Ah, sorry people, for I have sinned. I have not updated once a week like I promised myself I would. I shalt not sin again.
For waiting so patiently, here's an extra-long chapter (well, in my view anyway). It also has the beginnings of… nah, wouldn't want to spoil it now, would I? –Grins mischievously-
On with the show:)
---
'The Demon in Me'
By Sergeant Scarlett
Chapter Five: Shut Up and Listen
The voices were chuckling, giggling, sniggering. They muttered words and phrases they didn't dare to say any louder. Cowards.
John struggled to find his way to the mansion's substantial library the next day during a free period. Well, free period meaning he couldn't stand sitting next to the Freeze-pop in Summers' class. It was easier this way – for the both of them.
He ran his hands along the familiar walls, attempting to navigate. He felt himself getting progressively more agitated as time passed.
The bell sounded. He'd spent a whole hour trying to find the library, but to no avail. John slammed his fist against the wall in frustration. It hurt. Just when he thought things couldn't possibly get any worse, he heard that irritating southern accent creep up from behind.
"John? Are you okay?" Her voice was tentative.
He ignored her. Perhaps she'd go away.
"John, your hand's bleeding." He heard her come closer.
"No need to worry about me, Marie," he said plainly, in a deliberate monotone, "I'm a big boy – I can take care of myself."
Marie snorted. "The thing is, I don't think you can."
He could practically feel her cool, tantalising breath on his neck. The sensation was crudely unfamiliar. John shivered.
"Just – just –"
He failed to come up with a better response. She'd caught him off guard. He could almost feel her impatience pulse through him while waiting for a dignified answer.
"Right. Never mind then. See you later." Her voice sounded almost hurt. John found he couldn't bear it. He heard her begin to walk away. His chance was slipping away.
Swallowing his pride, he shouted reluctantly after her.
"Could you take me to the library?" Shit, she's already gone. John mentally cursed.
"Pardon?"
She was still there. He spoke carefully.
"Could you take me to library?"
"Pardon?"
Wow, this is humiliating. She was going to make him beg.
Through gritted teeth, but with the sickliest sweet voice possible, he said, "Could you take me to library, please?"
Her sigh sounded satisfied. John soon found her warm fingers lace around his. She pulled him as gently as she could. Seconds later, she announced they'd arrived.
---
Marie was so far successfully managing to not look directly at him. It hurt too much emotionally to do so now. She mainly blamed herself. Perhaps if she hadn't run away from all her problems instead of facing them, Bobby and John wouldn't have fought at Alcatraz, they'd still be friends, and John could see. She remembered the last time she looked into his eyes. Just before he left. Just before he betrayed them.
With the patience of some twisted saint, Marie helped John make himself comfortable in a squashy chair by a large window overlooking the front gardens of the mansion. Even though she knew he wouldn't be able to appreciate the view, she felt he might gain some comfort from listening to the sounds of the birds and the fountain. She opened the window slightly.
Marie wasn't entirely sure what solace John could find in the library without his sight, but perhaps it was for spiritual healing, or something along those lines.
He sat in silence, unmoving, in some perfect harmony. Despite that, Marie could only describe him in one word.
Broken.
Gone was the John with a quick tongue, sharp cheek, a killer smile and the arrogance of a pig. All that was left was an empty shell, as though he was caught between life and death, in some world without colour or happiness.
She didn't want to disturb the strange tranquillity of the scene. Instead, she decided to make a quiet exit. He looked so peaceful that he could be mistaken as asleep. She turned and made to leave.
"Marie? Don't go."
It was a request. Not a command. Even so, Marie felt her blood begin to boil unintentionally.
"That's funny, Johnny, 'cause I'm pretty sure I said the same thing to you before you left."
She hadn't meant for it to sound so…like him.
John snorted. "I guess I deserve that."
"Understatement of the century," she retorted, folding her arms to stop herself from strangling him.
"I'm sensing a sizeable amount of hostility from you," he said, quite unable to keep all humour from his voice. It was almost teasing. Humiliating.
"You're doing well today: two correct statements in a row."
He sighed in melancholy. "Please Marie. You want answers. Stay and you can have them."
Half of her was desperate to get as far away from him as possible. The other side, the more impulsive side, was intrigued. She ached with longing for answers from him. Reluctantly, she sat opposite him.
"I'm listening."
"Good. Where do you want to start?"
"Why did you leave?"
Sure, it was blunt, but it was a question she'd wanted answering for a long time.
John inhaled deeply while pondering an answer. "Well, I suppose it was mainly due to a lack of appreciation. I felt as though my powers were a curse when I was a kid; I thought the mansion could be a new start for me. Don't get me wrong; we had some good times together, you, me and Bobby. It was when I started to become the third wheel in our friendship.
"Everything seemed to start going downhill. I'd always got into trouble at the mansion, sometimes for the stupidest things, but I went out of control. I wanted more. I wanted to able to use my powers regardless of rules and laws. I wanted to embrace them as every mutant should."
Marie listened intently.
"I just wished I could belong somewhere. And then Magneto showed up. He said something I'll never forget."
"What was it?"
John sniggered, as though ashamed. "He called me 'a god among insects'."
"And you believed that?" Marie huffed. She saw his muscles tense.
"Of course I did to begin with! I wanted a chance to use my powers freely. He inflated my ego to the point I thought I was better, much better than all of you X-Men."
He clearly didn't want to discuss the matter further.
"Okay, what about what went down at Alcatraz?"
"Didn't Bobby tell you?"
"No," Marie said slowly, regretfully, "he wouldn't talk about it. In the same sort of way he won't talk about you to me now."
She watched him snort with malice. "Here's me thinking the Iceman was made of stronger stuff."
"Hey! Your leaving hit him pretty hard." John was impossible. He always would be.
"Clearly not as hard as it hit you, then, I take it."
Marie blinked. Her silence proved he had a point. John continued, on a roll.
"The primary reason you didn't like me leaving was because you realised I meant just as much to Bobby as you did," he snapped.
"That's not true," she managed, her voice a soft whisper. Clearing her throat, she realised she still wanted answers. "So, what did happen at Alcatraz, apart from Bobby freezing your sorry ass?" She couldn't help it; her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"Uh, I think you just about summed it up, Rogue."
---
Jesus, this girl could talk. I'd tell her to piss off, but something's telling me she's about the only thing at the moment keeping me from eating my own sanity. Help.
They sat there in silence after his last comment, which seemed to have hit home to the full extent. He predicted one more snarky comment would just about have her storm from the library in a mood the size of Katrina. But, he reminded himself tactfully, he couldn't keep his hopes up.
He listened to the sounds nothing between them. It was almost peaceful. Tranquil. Serene. Call it what you will.
John heard her rise from her seat. That's it – she's actually going. Only, seconds later, she sat back down. She had something in her hands. She was flicking through the pages of a book…?
"Once upon a time, in a land full of darkness and evil, lived a –"
She's reading me… a story…?
"Err, Marie, care to explain what you're doing?"
With a clipped edge to her voice, she replied, "What does it look like? Or rather, sound like, in your case. You happen to be in a library. A library, where books are kept. Last time I checked, there were no books with Braille. Now shut up and listen."
John found himself to be quite taken-aback. Well, 'stunned' was a more appropriate word.
"Once upon a time, in a land full of darkness and evil, lived a young prince. He lived in a castle atop a hill, overlooking his entire realm of evil. Now, this Realm of Darkness was on the border with another place, the Kingdom of Light, ruled by a wise professor."
"Is this actually going anywhere?" John cut in irritably.
He could almost feel her look of hatred pulsing through him. He fell silent.
"The young prince was under the command of a fearful emperor, a terrifying man of great power. He had taken the prince long ago from the Kingdom of Light, but not forcefully. The Emperor had promised the prince power. Eager for it, the prince had accepted."
Feeling pleasantly relaxed. Her voice is rather soothing, in a twisted kind of way.
"The prince had left a lot of friends back in the Kingdom of Light. During a horrific battle between the forces of light and darkness, the prince and his old friend fought. His friend, a knight of the Kingdom of Light, won valiantly. Wounded and ashamed, the prince returned to the Realm of Darkness."
I wonder what she's wearing. Has she done anything different with her hair since I last saw her?
"Not long after, the prince was feeling regretful of all the awful things he had done for the Emperor. He decided to try to make amends. He left the Emperor and returned to the Kingdom of Light, was welcomed back by his friends, and became a warrior for the light, and they all lived happily ever after. The End."
John heard her snap the book shut dramatically.
"Funny," he said, breaking the silence, "that prince sounded a lot like someone I know. Can't seem to place it, though… You made that up, didn't you?"
"No, it's all true, albeit a few… modifications."
"Ri-ight. But, in case you haven't noticed, I haven't been welcomed back by my friends or lived happily ever after." He sniggered. "And I don't think they're going to be coming my way any time soon."
Ow, shit! That hurt!
She'd slammed the book into his lap.
"You know what, Johnny? You're blind – in more ways that one."
And with that, she left.
---
Reviews make me smile :)