X-Men-First Class: Rise or Fall

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty Three

Author's Word: You know something, fam? I'm a girl who likes to feel she's in touch with her priorities. That's why this holiday weekend I knew it was imperative that I get this chapter posted for you guys and hold off excess school reading until tomorrow. After much food and caffeine loaded beverages enter my system. Okay cool, please read and review!

At the patter of the younger and constantly more jovial feet making their return to the parlor, the elder Headmaster faced away from the novel that had retained his attention for the last half hour.

"I'm sorry that took so long." Charles dropped into his chess chair. "Apparently, the movie riled Brian up to the point of wanting an encore. My ever talented wife managed to soothe him."

"Never apologize for tending to my lab mouse," Erik said.

"Ray Bradbury," Charles spoke of the author upon brief glance at Erik's book cover. "So your normal feel-good holiday reading material, brother?"

Erik gave off a light shake of his head. "I'll have to ask you to watch your mouth, Lab Rat. You know normal does not apply within this family."

"My sincerest apologies." Charles looked up at the woman who entered the room. "Edna. May I mix something for you?"

The lady raised her hand in denial. "Thank you, Charles dear, but a small taste with dinner has always been enough for me. I only wanted a moment to thank the two of you."

Erik wondered, "What in the world for? I believe you are the one who spoiled us with such rich food this evening."

"Yes," Charles concurred. "Having you here has truly made Thanksgiving for Raven, Hank, and the children."

"Having the two of you has made all the difference in the world with Henry," Edna told them. "Outside of his athletics, he only ever seemed at home in his books; wandering amongst his own intrigues. I know I have both of you to thank for offering him this safe haven where he's at last freed himself from that shell. And Raven is a better girl than I could have picked out myself for him."

Charles smiled at that. "We feel exactly the same way."

Erik added, "Hank has gone beyond the call of duty for us all."

"With his father gone," Edna clutched at an upper portion of her lilac robe, "I truly appreciate that he still has you in his life."

Charles stood to pat her free hand between both his own. "That is something he can count on for a long time to come."

Edna beamed joyfully at him. "Thank you, Charles." She glanced towards the other Headmaster. "Thank you, Erik." He bobbed his head at her. "Good night, gentlemen."

"Good night," the pair said after the departing woman.

Moving his head, Charles noticed the wistful expression on his brother. "Erik?"

"She," peering down, the metal wielder absently flipped through a few pages in his book, "she reminds me of my mother."

Silently wishing he could say the same, Charles spoke nothing of the thought.

Instead, he suggested, "Leftover pie?"

"I'll get it."

When Erik stood to go, Charles called after him with an endearing, "And perhaps some milk?"

Erik looked back at him and responded, "Warmed," before continuing on towards the kitchen.

II

Walking into his suite, Logan looked around at his still lively children.

"What're you mutts doin' up?" Putting the food containers he had with him to the side of the mattress, he began tugging on his boots.

"These two wanted a little taste of Frank's special lava Jell-O," Kayla said from where she laid back against their pillows with Mira.

The bitty girl seemed entranced while nibbling on her mother's finger.

Cody looked away from spraying raspberries on Todd's exposed stomach. "And the big mutt gets to stay up late. No school tomorrow." He flopped down beside the baby on the play rug and let off a whoop that had a bit of a growl to it.

Todd's gurgling seemed as if trying to imitate the sound.

Logan eyed his boys with contentment. "Well, the big mutt can help his ma with the little mutts while Dad's earnin' our keep."

Sitting up, Cody gathered Todd into a cradling hold. "Me and Toddy, too, Dad. Please?"

"Oh no," Kayla answered on her husband's behalf. "CoCo, you know Toddy needs more sleep than you do."

"Yeah, unless you want him to stay a little whelp forever. And with my genes, that's dangerous." Logan leaned over to kiss Mira's soft forest then Kayla's lips. "And I think your brother and sister want you in here with them."

"Okay," Cody complied. He got up with Todd and carefully climbed up onto the large bed, facing their mother. "Will you tell us a story, Mama? With Wolves in it?"

"Of course," Kayla agreed.

With his wife's words in his ears, Logan stuck around long enough to hear part of the tale then collected the food.

Having no need to look away from the monitors, Victor slid over a red container. "Leftover spuds and turkey."

"I got cheesecake and rolls." Logan placed down his own horde then went to their small refrigerator.

Getting a beer and bottle of cola out, he gave the soda to his brother and plopped down into his regular chair.

A few minutes into the food, Logan reacted to the nuzzling sensation at his ankles. He shifted his vision downward and brought Midnight up into his lap. Gathering a fingertip full of the cheesecake's cream, he showed it to the cat for him to lap up with his rough tongue.

XXXXX

"Lo'? Logan? What do you think you're doin' down there?"

Eyes remaining closed, the boy stretched out on the front lawn replied, "Thought I was catchin' a snooze at this rate."

"Quit kiddin' around," the older one said with mild irritation. "We both know we ain't like other folks."

"But you and me are the same," Logan brought up, remaining in place. "Right?"

"Right. That's why we got to practice with each other. Now hurry and try to find me." The voice went silent after that.

Logan counted off for almost thirty seconds before letting his blue eyes meet the bright morning light again. He jumped up and stayed still before striking off in a particular direction. Reaching one tree, he seized one branch to start up it. Before he made it to the halfway point, one twig below his foot snapped in half.

"Whoa!" The sensation of falling proved short-lived as a hand extended and caught the child by the front of his jacket.

The brown eyes and long hair of honey wheat revealed themselves next. "You okay?"

"Course I'm okay." Logan stayed still while Victor situated him on the thick limb the currently held the teenager's weight. "I just wasn't watchin' right."

"Got to be careful," Victor cautioned, indicating the broken branch. "That could easily be your neck the next time."

Logan wanted to know, "How do you make tree climbin' look so easy? You're almost better than Pickle Toe."

Victor sincerely considered the question but could only come up with, "I don't know. It's somethin' I've always been able to do. Ever since I was even smaller than you, it's like I was dang near made for these trees and high off places. Some of the best spots to read."

"You and your books." Logan then groaned quietly and ran his right hand's nails over his left knuckles.

"They givin' you trouble?" Victor took the appendages to study.

"Not that much," Logan answered. "Nothin' like when they first popped out."

"Let me see 'em again," Victor requested.

Very slowly, the three sets of bones extended from the young boy's knuckles. Victor took the time to run a delicate finger over each of them. Though he already knew from observation here and there that he and his recently discovered brother shared many similarities, showing each other what came out of their hands the previous night further confirmed things.

Logan said, "I want to see yours again, too."

Nodding, Victor grew his fingernails into curved claws. "I always thought somethin' was just off about me."

"Yours are neat and they don't even hurt," Logan commented. "Bet you could slap the taste out of some joker's mouth with 'em."

Victor looked at him with equal musing about him. "How about you? You try to deck any sucker with yours and you'll make a pin cushion out of him."

Logan appeared as if to consider this. "Yeah."

"Don't go gettin' any ideas," Victor said firmly. "No more fightin' like yesterday unless you really have to. Remember, we can't show what we can do to nobody. If folks around here find out, they'll say stuff about us; try to make trouble for Ma."

"Don't worry, Vic. I won't tell nobody," Logan vowed.

"Victor," the feminine voice petitioned, "Logan?" Before either could answer, the strawberry blonde woman practically appeared right beneath them. "What on earth are the two of you doing up there?"

"Just horsin' around, Mama," Logan called down.

Elizabeth said, "Well, unless you can sprout wings and fly to school from there, I want you both to get down here."

Victor climbed to ground level first then helped Logan when he came close.

"I'm sorry, Ma," the older one apologized. "It was my idea. Logan didn't ruin his school clothes."

"It's nothing to be sorry about, Victor," Elizabeth assured. "And I'm afraid his clothes are the last thought on my mind when it comes to school- for once."

Logan folded his hands behind his back. "Guess you're talkin' about yesterday, huh?"

"Exactly," Elizabeth confirmed. "I want you to let Miss Aubert know I'll be by about lunch time to discuss this Robbie Barrett matter."

"Yes, Ma," Logan nodded. "Hopefully, that'll keep her from makin' me stay after class."

Victor touched his brother's shoulder. "I'll get him to school, Ma."

Elizabeth said, "You better hitch the team together to make up the time. Logan, go on in. Your lunch is in the pail. Don't forget your books or to feed your cat. Pickle Toe has been chomping at the bit for you."

"Yes, Mama." He headed for the house.

After Logan had his things gathered and his cat satisfied, he and Victor took the wagon into town.

The blonde did not miss the unusually quiet child beside him as he gripped the reigns. "You nervous about what your teacher's goin' to say?" Logan shook his head. "Then what? I know it's not this Barrett kid. After yesterday, he'd be out of his head to give you grief again."

"Forget him," Logan dismissed. "I was just thinkin'… about yesterday. What happened between you and me. After you found me."

Victor slowed the horses a bit. "Yeah?"

"Would you…" Logan raised his blue eyes to face him. "You gonna do it again?"

Victor stared forward in thought. "Truth be told, I ain't put no thought into it yesterday. Until I saw you ready to crack your head open. Look Logan, I just found ya. You don't get to die 'til I say so. So if that's what I got to do, yeah. I would do it again."

Logan sat thoughtfully then jabbed at the older one's ankle with his shoe. "That mean only I can say when you die?"

Victor stated a plain, "Maybe."

"Yeeeesss." Logan stuck his tongue out with that.

Victor fought to keep from snickering.

When they made it just outside the schoolhouse, he did not miss the one particular boy that looked their way before promptly darting nervous eyes again.

"Want me to stick around a minute?"

"No, I'll be fine," Logan responded, getting his pail and study aides. "And I remember what you said." He slid out of the wagon. "All of it."

Before he left, Victor lowered his tone to ensure only they could hear each other. "Lo'? Don't leave school until I get here. Got me, Runt?"

Logan nodded once. "Got it."

"Alright, I better get home." Victor snapped the reigns to get the horses to turn. "I'll see you later."

"See you later," Logan watched him leave, "big brother." Going into the schoolyard, he stopped in place as the girl in blonde pigtails approached him. "Oh, Bea. Listen, I'm sorry about yesterday with your brother. I—"

The girl cut in with, "I told Miss Aubert that Robbie started it. I didn't want her keeping you in during recess or anything."

Logan gave her a big smile. "Gee, thanks a lot, Bea."

She walked alongside him. "So, want to shoot marbles after lunch?"

"Sure do. We didn't even get a chance to play yesterday."

From across the way, Logan caught Robbie's gaze on them and sent a sneer back at him before continuing to speak with Bea.

X

Looking up from polishing the counter, the bartender greeted the incoming two with, "Well, if it isn't the brothers Howlett-Creed. What can I do you for?"

Logan took a seat on a stool. "A whiskey sour if you've got it."

"Tall glass of milk?" Levi bobbed his head. "Comin' right up."

Victor chuckled softly and ruffled at Logan's hair. "Better get goin' on that homework."

"I'm goin'," the boy grumbled mildly, opening his spelling book. "I'm goin'…"

"Levi," Victor came up behind him, "the boss in?"

Levi pointed to the office and Victor started that way while he presented Logan with that milk. "Here we are. And look what else I keep stashed away."

Logan's eyes lit up at the presence of the napkin load of butter cookies.

"Yes, yes, what is it?" came the usual gruff response whenever a knock arrived at his door.

"Mr. Crane?"

"Come in, Victor."

Entering the space, he immediately closed the door after himself. "Can I talk to you a minute?"

Without looking up, Nate said, "I'll tell you the same thing I told Levi. Don't talk to me about taking any time off for New Year's with Christmas still weeks away."

"No, sir. Nothing like that. It's about… changes. Things happening to me."

Not missing the tone in the young man's voice, Nate looked at him fully as he directed, "Victor, sit down." When he did so, the older male said squarely, "Tell me exactly what's on your mind."

Victor tapped his fingers along the wooden table. "I don't know how to… I don't even know if I should be… I mean, I can't… I can't talk to my ma about…"

"Victor," Nate broke in, "when you talk of changes, what exactly do you mean?"

"I've been… I've been feeling things," Victor attempted to explain. "Real funny things. I've been seeing hair all over me," he indicated his lengthy blonde strands, "besides here. And I, um…"

Nate used his pencil to drum against his pad. "You're speaking of nature. Biology?"

Victor nodded hard, hoping his face had not transformed into a tomato. "Yes, sir."

"Well," clearing his throat, Nate searched for where to begin. "What you're going through, there's nothing wrong with it exactly. It's a fact of life. In fact, without it, there wouldn't be any life to speak about. And I'm afraid you got a lot more to worry about than bits of hair here and there. Your voice is going to get deeper and deeper. You're probably going to get bigger; stronger. You should be shaving before too long. And you're going to start noticing young ladies with whole new eyes."

Victor slowly admitted, "I think I'm already there."

Nate nodded knowingly. "You're fairly good friends with that minister's daughter, aren't you?" Now Victor nodded. "Like I said- all a part of the grand design. You're about as bright as they come, but by you being so young still and after all your family's been through, don't feel any need to rush anything. You take it nice and slow and I'm willing to wager, you'll have it all someday."

Surprise crossed Victor's features at this. "You mean that?"

"Creed, I don't believe in saying anything I don't mean," the man responded sternly. "It'll do you some good to remember that."

"Yes, sir. Well, I, um…" Victor stood from the chair. "I better get a head start on that inventory."

"Yeah, you better. And Victor," Nate said after him, "any time these funny feelings go flowing through your head… open your mouth and say something to me before going off and making a jackass of yourself."

Victor masked the laughter he felt building. "Yes, sir. I will. Thank you." He walked out with that.

X

"Oh come on!" Following the much taller one back and forth about the room, the boy whined, "Why can't I go with you?"

Victor sat in a chair to put on the correct shoes. "You know you can't be out at the bar at night. No kids. Mr. Crane's strict about that."

"But I'll work," Logan urged.

Victor gave him a look. "You want Ma to hang us both? There's no way I'm takin' you out of this house."

"Awwwww!" Dropping to the floor, Logan crossed his arms with a glare that closer resembled a pout. "You never let me do nothin' with you! You're mean!"

Seizing hold of a stray sock, Victor flung it at the younger boy's face. "Oh well. Guess I'm too mean to read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to you. Eh, it's too scary for you, anyway."

"Is not!" Logan insisted. "Come on, Vic, with scary voices and everything?'

"Okay," Victor agreed, "I got time before work, but you got to get dressed for bed and quit your moanin'."

Logan let loose a put upon sigh. "'Kay. It's just not fair. It's Christmas vacation. We're supposed to have fun. It's the law."

Victor smirked at him but proved sympathetic. "I know. Tell you what. You and me tomorrow. We'll do whatever you want."

Logan's blue eyes became aglow. "Sleddin'! Please, Vic!" He crawled over to press his hands against Victor's knees. "You promised you'd let me show you when the snow got high enough."

"I remember," Victor recollected. "So that's a deal then. Now go change and get under your covers. I'll get the book."

Logan rushed to his feet and all but fled his brother's quarters.

X

With another table clean, the whistling young man began flipping the chairs on top of it to make cleaning the floors that much easier.

"So Creed," Levi spoke, "I got to thinking."

Coming through with the broom, Victor remarked, "God have mercy."

"He's tolerated me this long." The chestnut brown haired male said, "With the boss in such great spirits, maybe we can bring up taking some time right after New Year's. Spend a couple nights in New York City. We'll split the room fare and take in all the sights. Particularly any shaped like hourglasses. What do you say?"

Victor gazed over at him in sheer disbelief. "It took enough needlin' for me to work nights. There's no way my ma will agree to me goin' off to a strange city in the states to do devil may care."

Levi scoffed. "You're old enough to be man of the house, but you still have to take orders from your mama?"

Victor shrugged a shoulder. "That's about the gist of it." He continued sweeping. "Can you run the mop after me? I need to get home."

Levi shook his head but dropped the matter. He resumed his whistle in tune to his work.

X

Stopping a moment to judge the distance, the teenager estimated that they had trekked uphill for at least ten yards. However, the short vessel of energy ahead of him would not stop running. That included when he slipped up in the thick snow a few times in his pursuit.

"Don't you think this is about high enough?" Victor called up to him.

"Nope!" Logan yelled back. "Move it, Vic!"

Continuing after him, Victor glanced down at the wide sled he tugged along. Much like the bookshelf he had received for Christmas, it was another creation from his brother's own hand. Victor remained in marvel of how a little boy who could hardly keep still could master the concentration and skill necessary to build such wooden beauties.

"Okay, Vic." Reaching another point on the summit, Logan looked back. "Here, here!"

Getting the sled in place, Victor watched what Logan did. He had seen the children in town engage in this activity many times, though he himself had no such opportunity until now. Getting in behind Logan on the sled, Victor had to smile as he thought of the numerous opportunities having him along with their mother awarded him now.

"Get ready and," Logan edged forward, "go!"

While Logan whooped and shouted, Victor unleashed a roar that caused what few birds remained in winter to take off in haste. Logan peered back at him with an intrigued and excited grin. Victor smiled back at him while keeping a secure hold on the boy's middle.

They reached the bottom all too soon and went on many more runs, including one in particular that brought them to the top of the hill. When they arrived below again, the boys flopped over to the right. Landing in a secure white mound, they broke into laughter.

Victor's chortles became short-lived at having snow thrown in his mouth. "Hey!" He spat and darted after the younger one. "Wait 'til I get you, Runt!"

Logan laughed and hurried to escape. "Can't catch me, big brother!" The boy then watched Victor lower to all fours in pursuit of him. "How do ya move like that?"

"Don't know." Victor leapt out in front of him. "But it sure makes it easier to snag little runts." He growled and pinned him with his back to the snow.

"Vic," Logan tried to bat at him, "I'll bite you good!"

"You do and you'll be pickin' snow out of your long underwear." Victor did roll off of him.

"Oh yeah? Wait until I'm a better runner than you." Logan crouched down, but his attempt to go on all fours caused him to stumble over in an impromptu somersault.

Victor chuckled heartily. "Got to hand it to you, Runt. You ain't nothin' if not talented." Remaining in the snow, Logan smiled up at him. "But we better get back. Ma's probably got lunch waitin' on us."

"She can warm it for us later." Logan popped up. "Let's go on a few more sled runs. And practice running, jumpin', and stuff."

"Later on if we get time," Victor said. "But we need to eat and we got chores to tackle. Besides, you shouldn't be out here for too long. What if you get sick?"

Logan frowned at him. "Even if I do, I get better real fast."

"Well, we're still headin' in, like it or not." Victor started over for the sled, but stopped at the snowball that connected with the back of his head. Brown eyes narrowed, he gazed back in displeasure at the youth. "Logan, I ain't playin' around with you."

"You never want to play with me!" the boy accused. "You don't like me!"

"Now I know you're out of your head, kid." Victor walked back over, kneeling in front of him. "If I ain't like ya, I wouldn't get you candy or ice cream or toys, would I? I wouldn't let you ride my back or read you books or nothin'. Now you quit actin' out or…" He watched as his brother intentionally fell back in the snow. "Oh, now you're really kiddin' me…"

Unleashing an outcry somehow louder than Victor's roar from earlier, Logan flailed about in the snow like a fish out of water. All forms of incoherent sounds exploded out of his mouth.

"Alright, if that's how you want to play it, fine." Thoroughly fed up, Victor yanked him up by the arm.

Depositing the small thin body over his lap, he started to take the child's pants down. He quickly decided against it due to the cold condition. However, the frost did not prevent him from peppering the little behind with as much force as he could without throttling him altogether. Logan continuously hollered until he grew tired and had to settle for the two long streams of tears.

"I don't believe you, Logan." Victor stopped and lifted him up at the middle to look at the watery blue eyes. "We were having fun and we could've had more later. Why'd you go and act like that? Huh? Tell me."

Shoulders shaking, Logan sat in the snow and hugged his knees. He bowed his head to cry into his legs.

Letting off a deep sigh, Victor inched close to him. "I didn't want to do that, Runt. But when you act a fool like that, I don't have much choice. You think Mama's goin' to be happy to hear about this?"

A sniffed sounded from the boy, followed by, "It ain't fair…"

Victor counted, "What's not fair is you actin' like that. Geez, Logan."

"Nooooo," he shook his head while keeping his face hidden, "it ain't fair… we ain't done nothin' together…"

"What're you talkin' about?" Victor touched his ankle gently. "We were together all mornin' and we've been out here a couple hours now. And we still have the day before I work tonight."

"No! We ain't get to do nothin' before now!" Logan slowly lifted his head. "And now we missed everything 'cause we're big now!"

"Oh yeah, nine years old," Victor formed a small smirk, "you got a beard and all."

"It ain't funny!" Logan picked up a handful of snow to toss at him. "I missed you."

Victor peered closer at the young face. "What?"

"I missed you forever and ever!" Logan reiterated. "I wrote about you and thought about you. I was gonna find you myself one day. But I- I knew ya wouldn't like me 'cause I'm shrimpy and ugly. Everybody says so. 'Cept Pickle Toe."

A low but very precise growl on Victor's part brought the boy into silence. "Now you listen to me before I belt ya one like ya never had before. I didn't know about you the way you knew about me. When I found out, I even thought you and Ma would be better off without me. I don't know… I don't where I'd be if I hadn't found ya." Lifting him up under his arms, Victor brought him in close. "You're the greatest thing I have in this world, Lo'. You're the greatest thing I've ever had in my whole life. You may be a runt, but only I get to say so. And anybody with nerve enough to call you ugly, better have enough left to face me afterwards."

Logan leaned in to nuzzle into his brother's coat. "Thanks, big brother. Listen, I… sorry I was so rotten."

"Don't worry about it anymore." Though part of Victor suspected this would not be the last time he would hear the extent of his brother's vocals. "And don't worry about any time we've lost, either. Know why?"

"Why?" the child wondered.

"Because we're right here now and we're goin' to do all kinds of things together."

Logan grinned. "Like skiing and everything?"

"You and the snow," Victor snickered. "But yeah, skiing and everything. But first, I need to get some lunch in me and in you. And after we're done with chores, I'll read you the scariest book we can find. By the fireplace light."

"With cocoa."

"With cocoa. But you have to be a good runt for the rest of the day, okay?"

"'Kay, big brother." At Victor moving to stand, Logan jumped up to latch onto his back. "Let's go home."

"Good idea." Victor squeezed one of his wrists. "But first…" Going over to their sled, the teenager gripped it by its rope and tugged it along with his brother towards home.

Upon reaching their property, their growing senses picked up on the smell of their mother's tomato soup. Going inside, their first greeter came in the form of a mewing Pickle Toe in the warm entryway.

XXXXX

Fluffy white slipper adorned feet parading into Eye Spy at top speed caused both men to turn in their chairs. The young girl in pink bathrobe with slightly messed blonde hair regarded the shorter of the two in dissatisfaction.

"What's the matter, baby?" Victor asked. "Can't sleep?"

Samantha silently held her arms out in Logan's direction.

"Can I help you, darlin'?" At her continued narrowed eyes, he finally lifted Midnight up towards her. "Fine."

Bringing her cat into a hug, Samantha smiled and immediately left the security room again.