Disclaimer: Marvel Entertainment owns everything, with the exception of Cat who is my own creation. This is a work of fanfic, no copyright infringement intended. Lily rush and the cold case quad are not mine, someone else owns them.
Author's notes: Tessa is the Mutant Known as Sage. She, at the time this story is set, is Shaw's personal assistant. This story takes place in a world shown in the Legacy quest book 2 by Steve Lyons. In that book a demon shows Sebastian Shaw a world where the X men are gone (how is not stated) and Storm is Shaw's White Queen. I'm a huge Cold Case fan as well as X Men fan, so I combined to the two to create this story. There's no date due to the elasticity of Marvel time. Enjoy.
Chapter 1 Shaw
"Ororo Munore, age unknown. Found in an alleyway at the back of the New York offices of the Hellfire Club in August 19. "
"Cause of death was apparently a cracked skull," Lily said, reading the reports, "Though there were multiple other injuries."
"She'd been in a fight?" Scotty Valens asked, flicking through the crime scene photos.
"One theory Scotty. Chief suspects were three other mutants, real names unknown, all we have are codenames, The Wolverine, The Cat and Nightcrawler."
"You're kidding." Reece Jeffery's had come over, having been speaking to CSI guys. "Those 3 are Alpha Flight.""Excuse me?"
"Alpha Flight, Lil, it's Canadian Version of the Avengers. They were very critical of the Mutant Rights movement over here. Made some serious accusations.""Guess Will and I are off to Canada." Lily observed.
"Valens, you and Jeffery's head off to New York, see what you can find out."
New York City, the present, Shaw's Industry's CEO Office
The offices of Shaw's Industries were luxurious. Mahogany furniture stood in opulence, aquariums full of fish that neither of the detectives even recognised lined the walls, occasionally hidden by exotic plants. Shaw stood in the midst of this undersea jungle. He indicated them to sit.
"You were quicker than I expected," he observed, sitting down behind his desk. "Then again" he continued "the boyfriend is always the first suspect.""So you and Ororo were more than business associates"
"We were lovers," Shaw confirmed a soft smile lightening his face, "and White king and Queen of the Hellfire club."
"For how long?"
"At the time of her death, nearly 3 years,"
"Can you tell us about the last time you saw her alive?"
Shaw's face softened.
"Of course" he said calmly
The past
The room was hung with white satin and lace. The ornaments, paintings and furniture were Victorian, in pristine condition. In the centre of the room stood a reproduction four poster bed, with white sheets and a trident logo embroidered in gold thread on the pillow cases.
As Shaw drew closer he could see Ororo lying beneath the sheets, weeping into the pillow. He didn't think he said or made any noise, but suddenly she was aware of him.
"Sebastian," she gasped, sitting up and wiping her face with her hands. She was wearing an almost see through white negligee, and despite the months they had shared Shaw still averted his eyes.
"I've been waiting for you," she said, but not cutely, more with a desperate need for reassurance.
"I have been thinking about the X-men." She said "wondering if things would have been different, if I hadn't-" she swallowed and reached out, pulling him to sit down beside her. He gazed at her. He had been truthful with her about most things, admired her courage, her strength and here she lay her spirit abused and broken, asking for validation.
"Tell me I did the right thing, Sebastian." She begged "when I pledged my allegiance to you and the Hellfire club, Tell me I didn't make a grave mistake."
And for once in his life Sebastian Shaw did not know what to say.
The Present
"I hated them for that," he admitted. "They'd broken her. She'd done nothing to deserve that."
"What happen then?"
"We were to both go that evening to a benefit dinner. I forget who was hosting it, Tessa will tell you. But she looked so..." he struggled for the words, "beaten, that I said she should rest. I went alone." His gaze turned to a picture of Ororo in full Hellfire regalia that stood on his desk.
"I wish I could have given her the reassurance she craved." He muttered softly. "But the thing I loved most about her was that she was the one person, Mutant or Sapien, that I could never lie to."TBC