A/N: Howdy do! An update, yay! Ahh, all the defence for Evey in my lovely reviews was comforting actually. She's ok, a little skittish and very voilatile but yeah, she's ok! This chapter is a little yawn inducing so I do apologise but thanks for all my reviews lovely peeps!
Lost: I named Evey after well you-know-who but her last name is a tribute to Christian Bale (Who I Luuuuurve!) His name is Quinn Abercombie in 'Reign of Fire.' I didn't expect you to guess as it's an incredible longshot hoohaa and I think I'm the only person who actually saw and enjoyed 'Reign of Fire!' Still, left-over party booze of your choice for trying!
Pokemon Fan: Review noted and appreciated but Evey is just one character and her opinions aren't the ultimate ones of my story. I've purposely given her closed mindedness about the subject because she knows no different and to be fair, her opinions are very similar to those of Storm's in the movie. Her earlier rant isn't the be all and end all of the arguement . As for Warren's father...watch this space.
Chapter Four - What Angel Wants...
Evey had left Warren watching TV while she returned to their room. She wanted to lie down and just think. So much had happened today and her brain was beginning to ache.
Had she really tried to stop Warren from getting his cure?
Evey tried to get comfortable on her new bed but these questions kept popping up in her mind and for the life of her, she just couldn't answer any.
Why did she push Warren away when he tried to kiss her? Actually, why did she falter before pushing him away?
Evey mulled it over in her mind but she kept being dragged back to that particular scene. How his had mouth felt against hers, albeit briefly. She screwed up her eyes, trying to rid her thoughts of it. Evey knew why she had pushed him away, she realised. Warren was caught up in the moment of being reckless. This just wasn't him and they both knew it.
Was there really a war looming?
Annoyed at herself for being unable to wind down and rest, Evey rolled on her front and lay face down on her pillow where she let out a well deserved scream of annoyance and exhaustion.
Afterward, she rolled back on her back for the need of fresh air. Her face was hot and her cheeks blushed as she laid very still inhaling air slowly. She rued the day she ever became friends with Warren Worthington the third.
- - -
"Is it ok if I watch the news for a bit?" Warren asked as he approached a small group of teenagers sitting around the television.
"Sure," one of the older boys said, looking at the stranger carefully. He flicked the channel before asking "And you are?"
"Warren," Warren replied. "I'm just here for a little while. Ororo knows," He added, hoping her name would reassure them.
"Oh ok," the boy nodded and held out his hand for a shake. "Bobby."
Warren shook his hand and smiled quickly before turning his attention to the newsreader. She was still harping on about the miracle cure and showing footage of protestors.
"And here's some footage of earlier this morning. It shows an unidentified girl trying to rescue the son of Warren Worthington of Worthington Labs. Moments later, he was seen jumping out of a window in a brave attempt to escape the cure. Reports say he was to be the first mutant in history to be cured…"
Warren was rigid after seeing the pictures of himself and Evey on the news. He could feel all eyes on him, questioning and wondering.
"That was you?" Bobby asked incredulously. "Your Dad is responsible for the cure?"
Warren didn't answer; he just got up from his seat and left the group of teenage mutants staring after him, trying to ignore their whispers.
He wasn't sure where to go so Warren decided his room would probably be the safest option. Hopefully Evey wouldn't be there.
Warren opened the door with a deep breath as he'd find out if Evey had indeed gone home or had stayed. Through everything, he hoped the latter.
"Hi," Evey said tearfully as Warren met her eyes with his. He swallowed hard, she was still here. Was that good news or bad?
"I thought you were leaving?" Warren asked, closing the door behind him.
"I can't," Evey admitted quietly. "I don't have any money for a ticket. I wanted to stay here."
"Ok," Warren replied simply and sat down on his bed. He rested his elbows on his knees and cradled his head in his hands. "We're all over the news. Congratulations, you're famous."
"What?" Evey replied quickly, sitting up straighter. "We're on the news? Why?"
"You screaming your lungs out apparently makes good entertainment. I just saw it," Warren said slowly. "Did you realise you had about twenty cops all running your way when you were kicking the shit out of those railings?"
"No," Evey said and a small but very wicked grin was creeping across her face. "I went to an animal cruelty demonstration last year. Spent my evening in a police cell with a nice lady who'd been accused of battering her husband to death with the cup of coffee that didn't have enough sugar in it."
Warren looked horrified but unsurprised. "Jesus Evey."
"I've been thinking," Evey announced. "I want to stop arguing with you."
"Well that's great news Evey but you're more up and down than a hooker's panties," Warren replied sarcastically, folding his arms across his chest.
"I know," Evey admitted, nodding her head. "But we've been through so much today and we'd be better off as friends rather than enemies. Am I right?"
"I guess," Warren replied simply.
"So, I know we've apologised profusely to one another today so let's just make up and put it all behind us. Forget everything what has happened today," Evey nodded.
Warren nodded slowly back at his friend and felt his eyelids droop. Evey could tell he was very tired but Warren would never admit it.
"Why don't you take a nap?" Evey suggested. "You're exhausted Warren and you haven't eaten a thing. You might need the energy."
"Yeah," Warren agreed absently, rubbing his eyes. "A nap might do me good."
"I'll go make you sandwich if you want," Evey offered and Warren smiled lazily up at her.
"OK. I'm just going to lie down for a minute," Warren said, shifting his weight on his bed. "I want to take my pants off, do you mind?"
"No, not at all," Evey shrugged, her mouth moving before her mind. Warren looked at her.
"I mean do you mind leaving or closing your eyes at least?" Warren clarified and watched Evey's face turn scarlet.
"Oh right, yeah, ok, that's fine!" Evey stammered, highly embarrassed. "I'll just go, leave you to it, be back, later."
Warren tried not to smirk as he watched Evey leave hurriedly, not meeting his eyes once.
Out in the corridor, Evey cursed herself. How stupidly embarrassing! It was a wonder they remained friends actually for Evey was positive she wouldn't be able to look Warren in the eye anymore.
A thought occurred to her as she reached the kitchen. Had she not seen Warren running around with no clothes on before? Granted, he had been seven or eight and Evey had screamed for her mother so it didn't really count. And surely Warren would look very different by now…
"Stop it," Evey warned herself as she entered the kitchen.
"Stop what?" A boy asked, looking up at her from the fridge he was apparently raiding. "Hey, I've just seen you on the news!"
"Who are you?" Evey asked defensively, forgetting her place.
"Bobby Drake. And you're unidentified girl," Bobby replied with a smile as he took out a plate of cookies and placed them on the counter.
"Evangeline Abercombie actually," Evey corrected haughtily. "Evey," She added more pleasantly.
"Cookie?" Bobby offered, pushing the plate to her. It was piled high with chocolate chip ones as round as her palm. "They're good. Kitty makes them."
Not knowing in the slightest who or what Kitty was, Evey shook her head. "I just came to get a sandwich for Warren."
"Ah," Bobby nodded knowingly and Evey didn't like it.
"Not like that. We're friends and he flew us all the way from California so he's a little tired and hungry to say the least," Evey informed as she pulled open the fridge to fetch the bread and butter again.
"So, he can fly? I saw him on TV, they're some wings," Bobby said as he hoisted himself up onto the counter as he helped himself to another cookie.
"Yeah," Evey replied, glancing at him. She had forgotten that everyone here was a mutant and all had their own gifts. She and Warren had never met any others really until earlier this morning at the demonstration. She wondered what made Bobby special.
"What can you do?" Bobby asked conversationally as he chewed his cookie thoughtfully.
"I can heal people and animals. Also plants," Evey replied. "You?"
Bobby leant across the counter to turn on the tap. He let the water flow for a few seconds before dipping a finger in. It froze into a long tube of ice.
"Wow," Evey exclaimed, her knife hovering in mid air. "That's some party trick."
Bobby shrugged and snapped off the icicle and the water began running freely again before he twisted the tap off.
Evey responded to the silence by filling Warren's sandwich with peanut butter and strawberry jelly from the fridge. She cut the sandwich in halves and pushed three cookies next to it after she'd placed it on a plate.
Evey opened a few cupboards until she found a glass and filled one with milk. It was lunch fit for a five year old. Suit Warren perfectly, she thought.
"Nice meeting you," Evey said as she picked up the plate and glass and began making her way back toward their room.
"And you," Bobby replied, watching her leave with a bemused look on his face.
Evey swallowed hard as she entered their room once again, nudging the door with an elbow and was greeted by the crashed out form of Warren lying very awkwardly on his bed. His body was on the bed but his legs were dangling off it as if he'd just rolled sideways and fell asleep instantly.
Evey placed down his lunch on the nightstand between their beds and dropped to her knees beside him. He hadn't managed to get his jeans off as they were puddled at his ankles. Evey pulled off his shoes and gently eased each foot from each leg of his jeans before scooping his legs in her arms and pushing them on his bed.
She tried to busy herself by folding his jeans neatly instead of sneaking a look at his crisp, white boxer shorts that were riding up his thighs.
"Evey?" Warren questioned sleepily. "That you?"
"Yep," Evey replied quickly, practically throwing herself to the other side of the room. "Your lunch is on there."
Warren groaned half heartedly as he reached over to pick up a sandwich. He took a large bite and made a satisfied guttural groan. "It's my favourite," He said through a mouthful.
"I know," Evey nodded. "And you've got some Kitty cookies too."
Warren swallowed and picked up a cookie to inspect it. He took a small bite and sunk back into his pillows, appreciation creasing his face. "Give my congratulations to Kitty," Warren declared, finishing off the biscuit.
Evey rolled her eyes. "You're welcome by the way," She said sourly, getting up from her bed and moving over toward a door that was at the foot of her bed. She opened it to reveal a small bathroom complete with shower cubicle. "I'm taking a shower," Evey announced and closed the door behind her.
Warren sighed and rolled his eyes as he drank half his milk in one go. He heard Evey turn on the shower and the water gush and decided he would go for a wander and hopefully seek out Kitty.
- - -
When Evey emerged from the shower fifteen minutes later with her towel wrapped firmly around her she realised Warren had left and had also kindly left their door open.
Sighing, Evey laid down her clothes on her bed and picked up a small hand towel to begin drying her hair as she padded bare foot to the doorway. She swung it closed slowly but caught sight of Logan striding down the hall.
"Nice to see you're making the most of your stay," He said as he walked past and Evey smiled sheepishly. She couldn't be sure whether his tone was angry or amused so she closed the door with a snap, still wondering.
Evey went back to her bed to start getting dressed, casting a weary glance at Warren's discarded plate and glass. Wherever he was going obviously wasn't the kitchen. She decided against her better judgement that she should at least make an attempt to find Warren so once she was dressed, Evey twisted her hair into a bun and fastened it with a band before venturing out inside the manor.
- - -
Warren had found Kitty with Bobby and a few others still watching TV. He went back to them and sat down, apologising for his behaviour earlier and explaining why he was here. Mainly he harped on to Kitty about her cookies but the smaller girl didn't seem to mind, especially when Warren hoisted his t-shirt from over his head and let Kitty and the others feel his wings if they wanted.
"They are so beautiful," Kitty exclaimed, running her hand up and down the length of Warren's right wing. "They're like Angel wings!"
"Yeah, that's what Evey has always called them," Warren nodded. He felt at home here for he was among people that wanted to know about his gift instead of wanting it kept away from them.
"She was the one in the kitchen, making your lunch," Bobby said, putting two and two together. "Is she always so…haughty?"
"Yep," Warren answered almost instantly with a smile. "That's Evey. She's not so bad once you get to know her though."
"She your girlfriend then?" Kitty asked, moving away from Warren and settling back into her seat next to Bobby. Warren shifted back also against the edge of the sofa opposite for he and Kitty had been kneeling on the floor.
"She's just a friend," Warren answered after a few moments. He looked up at Kitty briefly after he'd spoken.
"Oh," Kitty merely replied with a short nod. She sunk back further into the sofa and looked back at Warren once more where he caught her gaze and held it with his striking blue eyes.
"Hey," Evey said lightly and everyone snapped round to look at her. "Woah, hey everyone," Evey said nervously as all eyes were on her and she realised only Warren and Bobby knew who she was.
"That's Evey," Warren declared and Evey had the funny feeling he'd been talking about her. The small group greeted Evey and she slid onto the sofa Warren was leaning against.
"That's a pretty name," A young man said to her and Evey tried to smile at him. "I'm Peter by the way."
Peter leant over the small coffee table between the two sofas to shake hands with Evey. Their hands touched and Evey felt immense strength within his grip.
"This is Kitty," Warren said, smiling as he motioned to the girl. "She makes the cookies."
"Hi," Evey said stiffly and Kitty gave her a little wave. Evey fought the urge to roll her eyes as Kitty turned back to Warren and flashed him a grin.
"How long have you been here then Bobby?" Evey said louder than necessary as she turned her attention away from the flirting going on between Warren and Kitty.
"A good few years now," Bobby answered with a nod. "It's cool here and I've got great friends."
"That's…super," Evey replied as she glanced at Warren and Kitty, who was now sitting on the floor with Warren. Kitty was giggling quietly as she took Warren's hand in her own and dipped it right through the floorboards so their hands and wrists completely disappeared.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Evey pressed on, trying to ignore the commotion around her feet.
"Yeah," Bobby replied looking slightly pained. "Yeah. She's not here right now though, she's getting the cure."
"She's what?" Evey replied, shocked. Someone at this wonderful school where gifts were encouraged actually wanted the cure?
"Yeah," Bobby said, averting his eyes. "Her mutantcy isn't as great as others. She can't have any skin contact with anyone as she drains life force."
"That's terrible," Evey replied sympathetically and meant it. "I always thought that…well, I don't really know." Evey wanted to say that she thought all gifts were useful and meaningful but she didn't want to sound horrible.
"Yeah," Bobby said again, he was clearly uncomfortable about it so Evey didn't want to press him anymore but he had given her a lot to think about. The cure was actually going to benefit someone?
Evey then noticed that Warren and Kitty had disappeared. "Excuse me," She said, getting up with a smile. Evey walked over to where Kitty and Warren were messing around in the hallway.
"A word, Warren?" Evey said, still smiling as she took his arm and yanked him away up the corridor.
"What?" Warren asked, easing his arm away from her grip.
"You might like to remember she's about sixteen. If that," Evey said in a voice that neither recognised. Was it jealousy?
"Aww Evey, we're just friends, I swear!" Warren joked, holding up his hands in mock defence. Evey glanced over at Kitty who was pretending not to be listening although the fact she was watching them both intently was a dead giveaway.
"I'll leave you to it then," Evey huffed and began walking away back down the corridor. Warren smirked after her and turned his attention back to Kitty after giving Evey one last glance.
