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Shattered Like Glass: Scene 16"Matthew…"
Matthew turned hesitantly at the sound of a troubled voice. It was Blaze, looking pale and wide-eyed. They'd barely spoken since she'd shot him down when he asked her out. Now as she came towards him all that was forgotten and he went to take her hands in his in a comforting gesture.
"Blaze? Are you alright?"
"I don't know… I…" She was shaking, so he guided her to the sofa in the rec. room, sitting besides her and not letting go of her hands.
"I heard Gambit and Wolverine just left. Are they not taking kids into hiding like everyone else? What about you, have you got a group?" He spoke softly, trying to get her to focus on his voice.
"I don't know what the Professor's asked Rem and Logan to do, but I don't think it involves any of the children." Blaze frowned, clearly struggling to think straight. "I'm not taking any either, I…" She tailed off.
"You what?" Matthew asked.
"I'm leaving America, the Professor has a field mission for me." Blaze finally met Matthew's worried eyes. At that moment, Sam flounced into the room with Vertigo and several others behind her. Sam stopped dead when she saw Blaze and Matthew holding hands, putting her fists on her hips and scowling.
"Not interrupting anything are we?" Shockwave quipped, making Blaze extract her hands from Matthew's as both adults looked at the teen. When neither of them answered Sam, she pressed on by herself.
"Well we're your group, Blaze. Me, Ver, Wolfie and Iona, along with Berserker, Cannonball and Cannonball's little brother Jay. A couple more kids from French and half a dozen from your tutor group. That's less than everyone else, but Cyclops reckoned you needed a break with me in the group, seeing as the military are already after me."
"But you just said…" Matthew frowned at Blaze, "Are you taking them out of the country as well?"
"No, I'm not supposed to have a group." Blaze shook her head. "I don't have a safe house address or anything. Where's Cyclops, we need to split you lot up and put you in the other groups…"
"Oh no you don't." Sam demanded, linking arms with Vertigo possessively. "You're not splitting us up so you can get out of your responsibilities."
"Please Blaze, don't separate us…" Wolfsbane begged before Blaze could respond to Shockwave.
"Yeah, we're all scared here." Iona pointed out. "We don't want to be sent away, and we definitely don't want to be separated from our best friends."
"Join the club." Blaze pointed out. "I'm sorry, but there's no other way…"
"Yes there is." Matthew cut in, looking at Shockwave and co carefully. "I can take them."
"You'd do that?" Blaze and Sam both asked at the same time.
"Hey I'm on the run too, remember. May as well have company."
"Cool!" Sam grinned, running to hug Matthew possessively as he and Blaze stood. "Thanks Matt!" She then departed, calling to her crew to come help pack. Blaze and Matthew shared a bemused glance.
"Well that seems to have got her back to normal." Matthew pointed out.
"Remember Matthew, she's only seventeen. Don't let her boss you about because she will try and take over." Blaze hugged him warmly, smiling a little. "Thank you so much for doing this. If you go to the Professor, he'll tell you where there's a safe house."
"Its okay Laura." Matthew told her, holding her gently. He didn't notice Blaze wince at the use of her real name. "Sam's right, things do have to be done a little differently with her in the group. I've got a safe place I can take them, and if the Professor doesn't know where she is he can't be at risk of having that knowledge taken from him."
"All right." Blaze agreed, freeing herself from his arms. "Take care of them, and yourself Matthew."
"I will, and good luck Blaze. Whatever it is that's worrying you, it'll turn out fine, I'm sure."
"I wish I had your confidence." Blaze said softly.
"I wish I had your mobile number," Matthew joked, "But we can't always have everything we want, can we?"