that's a hard feeling to get used to…Being tainted," said Emma, "Scrub all you want…It never makes you feel any cleaner."
"I don't doubt that…" said Jean, "I must have scrubbed off half a layer of skin before I gave up. After that…I honestly just felt like breaking down right then and there…And for a while I did."
"Well if it makes you feel better…So did I," said Emma, remembering how she had tried to process everything last night after having it all end, yet not being able to accept it.
"But thankfully, Scott was there for me to help keep me sane…" said Jean as she remembered the previous night, "When he came to me…I couldn't look him in the eye after what I had done. But he just held me…He just wouldn't give up on me no matter how bad I felt."
"He must really love you…" said Emma, unable to help the envious feeling she felt…Although remembering how Vincent had helped her in a similar way did make her feel better.
"He does…I guess I just had to be reminded of that," said Jean in a voice that seemed to be straining from emotion, "And despite all the horrible memories of what had happened…I asked him to make love to me…And he did."
Emma then turned to Jean with a surprised look on her face. She knew from experience that sex was one of the last things anybody wanted to do after surviving rape…But the way Jean talked about it didn't sound like sex in a normal sense. It sounded like something more.
"How could you do that…After everything that…" Emma found herself unable to finish.
Jean thought back to the feelings of the previous night and remembered how the experience had been a difficult choice on her part…But one she did not regret in the slightest.
"There's a difference Emma…Between just having sex and making love," explained Jean, "And I don't think I ever would have had sex after all that…But that's not what we did. And besides…I wanted to do it. I wanted to make sure that it was real…That it was really the man I love. And with the way we moved and loved together…He showed me that it was real. I guess that's how I managed to do it…And I'd do it again."
"Well…I'm glad at least one of us can enjoy something like that," said Emma, "I honestly don't know if I could have done that."
"I didn't think I could either…But I guess this whole experience has put a lot of things in perspective," said Jean, "I know I can never go back to the way things were no matter how much I want to. So instead…I plan on working on the future for now and not wasting anymore time. I've already told Scott that I want us to move in together now…I want us to move forwards with our relationship and not waste any more time."
"Sounds pretty serious…" commented Emma.
"It is…" said Jean, "And I just don't think I could stand losing something that means so much to me. Our love is strong…Life is short…And I don't want to waste a single moment of it."
"I don't intend to either. I've been imprisoned, abused, and used enough for one lifetime…I just want to find something worth being strong for as well," said Emma, "And I guess that kind of leads to why I'm here. You see…There's something else I wanted to talk to you about…"
"Sure," said Jean, curious as to what she would want to come to her about, "What's up?"
Emma hesitated for a brief moment, not knowing how to go about this. It was just as new to her as it probably was to Vincent and part of her was still in denial, but she wanted to at least know that it wasn't a freak occurrence.
"This may sound stupid, but since you're a telepath like me I had a feeling you might know more about the subject."
"And what subject would that be?" she asked.
Emma paused again, thinking back to what she felt with that dream and trying to put it into words…Although she found it more difficult than she had anticipated.
"Well…I heard from some of the others that you and your boyfriend have this weird…Bond, as they describe it."
Jean looked back at the young blonde curiously, wondering where she heard that…But given the gossip that always circulated around the institute along with her having telepathy, it wasn't impossible that she would have found out about it. But what was stranger to her was the fact that she was actually asking her about it.
"Well yes, we do. Why do you ask?"
"Call me curious but…What exactly is it? How does it feel? What is it like?" she asked, hoping to get some answers.
"Wait…Why do you want to know that?" asked Jean, not seeing why on Earth she would be curious about this of all things. And even more curiously, why does she want to know so much? Something told her it was more than just simple curiosity.
Emma didn't want to show her feelings of confusion over the subject and did a commendable job to keep the expression on her face in check so as it just made her sound curious. She also made sure her mental blocks were up so that she didn't slip a thought strong enough for her to detect. This was something she wanted to know for herself.
"Just…I need to know. Don't ask why…Just call it curiosity," she said, making it clear that she didn't want to go into too many details.
Jean was still not convinced. She didn't know Emma that well, but given what she did know it was clear that she was a fairly private person when it came to her feelings. Even when they were forced to share a cell at the Hellfire Club, she made it clear that there were some things she just didn't want to go into. She would reveal some parts of her life, while making a clear effort to keep others a closely guarded secret. Either way, she wasn't going to get much more of an explanation from her from the looks of it. Not seeing it being as too big a deal, Jean took a deep breath and began to describe what she so often found trouble putting into words.
"Just so you know…I don't fully understand it either. I don't really know how to describe it, but I do know for certain that Scott and I have a bond that links our minds through a unique psychic rapport. I'm…Not sure how it formed, but I guess it kind of stemmed from simply growing so close to Scott over all the years I've known him. From best friends to lovers…He's always been there for me and it's just grown so much from there."
"I think I understand…But when did you become aware of the link," specified Emma.
Jean thought about that for a brief moment. Then, she thought back to the time her powers went crazy over a year ago. It was a very scary time for her, but now that she looked back on it…That day sparked a far more profound significance for her.
"I would have to say…A little over a year ago when my powers went haywire," said Jean as the memory vividly played over in her head, "And I don't just mean haywire, I mean completely out of control. I more or less destroyed the infirmary and I can honestly say that I was very scared that I would never regain control. But then…Somehow I managed to hear Scott's voice. And through all the clutter and noise, not to mention the mortal danger I put him in, he never gave up on me…And just kept calling out to me…Bringing me back with his words and thoughts. I think…That was the point where it formed…When he helped me regain control and find the strength that I didn't know I had. I also think that's when our friendship started getting more serious…And turned to something a lot deeper than I ever could have imagined."
"Sounds like you two really care for each other," said Emma, finding some of this hard to believe, but not casting any doubt upon it.
"We do…" said Jean, feeling somewhat better about the whole ordeal upon talking about something she took great comfort in, "There are things we share with each other…That we never share with anybody else. We've shared memories, emotions, feelings, dreams…"
"Dreams…"
That last one struck a chord, for it reminded her of the dream last night she and Vincent had. It made her think that if this was anything like the link Jean had just described, which she was starting to suspect now, then it may mean something that she could not yet fully grasp yet.
"What exactly does it feel like…In the dreams I mean," said Emma, stopping Jean before she could continue.
Jean was growing increasingly curious as to why Emma was asking her this, but the look on her face was one of seriousness and somewhat desperate to know. Not knowing how to interpret or question this, Jean simply found herself responding anyways.
"It's…Very warm and comforting," said Jean, trying to find the right words to describe something that was practically indescribable to her, "It's like…Every pain in the world is completely forgotten and you can actually touch and feel…Everything that makes you happy. I…Can't really describe it Emma. I honestly don't think there are any words in existence that do…But it's something both Scott and I treasure. I'm sorry but…"
"That's okay Jean…Thanks," said Emma as she got up and motioned to leave before she could finish.
"Wait…Why did you want to know?" said Jean, stopping her before she could get out of sight.
"Like I said…" replied Emma, not letting Jean see the conflicted expression on her face, "I was just curious."
Emma didn't stick around and wait for another response. She left before Jean could even get another word out. She needed time to think about this…To think about her dream and what it could mean. Was the kind of link Jean described really what she had experienced with Vincent last night? Had she really connected with him that strongly? They had both helped each other through their darkest hour. They had both confided in each other when there was nobody else. Then there was what she did to pull him out of Jason's control back at the Hellfire Club…An act that brought out many deep feelings in her that she was somewhat alien to. But now that she knew that it was possible from Jean, she couldn't help but wonder…What did this all mean? There were no easy answers for her…But right now, she simply needed to think.
Even as she left Jean behind, the young redhead could tell that she was conflicted. However, she didn't pester her for more details. She just looked back at the empty doorway and sighed.
"You're a bad liar Emma…"
-Later in the Day-
After her little talk with Jean, Emma had gone to one of the banks in Bayville. She was still waiting on a new driver's license and birth certificate to be sent to her. She didn't want to wait and had gone to the bank and got a few debit cards while her credit cards were on the way. Luckily, this went pretty fast because she just made the bank manager think he saw all her ID. Sometime being a telepath had its advantages.
Now that she had access to the money that she had skimmed from her time at the Hellfire Club and with what they put her through she considered it a nice little compensation by living well off their vast fortune, and boy did she intend to live well.
Now she just needed to know the best places to shop and from what she had heard, there was only one girl to go to…Well there was the Jubilee girl, but she was busy playing outside at the moment and she wanted someone older. She quickly found Kitty in her room looking rather depressed and holding what looked like a stuffed purple dragon to her chest. "Hey."
"Oh! Emma, like hi." Kitty placed her comfort toy next to her pillow. "What do you need?"
"Well, I need to buy new clothing and I was wondering if you were interesting in taking a little shopping trip with me." Emma grinned at the look Kitty had on her face. "Plus, it's my treat so go crazy."
Now Kitty looked like a kid in a candy store. "Oh I couldn't do that, I mean that would be too expensive."
Emma laughed at that. "Kitty while at the Hellfire Club, I managed to make a small fortune. After al, they did have me do their books since I have a gift for businesses. You could shop till you dropped and it still wouldn't put much of a dent in my account." Kitty was overjoyed. It was like a fantasy come true for her and jumped up and hugged the blond, Emma was a bit uncomfortable, not used to having people show her affection like that.
"Thanks, I mean with everything I needed to just get out ya know?"
Emma nodded her head, for she truly did know. She needed this as well and after all she had been through, pampering herself to a shopping spree would help her keep her mind off things and when she was younger, it had been a nice way to pass the time for herself…And that was something she wanted to reclaim from her past. "Yeah I can see that," she said, then something else came to mind. "Oh, we'll need help with carrying all our stuff. We might need to bring a couple of the men along."
Kitty grinned, for she knew who she wanted to take, but then her face fell. "Shouldn't we like take some of the others too?"
"Well Rogue…Isn't up to it…Wanda is looking after Kurt at the moment and I think Jean wants some quiet time at the moment." The blond felt for the red head. Emma had gone through all of this before she had gone to the Hellfire Club and her own little 'session' with Selene after her own failed escape attempt…But this had helped to harden her to such things. She knew that Jean would want to relish the quiet and safety of this place. Besides, Emma wouldn't allow herself to be controlled by her fear or her pain…At least she didn't allow herself to show it. At night however, when she was alone in the dark…That was another story.
Kitty had no problem with convincing Piotr to come with her. All she had to do was give her the 'puppy-dog eye' look with a little quivering lip and he was putty in her hands. Emma decided to seek out her fellow ex-captive Vincent. He could use some new clothing too, plus after her talk with Jean she just couldn't get him out of her mind and hopefully with him around, she might pick up more of whatever it was that they had shared last night.
She found him in a music room playing at a piano. It sounded like 'Moonlight Sonata', in fact it was a really well played version and she had to admit, she was impressed. She didn't known he had talent like that, but then she really listened to the song and could feel the sadness and despair in the music. At least she thought it was the music for a moment, but it was more like his emotions were washing against her. She shook her head as the song was ending and felt a tear on her face. She brushed it off quickly and composed herself. She stepped forward on the marble floor and he must have heard her footsteps because he paused and looked over his shoulder.
"That was wonderful," she said honestly coming over to him.
He gave a sad smile and nodded. "Thanks…He taught me to play," he said as he ran his hands gently over the ivory keys and she knew who he was referring to. "I'm going back when I'm ready…When…I can face that place again," he said softly.
Emma knew that he was working up the will to go back and seeing that place again as well as…Seeing the grave of the man that raised him like a father, which was so hard on him as well as dealing with everything else. "Say, I'm going shopping with Kitty and we need some big strong men to come along. Interested? After all, you could use a few of your own clothing too."
"I don't know…"
"Oh come now," she said as she grabbed his arm and forced him off the stool and proceeded to drag him off with her. "You need some new clothing and you need to get out of this place and out into the world…Besides if it's just me with Kitty and that tall boy she likes, it would be awkward…And…I would like to have you with me."
He was about to say no, but then seeing the look in her eyes told him two things…One, she wasn't going to take no for an answer and two, a deeper look into her blue eyes said she wanted him there. He sighed to himself with a small smile on his lips. She was right, he did need new clothing and he really didn't want to stay here in his depressed state. There would be plenty of time for that and if he was going to live here he might as well learn the lay of the land.
"Alright my lady," he said in a slight bow and opened the door for her. "You have my services for the day."
Emma rolled her eyes at that, but there was the ghost of a smile on her face. When they met up with Kitty, she had managed to get the car keys from Scott since he was packing his stuff up in his room and moving it into Jean's. His only condition was that she didn't drive. She may have improved a bit since she got her license, but she was still labeled a menace by the Bayville police and the Professor had to pay for several traffic tickets.
So Piotr took the wheel as he opened the passenger door for Kitty. Vincent opened one of the back doors for Emma and she gave a slight smile. It was nice to meet a true gentleman. She wondered if it was because of who raised him, the fact he was Canadian, or both. During the ride, she noticed that he had a faraway stare and a blank look on his face.
Another strange thing was that with his personal mental shields, he kept his thoughts private and she didn't pick up any stray thoughts or projections. She couldn't get the slightest sense of feeling off of him. She could feel slight hints of what he was thinking, but not the whole thought itself. But when she reinforced her mental walls, it seemed to stop. For the moment, she had more things to think about now.
-Upper Mansion-
After talking with Fury and resigning her position as an agent of SHIELD yesterday, Sage found herself walking down the corridors of the institute she hadn't been down for so long. Everything looked so different, yet it still had that same comforting feel to it that it had all those years ago. After being watched and scrutinized every waking hour at the Hellfire Club, being in such a warmer, more welcoming environment was a welcomed change. There were so many new people here and so many new things to experience, but thankfully she had plenty of time.
As she walked down the hallways down towards the dormitories she saw many new things that weren't before. Then again…This was somewhat of a different institute because the one she had lived in was destroyed over a year ago and this was simply a rebuilt one. But it was still a place that gave her the feeling of belonging and acceptance that no other place had. She turned another corner and found herself looking out the window as some of the younger students played a game of football outside. She found herself simply watching the young, carefree playfulness of the young teenagers…So innocent and naïve about just how complicated the world could be. In working for SHIELD and the Hellfire Club, she had learned just how shadowy the world could be and in some ways, wished she could forget some of what she knew just so she could live with the kind of mindset the others did even if it was just for a moment.
She soon became so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't sense Ororo walking up from behind her.
"Hey stranger…" smiled the former weather goddess as she saw her old friend simply staring out the window in a daze.
As she turned to face one of the only familiar faces she recognized around the institute.
"Hey Ororo," she said with a smile in response, "It's been a while hasn't it?"
"There's an understatement if I ever heard one," laughed Ororo as she looked out the window at the kids along with her friend.
When Sage first arrived, the only other person there was in the institute at the time besides the Professor was Ororo. They were young, confused, and weary about their mutant powers and their lives, but thanks to Xavier they had found a safe place to be themselves. During her time there, she and Ororo naturally became good friends. She was one of the first girls her age that she could easily talk with and relate to. One of the hard things about joining SHIELD was not being able to talk to her or Xavier, forever kept secluded from the world she had walked away from. But now that she was here, she intended to do as much catching up as possible.
"I take it you've heard…" said Sage as she shifted her gaze back towards her friend, "I have officially quit SHIELD and now I'm back."
"Yes, I heard, and I think it's wonderful," said Ororo, "I really missed you. It was getting kind of cumbersome finding someone my age to talk to around here."
"I missed you too…" she admitted even though she was never one to get too mushy, mainly due to the effects her SHIELD training had on her, "But I guess the busy life of a SHIELD agent doesn't leave much room for a social life."
"I can only imagine," said Ororo, still finding it somewhat hard to get over how much she had accomplished since she left, "I mean you…A SHIELD agent. I can't tell you what a shock that was for me."
"Well to be fair…It was for me too," admitted Sage, "I guess certain choices in life can lead to some pretty crazy turns. But I don't really want to talk about that. Right now…There are more things I'd like to forget about my last job than remember."
"I can understand that…" said Ororo, speaking from experience, knowing the kind of effect that the Hellfire Club could have on someone both physically and mentally, "So what do you plan to do here now? Become a teacher? With so many super powered teenagers running around the place, we could use all the help we can get."
"I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do now…" said Sage, still struggling to find herself again after everything she had been through, "I guess I'll just help out as best I can around here…Doing what I can to make myself useful until I have find out what I want to do with my life."
"Well it's good to have you back Sage," said Ororo, "I'm sure you'll come to know the rest of the students here. You'll find a few quite entertaining to be around…While others may be a bit more difficult if you know what I mean."
"I wouldn't expect anything less," laughed Sage.
"But it's a great job here despite the complications," said Ororo, "I wouldn't trade it for anything."
"Glad to hear Ro," said Sage as she casually leaned against the window still, "So now that you know where I've been the last few years, I think it's only fair you let me in on how you've been all this time. How are your sister and nephew?"
"She's fine, thanks. And as for Evan…Well, that's a long story. I'll fill you in on that later," she said, not wanting to go through the long, complicated story about Evan just now, for it was still something she wasn't too happy about.
"And what men?" she asked with a grin, "How's you're love life been in all the years I've been absent?"
Ororo immediately blushed, not answering her question directly and finding herself stuttering to think of a proper answer. To be honest, her perceptions about her love life had never been too optimistic. Her sister had often expressed a genuine concern for her in being nearly 30 and still alone without a single man in sight. But to her…There was some uncertainty about that now for the first time in quite a while.
"Well…I'm still single," she answered simply, "I'll leave it at that."
"Really?" said Sage, sounding somewhat shocked, "Any boyfriends, dates…Anything?"
"No…I'm afraid not," she responded.
Sage looked at her skeptically. She remembered how when she and Ororo were younger how they use to talk and gossip about men and their ideal dream guy. She knew Ororo had been with a few men back in Africa and she honestly saw her as someone capable of having practically any man she wanted. But to come back after all this time and learn that she hadn't even pursued a relationship was quite a shock.
"Wait…So you mean to tell me that in all the time I've been gone, you haven't even hooked up with one guy or so much as been on one date?" she said.
"Well…Things just get so hectic around here that I honestly don't find a lot of time for a love life," she justified.
"Oh come on Ro, now you're just making excuses," quipped Sage, "I mean come on…You're beautiful. A girl like you should be out there, searching for the kind of guy you deserve. Don't you want to find someone to be with?"
"Of course I do," said Ororo, "It's just…Difficult."
"Well you're not going to find him cooped up here…Unless he's already here," said Sage with a smirk.
"What do you mean?" said Ororo, hoping she was not referring to what she thought she was.
"I mean that guy you were hanging around…You know, the one that rescued you," she said, "Logan I think."
"Logan…" said the weather goddess as she felt her face blush upon her mentioning him, signalling to Sage that she had struck a chord, "Sage…He's just a friend."
"Who also happens to be exactly your type if I recall," she grinned, "I remember how you always used to rant and rave how you were always most attracted to the strong, wild, warrior types back in Africa. You even told me how you always fantasized about meeting the strongest warrior in the land and…"
"Sage!" she said, cutting her off before she could finish, "That was a long time ago…Please don't bring that up now."
Now Sage was more sure than ever, judging by how quickly she had chosen to stop her train of thought, that there was more she wasn't telling her.
"But still…That doesn't mean that it's not a valid point," she argued, "I mean…From what I can tell Logan is a strong, burly, wild man…Definitely someone any woman, namely you, would find alluring. And from what I could see…You two did seem somewhat…Close."
Now Ororo was definitely feeling a bit uncomfortable. She had just managed to get Logan's friendship back after having come so close to losing it forever and she didn't want to jeopardize it. But one of the big effects this whole ordeal had on her was the realization just how much Logan's friendship meant to her…And in some ways it felt like more than that. But she assumed he couldn't possibly feel the same way about her…Could he?
"I…Really don't want to talk about my love life just yet Sage," said Ororo, hoping to get her to drop it, "Logan and I are just friends…Nothing more."
"If you say so…" said Sage, making it clear that she was not convinced, "But if it's that sore a subject for you…I'll drop it."
"Thank you…" said Ororo with a big sigh of relief.
Sage suppressed a light laugh as she saw the expression on her friend's face. She had known Ororo quite she knew when she was not telling the whole truth…Or just unwilling to admit something. But whatever it was, it was clear that it was disturbing her to some extent so Sage chose not to push too many of her buttons and back off. But she had to admit…Judging by the rather ominous things she was sensing from her, she was a tad curious as to what the story was between her and this Logan character.
"So if you won't tell me about you're love life, at least tell me if there are any available men around here looking to hang around a rather dazed ex-SHIELD agent."
Ororo thought about that for a bit, but not too many came to mind.
"I can't say there are many around here that are our age," said Ororo, "The only one that I can think of is Hank, the big blue guy who did all the medical tests."
"Oh, a doctor I see?" said Sage, sounding a bit intrigued.
"Yep! He's single last time I checked," said Ororo, "He's a really nice guy and he's very likeable."
"He already sounds better than half the men I've been working with for the past year," laughed Sage, feeling in the mood for someone who was a step up from the precarious men of the Hellfire Club.
"Well by all means…Help yourself," said Ororo with a grin.
"Ororo Munroe…You wouldn't be trying to play matchmaker now would you?" said Sage with a mischievous smirk.
"Speak for yourself," said Ororo with a laugh, "Just consider it returning the favour."
Bayville Mall – Outside Parking Lot
As Emma, Vincent, Kitty, and Piotr made their way into the mall, they were unaware of a figure in the distance watching them from afar. In the crowd of people he went unnoticed, but his gaze was strictly focused on them. It was Slayer…But in a different form. Gone was his samurai armour and swords and in its place remained regular street clothes. He wore a rather tattered pair of old jeans that had seen better days, an unmarked white T-shirt and a light flannel jacket. On the back of his hands, the mysterious oriental symbols were still visible…But the tattoo over his eye was not. Yet it was still there…Doing what it always had done…Seeing the things that no normal being could ever see.
As the mutant warrior stood in the sea of people, many passed by him…Seeing him once and completely forgetting him the second he left their view. But this is the way it always had been and this is the way Slayer was used to. As he watched the four X-men enter the mall, he soon found himself following their lead and heading in himself. But as he looked intently at the four young mutants, he couldn't help but wonder.
"Is this it? Are they truly the only ones up to this task?" he asked himself aloud, "They survived the first bout…But barely. Will they even be able to muster the strength to face the darkness that is sure to come?"
These questions could not be answered at the moment and it was rather frustrating to the mutant warrior. No matter what he did or how many battles he won or lost, he was always forced to go at it with uncertainty. His mind wasn't exactly the healthiest in terms of the effects his experiences had on him, but he knew he would have to be strong for the seemingly endless array of possibilities that the future could manifest. Then, as his all seeing eye briefly appeared on his face and once again observed Emma, Vincent, Kitty, and Piotr, the mutant warrior let out a sigh as he entered the mall.
"To all the spirits out there…I sure hope I don't screw this up," he muttered under his breath, "Now…I guess it's time to make myself known."
NEXT UP CHAPTER 23: MALLS AND AWAKENINGS