Hiya Everyone. Tis I! Welcome back. Don't worry this and 24 hours are not going to have too much back burner time. For any of you who don't know, I have a new story running. It was a one shot called Ma Chèrie Amour but with a little persuasion, I realized it could be a cool story. So I took one of the plaguing ideas in my mind and manipulated it a little. Its called Hearts' Desires and I like it. You should check it out. Oh and while you're at it, my buddy Howlerdrode and I have been co writing a story. Very few people have read and fewer have reviewed. It is called The End of the World. It is a crossover with DC's Legion of Superheroes and X-men Evolution. It is a sister story to this, even though it isn't too far along yet. Please go read and review that! I'll consider it a personal favor if ya do.
Oh and I would like to take the time to dedicate this to a special friend. Ro, you may never read this but thanks for always being by my side. You are always there with a smile and joke, and you often pick me off the floor. You may be a bit boy crazy and it may irk me to get involved with your silly obsessions and I don't think I'll ever call your boyfriend to see if he's home. But stay you. Don't change, okay? I am so grateful to have you as one of my many uplifting friends.
Okay and since I have forgotten for the last few times, I am going to give you the episode quotes now and I'll repeat them later. A few of you were interested in what happened and the truth is that I am really busy and I sometimes get forgetful. So here goes....
#1 Kitty walks down the bathroom hall and phases through the closed door and ignores the 'occupied' sign on the door.
Kitty- Uh
Rogue- Hey! D'you mind?
Kitty phases through the door backwards. Rogue opens the door and is in her pajamas. Her hair isn't done but her makeup is on.
Rogue-points The sign says 'occupied'. points hairbrush at Kitty The door was locked.
Kitty- shrugs w-well who can read at this hour?
#2 a doctor is checking the radar dude's temperature
Radar dude- gestures Really! It was right there!
Captain-looks Heh. Icebergs in the Caribbean. some other dude smirks
Ok now its time to guess the episodes. Ok so now, thanks to all my lovely reviewers:
ThessalyD- Glad you like it. oh good you liked the Carol Danvers bit?
xmengirlzrule- Glad you like it. I hate Duncan too. Don't worry, would I permanently hurt poor Rogue?
Boom-Boom13- Well yeah guess it was inevitable. Actually I've been planning it for a while. By the way, he was with Taryn, you know, Jean's friend? Had I really been there Duncan and Taryn would have been brutally tortured. But alas, I wasn't. Glad you liked the Pyro and Wanda cuddliness. It tickled me pink to write it. Oh and I am really glad you like little Tabby. She's a blast to write, one of my personal favorite babies.
Stalking Pyro- Glad you like it. Hope you like what happens next.
ldypebsaby- Oh don't worry, it'll eventually happen...hm interesting questions. Unfortunately if I told you I'd have to kill you. Well not really but it would spoil the surprise. Y'll hear from Forge soon don't worry.
howlerdrode- Don't give up hope. Eventually somebody will read and review. Its a good story and I can't see why people aren't flocking to it. I did another recommendation or two here. Yay! You got the Animorphs reference. Yeah it makes Yeerks go nuts but yeah you're half right. I never thought of it as a power enhancer, but hey it works either way. Yeah Pie's fine (well in this story). Guess he was homesick wasn't he. Well, with Rogue's powers, anyone is risking their skin. And Carol maintained contact for longer than the usual tap most people get. Come on Marvel gave Danvers the short side of the stick. Last time I checked, I have no affiliations with Marvel cept I read their comics, and watch their movies and shows. Oh Duncan has a...special fate in store for him. He'll be wishing for the Prometheus treatment when I'm done wit' him. Tsk Tsk, didn't you do your homework before comparing the meat head to Kelly? Kelly eventually becomes a mutant supporter after Kitty's future self possesses her current body and saves him from assassination at Mystique's order. Glad you like it my friend.
wandathetiger- Ok. Nice ta hear from you again. Glad you like it.
ishandahalf- Oh yeah its bound to be interesting. You wanna talk about traumatic nightmares?
Dream Sprite- Uh sorry it took so much time. Glad you like it.
Scottie the iron brew- Oh really I know. I was writing in accent, sorry if it offended you. It wasn't really meant to. I'm just bad at the accent I guess.
Shift- Glad ya like it. Yeah Remy's arm is broken and um...yeah you found a plothole. Lets just say that he a water-proof cover thing for his cast shall we? Hm, guess you'll have to wait and see won't you? Yeah I feel bad for Lance too.
Hawkgal- Oh I know Lance belongs with Kitty. Carmen...well her role has shifted. And if you've read her powers you know Lance isn't really doing this on his own. Glad you like my Wanda portrayal. Thanks for the awesome idea...yeah I like Tonda too but Jonda catches my interest a little more but don't worry this story is mostly Todd and Wanda. Actually while writing Evan's interest adds conflict, I really had to stop myself from gagging. I don't much like Spyke.
Lance Avalanche Alvers- Glad you like it.
butterfly-grl4- Don't worry. He does. Carmen's just a...lets call her a garden implement if you catch my drift. And her powers are what is wrong with Lance.
Katatonia- x 2 No Animorphs ended very miserably. Don't wanna spoil it but Rachel died while killing Tom, Jake got depressed and Cassie got with some other guy, Ax and his crew got kidnapped by some new psychotic dude called The One. And Jake went suicidal and ordered his space crew to crash The One's ship of course killing him, Marco, Tobias, two normal humans, some Andalite nothlit and Ax. Well actually, we have no idea if they really died because the last page says ' Jake smiled an eerie smile. It was Rachel's smile. "Ram the blade ship."' ugh! bad ending huh? You didn't know that? You may not want to read books 45-54 then. Anyway Glad you like it. In answer to your curious question yeah eventually.
Black cat of The Black Rose-um ok. I'd prefer if you review me then check out howlerdrode's okay?
Furry Elf-x 5 Yeah you're probably right. And she is all muscle...so we'll compromise and call her 110 shall we? I took your glossary hint. Actually it does make it easier to read. I decided most of the baby talk and accents are easy enough to guess so now I just translate non English languages. How'd I do? I nearly died when I heard that. Uck poor Rems. But its false. For once, I'm glad I made a big error. I know most people know what a sarong is. I didn't. So I was asking for clearance and hoping I wasn't horribly misusing the word. Note the question mark. but thanks for clearing it up. I now feel sheepish. Oh I'd never get mad at constructive criticism. I appreciate it so much. You are helping me to improve. Now if you were saying 'this is totally crap you're such a loser never write again you big fat idiot' then I'd get insulted but really I need more people to point out flaws. To err is human and I am only human after all. Good luck with the drawings. Its fun, I've tried my hand at it. Oh and thanks for the help!
Fox- Wait and see. Glad you like it.
Zephyr, Master of Chaos- Yeah I know its been done, but this is my way. And when I started writing it, I didn't see any other x-babies stuff on fanfiction. And when I posted it I found a few but none of them were too close to mine. Aw thanks for the compliment. I am very glad you like it. Yeah I know some of it gets repetitive, thanks for bringing the boringness of it to my attention. Please remember this was my first story I ever posted. I'm bound to mess up a little. I am sure if you check out my other two, '24 Hours' and 'Hearts' Desires' you'll find they are a bit better (or at least I'd like to think so). Glad you like the Romyness. I explain Carmen a little more a little later, don't worry, she's an OC so its okay if you don't know her.
bobtheheadlesschicken You'd probably get along great with Bob the Feral Blowerfish. He's one of my best guy friends in the world. His real name is Ben. Actually sometimes he does this weird little dance thing where he pulls his head in his jacket, clucks like a rooster, and struts around flapping his arms. He looks really stupid doing it but it is funny as all get out and you really gotta give props to a guy who's brave enough to do in a crowded cafeteria or our no noise allowed study hall. Anyway that's why I asked ya. So you have an interesting screen name story. I explained mine in what is now chapter three to a reviewer named Curious in Kansas but I don't mind repeating. Ok yeah I know raptors and hearts aren't often portrayed together. But long before I was an X-fan, I was hooked on the Animorphs. Still am but before I was purely obsessed. I absolutely adored the Character Tobias (if you didn't know, he was a sweet and shy boy who got stuck in the form of a red-tailed-hawk) I had a crazy crush on him and that formed the basis of my screen name. I originally toyed with the idea of tobizangel, Tobiasmaniac, etc. but I realized that I would want a name that worked in all genres and categories since I would read, review, and write in other areas of the site. So I made a name with personal significance to only me but could safely be used everywhere else too. Not as interesting perhaps as your story but hey without the boring we wouldn't appreciate the fun now would we?
DemonicGambit Yeah I guess we will...
EmeraldKatsEye- Love your reaction. Lol.
Starknight- Glad ya like it. I try to keep within character.
A Cute But Psycho Bunny- Don't worry, I tend to go off with the man's and dude's a bit too. No harm no foul. Glad you like the babies. Yeah babies are cute but when they learn they can annoy the heck outta you with the why's and how come's and moronic questions like why is cheddar cheese yellow and how do they make Jell-O wiggly that they become little demons. Yeah Carmen's a little...garden implement if you catch my drift. And if you need proof, read the rest of this chapter. No, I'm pretty sure its shi-talking mushrooms...well maybe tis for the best that you don't know Ms. Danvers cuz I am doing it different from the way Marvel handled it, but basically she's Miss Marvel, a mutant with super strength, near invulnerability, and flight. In the comics or at least the old show, Mystique made Rogue absorb her and Rogue was really young and inexperienced with her powers and held on too tight for too long and Miss Danvers fell into an irreversible coma and became a permanent resident in Rogue's head. Rogue got to keep an unwelcome head guest and the powers. Oh and don't feel too badly about being unfamiliar with the comics. Most of my info comes from the Ultimate Guide to X-men and watching the old show, online databases, word of mouth and the limited comics I do own. Oh and of course Evolution. I know of a few comic stores near me but that's where my dear pal Howlerdrode comes in. He is my X-men supplier. I owe him. I know its hard to follow Legion of Superheroes but I promise it will be explained and the Evolution part is a major focus. Basically it was just a medium to pull the Evoverse characters where we wanted them.
Disclaimer: I misplaced the pink sock. And as far as I know, US Copyright laws prevent me from saying I own X-men Evolution anyway. So, for the time being, I do not own it if you recognize it. Or maybe I do...
Oh yeah, since chapter one got removed from the site, new readers may be confused. Okay, I use a few OC's. One is Carmen Roderiguez, she's Brazillian, petite, black hair with a dyed red stripe, silver-green eyes, power: she has romantic ensnarement (i.e. she can manipulate hormones and get any guy to do whatever she wants as long as they aren't too close to someone they truly love.) and superspeed. Another OC you'll see is Angèle LeBeau. Remy's adopted little sister. She's pretty and tall with auburn hair and diamond blue eyes. She has a couple powers but I'm kinda undecided on those as of yet. We'll cross that when we come to it kay?
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Lance had on his fearless leader expression. At that moment in time he was indistinguishable from Scott, well, when he was older anyway. He held the limp form of the small girl in his arms as they walked to the cars.
"Amanda, go get Evan." He ordered. "Wanda, Piotr, get the kids home to the mansion. Now." Nobody questioned him, but instead responded with abrupt nods. "Pietro, you and me have to get her help."
"From who?" Wanda asked softly. "Forge? I'd hardly say he qualifies to be a doctor. Mr. McCoy's out of town. Do you know any mutant specialists?"
Nobody knew so nobody answered.
"You could bring her to that place you took Remy." Wanda frowned as Rogue whimpered in what sounded like a nightmare.
"That doctor threatened with child services." Lance gulped. The three-year-old in his arms started breathing heavy the way small children do when frightened. Lance sighed. "I guess we have no other choice. Come on Pietro."
Pietro nodded. He ran over to the Jeep.
"Wanda? Is she gun be aright?" Remy asked in a small voice as he tugged on her arm gently."
"I don't know." Wanda shook her head gently.
"Wha appened?" Pyro's bottom lip trembled.
"Did tha lady meant ta do tha to Marie?" Kitty's eyes were wide.
"Nuh uh." Jean spoke up. "It was a appsident." She tilted her head to the side. "And it wasn' the lady. Marie did it." She muttered quietly. "Weren' you lisning to Lance an' Paytero an' Wanda?"
"No body sayed anyfing Jeanie." Tabitha crinkled her nose.
"I'd've heareded them." Kurt reasoned. "I gots big ears, so I's a good hearer."
"But they sayed it...I heared them." Jean looked confused.
Wanda clapped a hand to her forehead. 'Oh no! Her telepathy must be coming in!' Wanda groaned to herself.
Jean turned to her. "What's tellapotty?"
Lance who was halfway to the jeep groaned aloud. He turned hesitantly. "Guys, watch your thoughts." He turned and Remy called after him.
"Wait! M'sieu! Remy wann come witcha!" He hurried up close.
"No. Go back to the others." Lance said sternly. "Be a good little kid, okay? No arguing with me."
"Who's arguin'? An' Remy no wann be good! Wann go wit' Marie. She be hurt." He pleaded and then scowled. "An' Remy not li'l. Remy a big boy."
"Sure kiddo." Lance ruffled the boy's hair with half a smile as he shifted Rogue's weight in his arms. "Whatever you say."
Instantly Remy threw his hands over his head. "Quit it! T'ought y' an' Remy already talked 'bout dat! Y' messin' up Remy's hair! Remy no destroy y' look, y' leave Remy's 'lone. An' je m'appelle Remy. Pas de Kiddo!" He scowled.
"Okay...I get it...I think." Lance shrugged. "Just be nice and go back to Wanda and the others, please?"
"Non! Wann go witcha an' Peartro an' Marie!" He whined stubbornly.
"Colossus? Could you come get him?" Lance asked tersely.
Piotr nodded and moved towards the boy.
"Non! Fiche moi la paix!" The boy snapped at the ginormous Russian. "Y' don' got no rights t' say dat Remy getsa go ou stay home! Y' ne pas mon père!"
"Remy, do not delay Lance and Pietro." Piotr shook his head in disapproval.
"Touch Remy an' y' a dead homme." The four-year-old hissed as his friend moved to grab him by either the arm or shirt collar.
"Oh for crying out loud!" Lance rolled his eyes. "Just go quietly!"
The boy turned to the rock tumbler with big innocent eyes. "She Remy's bestest frind in de worl'. What if she dies? Den Remy non git t' say bye-bye. Jus' like Remy no say bye-bye t' maman afore she died"
Lance groaned. "Somebody shoot me. Come on. You can come, just don't waste anymore time." He opened the door and the boy climbed in quickly."
Wanda shared a look with her brother. With a smirk, he made a gesture like a whip being snapped and Wanda snickered.
"Hurry up now." She ordered. Then she hesitated. "Pietro, you and me are switching. You've caused enough problems with Lance." She jogged to the jeep and he nodded in understanding. She wanted to talk to Lance.
"Okay. Can't-really-promise-I'll-be-any-better-to-Daniels-though." He winked and jetted off.
Wanda climbed into her seat. Lance placed Rogue into her arms after she buckled in. He clicked his seat belt and hurried off as fast as he could without breaking the speed limit. Wanda gazed down sympathetically at the poor child. She tenderly moved a tuft of white bangs from her forehead, carefully avoiding touching the toddler's skin.
"Poor little thing." She whispered.
"Yeah. Just a baby and already she's got that awful curse of hers." Lance sighed softly. He cast a sidelong glance at Wanda who looked close to tears.
"What do we do now, Lance?" She muttered. "What if something happens? This isn't even about getting in trouble anymore...It's like we were playing games with matches. Not only will there be hell to pay, but it'll hurt too."
Lance nodded somberly. "Let's get her to the doctor. Then we'll go from there. She'll be okay." He placed a hand on Wanda's shoulder comfortingly. "She has to be. She's been in worse messes than this."
"But she wasn't three, Lance." The younger girl gently reminded. "And she sort of knew what was going on about her powers."
Lance sighed deeply and stared intently at the road. "I know. We just have to hope lady luck's on her side."
At that moment Rogue started crying. She struggled and sat up. "Wha's app'nin' ta me? Why?" Then her green eyes flashed blue.
"What's going on? Who are you people? Why am I not back at the pool?" She asked in fear in a voice that was not her own. There was no three-year-old mumble and no southern twang. Wanda sat back looking startled. "Where's my body? I don't look like this! I am not a baby!"
The green eyes came back and were full of fear.
"Marie, calm down." Wanda advised. "Don't panic. Okay honey?" The little girl looked confused and very upset but stifled the crying a little.
Remy, who had been sitting quietly in the back seat growled. "Y' can' jus' tell her t' calm down! She be terriflied! Remy kin feel it." He crossed his arms and scowled at Lance and Wanda.
"This is just not my week." Lance sighed as he pulled into the parking lot and savagely parked. "Come on." He hurried out of the car. He gave Remy freedom from the car as Wanda rushed to the door. Lance took Rogue from her because they'd recognize him. He ordered Wanda to fill out the papers. She obeyed but when she got to the line that asked for the cause of the visit to the emergency room she hesitated and wrote, 'pool side accident'.
It was a slow day and they only had to wait about five minutes before a familiar face greeted them. "We are ready for her." She nodded quietly.
"Lorna, we need to see you and your uncle." Lance requested sternly. Lorna nodded and led the group into a room.
"My uncle will be right in. What happened?" the girl frowned.
Lance looked down at Rogue who'd fallen into an uneasy sleep due to exhaustion. "There was an accident. At the pool. Some idiot pushed her into an area where she couldn't swim in. The life guard got to her but touched her skin, and well, she's a mutant." His eyes were panicky.
"Carol Danvers? Is that the lifeguard?"
"Yeah."
"She was just brought in. So that's what happened to her? A mutant's powers?"
"Got it in one. This mutant." Wanda sighed with a gesture towards Rogue. "She can't touch anyone skin to skin. It has Marie terrified and since she absorbed that girl, part of her is floating around in her head."
Lorna nodded curtly. "What happened to Marie? She looks awful and plain exhausted."
"My guess is her powers drained her energy to use." Lance groaned. "I don't know what you can do, but is there anyway to help?"
Lorna sighed. "Not really, there is a little my uncle can help but we really aren't used to mutant toddlers. Not too many of those running around. But, we do have to check and make sure that her near drowning experience won't have any negative effects." With that the doctor entered the room.
"Good morning, what happened?" His face was worried as Lorna briefed him. "Dear me, that is serious." He moved quickly and removed an ear thermometer and protective covering. He put it to the girl's ear and it beeped. "Oh no, 102.3. That is a nasty fever." He removed a blanket from a drawer and wrapped it around her. "There's a rather unpleasant but realistic chance of pneumonia setting in since it was a water related accident." He put a stethoscope to the child's heart to hear her heartbeat and breathing.
"Her pulse rate is a bit too high, but I suppose that came from panic. Lorna, be a dear and go find her some clean clothes. Preferably something warm."
"Oh we have her clothes." Wanda reached for the diaper bag hanging from her shoulder. "We didn't want to waste time changing her." She removed the outfit she'd put on the child that morning and a warm green hooded sweater.
"Very good. Lorna, would you get the poor kid out of that wet swimsuit?" Lorna nodded and gently picked up Rogue and the clothes and put the whole bundle on a movable stretcher at her uncle's request. "Oh and go find a room with pediatric care. She may be here for a while."
"Yes sir." She inclined her head and then walked out.
The doctor turned back to Lance and Wanda. "If you don't mind me asking, what the devil happened this time?"
"Her powers came in while we at the pool." Lance sighed. "A lifeguard was holding her and she nearly drowned."
The doctor frowned. "What on earth did a lifeguard touch her for?"
"She fell in the deep end and couldn't swim."
"What was that little girl doing anywhere near the deep end?" The doctor snapped.
"She was watchin' Remy dibe offa de dibin' board sir." Remy piped up. "Remy can swim good." The four-year-old looked ashamed. "It all Remy's fault. De bully woudn'ta pushed 'er in if she stayed away."
"Somebody pushed her?" The doctor looked upset. "Who in their right mind would push a little thing like that girl into the deep end of a pool, knowing she couldn't swim?"
"A mutant hater." Wanda's voice was full of malice.
"I see." The doctor scrawled something on his notepad. "Do you know who?"
"Duncan Matthews." Lance nearly spat.
The doctor shook his head. "Prejudice is such a terrible thing. I pity the child. Her whole future will be filled with hatred and fear. And she's really nothing more than a baby." He sighed. "Well, come on, I'll see where Lorna got to and we can go visit your little sister." He exited the room and inquired about his niece at the main desk.
"Yes sir Doctor Shock." The secretary clacked away at her keyboard. "She's in room 123 administering a monitor to the three-year-old she just brought in."
"Thank you Kate." He smiled and gestured for Lance and Wanda to follow him with Remy in tow. "By the way Miss, I don't believe we've been properly introduced amidst the chaos. I am doctor Shock. I assume you are close to Mr. Alvers Remy and Marie."
"Oh yes very." She smiled. "I'm Wanda Maximoff, by the way. I've been close to Lance and Marie and Remy for quite a while."
The doctor said nothing but clearly smiled, thinking that she and Lance were a couple. Wanda rolled her eyes but didn't bother to set him straight.
They arrived at the room and entered. Lorna had tucked the toddler into the bed with warm blankets and clothes. She held a cool compress to her forehead. "I'm trying to break her fever." She explained. "She woke up crying and freaking out about seeing things in her head. Poor baby." She sighed.
"She wasn't hallucinating. It's part of her power." Lance groaned. "She's getting that lifeguard's memories."
The doctor examined the medical hook ups and nodded to Lorna. "Looks good. She should be comfy. Lance, Wanda, she'll probably need to stay a while for observation. I would recommend one of you taking Remy home."
"Non!" Remy glowered. "Remy stay til Marie be okay." He walked over to his friend's bedside and sat in the chair next to her. "Y' can' make me go 'way."
The doctor threw his arms up. "Whatever. She's asleep right now though."
Remy shrugged and stared at the girl. "Be aright Marie. S'il te plais?" He pleaded.
"Remy..." Wanda felt overwhelmed by the emotions in her. Pity, sympathy, fear, worry, pride, everything was mixed. She shook her head and sat by him. "She'll be okay Remy." She sat down by the boy who nodded.
Lance sighed. "How long does she need to stay?"
"Until that fever breaks and we can be sure there are no lingering problems." Lorna looked worried. "For such a young child, that sort of fever and the risk of pneumonia can be fatal."
Lance moved over to Rogue's bedside and put a gentle hand and Remy's shoulder and one on Wanda's. Worry glazed his features as he observed the girl, whose breathing was erratic and shaky. "Come on kid, don't do this to me. Or yourself, and especially not to your best friend." He murmured softly.
Lorna smiled ruefully at her uncle. "They make such a cute little family. but anyway, what should I do next?"
"Go find a way to resuscitate ms. Danvers. This is mutant damage that must not reach the public. People will be prejudiced against this poor three-year-old. I don't want to be the cause of her discovery."
The young girl moved to the other side of the room and passed the curtain divider. Her uncle followed. A young woman in the room looked up.
"Is she going to be okay?" Carmen asked nervously.
"We hope so." The doctor sighed as he scanned the monitors. "Still no brain activity. But her pulse and breathing are stabilized. There does seem to be hope."
"How's the little girl? Did Lance and the others bring her here?" She asked in curiosity.
"Yes. She's situated in this room beyond the curtain." Lorna gestured.
Without waiting for anything further, Carmen pushed past the curtain. "Is she okay?" She asked nervously, startling Lance and Wanda and Remy.
"Carmen? Why are you still here?" Lance asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"If it was your best friend lying in a coma, wouldn't you be there?" She asked rhetorically.
Lance raised his eyebrow further and turned back to Rogue. She whimpered and tossed her head to the side.
"Poor thing..." Carmen started softly. "I feel like this whole mess is my fault."
Lance nodded absently and put a hand over the toddler's gloved one.
"She will be okay won't she?" The girl asked persistently.
"We don't know, alright?" Wanda snapped impatiently. Carmen tentatively wondered if this was the elusive girlfriend of Lance's. Sure he had said she was his aunt or something but she wondered if he lied. "This hasn't ever happened before."
Carmen bowed her head. "Sorry. I wish I hadn't been distracting you Lance. If it's any consolation, I hope she pulls through." With that she turned with a dramatic toss of her hair and headed back to Carol's section of the room.
"I do not like her." Wanda frowned as she watched the other girl walk away.
Lance nodded. "Its weird. When she's around I feel sick almost. Like I have no control over my thoughts or actions and everything is this big haze."
"I get a bad vibe off her." Wanda shook her head and crossed her arms.
"Mama?"
Wanda and Lance spun to look at Rogue whose eye's had opened and were blinking blue and green.
"Lance? Where am I? Wanda? What is going on? Ah don' feel good...Who are you people? Remy? Oh God, I'm in a three year old's body... Help meh..." The voice was switching from soft, Southern three-year-old to a strong and heavily confused and matured northern lack of accented voice. Along with each voice change, her eyes went from emerald to dimmed diamond.
The doctor opened the curtain and approached. "She's awake? Good. I'm going to need a blood sample." Lorna hurried and retrieved a syringe and needle from a cabinet.
"Hold her still please." She asked Lance sternly. He gently but firmly picked her up and held her still. Remy shyly took her hand.
" It'll be aright Marie. Je te promet." He whispered.
"Remy, make it stop." She whimpered and lay her head miserably on Lance's shoulder.
"Make what stop?" He asked curiously.
"Mah head hurts. An' Ah heah the lipegourd's voice in mah head." She sniffled.
Lorna sighed and attempted to pierce the child's vein, despite the wail of pain. All who were present gaped in shock as the needle snapped.
Marie lifted her head and stared at the broken needle in wonder. She whimpered and buried her face back in Lance's shoulder.
"What just happened?" He asked in an upset voice.
"I...I don't know." Lorna blinked as she stared at the two pieces of the needle. "The needle broke when it touched her skin. It was as if it couldn't get through her skin..." She sent a confused look to her uncle.
"Aw crap." Lance frowned. He turned to where Carmen sat with her friend, watching curiously. "Is she a mutant?"
"That really is not your business, Lance." The doctor scolded gently.
"No, if she is, then Marie absorbed her powers." Lance's voice rose in panic.
"Yeah, she is." Carmen stated cautiously. "I don't know all her powers, but she's abnormally strong and I think she can fly. Oh and she's invulnerable to getting hurt."
Lance and Wanda cursed at the same time, an odd sight that apparently amused the four-year-old present.
"Y' not apposedta say dose words." He smirked. "Manda yelled at Eban hier fo' sayin' dat word." He chuckled.
Doctor Shock coughed to hide a chuckle and Lorna giggled quietly and then grew serious again. "Well that would explain why I can't get the needle through her skin."
Wanda sighed and frowned. "And now the fun begins."
Marie blinked up at her caretakers. "Ah'm sorry." She sounded ashamed of herself.
"Oh Marie, its not your fault." Lance smiled gently. Suddenly the blue eyes were back.
"Who the heck are you? Put me down! I don't belong here! I want to be twenty-one again! This isn't my body!" She struggled out of Lance's arms and tried to run. Remy got in her way.
"Marie What de matter? Y' okay?"
"Get outta my way, kid!" She snapped. As she pushed past him, sending him flying in an ungraceful heap three feet away. "And my name is not Marie! It's Carol!"
Remy sat up and looked confused. "Non, y' mon amie Marie. Y' not no Carol..."
The girl scowled at him as he stood in her path again, tears of pain from where his casted arm had hit the floor forming in his demon eyes.
She crossed her arms and turned away. In doing so she caught sight of Carmen. "Carmen! Tell them! Tell them its me! Tell me you know I'm not some baby!"
Carmen looked startled. "Carol?"
"Yes!" The child's face cracked into Rogue's familiar smile of relief. "Carmen its me! I can prove it!" She hurried over. "Like, do you remember the time last year when you and I went to that party and you discovered your allergy to kiwis by-" Carmen had covered her mouth as a tinge of pink soared over her tanned features.
"Okay. It's her. Only Carol Danvers has that memory."
Lance groaned. "Joy. Now she's a skitzo." Rogue's body turned with a scowl. Then Carol gasped and turned back to the comatose body Carmen stood next to.
"Oh no! NONONONONONONONONONONO!" She blinked. "What happened?! That is not good!" Tears hit her eyes.
"Miss Danvers?" Lorna began hesitantly. "We're doing all we can to help this situation. Please do not panic."
"Why would I panic? I'm just stuck in the body of a little baby who probably isn't even toilet trained! And I'm looking at my body in a coma...I don't see any reason to panic!" She cried hysterically. Carmen moved quickly to catch the fragile body inches before her head hit the floor. She cradled her gently.
"Its okay Carol. It's okay. Calm down. Shh. It'll be alright."
With a soft moan the blue eyes closed gently and she fell limp. The doctor rushed to get her back to the bed.
"Oh no," Wanda's eyes filled with terror as she and Lance and Remy rushed to the bedside. "Oh please no...Please let her be okay." She whispered.
"Marie..." Remy's own eyes were widened and horror struck. Lance swallowed roughly and closed his eyes.
The doctor worked feverishly as he hooked her back in. When Carol had woken up, she'd pulled all the connections. "I'm trying kids, but unfortunately, no promises." He frowned as Carmen bit her lip in anxiety. "Come on Marie, pull through." He whispered. "There isn't much more we can do. The whole situation is perplexing and since she's a mutant I have absolutely no idea how to handle this. Her power is very strange, is it not? And it is almost as if Carol Danvers is in her body too."
"Part of her is." Lance shook his head and squeezed the child's hand. "Part of her psyche is now part of Marie. But she has never had a psyche gain control of her body..."
Lorna put a hand, protected by a thin sanitized hospital glove to the toddler's forehead. "She's burning up again. And according to the signs from the monitors, she's unconscious again but it looks like she's in distress." She watched for a moment as the child's facial expressions crinkled and changed.
"Poor baby." Lorna sighed. "I don't know what to do for her...I can give her a small dose of Children's Tylenol when she wakes up but not too much else. She's so little I don't really know what else I can give her."
Suddenly Rogue's fussing and moving around ceased and everyone looked toward her expectantly. "She's sleeping." The doctor finally announced with a soft smile of relief. "Poor little thing must be exhausted."
Lance smiled in relief. "Will she be alright then? And will Carol take over again?"
"I honestly don't know that." The doctor frowned. "But it looks like she'll make it. I am not too used to dealing with mutant toddlers, however."
Wanda bit her lip in thought. "Lance, do you know anyone who does know mutants medically?"
Lance thought for a moment. "A few. But Jean's unavailable, Dr. McCoy's in Europe, same for the professor and Ms. Monroe. Mystique's, well, God only knows where she went, pity too because she might be useful. I can't really think of anyone." He sighed in worry. "Do you know anyone else?"
Wanda shook her head. "Well, I know the professor has this friend in Scotland, but I don't know how to reach her..."
The doctor cleared his throat. "Hm, I may be able to refer you to a doctor in training up in NYC. He's a mutant himself, real miracle worker from what I'm told. Great with kids too. The only problem is nobody is supposed to know he is a mutant, because New York City wants nothing to do with them." The doctor scratched his chin in thought. "He could possibly come here...transporting the girl might be foolish."
Lorna nodded. "I'll go call for him to come on by." She turned and headed to the front desk.
"I know this is hard for you both." The doctor commented to Lance and Wanda. "And little Remy too, I can barely imagine. But there is not too much that can be done. One of you should bring the boy home. Actually you should probably both go."
The stony glares he received from the three mutants crowding around the girl's beside responded louder than words. "Fine. Never mind. At least go and get yourselves some soda or something. I have to go check on some other patients. Press the call button if there's any change." He turned and headed out the door.
Carmen, who was still hovering nearby sighed. "Poor Carol. This must be so scary."
"It's more like poor both of them." Lance curled his lip. He looked back at the prone form of the three year old girl. "Wanda, I changed my mind, I want to talk to professor X. I'm not ready to handle these kids...none of us are. And I make an awful guardian. Look at me, I've already had to get Gambit in a cast and now Rogue is here and I've been fighting with Pietro and in a cranky and cocky mood thinking I don't need help but I do Wanda, I really do..." He hung his head and she gently put an arm on his shoulder.
"Now don't talk like that hon," Carmen sighed before Wanda had a chance to reply. "I'm sure this mess isn't your fault. Spread the blame." She raised an eyebrow at Wanda before continuing. "Now don't you worry your poor brain about this. You didn't predict the rugrat's poison skin affecting Carol."
Wanda glared in disgust as Remy huffed.
"Who d' y' fink y'are? Marie ain' a rugrat, an' it not her fault that what happened happened." The four-year-old looked at her with malice.
Carmen ignored him. "So anyway Lance, this whole thing with the little brat? Don't worry about it. What's the worst that can happen? Even if she dies, so what? It just means you don't have to worry about her." She put a hand on his shoulder gently. She batted her eyes up at him and his eyes suddenly glowed a faint pink. Her lips curled into a coy grin as she tossed her hair flirtily.
"What are you on?" Wanda crossed her arms in disbelief. "How can you take that attitude about a little girl?" She asked in disgust.
"Its simple really." Carmen glared coldly at the other girl. "You look out for numero uno in life. A little brat dies, sure its sad, but it means more for you. You live another day. More food, more shelter, more money. Less responsibility, less agitation."
"That's disgusting!" Wanda accused.
"That's reality, chica." Carmen shrugged. "Only the strong survive. Survival of the fittest. Bleeding hearts say niños are the hope of the future, but the cold hard truth is you have to worry about the present before the future or you won't be in it and then what's the point?"
Wanda wrinkled her nose in displeasure. "That's an awful way to look at the future or the present."
"Its how the world has forced me to look at it." Carmen corrected. "But you wouldn't understand, would you? Living up at Xavier's, being pampered and coddled all your life, you're like a pet poodle. You can't even handle the truth. You don't know true hunger, or blistering cold nights with no home to go home too. No family and no friends to comfort you. Nobody caring if you are dead in some ditch by the side of the road on a stormy night. You've never had to beg for scraps from people and pray they take mercy on the growling of your weeks empty stomach." Carmen's Spanish accent grew thicker as she talked. "You've never had to sleep in a box to keep out of the rain. You've never been homeless and so desperate you'd do anything for food." She broke off glaring. "You're life, like all the little Xavier pets has always been and will always be perfect." She grumbled bitterly.
Wanda felt overwhelmed but her temper was rising. She felt pity for this girl but she was also feeling guilty and ashamed and angry. "You don't know anything about me or my life. Don't you dare pretend you do."
Carmen shrugged. "Hey I won't. Just saying, is all. Its true. I can tell you've never been a street chica. Its fairly obvious."
Wanda frowned and looked away. Carmen rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Lance who was mindlessly staring blankly at the wall.
"Now, anyway, Lancey...don't worry about the kid, alright?" She tenderly touched his cheek and he nodded emotionlessly. "It isn't your fault, okay? Tell her that." She coaxed and nodded at Wanda who was sulking. "Tell her not to worry about you so much." She cooed.
"I'll be fine, Wendy." He uttered monotonously.
"Excuse me, Lance? Wendy?" She glowered at him.
'Damn, he was supposed to forget her entirely.' Carmen said to herself in agitation. 'Instead he's held onto part of her damn name. How's he fighting it? I cannot be losing my touch. He's either got a stronger will than I thought or there's something going on with him and her.' At this last possibility she raised an eyebrow. 'Yep. Gotta be it. He was mine at the pool, when she was with everyone else.'
She batted her eyes at him again and all the white in his eyes was glowing pale pink. She grinned and traced a finger up his arm to his neck.
"Lance, er, are you alright?" Lance looked like he was on another planet. His eyes were glazed pink and unblinking and staring straight ahead.
"I don't think he feels up to answering you at the current time, Wendy." Carmen smirked. She gently stroked his chin. "Do you Lancey?"
He gently shook his head no. She smiled and leaned up and left a soft kiss on his cheek. "Good boy."
"Woah! Quit it!" Wanda shook her head in horror. "Stop!"
"Make me." Carmen taunted as her arms snaked up Lance's back.
"Look you little brazen hussy you have no right to get so...physical with him!"
"Brazen hussy am I?" Carmen raised an appraising eyebrow. "And of course, you're the raining judge on that I suppose?" The girl gestured to the tight red tank top, and gothic black pants with chains and zippers all over that Wanda had thrown on under her scarlet trench coat on the way to the hospital. Carmen had managed to change into tight fitting bellbottom jeans and a second-skin pink tee shirt. Wanda felt Carmen had a whole lot of nerve commenting on her like that. "After all, people in parks aren't commenting on me being an unwed mother are they?"
"You shut your fat mouth." Wanda snapped.
"Touchy, touchy." Carmen tutted. "Poor thing, the little mommy X-girl has a temper."
"You lousy little..."
"Oh and a potty mouth." the other girl smirked, clearly enjoying the fact that she was riling the Goth up. "As far as I can see, you have no right to tell me what I can or cannot do with him. Let's see, he called you his aunt, but you aren't are you?"
Wanda growled and struggled to control her temper.
"Oh come now. I was born on a Saturday, but it wasn't last Saturday. You are in no way his aunt are you?"
"No." Snapped Wanda. "I'm his..." She thought back to the brotherhood days. "I'm his sister. But close enough."
"Right, and I'm the tooth fairy."
Wanda shrugged. "Hey whatever floats your boat."
"Still, I think Lance is capable of thinking for himself."
"Not with you doing whatever you're doing. And he's a teenage guy. His brain isn't properly developed yet. You're toying with his mind...or at least his thought processes." She frowned. "So somebody needs to stand to remind him that he has a beloved girlfriend who would be destroyed if he was having an affair. That and, I don't have to watch him make out with you even if he was giving his real consent!"
Carmen sneered smugly. "Then get out." With that she leaned up and crashed her lips against his. Wanda stared weakly as she coiled her arms around his neck and he put his arms around her small waist blankly. His eyes closed and eventually the need for air forced him to pull away. His eyes were closed and full of bliss.
"I love you so much, Kit..." He breathed softly.
"What did you just call me?" Carmen shoved him away angrily.
"What the Hell just happened?" Lance yelped as he backed away. "Oh my...oh no...Tell me I didn't just..." He looked to Wanda who nodded sadly. "I think I hafta hurl." He looked indeed nauseas at the prospect of what had just happened.
Carmen looked at Lance in disgust and Wanda received a glare of pure loathing. She grumbled and tossed her hair angrily.
"You can't say I didn't tell you he has a girlfriend." Wanda crossed her arms.
"You can't say I asked you, bitch." Carmen growled as she stalked over to her own side of the room where Carol lay comatose. Though she was feeling ashamed and humiliated, she had no intention of showing it. She had known he had a girlfriend, but nobody had ever fought her off this completely before. Her powers, once a guy was hooked, rarely failed her. And she had to admit, it hurt that they had.
"Well then, its a good thing I don't charge for my first bit of advice, then isn't it?" Wanda smirked.
"Are you trying to upset me?" Carmen turned with malice in her eyes..
"I wouldn't say I'm trying." Wanda shrugged. Amusement danced in her eyes. "I'd say I'm succeeding."
Carmen's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Oh really? Cuz maybe you should learn to keep your big mouth shut and go home and tend to your kids." The girl sneered.
"Oh I'm sorry, is that supposed to make me cry or something?" Wanda raised an eyebrow. "I really don't care what you say to me. You and I both know the truth."
"ugh! Just shut up!" Carmen rolled her eyes exasparated. She was confused by the fact that it had worked before but now Wanda was shrugging it off like nothing.
"Oh is that the best you can do?" Wanda taunted.
Carmen growled and moved to Wanda's face. Lance noticed so many similarities. They were matched for height and size. Both had black hair and artificial red in it. Fire blazed in their eyes but it ended there.
Carmen was shaking with rage evident. She absently tossed her long and silky hair over her shoulder as she glared at Wanda with silver green eyes and heart shaped pupils, as her lip curled into a sneer. Wanda on the other hand, was standing calmly with her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised and a hint of amusement in diamond blue eyes. A smug smirk tugged at the corner of her lip, as if daring this other girl to start something.
"I'm waiting." She stated peevishly as Carmen hesitantly drew a hand back to hit the girl in front of her.
A spark flashed in her eyes and her fist would have flown but it was stopped by a strong hand that was attached to the arm of a tall and strong blond man in a white lab coat.
"Ladies, please contain yourselves! This is a hospital!" He said sternly and Lance, Wanda, and Carmen all looked up. Lance was unimpressed but both girls blinked. They took in his wavy golden blond hair, cerulean blue eyes, perfect smile, broad shoulders and both looked impressed. In fact, much to the shock of Lance, who'd never known the Goth before him to even notice guys to look good, Wanda's cheeks gained a pink tint as she smiled and when the guy in front of her winked upon catching her staring, she hastily looked away. Lance raised an eyebrow at her.
Carmen on the other hand wasn't dealing with it shyly. She nodded her approval. And while her newfound rival had remained focused upon his face, she had observed the very expensive shoes and obviously designer suit under the lab coat with obvious interest.
But to her frustration, Wanda received a wink and she caught none of his gaze. She cursed the fact that her powers required eye contact.
Lorna entered the room. "Oh hello Doctor. I'm so glad you could make it." She blushed and hastily brushed her bangs out of her eyes.
The doctor rolled his eyes. "Lorna, I've told you a million times, don't be so formal, it makes me feel old."
"Sorry, Mr. Worthington." She blushed.
"Lorna...that is how one would address my father." He shook his head.
"Sorry sir."
"Lorna..." He warned. "We're friends right?" she nodded, flushing furiously. "Alright then. Hi Lorna. How are you?"
"Oh I'm alright, sir." He threw his arms in the air in exasperation. "Warren." She corrected quickly.
Dr. Worthington or Warren rolled his eyes affectionately and shared a look with Lance that said 'girls. They make everything so complicated, don't they?' Lance chuckled in agreement.
"Okay anyway, now I was not called here for idle chit chat, there are two lovely ladies who need my medical help. I'll take care of the toddler first and then I'll see what I can do for Miss Danvers, is that alright?"
"Sure thing mi amigo." Carmen shrugged. Wanda sent her a confused look to which she smirked with an 'I know something you don't' look in her eyes.
"Okay, here we have Marie Darkholme." He read from a sheet of paper in a small file.
"Marie Anna Darkholme." Remy corrected impatiently. "Dat be her name. She be trois ans." The boy announced.
The doctor smiled and reached down to ruffle the boy's hair. "Such a clever little boy you are. And so smart."
Remy threw his hands to his head. "Don'! Why do all o' y' fink y' gots de rights t' do dat!?" He glared upward but the doctor had already passed.
"Okay, mutant toddler, powers activated, high fever, pushed into a pool, high risk of pneumonia, very young and possibly inexperienced male guardian..." He looked inquisitively at Lance who nodded.
"Yeah, I guess that's me."
"Alright, first is this your daughter?"
"What!? Hell no!" Lance shook his head.
"Okay, just asking." Doctor Worthington smiled in amusement. "I need to ask because it is fully possible. You're what? Twenty? Twenty-one? I daresay you can't possibly be older than twenty-five...or younger than seventeen."
"I'm nineteen, sir." Lance stated firmly.
"Well, its still a possibility. You must admit if she was your child, you wouldn't be the first sixteen year old father." He pointed out gently.
"Well I'm not." Lance restated.
"Alright, I believe you." With that, he took a glance at the child, sleeping fitfully in the hospital bed. He inhaled a sharp gasp. "You said you came from Xavier's?"
"Uh yeah." Lance answered in confusion.
"Are you in any way affiliated with the..." Dr. Worthington trailed of into a question. He didn't want to expose the professor's group if he didn't have to, and there was a chance Lance was lying. "With professor Charles Xavier?"
"Huh? Oh yeah. We live there and we're, well I guess you could call us X-men in training." He rummaged in his pocket until he found a small yellow disc shaped communicator with the familiar red and black X insignia emblazoned on it. Wanda took her cue to fish around her pocket for her own.
"Oh, X-men." He nodded and they put their communicators away. "Well that explains it." He glanced back at the bedridden child. "Because she looks exactly like..."
"We know." Wanda cut him off. "We'll tell you the story later." She surreptitiously gestured to Carmen and Lorna.
"Y'll make her better, won' y'?" Remy pleaded. The doctor didn't even look at him before answering as he put a thermometer under the little girl's tongue.
"I'll try kiddo." He turned to smile at the four-year-old and noticed the red-and-black eyes filling with relief. He turned sharply to Lance and Wanda. "Don't bother, I'm sure I can piece together the story on my own."
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Ok so here ends chapter fourteen completed December 29th. I believe I've left you with a bit to think on. I did a little changing for Carmen's character. Hope none of you were getting to attached to her as a protagonist. I figured I could deal with an antagonist. This new improved her keeps her further from Mary Sue levels and will make it a little more interesting. Ok and personally I think Marvel gave Carol Danvers the way short end of the stick so I'm gonna handle it my way. Oh and before anyone asks, yes the doctor is Angel but Lance and Wanda never met him. I honestly can't remember but I think I said apocalypse never happened and if I said it did, well I use my supreme right as the creator of this story to revoke it. Oh and Rogue is one of my absolute faves so do you really think she's doomed to meet her demise as a three year old because Duncan pushed her into a pool?
Oh by the way, if ANY OF YOU OUT THERE are reading the story I'm doing with howlerdrode 'End of the World' I handled the situation differently in that one. If you are sick of babies go check it out. I know the first three chapters are dry if you aren't familiar with Legion of Super Heroes by DC but it was mostly background for an awesome story that will be really fun to read I promise. And the legion will be further explained. Please read it! You have no idea how insulting it is to put our hearts and souls into a story that almost nobody reads. You like my stuff, check it out! Only review here first if you please.
Oh before I forget, I asked my quotes earlier. I don't want to retype so if you want to do it, go back up. I also have a question...lets see...oh here's a nice open ended question...WHY IS MARVEL DESTROYING THE ROMY IN LIKE EVERY UNIVERSE THEY HAVE!? Okay so answer that in your review.
Oh and here are the translations. Anything in italics is hereby a foreign language and will be translated at the end of the chapter.
French:
M'sieu alternate form of monsieur mister
Je m'appelle My name is
Pas de Not
Fiche moi la paix leave me alone
ne pas mon pére not my father
homme man
maman mommy
S'il te plait please
Je te promet I promise
hier yesterday
mon amie my female friend
Spanish:
numero uno number one
chica girl
niños children
mi amigo my male friend