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Blessed

Chapter Seven

A Glass Half-Full and a Glass Half-empty

Hello! Mah name is Marie Darkholme an' ah've come t' know a terrible secret! After mah aunt Irene moved back to Mississippi, the Xavier's took me in. I soon learned that the Xavier family lives with a curse! Thirteen members (three o' whom ah live with) are each possessed by the vengeful spirit of an animal from the Chinese Zodiac! They transform into their chosen animal whenever a member of the opposite sex embraces them, or when they become weak!

After talkin' with Logan at the main house, ah realise now that the curse isn' as exciting as it seems. A lot of dark shadows loom within the Xavier family. But ah'm still havin' lots of fun livin' with Joseph, Remy an' Hank!

Ah wonder what will happen this time?!

~~~~~Home Sweet Home ~~~~~~

There was a loud crash accompanied with a cry of pain.

'Miss Darkholme, are you alright?' asked Joseph with concern as he ran down the stairs to find Marie on her knees, the books she was carrying spread out on the floor.

'Y-Yes,' she stuttered.

Joseph went to help her up but didn't want to accidentally transform, especially considering it was an important day not to transform.

'I tol' ya, ya didn' have t' help,' said Remy as glanced at the Southern girl who was now getting up. He too was carrying a pile of books.

'She's only moving those books so we can turn Hank's library into your room,' Joseph pointed out.

Remy swivelled round to Marie. 'I didn' ask f'r help!' He suddenly felt a book slam on his head. Turning he saw Joseph preparing to hit him again, but after looking him up and down, he came to the conclusion the cat was not worth it. This angered the Cajun even more. 'Damn rat!' bellowed Remy.

'Perhaps if you just died, you'd be reincarnated into something more pleasant,' said Joseph, picking up a few books for Marie that she had dropped, as she did the same.

'You're de one wit' de messed up personality!'

'Now now, you two,' said Hank as he entered the hallway, 'if you have time to fight that means you're not working hard enough.'

'Here, Miss Darkholme, this stack is lighter,' said Joseph handing her a few books.

'No it's okay!' shouted Marie, determined. She clutched the books she had dropped even harder, balancing them in her hands. 'Ah can' handle these fine!' She wobbled over to the new library room and to the shelf, where she began to put them carefully in their place.

'Damn Joseph,' Remy was still muttering to himself as he stacked books quick and ruthlessly. 'Ha! Look at dat, I finished stackin' 'em faster den you, rat!'

'It's always a competition with you,' sighed Joseph as he continued to slowly place the books on the shelf.

'And you're damaging my poor books, Remy,' said Hank as he began to restack the ones the Cajun had doen.

Ding dong.

'That mus' b' them!' said Marie, excitedly as she dashed out of the room.

Remy, Hank and Joseph remained in the new library room, listening to Marie open the door.

'Welcome! Come on in! Did you find your way alright?'

''M thinkin' dis was a bad idea,' moaned Remy as he leaned against the wall.

'Just don't do anything stupid,' said Joseph, placing the last book on the shelf – the others could go in the living room.

'Dat goes double f'r you, damn rat!'

'Yes … all of us should do well to be careful while they're here,' said Hank solemnly as he closed a book. 'Because I wonder what would happen if either of these two girls found out about the family curse?' Hank turned to Joseph and Remy who were oddly still. 'What do you think? At the very least, I suppose that Marie would no longer be able to stay in this house. Or she'd have to have her memory erased.'

Remy and Joseph exchanged a stern look of concern.

'Well anyway, whatever happens happens,' chuckled Hank.

Joseph rolled his eyes. 'You just like hearing yourself talk, don't you?'

'There's a cat.'

The three Xavier's froze and slowly turned round to see Tessa stood before them, wearing a black clock. Remy and Joseph knew she was a psychic girl – did that mean she had guessed the family secret already?!

'Over there,' she said. They looked to the window to see a cat trying to get it. It looked suspicious as the three males sighed with relief, but Tessa said nothing.

'Oh, yes that's a cat!' laughed Hank uneasily. 'Rem-Rem, why don't you go and shoo it away.'

'Don' call me Rem-Rem!'

~~~~ A few moments later ~~~~

Entering the living room, Tessa and Betsy glanced around to see if there was anything unusual. Remy growled when Betsy glared at him.

'Let me introduce ya'll again,' said Marie. 'This is Betsy Braddock an' Tessa Sage: mah best friends!'

'Helloooo,' Hank sang as he waved his hand.

'It's nice to see you again,' said Joseph pleasantly.

Remy ignored them all together. 'What are dey doin' 'ere anyway …?'

It all started two days ago …

~~~~ Flashback ~~~

Since Betsy an' Tessa are mah best friends, an' since they've always looked out f'r me, ah thought it was only fair they knew about mah living arrangement …

Marie knocked twice on Hank's study room door, and when he beckoned her in, Marie sat opposite him, making her to feel like she was here for an interview which made her nervous. Hank took off his glasses and smiled at her.

Ah asked Hank 'f it was alright if ah tol' mah friends ah was livin' with them now…

'Of course, dear!' replied Hank. 'So long as you don't tell them of the Zodiac curse.'

'Ah definitely won'!' said Marie happily. 'Thank ya!'

Hank grinned and leaned back in his chair. 'I can't wait to see what kind of people you're friends are, Marie.'

'A British thug and a psychic girl,' said Remy casually, as he came into the room, grabbed a book and departed.

Hank's face dropped a bit but ah think he was alright after ah explained. So the followin' day at school, ah took Betsy an' Tessa to a more private place on the school's ground.

'What?!' shouted Betsy. She, Marie and Tessa stood under a leafless tree. 'So let me get this straight: you were living in a tent in the woods, but now you're living with prince charming and anger management boy?'

'Yes … Ah jus' … couldn' find a way t' tell ya ah guess,' Marie said. 'It was kinda complicated. But everything's alright now! They're good people – even Irene approves – so don' worry about me.'

For a moment Marie wasn't sure what Betsy was going to do. Whilst Tessa seemed a little shocked, Betsy looked like she was about to go dizzy with a rage.

'It's a bit of a surprise is all …' said Betsy, taking a deep breath. She knew there was no point in getting angry.

'I wonder what the fan club girls would do if they found out,' said Tessa.

Marie could imagine the group of girls kidnapping her and sending her away to a far away country. But knowing them, they would probably think of something much worse. Ah can' b' scared o' them, Marie thought determinedly. They're jus' a group of obsessive gals is all.

'I thought you'd been spending a lot of time with Charming and the Cajun … now I get it,' Betsy said.

'You realise,' Tessa said finally, leaning against the tree trunk, 'that we are going to have to come over to make sure it's a suitable environment for you.'

Marie's face dropped.

'That's a great idea, Tess!' shouted Betsy. 'Let's go today!'

'I doubt it will be fair to drop in unexpected,' said Tessa.

'Good call … I mean we have to considerate. That settles it! This weekend we're staying at your place!' Betsy announced.

Marie glanced at both of them back and forth, and with a little persuasion, she soon agreed.

~~~ End of flashback ~~~

'Please,' said Hank to Tessa and Betsy, pointing to the seats around the coffee table, 'make yourselves at home.'

'Hey, it's Hank right? Is this your place?' asked Betsy as she and Tessa took a seat alongside each other. Marie made herself comfortable next to Joseph on the sofa, while Remy reluctantly sat by Hank.

'It certainly is.'

'So what d'ya do to pay the rent around here?'

'I'm a writer and a part-time teacher,' Hank replied, albeit a little smugly. 'Well, a novelist actually.'

'D-Did you say you're a novelist?!' yelled Marie, standing up and causing Joseph to jump.

'Why do you seem so surprised?' asked Betsy.

'This is the first she's heard of it,' said Tessa.

'Yeah … ah really had no idea.' Marie sat herself back down.

'What was it again you wrote? Life writing or something?' asked Joseph.

'Something like that,' smiled Hank. He stood up and reached up into the highest part of the bookshelf in the living room and showed his book to everyone. 'This sort of story.'

Everyone gasped in repulsion as they viewed it, their jaws dropping with horror: on the cover was the title 'A Bittersweet Ending', with a picture of a naked woman holding a towel around her seeming awfully surprised, and two half-naked men grinning beside her. Not only did they not expect Hank to show them such a book, but to write it was another matter altogether.

'Oops sorry, my mistake,' laughed Hank placing it on the table and grabbing another book. 'This is my real work. That was just one I did for fun when I was younger.'

'So that still makes it okay for you to write that dime store smut?!' yelled Betsy.

'You're a sicko, ya know dat?!' Remy also yelled.

'What were you thinking?' asked Joseph calmly, as though he could expect such a thing.

'B-But still, Hank that's amazing!' exclaimed Marie, ignoring the stunned faces staring at her. 'Ah mean t' think ah'm livin' under the same roof with someone as important as a novelist!'

'Careful, Miss Darkholme' said Joseph, 'you don't want to inflate his ego too much.'

'Like 'is head can' get any bigger den it already is,' scoffed Remy, sitting on the floor near the coffee table rather than remaining by Hank.

'I'm still in the room,' Hank mentioned. He then turned to Betsy and Tessa who had picked up the forbidden book he had wrote. 'Well enough about me, why don't you tell us something about yourselves?'

'Like what?' said Betsy.

'Well you can start by telling us how you met Marie,' said Hank.

'Well Betsy practically saved me!' said Marie as she clapped her hands together.

Joseph, Remy and Hank raised their eyebrows. 'Huh?'

Marie cleared her throat. '"Hey, Pin Head, she said not to step on those!"' she imitated Betsy with the best British accent she could muster. Everyone - apart from Tessa – looked at her puzzled. 'E-Erm, wait let me rewind. Ah was walkin' in the hallway an' someone tripped me over an' ah dropped all the notebooks ah was carryin'. "Hey, Pin Head, she said not to step on those! You better not do that again or I'll throw you into an alternative universe where you're a stag beetle".' Once again, everyone stared at her curiously. 'N-No that's not quite right either … "Hey, Pin Head …'

'What have I done?' muttered Hank.

'How sad: love doomed from the start,' uttered Tessa, turning over the page of the book.

'You're actually reading that?' questioned Betsy.

'Ah! You like it?' asked Hank.

Tessa looked over to him, her dark eyes blank. 'When is volume two coming out?'

Hank appeared slightly fearful.

Betsy sighed. 'Can't you just put that book away?'

Marie gasped and stood up, going to the door. 'Oh! Ah forgot about drinks, let me go and make everyone some.' She shut the door behind her.

'So, Tessa, you never told us how you and Marie became friends,' Hank pointed out cheerfully.

'Are you sure you want to know?' she asked eerily, looking at him impassively. It was as though her eyes had gotten even darker.

'U-Uh t-that's okay,' Hank stuttered moving away slowly. 'As long as your friends now … t-that's what's important!'

'We were in middle school,' Tessa began, her voice dark and emotionless, 'and I was transferred into Marie's class.'

'Aha … is that so,' Hank said, frightened.

'Yes, you see at my previous school I had caused something of a disturbance.'

'Well that is a wonderful story! But I just remembered I had some work to do, so if you kids will excuse me,' lied Hank quickly as he escaped from the living room.

He ran off, thought Joseph disdainfully, resting his arm on the sofas.

Ran de hell away, thought Remy frustrated, clenching his hand which was resting on the coffee table.

'I gotta say,' said Betsy, leaning back in her chair, 'I didn't know what to think of this when Marie told us. But it looks like she's fitting in well here. I'm happy for her … and I guess I can understand why she didn't want to say anything at first. But still …'

Tessa turned another page of the book. Remy and Joseph watched Betsy.

'Marie … she was there for me when I needed someone most. Thanks to her, I found a way to climb out of all the crap I got myself into. She helped me to believe in myself. That I could change if I wanted. And when I met her … I discovered that I did want to change. I wanted to be someone who Marie could be proud to call her friend, the way I was proud to call her mine. So this time around … with everything that's happened to her, the fact that I – that we,' she said, looking at Tessa who was still reading Hank's book, 'weren't there to help Marie, that bothers me. Hmph! Some friends we are.'

There was a moment's silence.

'It's not like dat,' said Remy. 'She's jus' not de sort o' fille t' worry 'bout stuff like dat.'

Tessa perked her head up from the novel.

'Miss Darkholme,' said Joseph, 'isn't the type to see her life as a glass half-empty.'

Shock rendered Betsy and Tessa speechless.

'Sorry ah took so long,' said Marie as she came in with a tray, five glasses filled with orange juice balanced on top. As she placed them on the table, she also picked up a deck of cards that were on the tray. 'Ah saw these an' thought it'd be fun t' play Rich Man Poor Man.'

Betsy grinned. 'That's a great idea,' she said, something sinister in her voice. 'There's no doubt I'd beat the Cajun over here.'

'Ha! Keep talkin', perdant; 'f I win you dye ya hair black.'

'Fine! And if I win you dye your hair some more so it turns white!'

'Dis is mon natural colour!'

Fifteen minutes later it turned out Marie was winning. Remy had tricked Betsy and he was able to loose one of his cards, something Betsy was not happy with.

'You bastard! Who dy'a think you are playin' a trick like that on me!' she shouted, raising herself from her seat. 'Why don't I teach you a lesson?!'

'I'd like t' see ya try, chienne!' Remy retorted.

'I have a winning hand,' said Joseph over all the shouting.

'Ah knew ya'd b' good at this,' laughed Marie.

Despite the playful shouting match between Betsy and Remy – that occurred throughout the game – Marie couldn't help but feel pleased.

Ev'ryone's gettin' along so great …

~~~~ That Night ~~~~

'Ack, my throat hurts from yelling so much,' crocked Betsy.

'Ah guess even though ah was in the lead f'r a while, ah ended up loosin',' chuckled Marie.

The day had gone by quite fast. Marie, Betsy, Tessa, Joseph and Remy – occasionally Hank played a game or two – had played with the cards for most of it, enjoying it immensely. Later on they had some pizza, watched television, talked some more, and, at last becoming tired, decided to go to bed. While everyone went to their own rooms, Betsy and Tessa followed Marie into hers.

'This is a large bed,' commented Tessa as she tested Marie's mattress.

'Hank bought it f'r me.'

'Jeez, he's acting like an old man with his first grandkid,' commented Betsy as she brushed her lilac hair.

Tessa tied her hair up into a bobble. As she finished doing that, something caught her eye. 'Oh, Marie, you still have this hat?'

Marie followed Tessa's gaze and saw a red hat perched on top of her dressing table. She went over and took it. 'Yup! It has sentimental value.'

'Really? How come?'

'Ah never tol' ya?' asked Marie. She sat on the bed where Betsy had already gotten under the covers. 'Well when ah was six or seven, the boys always used t' tease me 'coz o' mah hair. One day, ah stood up f'r mahself, but ah ended up gettin' chased. Ah was pretty scared – ah knew ah couldn' take on four boys. An' bef'r ah new it, ah'd gotten lost. But ah was frightened the boys would find me, so ah hid somewhere. An' ah stayed there all night. In the morning, a boy appeared in front of me wearing a red hat. He stared at me f'r a little while an' then ran off. Ah couldn' help mahself – ah jus' had t' follow 'im.'

'Please wait f'r me! Ah want t' go home! Oh no … ah can' keep up!'

Marie clutched the hat tighter. 'Several times ah fell over, an' ah could never catch up t' 'im. But each time he would wait f'r me. He was a mysterious boy. He stopped at one point, an' ah was speechless. He put the hat on mah head an' ran off. Then ah realised … he had led me home. Ah wanted t' thank 'im but ah couldn' see 'im anywhere. The only proof o' 'im ah have that he ever existed is this hat he gave t' me.'

'What a wonderful story,' said Tessa.

'It'd be an even better story if you'd met again and fell in love!' said Betsy.

Marie laughed. 'Ah doubt ah'll ever see 'im again.'

'Well, you never know – it's a small world.'

'Ah guess ya right,' said Marie. 'But ah don' think he'd even remember somethin' like that. He's probably forgotten.' She sighed happily putting the hat to one side. In a way, that boy was mah first love …

'You poor girl,' said Betsy, taking Marie's hand. 'You've had it rough since you were little, huh?'

'That's not true at all,' Marie smiled. She pictured in her mind how both Remy and Joseph had held her hands as they walked home together. 'Ah'm always bein' reminded o' how lucky ah am. Ah get t' live with the Xavier's, ah have an aunt who cares about me very much, an' ah have the two best friends in the world who are always there f'r me.' She glanced at Betsy who was taken aback and then to Tessa who was smiling. 'You two have been such a support t' me. Ah love mah life. An' ah love you both.'

Both Betsy and Tessa remembered Remy and Joseph's words …

'She's jus' not de sort o' fille t' worry 'bout stuff like dat.'

'Miss Darkholme isn't the type to see her life as a glass half-empty.'

'They understand,' whispered Betsy.

Tessa nodded in agreement. 'Marie is that kind of person.'

'H-Huh?'

The kind of person that focuses on what she has, not what she's missing, thought Betsy with a smile as Marie climbed under the covers.

Who treasures where she is now, thought Tessa.

Tessa and Betsy cuddled up to Marie who was in the middle, all of them smiling.

'We have an unrivalled friendship, don't we?' said Betsy.

'Yes!'

~~~~ The Next Morning ~~~

Remy took a sip out of the milk carton and then put it back into the fridge. As he was about to exit the kitchen, Joseph stumbled in. Remy raised an eyebrow. The boy's white hair was dishevelled and his eyes were closed – though he seemed to know where he was going – his back was hunched as he dragged himself through the door.

'Hey, rat!' shouted Remy. 'J-Joseph –'

Joseph's head fell lifelessly onto Remy's shoulder.

'W-What are ya doin'?!' yelled Remy.

'Joseph really isn' a morning person, is he?' laughed Marie as she came into the room. She was still in her pyjamas.

Remy pushed Joseph off him as hard as he could, but even that didn't stir him – nor cause him to fall over. 'Wake up, damn it!'

'Ah'm impressed, Remy,' said Marie, pouring herself some orange juice. 'Even though ya wanted t' hit 'im, you wouldn' attack Joseph in his sleep.'

'Dat's … not … it,' said Remy quietly, turning his back on Marie. His fists clenched into a ball. 'He's even stronger in 'is sleep.'

He already tried …

Remy then growled. 'But den dat means he's goin' easy on me when he's conscious! He doesn' even try, dat damn ra –!'

A fist smacked him in the face, almost sending him to the floor. Marie gasped.

'Weren't you s'pose t' b' asleep?!' yelled Remy.

Joseph stood before him, rolling up his sleeves with a yawn. 'Your annoying voice woke me up.'

'One o' dese day 'm takin' you down, rat boy! I won' stop until I defeat you!'

'Stop babbling,' said Joseph.

'A cat and a mouse,' said Tessa from nowhere with a frightening voice that made everyone freeze with fear. 'That's how they're acting.' The three sighed with relief.

'Yeah,' smirked Betsy as she came beside her, 'they're always fighting like that cartoon … what's it called again? Oh, Tom and Jerry.'

'Oh yeah … they're still 'ere,' moaned Remy, folding his arms.

'You two,' said Tessa, addressing Remy and Joseph. They forced themselves to look at her. 'Your auras are different, but they are good auras.'

'Huh?'

'Okay, boys,' said Betsy as she put an arm around Marie. 'We're counting on you to take care of our one and only Marie.'

There acting as though they're giving her away to be married, Joseph and Remy thought.

'We'll come by again soon,' called out Betsy, her and Tessa going out the front door.

Marie bid them a farewell and then came back into the kitchen.

'I don't know about havin' women over so much,' Remy snarled.

'Oh but, Tessa and Betsy are really good people!' exclaimed Marie. 'An' ah promise t' keep your secret. So … please let them come over once in a while.'

Remy sighed and walked off saying, 'Do what ya wan'.'

'They're your friends, Miss Darkholme,' said Joseph. 'They can visit whenever you like them too.'

Marie smiled gratefully.

~~~ The Xavier's Main House ~~~

Hank stood in the middle of a dark, empty room, with one window which allowed a little light to penetrate.

'Even though it's been such a short time, since Marie came, Joseph and Remy have been a lot more mature,' said Hank. 'I would like to see them direction. Of course, knowing you, you probably think the whole plan is doomed to fail.'

Silence.

'Charles … Dear, dear Charles,' Hank sighed. 'I feel sorry for you. Marie is a much better person than you are – she wants to live in the world for all its good.'

There was a man curled up on the floor nearest to the window. The light only made it clear that there was a body there, but his features were still hidden.

'I am well aware of when my glass is half-empty,' whispered Charles.

'End 7/22 ~

I really don't know how this chapter came across. When I was writing it I was laughing a bit. I think If I were in Marie's place I'd feel very lucky too. There's a lot about everyone's past that has yet to be revealed, but Marie has a very painful one of her own.

I love Hank. I just love him. I wish I could just write all about him sometimes haha. I have an odd feeling that him and Tessa could be paired up (I'm joking! … kind of haha). And Tessa makes me giggle too. Yes, I'm one of those people who laughs at my own jokes even though I know everyone else doesn't find it funny haha – I can't help it.

PLEASE REVIEW I really need your reviews!!! =D

Next Chapter!!! Marie: Christmas came and went in a blink of an eye, an' now New Years is steadily approaching. But ah had forgotten that Hank, Joseph an' Remy won' b' celebratin' new years at home.

Joseph: I'm sorry, Miss Darkholme … each New Years we go back to the main house for a celebration.

Remy: Damn it all; dat means she'll b' left all on 'er own!

Tessa: Somehow I'll get myself involved. I can't let poor Marie spend this time of year alone now, can I?

Joseph: But it's not like we can skip the celebration to be with her … is it?

Marie: Join me, Marie, in the next chapter to find out what happens next!