Disclaimer: See previous disclaimer. I only own the song.
A.p.R. - Sorry, I've taken too long to update…I'm going to work on that. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I really enjoyed writing "All Good Things" and I think it's some of my best work. I'm very proud of it and most importantly I'm proud that you all liked it so much. Thanks.
(I can't believe I'm shoot Alfred Molina)
Marc sat on a hard wooden chair at a glass table in the coffee shop. His head was hung low and he appeared to be hurting still. The hot chocolate in the cup before him steamed as he took a sip.
There was a woman on the performance stage, average height, blonde hair, blue eyes, wearing a black nylon dress. She sat on a stool with a microphone stand and her acoustic guitar resting on her far knee and held by her left hand, tuning it.
Ororo walked back over to the table with Marc, setting her cappuccino down as she sat. "Are you sure you want to go through with this tomorrow, child?"
"Yes." he replied in a marginally dark tone.
"Hear me, Marc, you so appear to be-"
"Sad? Depressed? Feeling like the only way this could be worse is if Michael Moore edited it?"
"You and I are not so different, you know, Marc?"
He scoffed. "Oh?"
"I watched my parents die, I was left with little money and had to turn to a life of crime…"
"Oh…" he said, his eyes taking on a softer look.
"That was all before I met a man named Charles Xavier. He turned my life around. Took me in. Taught me to be all that I can be-"
"Did he enlist you for the Army?"
"Weak joke."
"Sorry…I'm sorry." he said, a low sigh echoing in his throat. "I didn't mean to make it sound like I-"
"Marc, I know you've been through a lot, but you have to know we're here for you." she said, putting her hand atop his. "You are like family- no- you are family." She smiled, receiving a small smile from him. "Do you know that?"
"Well, I just…"
"Do you know it, Marc?"
He put his hand on her hand. "Yes. I do. It's me I guess - ever since my parents…were taken…I haven't been the same. When Xavier did his mental voodoo on me…it felt hollow." he said, quietly. "Hollow inside. It felt good too. Good…but too easy, you know? I felt like I didn't cope…and now, Marcia's…gone and I feel the flood gates open again."
"Mutant healing factor or not, those wounds will never heal." she said, putting her hand softly on his chest.
"The doctor says it's just a strained collarbone…"
"You know what I mean. Those wounds are wounds upon your soul…they'll be with you until the day you die."
Marc smiled and looked deeply into her eyes, gripping her hand a little tighter. "Ororo…has anyone ever told you that…you have…the worst pep-talks ever?"
Ororo sighed. "I'm telling you the truth."
"Ms. Munroe, I know…I've known." he said, his piercing hazel eyes staring right into Ororo's. "It's going to be really hard to stand up in front of her family and lie to all their faces. Watching them hurt like that- knowing I can't do a thing to help them." he said with a sniffle. "I can't stand to see people hurting…"
"Hey, folks…I'm Whisper." The blonde woman on stage announced with a warm, inviting smile. "Most of you know me since I've been performing here three days a week for the last six months." she smiled and the one spotlight the coffee house had shined on her. "I wrote this song yesterday after hearing a good friend of mind passed away."
Marc turned his chair so he would be able to watch. She strummed the strings slowly and fluently as she licked her crimson red lips. She began with her soulful, sultry, humming.
"I whisper a song
That makes the pain go away
Just for one day
Just for one day…"
She played softer now, her golden blonde hair shining in the light.
"And I
Hum to the tune
Because it's too soon
So the pain will stay
Just for one day…"
Her playing now grew harder and louder.
"I will not feel
I will not feign
Just for one day
Just for one day…" she sang, tapping her foot and closing her eyes.
"I cannot shout
I cannot say
Just for one day
One day
One day…"
She slowed her playing to a halcyon rhythm, leaning over to the microphone in the stand and almost breathing the words as she sang.
"Just for one…
Just for one…
Just for one day
I cannot shout
Just for one day
I will not feel
Why can't I sense
That this is real
All of our troubles
Just get in the way
Just for one day
Make the pain go away…
Just for one day
And so the pain will stay…
Just…for…one…
Day…" she faded out, with one last note of her guitar. The small crowd waited a moment before applauding. She smiled a small smile. "Thank you." she said. She set the guitar down, look a drink of water, and hopped off the stage.
Marc smiled warmly as he watched her walk over to the counter. "Whoa…"
Ororo smiled at Marc.
Whisper started talking to the guy at the counter and they laughed. He handed her a cup of hot chocolate and she smiled. "Thanks, Randy. You're so sweet." she said, beaming. She walked over and sat down at a table in the corner of the room.
"I'll be right back…" Marc said, sprawling off and walking over to her. He looked at her. She didn't notice so he cleared his throat.
She looked at him with a brow raised. "Ricola?"
"Bless you." he said, a little confused.
Whisper almost shot her drink out her nose as she chuckled. She smiled, reaching into the duffle bag by her chair for something. She pulled out a little cough drop and handed it to him. No…Ricola."
"Heh, oh…" He laughed nervously, taking the lozenge, unwrapping it and putting the wrapper in his pocket and the cough drop in his mouth. He was glad he got that part right. "Can I sit?"
"Oh, sure…" she replied, he sat down. "So…um, what's your name?"
He thought for a second. "Marc is me…" he stuttered, then shook his head. "My name Marc…" He took a deep breath. "Hi, I'm Marc." he said, smiling like nothing happened.
She giggled. "Hi, I'm Whisper…but you probably know that. Was there anything you wanted?"
He smiled. "Oh, yeah…I wanted to tell you that that song of yours really…touched me. I have a close friend that…passed on too. I wanted to say thank. You accidentally helped me out a lot." he said.
She looked more closely at him and noticed some cuts, scratches, and how he wasn't using his left arm that much. "What…happened to you?"
"Oh, I was attacked by a vampire and a few other super humans - no, actually I hurt myself in a motorcycle crash a couple days ago." he explained, not wanting to go into great depth.
"Wow, you look pretty good for a person who was just in a wreck." she said with an inquiring look.
"Milk: does a body good." he replied with a minor chuckle.
The owner of the place stood on the other side of the counter and tapped it, looking at Marc. "Eh, buddy, pay up."
Marc sighed. "Unfortunately, unless I want my milk udder-fresh, it costs money." he said, pulling out his wallet, his picture of Kitty falling out onto the table. He pulled three dollars and handed it to the man. "Keep the change, sir."
The owner looked at Marc for a moment with a 'you've got to be kidding me' expression. "Oh, twenty cents! Now I can retire early and move to Florida." he mocked, deadpan, as he put the money in the register.
Marc squinted at the man. Whisper picked up the picture and examined it. "Who is she?" she asked, holding the picture out to Marc.
Marc took it and smiled as he gazed at it. "That's, um…that's my girlfriend. Her names Kitty." he replied, a loving smile filled with the regret upon his face. He felt terrible about not talking to her but he did not think she would want to talk to him.
Whisper smiled at his reaction. "Kitty huh? She's pretty." she confirmed with a nod.
"Yes. Yes she is. She's gorgeous. I don't know where I'd be without her." he said, a dreamy look in his eyes.
Whisper took a drink and smiled. "Well…?"
"Well what?"
"Well have you…?"
Marc raised a brow. "Have I what? What are you talking about?"
"Have you whispered those three little words that'll make her heart go pitter-patter?"
"Oh…no." he replied. "Not yet."
She scoffed. "And why not? You sound like you are cuckoo for her."
"Cuckoo like Cocoa Puffs." he said with a smile, daydreaming about her.
"So why don't…" she trailed off, realizing he wasn't paying attention. She snapped her fingers in front of his face bringing him back to earth. "So why don't you tell her?" she pried, trying to coax him.
Marc crossed his arms over his chest, resting the lozenge on his tongue. He couldn't think of a comeback but still looked confident. "S'cause."
Whisper looked at him. "Right. I bet you're one of those guys who wants to say it but keeps telling themselves they'll do it tomorrow."
"Really?" he said, scoffing at her analysis of him.
"Really, really. Well guess what? There might not be a tomorrow." she said, kicking his shin.
"Ow!" he said, surprised by how much that hurt. "…ow…"
"What if you died in that crash. She'd never know."
"She knows."
"Some things have to be said."
"Some things don't."
"How well do you think you know how the opposite sex thinks?"
"Touché."
"So?"
"Yeah…it looks like, once again, you've helped me." Marc said with a sigh. "You are good with that."
"If my music career fails I could go into customer services."
"I said you are helpful…not annoying." he replied; they both shared a chuckle. "You're pretty cool. It's too bad we won't see each other again."
"Yeah…wait, why?"
"I live in Bayville, all the way across the country. But hey, if you're ever in town you should give me a call. I think Kitty and you would get along splendidly." he said, reaching over to the counter, grabbing a pen.
"Hey!" A customer protested, the pen being his.
Marc quickly scribbled his cell phone number on a napkin and slid it over to Whisper. The man snatched the pen away from Marc with an aggravated look; Marc smiled apologetically. The man shook his head, walking away and muttering something.
"Marc, we should be going." Ororo stated, walking over to them. She knew that they still needed to rent a suit for Marc.
"Oh. Yeah. Right." he said, just remembering. "It was nice conversing with you." he added with a smile, standing up.
"Yeah, it was." She smiled back. "I'll call you soon, Marc."
He nodded as he and Ororo walked out the door.
Ororo looked as Marc as the went to opposite sides of the white rental car. "You seem happier than earlier."
"Yup."
"Women are wise, aren't they?" she said proudly with a slight unconscious smirk.
"Oh yeah." he said, exaggeratedly.
Back in Bayville…
Duncan Matthews forced himself to move further and further, trying to get in arm's reach of the intercom. He felt his fingers touch the button. He smiled; this was the only thing that had gone right for him all day.
Suddenly he slipped, falling face first on the ground and into the bushes. He was out cold.
Once again, I wrote that song for this chapter and it's titled "Whisper a Song"
Please Review, folks. Tell me what you like or didn't like. Thanks for reading.