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(Anon goddess - you continue to be as awesomely special as ever, for that I thank you. TitansRule thank you so much, that's so very flattering and I hope you'll continue to review! Rogue-scholar07, thank you!! LadyMageLuna, don't worry, next chapter I am giving you answers and a whole lot of drama so hang tight there, luv. Bloodypassion - I know, I know, I'm messing with stuff, but that's the way it's gotta be and I'm so glad you understand you little peach, you!! Enjoy!! Irual - here's your update and I hope you'll let me know how I did with it ^^ All of you, you are all such an inspiring, fantastic bunch of lovelies and if I could I'd force Marvel to hand things over to you but since I can't I'll just continue to write and hope it pleases you!!)
~Scarlet Letter~
Dischord
It was amazing the way she took over, he thought. She was everywhere at once, ignoring her own pain entirely, seeing to it that everyone was well and talking to them all, reassuring them. Pietro woke up in a state of total shock and insisted on going to see his sister, but she had forced him to accept that Wanda would likely be in no fit condition to see anyone and that if she was she'd probably not want to see her father or brother at all. He hadn't said a word since. Toad and Fred were dealing with things very well but he could tell that Fred was on the verge of tears and that Todd was having difficulty meeting anyone's eye. He wondered if the lad had finally come to terms with the fact that Wanda was too unstable to ever appreciate his advances and that he'd been doing her more harm than good by showering her with attention. If he had, that had to be a blow.
Watching Rogue taking care of Kitty who seemed to be regaining her ability to speak and was conversing with the Goth in low tones under the watchful eye of Lance he thanked God that she had come out of this alive. Others, the TV told them, had not. He didn't know if he would have been able to bear it if he had woken up and she hadn't, after finally confessing his love to her, to lose her like that would have been too much to take. He could tell by the way she had reacted earlier that she felt the same way about him, the relief she exuded balm to his soul, but there was something wrong still. She was worried about Wanda. He could only imagine how hard it had to be for her, the knowledge that she could lose someone she'd gotten so close to, that if she lived she might not even be able to speak to her again – might have become the enemy. At least he knew that if Pyro woke up, he'd be the same as he'd always been. When. When he wakes up. They're both going to be fine. He repeated it to himself over and over as he watched her. Just like old times, soaking up her every move, cataloguing her expressions, the way she tucked her bangs behind her ear... She was beyond beautiful. Lance was suddenly beside him, eyes trained on the girls as well, hard and cold.
"She gonna live?" he asked roughly, and Remy shrugged.
"I don' know, mon ami... I can' say anyt'in'. De fille is seriously damaged," he answered quietly, immensely tired, and he saw the twitch of Lance's mouth.
"God damn it she's like my sister," the younger man said in a harsh voice that he knew covered the desire to weep.
"I know... Y' gotta be strong f' Kitty, mon ami. Y' can' let her see y' scared."
"You worried about Pyro?" The question hurt. He didn't want to think about that.
"He'll be fine."
"That's not an answer." Remy shook his head.
"It's de one I can give. Y' can' tink about de bad shit, Rocky. Y' have t' try an' stay focused on what y' know. Wanda ain' de sort a femme t' lie down an' give up. Pyro ain' de kind a guy t' do dat either."
"We knew it could happen you know. We knew she could do something like this, we just didn't know when or why she'd do it. We should have taken better care of her when we had the chance..." the guilt that oozed off Lance was choking Remy and he rubbed his eyes roughly.
"Dere ain' notin' y' could have done f' de petite friponne, y' gotta accept dat dis is her daddy's fault an' it's his burden t' bear. Y' took care o' her de best anyone's ever done. Y' should be proud of dat an' I know de Wanda y' been livin' wit' dese past few months was damn proud of y' too. She said y' were her famille. Dat's a pretty huge fuckin' deal." Lance's eyes closed and stayed shut and Remy knew he'd said the right thing. Rogue approached him and motioned for him to join her. He got up, clapping Lance on the shoulder and following her into the kitchen where she stood with her back to him.
"Chere? What's wrong?"
"Ah don' know how ta do all this... Ah don' feel strong enough ta deal with all this pain..." she whispered, and he reached out and put his arms around her waist, holding her carefully, knowing that she felt as well as sounded breakable.
"Y' can do dis chere... I know it's hard f' y' t' know dis is all y' can do...but it's all gon' be alrigh'..." She leaned into him and he closed his eyes, relishing it.
"Ya know ya couldn' have picked a better tahme ta be here fer me," she said with the hint of a laugh in her voice, and he kissed the top of her head.
"I been here f' you all dis time, chere."
"Ya gonna be able ta keep that up?"
"Ain' never been a problem before..."
"Y'all are worried fer them too, aren't ya?"
"I don' wanna be worried, chere. I know dey can pull through."
"Ya think they could 'a triggered each other's breakdowns somehow?"
"Non. I tink Pyro was just already on de way down an' dis has been comin' f' a long time wit Wanda..."
"How could anybody do those things t' her? She was just a kid fer cryin' out loud," Rogue turned in his arms to face him, tears trickling down her cheeks, and he sighed.
"I don' know chere... people suck, an' bad people well... guess dey jus' suck worse. I can' tell y' why her daddy did what he did or why dey treated her like dat in dat place, all I can do is tell y' if I had my way, it never would 'a happened..."
"Ah can' imagine what it's lahke ta be so afraid of bein' taken back..."
"I know chere an' I ain' never lettin' y' find out. Y' stayin' here wit' me." He kissed her briefly, and she sighed into the gesture.
"Y'all better damn well mean it."
"I do."
"That reminds me – can ya arrange some kinda kidnappin' aroun' the tahme Blaster Boy an' Mutant Ariel decide ta get hitched?" He chuckled.
"Y' up fer a little vaction time down Louisiana way, mid-summer?"
"How do you know they're gonna pick a mid-summer date?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Y' wan' t' know what de dress looks like too, chere? I know it all!" The delighted smile faded into another kiss and she pulled away reluctantly.
"I'll come t' Louisiana if Wanda's okay by then," she said seriously, and he nodded.
"Wouldn' dream o' askin' y' t' leave before, chere..."
~****************************************************************~
Hank McCoy had seen a great deal of things in his adult life. He'd sewn wounds up, tended teenagers with hangovers and even helped manifesting powers develop and that was just in his time at the Institute. Reading St. John Allerdyce's official file, he realised that there were a great many things he had luckily been sheltered from, no matter how much experience he had in countless fields. And he was thankful for that fact. The sheer magnitude of what he had read sank in slowly like the first warning signs of an oncoming storm, and he closed the window and leant his head back, trying to find the connection between Wanda and this tortured young soul.
Wanda was unresponsive still, but a brain scan had shown no physical damage so he held up hope that if she woke from her comatose state she would at least still be fully functioning in the basic medical sense. Pyro was to all intents and purposes fit and well, the one small hiccup being that he was unconscious still and scans had shown nothing. He allowed himself to consider their respective backgrounds. Both without loving families, cast out, both having spent time in state-run facilities, both having destructive powers. It was infinitely saddening to be party to all this knowledge regarding two so young who had already been through things he'd never wish on any adult, things no young person should have to be put through. A series of beeps coming from the monitor above Pyro's bed alerted him, and he rushed to his side, reading the results gravely. The lad twitched, and Hank sighed softly. If he hadn't known any better he'd have said that the boy was fighting his own waking. But then, from the information he had gathered, it would not have surprised him. The boy had nothing to wake up to.
"Hank, how are they?" he looked up to see Charles wheeling in silently, and smiled, the weariness apparent on his face.
"No change. The boy seems to be resisting his return to consciousness, Wanda responds to nothing. You aren't going to probe their minds, are you?" His old friend set his mouth in determination.
"I must try. If we can learn something then perhaps it will be easier to help Wanda when she wakes up. I can't let her fall back into her old rage again, Hank, she is simply too dangerous."
"And the boy?"
"I believe that he has been neglecting to take the proper medications required to keep his condition under control for some time now. He may have been experiencing an advanced psychotic episode and that would most certainly have led to his natural defenses being lowered. The imprints that Wanda left of him seemed linked to a great sense of loss, and I believe he may have the answer somewhere in his mind. If he does, that could be key to helping her overcome her anger." Hank nodded and allowed Charles to come closer to Pyro's bedside, the other man closing his eyes and reaching out with his powers the way he had seen him do thousands of times in the past. He had always meant to ask Charles how he did it, exactly how he sifted through the memories and impressions in other people's minds and found what he was looking for. It was a fascinating concept.
"I see... Dear Lord..." Charles put his index fingers to his temples and began to rub, gently. Hank waited.
"It would appear," Charles said with a certain element of surprise in his voice, looking up at Hank, "that the boy is in love with her."
"In love with her?" Charles nodded.
"It is the only thing that stands out, that I could grasp. His mind is the most chaotic I have ever encountered, I have no doubts this is due to his mental illness but it makes probing very difficult."
"But if he is enamoured of her, then why should she link him to feelings of loss? Surely that makes no sense?"
"I gathered that he has not himself accepted it fully. It is there, the raw emotion is there, but he has yet to come to terms with it and embrace it. As far as I could tell, he did not plan to."
"I see... But how could she have known that?" Charles looked over to the bed that held Wanda and shook his head.
"I believe that John and Wanda may have become close recently, their similarities would undoubtedly draw them together in some way or another and of course it is not hard to see why they would be attracted to each other. If John was indeed psychotic at some point before Wanda's breakdown he may have been hearing voices. You've read his file?"
"He has a history of auditory hallucinations including a well-documented voice which follows him through almost everything he does as well as a series of variations upon it. Apparently the variations are triggered by stress – usually difficult decisions or situations where some form of pain is undergone. There was a highly disturbing report of a hospital visit that went badly wrong..." Charles nodded.
"When he is under the influence of one of the variations he is acting out of fear. He is unable to control any of his emotions and they manifest themselves in ways that would seem to be the exact opposite of what he is truly feeling. We cannot understand what he goes through, but what we know is that it is an intensely uncomfortable experience for the boy and he is motivated by the desire to escape the situation. Even if the last thing he truly wanted was to leave someone, he would be compelled to do it during an episode by either the hallucinations or the delusion of paranoia; that he will be hurt or betrayed in some way."
"So if he had been with Wanda around the time of her memories returning and he himself was in the grip of one of these episodes, he may have unwillingly left her and sparked the loss she was projecting?" Charles nodded.
"We must consider the possibility. Wanda would have been hypersensitive to anything around her and we already know that John would have been unable to control his own impulses – if the two situations were linked that may be the answer to why she should project such strong feelings of loss linked to him."
"How has he even managed to elude the system for this long?" Charles smiled wryly.
"Practice, I should think." Hank grimaced.
"You know what I mean. Children left to fend for themselves like this – it's not right, Charles! The kids here are happy, well-adjusted, properly cared for. From what I can see the system gave up on this boy years ago and no one ever bothered to look into Wanda's case and find the truth behind her anguish!"
"We cannot right the wrongs of the past, Hank, all we can do is try and help them recover from it now. I'll leave them to you. I may need to come back and try again later, but until they wake up there's very little we can do for them." Hank sighed.
"Could you send Jean down to help me?"
"I shall ask her. My friend, I know this has touched you deeply, but try not to be so angry with the world. Wanda can take care of that well enough on her own." Hank rolled his eyes at the poor attempt at humour and allowed his old friend to exit the med bay without further conversation, recognisig the fatigue in his eyes. He knew that probing a mind as confused at Pyro's was likely very strenuous.
"I ... Wanda... " The raspy words shocked him so much that he jumped a little, looking to the boy on the bed in front of him in disbelief, and he was entirely unprepared to find him looking back – well, looking past him to the pale-as-death witch in the other bed behind him.
"Easy there son, she's going to be just fine," he soothed, moving out of the way so the lad could see her better.
"My fault... All my fault..." the broken voice nearly broke Hank's heart as he saw the measure of belief in the boy's eyes. The guilt.
"No, son, it's not your fault, you never wanted this for her..." he tried to sound convincing, reassuring, but it was as though his words didn't register and the lad's voice was barely audible as he spoke again for the last time before his eyes fluttered shut again and he withdrew back to the land of the sleeping.
"... me... don't have a... dad... 'm sorry..."
~*****************************************************************~
She'd never had much to do with Wanda Maximoff. She knew all about her, obviously, but she'd never really spoken to her or gotten to know her. And now here she was, removing the girl's rings and boots, feeling like an intruder in a life that should have remained a secret. Hank was doing a blood test on the other unconscious mutant present, trying to determine when he had last taken his medication, and she had orders to call him immediately should he wake up again. Jean fervently hoped that he didn't wake up again. She wasn't certain she could deal with him awake. She felt a strange sort of pity for the two unfortunate teens, it was a pity that stemmed from what she knew of their pasts and troubles, but in a way she feared them as well. Anyone who had lived through the things they had could not have come out of it as wholesome, normal people. And Jean had an inherent fear of people who weren't normal, people with problems. She liked things to be in order, tidy and neat, and the idea of a mind in chaos was repulsive and frightening to her. She didn't know how to respond to people who had been through things as horrible as John and Wanda so she would either become overly supportive to the point where it was sickening even to herself, or she would be clinical. It was why she didn't get on with Rogue. Rogue felt her pity and shunned her for it, and the more she did that the more supportive Jean tried to be and the more Rogue would feel pitied and push her away. She'd given up hopes of ever being true friends with the Gothic girl, and she'd never considered reaching out to Wanda. Rogue had. They were the best of friends, Jean knew, and though she was happy that the two girls had found something in each other, she'd always feared this day would come, and that it would hurt Rogue to have to be there to see it.
But Jean had little time to think of such things these days, she and Scott were finally engaged, there was the wedding to plan – she really didn't need the distractions of people around her having internationally compromising mental breakdowns. A noise from behind made her jump, and she swung around to see Erik Lehnsherr lurking in the doorway. How an imposing man such as that managed to lurk she did not know, but that was the only description she could think of for the way he was standing there, furtive and shifty-looking.
"You're not supposed to be here," she blurted out, and he looked at her with something akin to a sneer on his face.
"I cannot even come to see my own child?"
"If you'd been interested in her you wouldn't have locked her up. You can't be in here," she said warningly, and he sighed.
"Much has happened since then, Miss Grey. I don't expect you to understand what was going on at the time, how difficult she was to handle – "
"To control, you mean!"
"If you like. Wanda was so powerful and so afraid of that power. I did what I could but I was selfish and I opted for the coward's way out. I gave her to people who would be abe to deal with her."
"Why not just let the Professor help her?" He smiled bitterly.
"Charles and I were not on good terms, Miss Grey. I was a very different person then. Close-minded. Bent on only one thing. I had no time for an uncontrollable child. I have seen the error of my ways and I have tried to rectify my past mistakes. I only wanted to look at her... See if she was alright... She's still my daughter." Jean glared at him haughtily.
"I think you've outstayed your welcome. I want you to leave. The Professor said he didn't want you in here in case she woke up." Lehnsherr just looked at the bare-footed girl on the bed, brows knitted together.
"My daughter and my former Acolyte. Has Charles examined him yet?" Jean moved to obstruct his view of Wanda and put her hands on her hips.
"Why don't you go and ask him. He's upstairs. I have work to do here."
"Very sad case, that one. Tragic. I dealt him a wrong hand too, you know. Used him. He'll never be happy, that boy."
"Erik? What on earth are you doing in here? Out! Out, I say!" Dr McCoy's voice was an outraged growl rising to a bellow as he pointed at the door and advanced on Lehnsherr who backed away from him.
"I just wanted to see her, Hank, that's all..."
"I said out!" The moment Lehnsherr's foot crossed the line of the doorway Jean slammed the door shut, holding it with her powers, and Dr McCoy turned to her, face angry and animalistic in his displeasure.
"What did he want? He didn't touch them, did he?"
"No, Dr McCoy, I told him to go but he kept talking about them and he wouldn't leave!"
"Next time you yell for me and I'll sort him out, dear. I won't have him disturbing my patients – oh dear – " Dr McCoy pushed past her and hurried to John's bedside, lifting the lad up as he retched and coughed, violent spasms racking him. Jean was horrified to see his lips stained red.
"Jean! Jean, I need you to hold him!" Flinging out a hand she did as she was asked, trembling though she was, as Dr McCoy fetched a syringe from the table and slid the needle into the pyromaniac's arm, holding him still until he was no longer moving. She thought she heard him say something though.
"What was that? What did he say?" Dr McCoy turned a grim face to her and said,
"I believe he said 'I'll kill him'."
~****************************************************************~
Rogue and Remy were currently ensconced in the kitchen, helping Ororo with the other students. The weather witch was worn to a frazzle and still insisted on doing her part for the traumatised teenagers that had been placed in her care. Lance and the 'hood boys were outside, claiming they wouldn't come in because it would upset the X-kids, and Logan was keeping an eye on them. Scott was helping Rogue and Remy but with all the girls too interested in why Remy was there to begin with and all the guys anxious to go and disturb the 'hood boys, chaos was rife. At least they had a distraction from the lingering upset Wanda's projection had caused, but it wasn't a very constructive one and Rogue could tell that it was grating on Remy's nerves that he had been chosen as the outlet for their nervous energies. In the end she had to ask Ororo to excuse them and drag him upstairs – much to the disappointment of the girls, and Scott who enjoyed watching the Cajun's distress.
"Y' jealous, chere?" he asked with a flirtatious grin, but she could see the fatigue in his eyes and his heart wasn't in it.
"No... unless ya really lahke jailbait none of them are any good fer you." He shrugged and sat down on her bed.
"Don' care. Y're de only one f' me, chere." She smiled at him.
"Y' know I never thought anyone would say that to me?"
"Can' see why not..."
"Don't be an ass, Remy, ya know why not." He sighed and reached out for her. She stepped into his arms and let him hug her.
"Ya have ta admit y' worried, sugah," she said softly, playing with his hair, and he shook his head.
"Can' be worried, it'll go wrong, chere..." The ~bampf~ that announced her brother's arrival didn't even make him look up.
"Oh – er – bad moment? I can leave – "
"No! What is it Kurt?" He looked nervously at Rogue, his tail whipping about in his agitation.
"It's de Professor – he needs to ask you two some qvestions..."
"About what?"
"I tink he vants to know about Vanda and Pyro – Pyro's been avake – " Remy looked up and fixed Kurt with a glowing red stare.
"He's awake?"
"Not right now – he vas earlier for ten seconds, den he fell asleep again. Vill you go to de Professor?" Remy looked at Rogue pleadingly.
"Honey, ya sure y'all can deal with this raght now?"
"I'm all he has, chere."
"Tell the Professor we'll be ragh' there, Kurt." Her brother nodded once and then was gone. She turned to face her Cajun.
"Y'all have ta tell me when ya can' handle anymore, Remy..." He shook his head, his hair falling into his eyes.
"Chere... Dis place reeks o' misery an' fear an' my bes' friend's down dere wit' your Wanda dyin' o' whatever an' I can' jus' give up cause I got y' an' him t' tink of. I can handle it."
"Gawd Ah wanna kiss ya ragh' now. Ya darn fool hero." He smiled at her and said,
"Ain' never been a hero before... Damn tirin' business!"
~*************************************************************~
The weary young man who entered his office was a far cry from the cocky, self-assured young rip who'd sauntered into it on the morning after Rogue's concert where she'd seemed so at ease with him. That seemed to have escalated as well, if his arm around her was anything to go by.
"Ah, Mr. LeBeau, I have good news. St. John woke up earlier and was able to speak briefly with Hank – Dr McCoy – and we've been able to completely stabilise him and medicate him according to the records we have available. As soon as he's rested thoroughly you may see him." Rogue's face brightened at the news and Remy's eyes closed in silent relief.
"Merci beaucoup, Professeur," he murmured, and Charles had to smile at them.
"I am afraid Wanda's condition has not improved but she seems stable and perhaps this unconsciousness is simply due to her body's overexertion after using her powers to project so strongly. We will let you know if there is any change." Rogue nodded and curled her arm around Remy's waist for comfort.
"Now, I am afraid I must ask you some delicate questions... First of all – were either of you aware that Mr. Allerdyce is enamoured of Wanda?" Remy grimaced and Rogue looked nonplussed.
"Ah didn' know... Ah knew she kinda lahked the guy but I didn't know if he was jus' playin' around or not..."
"Johnny's in love wit' Wanda," Remy said quietly and Rogue let go of him.
"He what?! Ya knew that an' ya never told meh?!"
"I didn' want y' t' worry chere, y' already thought he was de Devil himself f' spendin' time wit' Wanda – "
"If y'all had tol' meh he was in love with her Ah wouldn' 'ave been so damn worried!!"
"I thought y'd hate the idea," Remy tried and she snorted.
"What are you talkin' about? If he'd been playin' her Ah'd have hated the ah-deah, if he loves her then that's great! They're perfect fo' each other!"
"Dat's what I thought! But y' didn't want t' hear it!"
"Remy LeBeau y'are a jack-ass. Ah lurve ya, but y' are a jack-ass." She hugged him suddenly, and Charles was forced to clear his throught as it became clear the two teens were about to seal their reconciliation with a kiss.
"So Mr. Allerdyce is truly in love with Wanda?" Remy rolled his eyes.
"Johnny won' admit it because he's too freaked he'll fuck tings up or hurt her – or dat she'll hurt him. De homme's been through too much shit t' deal wit' bein left like dat an' he don' take chances on bein' hurt emotionally. He knows what it does t' him. Y' know 'bout all his issues?" Charles nodded and Remy grimaced.
"Den y' know what goes on in his head from time t' time an' why gettin' involved wit' Wanda would be a bad idea t' him. He's too screwed up t' admit dat she migh' be good f' him. He loves her though. He really does... Dey jus' too righ' f' each other, it's almost funny... Too bad she don' feel de same way..."
"Ah think she does. Ah think she really does feel for him an' that's why she's so afraid of gettin' close to him..."
"Thank you, Remy, Rogue, and my congratulations on your own... alliance, shall we say?" Rogue beamed and Remy flashed a smug grin that implied he was indeed the luckiest sod ever born.
"Merci," he said, and Rogue giggled. Giggled. Rogue.
"Thanks, Professor. It kinda jus' – happened, ya know?"
"Over the course of ten months, it happened. Yes, I know," Charles said as the teenagers left his office before turning to face the window and looking out. Could that possibly be the answer to all of this?