I don't own the X men.
The Power of Touch
Chapter Three– The Green Ghost
Marcy watched the three men talking, Victor was quiet, but when he said something it was with surprising intelligence. He just didn't LOOK that smart. John was cocky, arrogant, and funny. Erik was calm, quiet and very quick to anger. She just sat and ate her pizza in silence. The front door of the apartment opened and another man walked in.
"Hey – Toad how was the store today? Were there any new SpiderMan comics in?" Pyro shouted. Marcy couldn't get a good look at him, but she heard him mutter something about kids and knowing their place before he went down the hall.
"We have pizza for dinner." Victor said loudly.
"Not hungry – will eat later." Came a slightly gravely voice with an accent she didn't recognize.
"At least come and meet Treasure – she's our new roommate." Pyro shouted.
"I'm tired and want to go to sleep – leave me the fuck alone." The voice shouted back.
"Grump." Pyro muttered. She had to get used to the whole name thing.
"So what do I call you?" She asked the older man at the table.
"Erik is fine – I am not as particular as some of my collogues." He laughed "Now, we need to make arrangements for medical care for you and the little one, nothing is as important as good prenatal care." He wagged a finger at her like a kindly grandpa, causing her to laugh.
"I don't have any insurance. I have a little cash I can pay for some of it…"
"Posh – you are a sister – a part of the Brotherhood of Mutants, and we take care of our own. I know a good doctor – a fellow mutant, and I believe he takes our insurance policy." Erik gave Victor a significant look.
"Last time I checked he did." Victor grinned, showing his canines. She blanched.
"Do not worry, child, no one will be hurt over you – unless someone does you harm." She took a big bite of pizza to hide her grimace. They were nice – sure – but just a little bloodthirsty in her book. Maybe Logan had been right – maybe they were the bad guys. Pyro glanced over at her and slipped her the last slice of pepperoni before Victor could grab it.
"HEY! I wanted that."
"Pregnant women first!"
Victor growled – and then grumbled. "Sorry, Kid."
Then again, maybe not – even Sabretooth was willing to give her the last slice of pizza. And they didn't ask embarrassing questions like who the father was – or why her mother wasn't helping her – or did she want to get rid of it. They just accepted her decision as final, and respected it.
She was even given first dibs on the shower that evening; it seemed the hot water ran out quickly so if you weren't first, you got a cold shower, especially if you came after Victor on the list. She was sitting in her room, a T-shirt and a pair of sweat pants on, flipping channels on the television on the dresser when Victor stuck his head in the door. His long hair was dripping wet from the shower as he sat on the end of her bed.
"I just have two things to say – and then I am shutting up about it. Do you want the bastard dead – and if so where is he?" She looked at him in shock.
"NO! He's a jerk – but not that bad of a jerk – he's just my ex boyfriend."
"Oh – good - it would feel funny me tracking down a rapist to kill him – with my history." He laughed a little.
"No – it's nothing like that. He broke up with me because my mutation showed up – he doesn't even know I'm pregnant and I want to keep it that way."
"Up to you, kid. All of us are here ta help, well unless Mags needs something done, and then – well we will make sure you are taken care of first. He's right about one thing, you and the baby you are carrying represent the future of mutants, and if we are going to make things better, we need ta start with you." It was the most he had said since she met him, and like Logan, she was grateful for his candor.
"I'm out of here – got a date." He grinned.
"REALLY!"
"What – don't think a woman would want ta go out with me."
"No – just wondering what you are paying her." She grinned, hoping she hadn't stepped over a line.
"HA HA HA – funny kid." He shut the door behind him as he left, still chuckling. It looked like he had a sense of humor after all.
She curled up under the covers trying to decide what she really wanted – for her and for the baby. Her mom was a good mom – well until the mutant thing – and then she didn't kick her out, she made sure she had someplace to go. It wasn't her mom's fault things didn't work out at the school. That made Marcy wince – school. She really did want to finish school, baby or no baby. She was trying to figure out a way to do that when a tired looking Mystique walked in the bedroom door.
"Hey – kid. So what are we calling you?"
"Treasure, Erik came up with it." She smiled
"Erik was here – where is he? Marcy swore her eyes turned yellow.
"He left. He came by for dinner – to check on everyone, he said."
"Old jerk – well he got his dose so I can't be too angry with him – hell yes I can, leaving me in that truck like so much human trash." She grumbled as she stripped out of her clothes. "I don't suppose anyone left me any hot water?"
"We all got our showers early – except Toad, he just disappeared into his room, I haven't even met him yet."
"Good – a hot shower sounds…" The banging of the pipes said someone beat her to it. "TOAD!"
"You snooze you lose." Came the gravely voice outside the door. "Gonna grab some pizza if there is any left, you can have the shower Myst."
"You prick." She chuckled.
Marcy just snuggled deeper under the covers. "So what's the school situation around here?"
"School?"
"Yeah – I'd like to finish high school if I can."
"I'd recommend taking your GED and forget it. The public school around here is rough, and they won't bus you to a better one. If you need help studying for the test, well Vic is great with math, I do okay with history and if you can get green boy out of his lily pond he's good with English. We will get you through the test."
"Thanks. Erik mentioned a doctor, something about arranging an appointment?"
"Yeah – we need to take care of that, can't have you and the baby doing without – wouldn't look right, oh that's right – that's the Egg Head's problem, not ours. Doctor Peters is good – a mutant with a low level healing ability, he can heal others but it hurts him, but for a baby – well he'd use it. Good man, he takes care of most of us."
"I can pay him." Marcy said.
"Shut up and go to sleep. You don't have to pay for shit; you are one of us now. Keep your money for the baby, you'll need it." Marcy started to drift off, a faint yellow glow from two small points of light across the room caused her to sit up.
"What's that?"
"Go to sleep – I am just working on my mutation, the cure wears off – and when it does, well things are unstable for a while. I am trying to get it back under control. If my eyes bother you, roll over, damn it."
"Oh – okay – well g'night." Marcy rolled over. It could be worse, she could be in a room with Jubilee and her fireworks going off all night.
XXXXXXXXXX
The apartment was quiet when she woke up the next morning. There was a note on the fridge.
Treasure: Gone to work. Toad and Myst sleep in because they work late; Victor is working on the truck today, and will be in and out. Erik contacted Dr. Peters and you have an appointment tomorrow at 10:30. I should be home to take you – if not get Toad or Myst up and one of them will. Don't care what's for dinner – check the fridge. If you need anything have Victor take you shopping. Pyro
She grinned. Have Victor take her shopping, that was funny. She slipped into her room and pulled the bag out from under the bed. She pulled out a handful of cash. She looked at the backpack; she had two pair of jeans, three shirts and a couple pair of underwear. She was going to have to buy some more clothes at least. She slipped the bag under the bed, and glanced over at the bundle of blankets on the other bed. She quietly closed the door, and turned down the hallway just in time to see the bathroom door close.
"I'm cooking breakfast if you want anything." She said.
"No thanks – going back to bed." He grumbled. She still hadn't met him face to face.
"Okay. If there's anything you need, let me know. I think Pyro wants Vic to take me grocery shopping."
"I don't care – leave me the fuck alone."
"Fine." She went back to the kitchen. The shelves were pretty bare. She grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and started making a list. Victor came in the front door, his hands and face covered in grease.
"You're up. Pyro said ta take ya shopping."
"Making a list now."
"You make lists – shit!" He grumbled.
"How was your date?"
"You are too young ta ask."
"Hey – I'm the pregnant one here – and I do know how I got that way." He laughed as he went down the hall to the bathroom.
"Open up – green boy – need ta wash my hands."
She heard the door open. "Fuck you."
She got her first good glimpse of him, his dark hair all tousled with sleep, his skin a faint green color. He glared at her before shutting the bedroom door.
"Hey – I'm Mar – Treasure – by the way."
"Goin ta sleep – leave me the fuck alone." She heard him grumble.
Victor laughed as he came out of the bathroom. "Frog boy ain't much of a morning person."
"Yeah – well he seems like quiet a bit of a jerk person."
Victor laughed. "Let's get this shopping done; I need ta get that truck runnin."
Shopping with Victor was actually fun. He teased her through the small grocery, as she loaded up a basket.
"I ain't some beast of burden, Kid, how are ya plannin on gettin this stuff back?" She looked at the basket. He was right. She started taking things out, and managed to get it down to just the basics. They both ended up carrying four bags back to the apartment after Victor paid at the register. She had offered but he just growled at her so she shut up.
"I really need to learn to drive." She said as they put away the groceries in the kitchen.
"Not in the city you don't – when we get out of here – yeah. I'll teach ya."
"Why not in the city, if we had a car or the truck today we could have stocked up the kitchen."
"Why drive two blocks, it's easier to buy stuff for a couple days. When we are back in – well back to normal, I can see it, stocking up and shit, but not now – not like this."
"I never thought about it, I guess I grew up in a smaller town – store was further away from the house and it made sense to stock things up. I have never lived in a big city before."
"Don't get used to it. As soon as – well just don't get used to it."
"Where can a girl get some laundry done?" She asked.
"Basement – but don't go down there without one of us with you. This ain't the best neighborhood."
"Okay – any idea when Myst will be up – I need to do some girl shopping if you know what I mean."
"Oh God – you don't want her then. I'll take ya where ya need ta go. Just don't ask my opinion about crap." He grumbled. They left again, and he took her to a small discount shop near the building. She picked up some clothes to stretch what she had, laundry supplies and a few things she had noticed missing in the apartment – like a broom.
He grumbled the entire way back to the apartment about being used as a beast of burden and she laughed. She was carrying as many bags as he was.
"Ya done shoppin' kid?" He asked as he dumped the bags on the table.
"Yes."
"Good – I have WORK ta do." He reached out and ruffled her hair.
"You never did say how your date went."
"I got laid – now shut up." He said as he closed the front door. She just chuckled and unpacked the bags. Her clothes she put in a pile on one of the chairs, she would put them away after Mystique got up. The things for the apartment she put away – sponges and washcloths for the sink so she could wash dishes, broom and dustpan in a corner, hand towels in the bathroom, dust rags and wood polish under the sink. She had insisted on paying for these things. She had even picked up a few things for the baby – she knew she had a while, but it would be better to have things on hand. Blankets, a large bag for a diaper bag – stuff she thought might come in handy later.
"Wow – someone's been busy." Mystique said, rubbing her eyes as she came into the living room. Marcy had cleaned up the kitchen, and was straightening the living room.
"There's sauce and stuffed manicotti for lunch."
"Breakfast."
"Whatever."
"Did you cook this?"
"I made the sauce – the manicotti was in the frozen section of the store."
"Remind me I owe Wolverine a blow job – not that he'd let me – but SHIT girl you can cook." She blushed.
She grabbed her pile of clothes and the things for the baby and went to the bedroom. Her backpack wouldn't hold everything she bought so she put some of it in the smaller bag Logan had given her. She ended up using the diaper bag to pack the rest. She had a strange feeling they wouldn't be there very long.
"Good idea – packing. We should be getting out of here soon." She looked up. Toad was standing outside the door, he was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and standing half in shadow so she couldn't see his face clearly.
"Nice to meet you." She smiled.
"Treasure – huh? Why?"
"Erik said the baby and I are a treasure."
"Baby – you're pregnant." She heard the surprise in his voice.
"Yes – I thought everyone knew."
"No one tells me shit. Something smells good."
"Lunch – tomato sauce and stuffed manicotti."
"I'll take some to work with me. You might want to look for a bigger bag, one that will hold everything. Carrying three or four gets cumbersome when we are trooping through – well anyway – one bag is easier." He turned and walked away.
"My name's Marcy."
"Mortimer." She heard the front door slam.
"Well, now that Mr. Sunshine has left – he's right about the bag thing – we won't be staying here much longer. Dr. Peters will be coming with us so you don't have to worry about that. None of us want to tell you where we are going, but you are welcome to come along. If you don't want to, we will make sure you are someplace safe and with medical care.
"No offense – but you guys are great – and I can't think of anyplace I'd rather be." She gave the other woman an impulsive hug.
Poor kid – if we are great – what's her life been like? She could feel a wave of sympathy before she backed away.
"Not that bad – my mom was a single mom, at least she never brought guys around when I was there, my dad – well I don't even know who he was – she didn't either for sure. My grandfather was strict but at least he cared – he died two years ago. My grandma was dead before I was born. Mom has an older sister but they don't talk much – except to fight. Mostly it was Ted – my ex – who was the jerk – well him and most of the kids from school. Mom's a nurse, but money never stretched far enough so I wasn't in with the 'cool' kids. Ted – well I think he felt sorry for me, and I guess I just needed someone to give a shit about me – not be selfish all the time."
She didn't know where all that came from – maybe it had been building for a while, but she thought Mystique might understand.
"It could have been worse – I was blue with scales from the time I was a kid, my parents kept me at home, afraid of what the neighbors would think. My dad beat me pretty bad, because I was different. Mom tried to send me to school once, the kids nearly killed me. I ran away when I was twelve – been on my own since."
"Shit – you're right – it could have been worse."
"We all want you here; I have been where you are. I gave my baby up. I don't even know where he is. The only way we are going to grow stronger is with more of our kind in the world. Humans have to understand that they are a dying breed – that we are the future. You and the baby are a part of that future - mutants having mutants."
"But what if the baby isn't a mutant?"
"That happens – it happened to me once. That kid I know where he is – and have seriously considered wringing his neck."
"How many kids do you have?"
"Two – well and one I half raised – well other than some of the kids in the Brotherhood that I consider mine – and now you."
"You aren't old enough." Marcy laughed.
Mystique laughed. "I am older than I look – the cure – well it put me where my physical age would be, at the moment I took it – in reality I am nearly eighty."
"Whoa."
"Don't worry – I won't cramp your style."
Mystique put a comforting arm around her. Comfort was right; all Marcy got was comforting thoughts and offers of help with raising the baby. She didn't know why Logan called them the bad guys – so far, other than Victor offering to kill Ted – they hadn't been anything but nice – with one exception.
"What's the deal with Toad?"
"He's – well he – he's hard to explain. He doesn't deal well with people. He and Creed get along ok; he and Pyro tolerate each other. He is loyal to Erik – and to the Brotherhood, and that is all we ask." She stood up and started getting dressed.
"Well – I have to get ready for work. Not much longer – not much longer and I will be away from these pathetic humans. I don't know what all you bought today – but some suggestions of things you might pick up – a good sleeping bag, warm things for the baby and yourself, a really good thermal coat. Don't worry about carrying them, we will pack them with our stuff, but we don't have any extras. It gets cold where we are going."
"Okay – I can do that tomorrow, anything else I need to pick up."
"Keep it light, nothing heavy, you will have to carry some things, your own clothes and possessions mostly, and stuff for the baby. Think ahead – you will be carrying the baby too, when we move, and we will move quite a bit at first."
"Okay."
"You will be fine, Treasure. We will take care of you."
"What the hell smells so good?" Pyro shouted from the door.
"Lunch."
"Fuck that – I am ready for dinner."
"There's plenty." Marcy shouted.
"I sure as hell hope so – I need a shower first though." He stopped by the door. He was covered in soot and his hair was a little singed.
"I see you got to play with fire today." Myst said as she pulled on her shoes.
"Beats working on the phones – how's the job going?"
"If one more person tries to get me to talk dirty to them I am going to scream – God I hate telemarketers – and now I am one but not much longer." She grumbled as she headed to the kitchen. She packed some of the stuffed pasta and sauce in a plastic container. "Dinner." She grinned as she headed out the door.
"Hey – good idea – staying packed. Erik said a couple weeks at the most before we move."
"Wow that soon."
"Yeah – are you going to be okay?"
"I'll be fine."
"If you need money for anything – let one of us know."
"Logan gave me some – I am ok."
"That bag he gave you?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Wolverine can be a jerk – but he can also be decent. Did he give you a cell phone or anything?"
"Yes."
"Get rid of it. We don't want them able to track us."
"Okay."
She went into the living room and turned on the TV. Victor came in a few minutes later and filled a plate.
"Got her runnin – we will be ready when the time comes – DAMN! You can COOK!" He looked over at Marcy. "Just tell me you know how to cook rough."
"Rough?"
"Campin."
"Yes – my grandfather used to take me before he died. I love to cook over an open fire."
"I think I'm in love."
"Vic – I think she's a little young for you – you're what ten times her age." Pyro glared at him.
"Fuck you kid – besides I don't want ta be responsible for a cub – too much trouble, no offense."
"None taken – this 'cub' is my responsibility."
"NO!" they both shouted at her.
"What?"
"This baby is the Brotherhood's responsibility, you have family now." Pyro said with force. She just stared at him speechless. Even without touching either of them she could tell they both meant it.
The rest of the evening was quiet, and she was in bed and asleep before the other two returned home from work.