A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed, very kind! This is indeed going to be a full length fic where I'm just bridging the gaps in the movie. And oooh, what happened at the end of X3? I didn't stay but most of the cinema did and I wondered why!
Chapter One - Even Angels Have Their Demons.
"Welcome back home, son."
Warren felt himself being embraced by his father in the lobby of their grand home but ignored his father's flinch as he touched Warren's wings that were harnessed under his coat.
"Hi Dad," Warren said, giving him a small smile as his father released his hold and stood back from his son to survey him.
"I've got great news Warren. We're developing a cure for all mutants and I've signed you up to have the first injection. We'll finally be free of this mess!"
Warren looked at his father and doubted he'd ever been this happy in his life. The man was practically jumping on the spot with excitement. Warren swallowed down his words with a bitter taste of resentment.
"We'll be free? It's not you that has wings, it's me. Me. I'm the one who has to live with them day and night, I'm the one who takes the brunt of everyone's prejudice and it's my choice when and if I have this so called cure!"
Warren was breathing heavily in anger as he glared at his father who was staring back at his young son in disbelief.
"You will do as I say," Warren senior commanded loudly. "This is my chance to rid my family of the shame you brought. How can you be so selfish?"
"Me?" Warren spluttered, his rage beginning to colour his neck. "I'm selfish? You're the one who wants this but has anyone ever stopped to ask me how I feel? How do you think it feels being different to everyone else? How do you think I feel when you constantly tell me how much of a disappointment I am to you or how I shame my family huh Dad? The first thing you say to me after coming home from boarding school is that you've got a cure!"
"Warren," His father began dangerously. "You don't even know the beginning of suffering. Now get to your room and I don't want to see you again until dinner."
"Dad, I'm twenty one years old…" Warren began but his father cut him off.
"Get to your room NOW!" He yelled before turning away from him and muttering "While you still have one."
Warren set his jaw and picked up his bags from the polished marble floor. He glared at his father as he stormed past him and made for the staircase, trying to pound his feet as hard as he possibly could on the solid flooring.
When he reached his room, he kicked open the door and hurled his bags through before following. He kicked the door shut roughly, making one of the panels splinter and crack but he didn't care. Instead, he threw himself face down on his bed and tried to control himself.
He pounded his fists on the soft mattress and kicked his feet until his muscles ached but it still didn't change anything. The truth remained the same.
Warren rolled onto his back, feeling his powerful wings cradling his body. How would it feel not to have them there? Would he be relived or not if he finally gave into his father and purged his body of his gift? At least that way he'd finally be accepted but was that really right for him?
Warren sighed angrily and felt tears burning his eyes. He brushed them away angrily and cursed himself for being weak on top of everything else.
"God!" Warren shouted angrily and pounded his bed once more with a powerful fist. The bed springs creaked nervously. "God Damnit!"
"Bad time?" Evey asked from the door, her fist raised as if she was about to knock. Warren swung his gaze to where she stood and realised he hadn't shut the door properly.
"Why do you always turn up after an argument?" Warren asked, pushing himself off his bed and making his way to his friend.
"Call it instinct or something," Evey replied coolly as she was embraced by Warren briefly. "Your Dad told me you were in a strop."
"Naturally," Warren said bitterly. "You look different Evangeline."
"That's because you haven't seen me for, what? Nearly a year? I love how you kept in touch Warren," Evey said, rolling her brown eyes at him. Warren blushed, he kept forgetting to write back to Evey from school.
"Sorry Evey, busy you know?" Warren said, trying to excuse himself. He eased off his heavy jacket and Evey noticed how his wings were straining under his t-shirt.
"You shouldn't strap them up, it's bad for your health," Evey chastised, folding her arms across her chest.
"Yeah? Well so is being told you're a freak everyday of your life. I have no choice and you know it," Warren shot back, walking away from his old friend to sit back on his bed.
"Why did your Dad ask me to try and talk you into a cure? What cure?" Evey asked seriously, looking at Warren hard.
"Dad, they've found a cure for the mutant disorder. He's already signed me up for it," Warren admitted, closing his eyes.
"You're not going through with it are you? Don't you dare Warren! Don't you dare give in to them!" Evey exploded as she shut the door tight. "I'll never speak to you again if you do!"
"Not doing a very good of talking me into it are you?" Warren said, stifling a small smile. "I'm not sure yet."
"I can't believe my ears!" Evey sighed, flopping down next to him. "You'd be human, just like Daddy wants."
"Evangeline, for Christ sake!" Warren exploded suddenly. "I get this from everyone and I don't need it from you! You're just as bad as my father! It's my choice Evey, mine and mine alone. You have no idea what I've been through, none."
Evey looked at her friend, the hurt clear on her face. She surveyed him slowly, looking from his watery blue eyes to his sad mouth and felt a deep pang of guilt.
"I'm sorry Warren," She muttered, looking down into her lap. "It's your choice but I won't be waiting behind you for mine, know that. We have gifts and it's impolite to give them back."
Warren grasped her hand and squeezed it tightly for reassurance and to say apology accepted but not needed. Just the touch of Evey's hand made Warren feel instantly better about the situation.
"I'm sorry about everything, I didn't mean to shout at you," He said quietly, picking at his duvet. "Friends?"
"I guess," Evey replied with a smile. "So what're you going to do now you've graduated?"
"Don't know. Work for Dad? Be a rich playboy for a while maybe?" Warren shrugged, letting his grin reach his eyes. Evey scoffed loudly at his last comment.
"How about you do something helpful? With your wings Warren, you could be a fireman or a cop or anything like that. You could really help people with your gift," Evey urged, taking his hand in both of hers and looking straight at him.
"Evey, no," Warren said at once, horrified at the thought. "My Dad would never let me plus, all that attention. I'm not some super hero."
"Haven't you heard of that mutant academy? They train mutants to be the best of their ability and to fight against evil and stuff," Evey explained. Warren rolled his eyes. "They call them the X-Men."
"Please," He said arrogantly. "I'm not going to become some crime fighting comic book hero, leave to the real cops."
"I'm using my gift to help others and I'm not parading around like a comic book vixen, am I?" Evey argued hotly. "You've got serious issues."
"Evangeline, why are you a vet and not a doctor?" Warren asked her tightly, staring right into her eyes. "Why is that? Maybe because certain humans don't want to be touched by a mutant?"
"All I want is to help," Evey said forcefully and threw Warren's hand from her own roughly. "I'm so glad you're back," She added sarcastically before getting up and striding over to his bedroom door. Evey wrenched it open and threw herself through it before slamming very hard behind her, causing the already damaged panels to completely crack open so all Warren could do was watch the disappearing form of his best friend disappearing down the long hall.
Warren sighed angrily and rubbed his face in a bid to refresh himself. He'd been back twenty minutes and he'd already managed to piss off his father and Evey. It was as if he'd never been gone.
