Whisperings - Meetings
By kiragecko

Part four. A character discovers the power of manipulation.

They all wanted to meet me. That was bad. I didn't want to see a bunch of strangers disguised as friends. Especially if what Dr. McCoy had said was true. Poor Mr. Drake. He loved kids so much.

I tried to think of excuses and tried to control the storm from three stories underground (which is much harder then you'd think). I'd finally given up killing it and had moved the stupid thing west a ways. Okay, problem solving time. How could I convince them that coming to say hello was a bad idea?

"I'm feeling really tired, Dr. McCoy, can I rest for awhile?"

He nods, turns down the lights, and leaves. I'm alone. Realization hits - I believe him. I believe that my best friend's mother is going out with a non-entity like Piotr, that Dr. McCoy never married Dr. Reyes-McCoy, that the Phoenix didn't kill Scott and he ended up marrying Emma, that my mother…. Not thinking that. I turn over, which hurts. Sleep isn't going to come. I want to look around but my leg is broken and I don't know how bad my insides are messed up. I'm in North America. In the place that used to be called the United States. In the Mansion. The X-Men are still active, which means the mutants are in bad shape. 'Course that's kind of obvious if I'm in the States. My mom leads a team…

She's NOT my mother! My mother would have had me already. She's just a woman who looks like my mother and has the same name. My mother doesn't exist anymore.

I'm crying now. Crying and angry and frustrated. Why did this happen? Why am I here? I try to remember. Something about an explosion… but there's nothing. All I can remember is waking and knowing someone had tried to blow me up. Why? I might not have that many friends but I'm not overflowing with super-powered enemies, either. Who'd want to kill me? And how had an explosion brought me here? It's not like I have much chance of a random secondary mutation that allows teleportation across dimensions. I control the weather!

Someone enters the room, quietly. I turn, ready to fight. Maybe these people are fakes. But it's someone who looks a lot like Mr. Summers. Both of them. Realization comes in a rush - its Cyclops.

"Mr. Summers?"

I can't keep the joy out of my voice. Mom never really recovered from his death. No one did. He was the X-Men's heart and soul.

He smiles at me and gives me a tray. I smile back. He's alive! For a second everything's okay.

"How are you feeling, Whisper?"

"Don't know. I think I've been drugged. Dr. McCoy never told me how bad I was hurt, do you know?"

"There was nothing major. The leg is only broken in one spot and only three of the cuts needed stitches. You'll probably hurt a lot after the pain killers wear off, though, you're almost entirely covered in bruises and abrasions."

I groan. I thought occurs to me.

"Where's Mrs. Summers?"

He blinks. Looks a little upset. Controls himself.

"She passed away."

I blink, then glare.

"Not the Phoenix, Mrs. Dr…Mrs. Sum…the woman who used to be Emma Frost!"

"Oh, Emma. She's still Emma Frost."

"I thought you guys were together."

"We are. Have been for several months. However, my wife died less then a year ago and… it's best if Emma and I don't rush things."

Oh. Everyone disapproves. Makes sense - everyone worships the Phoenix. And not everyone likes Mrs. Drake.

"Sorry. Where is she?"

"Running the school while I indulge my curiosity."

He smiles and I laugh. Everyone said he didn't have a sense of humor! Probably Mrs. Drake did this.

His face goes serious and I know he's getting ready to question me. Not again.

"Thanks for coming to see me, Mr. Summers. It was really nice of you. I'm full now and I'd like to go back to sleep. Could you leave me alone for a while?"

Like magic, he's up and asking my forgiveness. I smile and he disappears with the tray. I wonder what I'm going to do after I get better?