disclaimer: I do not now, nor have I ever in any way owned the X-Men. If I did, I would be rich and have lots more time to write about them. This is a work of fiction based on the X-Men comic book owned by Marvel Comics Group and I expect to receive absolutely no monetary compensation for it. Dammit.

Farewell Sunshine
by Dizi

Chapter 6

The assholes kept me waiting for a good thirty minutes. Keeping me sitting around twiddling my thumbs would be Frost and Xavier's idea of a power trip. Showing me who's boss, of how little importance I am in their grand scheme of things. Did it bother me? You bet, just not on a personal level. Two days had been wasted, entirely their fault. Xavier's power play delay was eating up Sunshine's time. She doesn't have any to waste.

The way I was sitting slouched in the chair with my booted feet up on the table, I probably appeared to be comfortably enjoying some terrific coffee. We all know about appearances, don't we?. For one thing, I wasn't armed and didn't like it. Sam wouldn't let me bring my weapon saying a school is no place for guns. Huh, he's right about that but should listen more to the news and what goes on in the public schools. Most likely I could have brought one anyway, but being unarmed was another way to emphasize they weren't getting a cop but plain old Sanchez. On top of that, I've already mentioned how I am about waiting in the first place. I wasn't comfortable and I wasn't enjoying myself but the coffee is terrific.

Okay, who am I kidding? I am taking it personally. It is personal to me. Bad judgement on my part or not, I've made Sunshine personal, which makes the whole thing personal. My frustration about Sunshine is worse though. One of my goals in life is for the victim's problems to always take precedent over mine. Wonder how that will work in my bright and shiny future. You know, the one I don't have right now.

By looking, Sam handled the wait well but he was nervous. It didn't show in his expression which impressed me. His fingers twitched. A little thing someone who didn't know to watch for it would miss. Often, it's not the eyes or face that shows how someone's feeling, it's their hands and body language. All I saw was those restless fingers, but it was enough.

Halfway through, he offered to get me some more asprin and the coffee. Sam most likely wanted an excuse to find out what was taking them so long. In response, I suggested bringing a bottle and the pot. No need to suffer while waiting. And waiting.

In the big swanky conference room, Sam and I weren't alone. Taking my pose as an invitation, Logan and Jubilee mirrored it by putting their feet on the table too. I'm sure we were a Kodak moment, or the expression on Xavier's face would be. If he ever decided to get here.

Standing by the doorway, as though guarding it, is the big black man Goski described. Can't miss him with that tattoo on his face. Sam whispered to me that his name is Bishop and he's in charge of security. I wanted to question him badly, but he didn't respond to my overtures. If that's the way things were going to be, I'm not going to get far. We'll see.

Suddenly, Logan turned my way, having been unusually quiet before. "Heads up, they're comin'. We'll keep our mouths shut unless we're needed. This is your show."

"Yeah, right." Like I believed that one. Neither Logan or Jubilee are ones to keep their mouths shut once things heat up. I could guarantee things were going to get hot.

"No, I mean it." He grinned at me wolfishly, the way only he could. "We're lookin' forward ta the show, but we'll step in if ya need us to."

A malicious smile lighting her face, Jubilee mockingly gestured to her mouth as though zipping her lips. Can't help but think they discussed this ahead of time because she hasn't said more than a quick greeting since she arrived. I've seen her around at Harry's and Jubilee Logan is known to be a talker. It was probably killing her to keep quiet this long already. Just because I hadn't gotten to know her personally didn't mean I couldn't hear.

With a guy wearing red glasses leading the way - I'm assuming he's Scott Summers - they did finally show up. I was right about Xavier's reaction, his lips clamped down and his fingers gripped the arms of his chair. Priceless. I was loving it and hadn't needed to open my mouth yet.

In what I understand is her customary dress in the form of a bustier, short skirt, and knee-high boots all entirely made of white leather, the ice-bitch starts off by sniping, "Comfortable? Should we get some donuts to go with the coffee?"

Oh, that was soooo Strike Three. No, I hadn't lost count. I only counted stuff that happened face to face. "Do you have some stuffed in your bra? Doesn't look like it, but I suppose you need something to push your breasts up that much."

The murderous expression on her face was everything I wanted it to be. This was going to be so much fun I couldn't stand it.

Unfortunately, Summers puts a halt to that promising beginning by murmuring in a low threatening voice, "Emma."

They all go to the other end of the table, Bishop stepping forward to stand somewhat in the middle between us. Was he protecting them or me? Good luck to him either way. Once they're settled, Summers begins with, "Miss Sanchez-"

"Just Sanchez," I interrupt.

Clearing his throat, he tries again, "Okay, Sanchez-"

"How do you propose to do anything we here cannot?" Xavier speaks up, again interrupting Summers. Poor guy just wasn't having it his way.

"Maybe by doing what should have been done in the first place. But to give you the benefit of the doubt, have you found out anything of importance?" I intentionally kept my tone bland and then paused to take a large sip of my coffee. It was the expensive gourmet kind that cops couldn't afford. Certainly not out of work ex-cops. Excuse me, 'indefinitely suspended' cops. "Mmm, good stuff. Anything at all?"

"We've scarcely had time to do much." There's the indignant tone to Xavier's voice which I hated the first time I talked to him.

I'd say that's a 'no'. Thinking under other circumstances he would have expected me to have the case already solved by now, I couldn't resist pointing out, "You've had two days."

"As you say, but that is not much time with all which needs to be done."

Jubilee rolled her eyes towards the ceiling and Logan snorted, but neither of them actually said anything. Two points to them.

"This is not the sort of misconduct we are accustomed to dealing with," he went on defensively.

"Imagine that." 'Misconduct'? Is that what they're calling it these days? Please. Both my brows shot upward. "And yet you ran off willing help."

"Which is what we wanted to rectify with this meeting," Summers interjected, trying to take control.

"Uh-huh." I'm thinking Summers and the people on my end of the table are the only one's wanting to 'rectify' anything. That's not really true, I don't want to 'rectify' either. All I want is to get the sonuvabitch who felt free to hurt a kid like Sunshine. If that means 'rectifying' anything, then I'll do it. I might even be nice about it. To him.

"To that end, Ms. Sanchez-"

"Just Sanchez," I remind him.

"Ah, yes, Sanchez." Summers again cleared his throat. It was becoming a habit. "To that end-"

"There are a few conditions you must agree to before I allow you access to my school and my students." Xavier's newest interruption caused Summers to sit back with a sigh of resignation. "We are to be kept fully informed of every step you take."

"Uh-huh." Rather than agreeing, my answer is noncommital if not implying refusal altogether. Though I have to wonder if he's being literal or figurative. Doesn't matter, I'm not having it either way.

"In no way whatsoever are you to feel free to wander wherever you please and I want to know what you are doing at all times."

"Uh-huh." Well, there's the answer to that question. It's both. What's he afraid I'm going to see? It's not like I have any interest in anything they're doing. Unless they're running a drug ring in the basement, don't think I could overlook that. Though Logan has his own moral code, I trust his judgement. Didn't this guy pay any attention when told I'm a friend of Logan's? Does he listen to anything he's told? Or does he not get what that means?

"Classes are NOT to be interrupted, I won't have it. Any discussions or questions you have for students or teachers will be supervised. My preference is that you pass your questions along and we will get the answers to you without you coming into contact with them."

"Uh-huh." Maybe the drug ring idea wasn't too far off. This guy had to be on something if he thought that would work. Answers to questions are only half of an interrogation - excuse me again, the word should be 'interview'. How they give those answers and their reaction to the questions is more important than the questions themselves most of the time. So he could 'prefer' all he wanted, it just wasn't going to happen that way.

"You don't appear to be taking this seriously." Folding his hands, the man gave me a stern look projecting authority out the ass. Someone should have told him that was the wrong road to take with me.

Do ya think he figured out I was beginning to ignore him? I suppose it's possible he saw something right under his nose. Anything is possible. "Serious? It all sounds like a joke to me."

"If that is going to be your attitude, I'm sure we can do without your assistance."

Attitude? He thinks this is attitude then he's never seen it. And what the hell is it that he thinks he's giving me if not attitude? Enough is enough. I'd love to lay into this guy and show him what he's been missing but we're on Sunshine's time. I want to get busy more than I want to teach the teacher. Besides which, me being the bigger person might tick him off more. "Look, you don't like me, I get that. I don't like you either. Just assign someone to me who's up to date on the situation and we can stay out of each other's
way."

Summer's relief was clear as he jumped right on that. "Sounds like a good idea. How about-"

"I'm not convinced you have the sensitivity necessary to even be on the property." Ice-bitch felt the need to interrupt this time. I'm starting to feel a little sorry for Summers. Just a little. "There are a number of telepaths in the student body your presence might upset."

"You've got to be kidding me." Oops! Did I say that out loud? Guess so by the way they're both glaring at me.

"Miss Sanchez, the students in my school have been maligned by your kind enough. I will not have them believe they are not safe here." Xavier was sitting straight as a board, his posture unbending. "Their peace of mind is to be preserved at all costs."

"Oh, c'mon! You're worried about me just being here when you've got a rapist on your campus?"

The look Frost shot me was triumphant as she leaned into Summers, practically shoving her 'assets' in his face. "Do you see, darling? She's like the others, on a witch-hunt to find a mutant to blame for the crime. If for no other reason than revenge because she blames us for losing her job."

"Revenge?" My eyes didn't narrow, instead became as hard as I bet her heart is. "You think I'm here for revenge? Listen, bitch, if I wanted to slap back at you assholes, I wouldn't be here at all!"

"I don't see any reason for you to be here." There was a definite sneer was in her voice.

"You wouldn't. There's a sixteen year old girl in the hospital and while we sit here with our thumbs up YOUR asses she could die at any time!" Screw being the bigger person and screw them! "I was on the beat for six years and have been a detective for two and you'd never seen me before Sunshine was hurt! I've never come here and gotten in your face trying to pin anything on your people! Don't try to lump me with those lazy bastards!"

Don't remember setting down my coffee cup, don't remember standing. Somehow, I was on my feet, hands braced on the table as I shouted down it. "You don't like the normal steps of an investigation, you just wait 'til she's dead! Once she is you'll know the meaning of 'witch-hunt'! Did you think they'd just ignore Sunshine's death because she's a mutant? Hell, no! While you try to
forget she was ever here, the very kind of people you're trying to keep out are waiting for her to die so they have an excuse to come in! Hell, they'll love having what they'll call a legitimate reason to tear this place down brick by brick! Which is just what they'll have when the charges change to murder!"

Something in there must have really gotten their attention because not only were all eyes on me but Xavier had turned pale. "No one said anything about murder."

"What the hell do you think it'll be when Sunshine's dead?" I demanded. "Right now it's rape and assault, once she's gone it's murder!"

Beside me, Logan also stood and I knew he was about to put his two cents in.

"Butt out, Logan!" I wasn't nearly done having my say. These people with their supercilious attitude had finally pushed the wrong button. I was going to let it aaaallll out. "Sensitive! You want to talk about sensitive? Oh, you people are just soooo sensitive! Sunshine's lying in a hospital bed! She's alone and will die! Did you not get that? Wait! I forgot! You don't care!" My fists slam down on the table, making the mug rattle. "I did some checking and she's lived here three and a half years and you don't fucking CARE!"

"You have no idea what I care about and how much." Frost's eyes weren't cold anymore, they were as hot as my temper. "The welfare of all the students here is my highest priority. You have no idea the effect you could have on the younger telepaths-"

"I'm not stupid!" I didn't hesitate to cut her off as I pounded the table again. It's well known there are ways to 'shield' rooms from and for mutants with special mind powers. "There are ways to protect your mind-readers!" One part of my brain is noticing Summers, Xavier, and Logan are talking on the side, but it's a far off part of me right now. "By going the way you are you're protecting a rapist and eventual murderer from getting what they deserve!"

"Don't you mean a 'mutant'?" She's standing too and her volume rises to my level. "I won't have the student's peace of mind sacrificed on your say so!"

"You don't want to upset them?" Now, I know these are kids in this school, but they're mostly teenagers. They get 'upset' at the drop of a hat. A teen's life is full of drama. And these are mutant teens. Jubilee has joined the men's discussion and is making gestures in my direction. "Did you even once stop to think that by telling your students that you could be protecting them? Don't you think by knowing they could be on their guard?"

"They don't need to be on guard!" I'm sure Ice-Bitch is going to froth at the mouth any second now. "That's what we're for!"

"You can't protect them from everything! Do you want this to happen again?! Wasn't Sunshine bad enough?! Fuck you!" I've been wanting to say that since they walked in the room, yelling it down a table that looks like it cost more that I made in a year feels damn good. "You want your students to have peace of mind then you tell them whats going on! You let them know there's a problem and it's being taken care of! You let the sonuvabitch know you're onto him and his days are numbered! He'll either run and show
himself or he'll still be here to be caught!"

They must have come to some sort of agreement during their side talk because Summers is trying to get Frost's attention and Sam is doing his best to do the same with me. Neither of us are done yet though.

"That's it, right there! You aren't even going to look outside this school for the culprit!" She holds off Summers while looking like she's going to start crawling up the table and come after me.

"Sanchez!" Vaguely, I hear Logan calling me but I ignore him.

"She lived here! She went to school here! From the length of time she was in the water, she had to have been dumped in the river from this property! Here!" Maybe I hadn't said it but I did get a report from the responding officers who questioned the paramedics. Sunshine was found very close to where the park's boundary begins and Xavier's ends. "She was most likely attacked here! Whether human or mutant, whoever did it has contact with here! Any investigation has to start here! Why can't you get that?!"

Emma Frost didn't look like she was going to let that go either. I'm sure she had some sort of reply to my logic. She just didn't get to voice it. Logan didn't give her a chance.

With a volume high enough to be heard even over mine, he shouted the one thing guaranteed to make me hear him. "Hortensia Tranquilina Panfila Ernestina Ysenia Sanchez!"

To be honest, I'm not completely sure the room actually went silent. I didn't hear anything but my own name ringing in my ears. For a full thirty seconds, nothing else got through to my brain. This was a betrayal on a level which I would never have expected of Logan. Not only had he said... IT... he even had the accent right, using the correct pronunciation. He knows how I feel! Who wouldn't feel that way if they had names like mine? Being punched out would have been better, more forgivable.

To say I didn't think about what I did next would have been a lie. If I hadn't thought about it then I wouldn't have been successful. But I didn't have to think too hard because I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve.

Snatching my cup from the table, I tossed the contents in his face. While Logan was wiping the coffee from his eyes, I threw the cup at him. And while he was batting the cup away, the toe of my boots was connecting with his crotch with as much strength behind it as I could possibly manage. Logan's stuttered groan of pain was almost as satisfying as telling off Frost and Xavier. When you consider his offense and that I've been wanting to hurt someone for two days, that's saying a lot. It was worth wasting the coffee.

This time I can say there was a stunned silence. Except for Logan's gasping and occasional moan. Did I mention my boots are steel-toed?

Once he was starting to breathe properly, I threatened coldly, "If that leaves this room, you won't see it coming."

Summers, Xavier, and Frost were looking at me like I'd grown a second head. Hadn't they ever seen a woman kick a man in the balls before? And if I had grown an extra body part, isn't that the sort of thing that happens in this place? What was the big deal?

About that time is when Bishop came back. I'd been so busy with Frost I hadn't realized he'd left. First Goski sneaks up on me, then a guy big enough to be mistaken for a wall disappears without me knowing it. I gotta work on my skills. He places a what is obviously a logbook in the center of the table and leaves as quietly as he'd come.

"You may examine it as much as you like." My eyes become glued to Xavier's at this about face. "Students and staff will be available to you as necessary. However, I do ask that you take classes into consideration. Sam and Jubilee have volunteered to assist you. If you need anything, simply send one of them to either myself or Emma, or you can speak to Scott." He hesitates as though wanting to say something more, but instead wheels himself out. Frost glares at me as she stalks after him, followed by Summers who just nods.

There had been a change in Xavier during his short speech. A bit of a slump to his shoulders, a slackness to his fingers, a little something to his eyes, and a new tension at the same time. The fight had gone out of him, he'd given in. Or that's what he thought. You'd think I'd be happy about it, but you'd be wrong. I guess what I'd wanted was for him to understand I wasn't his enemy. The perp is. No matter the hassles people might go through, the perp is the reason and should have the blame. I'd learned long ago that it's the cop who gets blamed because we're the ones at the front, meaning me. I'd wanted this time to be different and it wasn't. I'll take what I can get.

Glancing at Sam and Jubilee, I sigh. "One of you can show me to Sunshine's room, along the way we'll need to grab me a pad and pen so I can take notes. The other will need to find a place where we can do interviews, we'll start with the people closest to her first."

"I'll find yah somewhere," Sam promises, adding, "Ma'am."

"I know there's extra supplies in the front office, I'll get what you need." Jubilee's eyes have been on Logan since I'd kicked him. She doesn't seem to be holding a grudge. "And I know her pretty well. You might want me to be your first interview and I'll give you the names of others you'll want to talk to."

"Alright, let's get moving. We're on Sunshine's time." We all three head for the door, but I stop at the threshold to look at Logan leaning against the wall. "Once your balls drop back down, maybe you can find where Sunshine was thrown in the river. It's always best to locate the crime scene."

to be continued.

note: Was that all you might have hoped? This chapter flowed very well when I wrote it way back a while ago. I had gotten all the way to when Bishop 'returned' when it was "LOST" (yes, I'm still bitter about that). Be happy this one chapter was "found" as what I had been writing to replace it wasn't nearly as good.

Unfortunately, I have not yet finished chapter 7. I'm only about half-way finished and I might be a little stuck. Not badly, I have to work on it though, it's just not... right. Since a couple of important things are happening, it HAS to be right. So it might be a little while. Sorry. However, I will be posting the next chapter of "What Might Have Been" for those interested.

Thanks for reading and the support,
Dizi