Dislcaimer: I don't own Mutant X or X Men.
We're All Family
Chapter 15
Sunday
Christmas Eve dawned with few plans. Movies and relaxation were the choices for the day. During a lull in the breakfast traffic, John found Adam bringing Dria in for her turn at the table. "I'd like to go back to the hotel, if it's at all possible, Uncle Adam. I need to contact Nicholas and tell him I won't be available until after New Years."
"You can contact him safely from here. We have secured outside lines," Adam offered.
"Adam," Dria drew his attention, "I also have a few errands I want him to run for me." She smiled as Adam nodded.
"I'll get one of the guys to drive you back. You still won't be able to bring your car here but the blinders won't be necessary, I guess."
That afternoon as promised, Brennan volunteered to drive John back into town. As they were getting ready to leave, Sissy passed them in the hall. "Hey, I heard you were going out, mind if I come?"
Brennan saw John shrug then turned to the young girl. "Go get your coat. We'll wait for you in the garage."
Almost an hour later they were in the hotel suite waiting as John made his phone call. When he came out he explained his errands. "I have orders to go to the toy store. It's probably lucky I have both of you with me. You can help me pick out something each of the kids will like."
"There's a toy store in the mall." Brennan offered. "We can go there then stop and get a snack." He turned to Sissy. "Shal told me what a good job you did yesterday in your test. I think that deserves a treat."
Sissy rolled her eyes. "Come on, Bren. I'm not 5."
Brennan smiled as he leaned closer. "There's a music store there."
"Now a CD is more like it. What are we waiting for?" she smiled wide taking his hand and leading him toward the door.
"Let's take my car," John offered. "I just bought it and only got the chance to drive it here." Brennan agreed and directed as John drove.
Across town a signal began blaring in the man's ears. "Well, well that's interesting." The man pulled on his jacket and picked up his tracker. In half an hour he was sitting in his car watching and waiting.
Each carried two large bags as the trio left the toy store. "Music store next?" Sissy hoped and hinted.
"I guess we should have made the toy store our last stop," John stated with a grin. "Listen, I…ah…have another stop to make. Why don't you two go ahead and I'll meet you…where?"
"The snack stand," Sissy offered.
"I thought you weren't 5 anymore?" Brennan countered.
"Well,…I'm not but…hey…it's Christmas," she smile sweetly at him.
"I think I better warn the guys about you. You're a con." Brennan chuckled at the pout she put on. "Oh, alright." He turned to John. "Meet us at the snack stand."
Sissy smiled and bounced on her toes as she let out a squeal of victory.
After they met and had a soda and soft pretzel, the trio, with bags in every hand, headed back to the car.
In the parking lot the man sat up straighter as he saw his target putting his purchases into the trunk. Pulling out his camera, he snapped and zoomed and snapped more. When they pulled out he waited a few minutes watching his tracker then followed them. Once in the hotel garage he watched curiously as they moved the bags from one car to another, then got into the second car and drove off. "Well, it looks like he'll be back. Let's see what the boss wants now."
Pulling back into the garage, John wondered at the level of security his uncle had created. It took him by surprise when Brennan drove off the road and looked like he was going to drive right into the rock face. When the rock dematerialized and then rematerialized behind them he wondered. Stepping out of the car he walked to where they had entered and reached a tentative hand out to the rock.
"Go ahead," Brennan called out. "You can touch it. It feels like solid rock."
"You mean it's not?" John questioned as his hand felt the rough surface.
"Nope. It's holographic. Adam and Jesse keep finding ways of making it more and more difficult to get in here. I'm always afraid one day they're gonna come up with something and not give me access." He mused as he opened the trunk.
John walked back to the car and looked into the trunk. "I guess I need to get these to my room."
"I can have them there in the blink of an eye," Sissy offered.
John looked at her then looked at Brennan.
Brennan gestured his hand to the many bags and stepped aside. "That's her specialty." He winked at her. "Go for it. John's staying in the room next to Bryan's nursery."
Brennan watched as Sissy moved to the trunk and gathered the handles of all the bags in one hand. She turned and reached her other to John. As soon as he took her hand they were gone. Shaking his head Brennan closed the trunk and went to join the rest.
Sissy and John appeared a moment later in his room, the sudden weight from the bags pulling on her arm as she stumbled.
"Wow. That was amazing."
"Thanks," Sissy smiled as she straightened. "I've already been informed that it's my job to get all the presents from the hold of the Blackbird and put them under the tree, tonight. I just hope they don't all crash like the bags did. Nothing like a noisy Santa."
"Well, thanks for the help. I'm going to call my mother and let her see everything. I'll wrap them later." John led her out of his room.
The evening began with a wonderful dinner prepared with everyone's holiday favorites. They ate and talked and laughed and ate some more until everyone was stuffed and too tired to clean up. They left the messy kitchen and went to the rec room to digest. The professor took Thomas and Nadene on his lap as the other babies sat on the floor before him, not really paying attention, as he told his Christmas stories. He began this cozy practice the first Christmas with Thomas. It quickly became a tradition after dinner on Christmas Eve to sit and listen as the professor spoke. He began with 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and then worked his way into the story of the Nativity and God's Christmas gift to the world. In the quiet of the room with only his melodic tones to lull them soon all the children were asleep, the adults digested and tranquil.
Evie stood to take her sleeping daughter from his lap as Scott stepped behind her ready to take Thomas. "This is one of my favorite parts of Christmas," she whispered as she smiled at Charles, kissing his cheek as she lifted Nadene.
"It certainly makes bedtime less stressful," Scott added.
The children were soon all tucked in their beds as everyone began moving around once again. With kitchen and rec room now cleaned and straightened up, people began turning in to dream dreams of sugar plums and get the rest needed to enjoy the sure to be boisterous morning.
Scott turned to Sissy before following Jean. "Are you ok with moving the packages?"
"No problem. I can handle it," she smiled at him. "But I'm not separating that mountain of gifts. Someone will just have to play Santa in the morning and read tags."
Scott chuckled as he went up the stairs.
Sissy sat in the rec room for a while, reading a book she'd brought. She turned with a start as John walked in with his arms full of wrapped boxes. "Oh, John,…you scared me."
"I seem to be doing that a lot lately. I'm sorry." He moved to one side of the tree and put down the packages.
"I guess I'm kinda jumpy." Sissy put her book down and stood. "This place is so much quieter than the mansion, especially at night."
"Well just so I don't scare you again, I have more to bring down." John turned and smiled at her.
"I was not scared," she declared with a frown. "Just startled." She glared when John grinned and turned out the door. "Wait,…I can help you bring the packages down,…if you want."
"Sure. That'd be great. I think it's so cool seeing what everyone can do. I didn't know many mutants before I came here."
Sissy came to his side with a smile. "I can tell you about the kids who have been at the school. Some of their powers would make your head spin." They whispered as they walked to his room.
After bringing down the rest of John's gifts in a blink, literally, Sissy walked to the door. "I guess I'd better get my job done and then get to bed." She walked out into the main hall. Suddenly stilling she looked up at the ceiling and slowly around the cavernous expanse around her. Everything was eerily quiet. As she listened she found the only thing she could hear was the low drone of the computers on standby. Cautiously stepping forward, she took only two steps when John stepped out of the rec room. Sissy turned with a jerk and a gasp. Seeing John take a half step back then reach out toward her, she took a deep breath to steady her heart.
"Sissy?" John moved to her side.
"I'm sorry. It's just sooo quiet in here and I have a really active imagination." She looked around again. "I'd better get done quickly and get to bed."
"Do you want me to go into the hangar with you?" John offered.
"No," Sissy waved her hand dismissively. "I'll be ok…once I get inside the Blackbird."
"Let me go with you. After all, I'm the one who startled you and got your imagination going. Besides, I like to see you use your powers." John felt really bad for scaring her three times now. He knew the young girl was trying to be brave but Sanctuary could be an eerie place. He understood completely. He was glad when she conceded.
Once out of Sanctuary's main hall, lights set on night setting lit their way through the halls to the hangar. At the doors, Sissy keyed the access code Jesse had given her and the doors parted at her command. The only illumination in the bay was that which poured in around them from the hall, their shadows falling tall before them. "Umm…maybe this was a good idea after all."
"This place isn't too bad," John remarked with a hint of sarcasm.
"No," Sissy returned the tone. "It just feels like we entered a sacred burial chamber in one of the Great Pyramids." She took one hesitant step forward then turned as she heard a smirk behind her. Turning to face him she could only see the outline of his head backlit from the hall. "What?"
"A sacred burial chamber in one of the Great Pyramids? You definitely have a very active imagination." John shook his head and moved up to her side. The doors hissed closed, leaving them in complete blackness.
"Well,…it could happen. It's…so dark in here…I can't see at all let alone find the Blackbird." Sissy's voice shook just a little as she tried to steady her heart
"Computer," John spoke into the air. "Lights in bay at 50 percent." Immediately his command was carried out.
"See. Now you're talking to ghosts and they answered you." Sissy smiled then walked to the Blackbird. John followed with a chuckle. "Look. I can do it, too." She keyed in a code on the control pad. "Ooopen Sesame," raising her hands for affect. The cargo doors hissed and opened at her command. Sissy turned a gesture at the result.
"Yes, you're right. The Amazing Sissy." John declared as she giggled.
They moved to the first of three open sections and saw the piles of wrapped boxes bundled in the space. "I'll have to do this in a couple of trips." Sissy reached out to touch the first bundle. "I'll be right back. Don't be too scared without me."
When John blinked she was gone. He looked into the hold and was amazed that the entire pile was gone, as well. A few moments later, Sissy appeared at his side again. "Wow, that was great. Do you feel the weight of whatever you're teleporting?"
"No. It all happens in an instant but I can't do it at all if I don't have a clear picture of where I'm going. God only knows where I'd end up." She moved to the second hold and disappeared again.
When she was gone, John turned to find that a lone package was still there. He picked it up and straightened to find her by his side again. "Missed one."
"It must have come loose from the bundle and fell aside. I have to be in contact for it to work."
"Well, I'd better stay and make sure none fall away in this hold." He stepped back as she reached for the last and smallest bundle.
Sissy reappeared, "Did I lose any this time?"
"No. It looks like you're done. We'd better lock down again. I'll turn down the lights after we get to the door." He watched as she secured the craft.
"If you want…I can teleport us back if you turn down the lights now." Sissy offered a little shyly with an extended hand.
John took her hand with a smile and commanded the lights off. In the darkness he felt Sissy tighten her hold on his hand then a moment later they were in the rec room surrounded by the bundles she'd moved.
"Thanks for helping me," Sissy smiled at him before she released his hand. "I need to get these untied and set around the tree before I go up."
Jesse walked in. "Wow, it looks like Christmas," he mused. "I came down to move the presents we had hidden but…I don't think there's room."
"There's always room for more presents, especially if they're for me." Sissy smiled as she moved presents around the tree. "Where are all of yours?" she asked as she worked. "I'll bring them in."
"Well, now that Jesse's here to guide you into your next expedition," John heard her chuckle, "I'll turn in. Goodnight."
Jesse watched him leave then turned back to Sissy, "Expedition?"
"Imagination games," she finished and walked over to him. "Uh huh," Jesse looked at her with a raised brow.
Punching his arm lightly, the young girl flushed. "Where's your stuff?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.
Jesse led her to a storage closet where she found a large pile of packages. In less than 10 minutes they were done and heading to bed.
TBC
