August 19, 1992
The sun was just about to come up when the X-men and most of the Brotherhood set out. David watched them go. It was difficult not to feel a little left out as they did so. Childhood dreams, no matter how foolish, did not die just because of their impossibility.
He's whining again. Why doesn't he just shut up? Sinister will kill him soon enough.
David rubbed his temples. Scott waved to David, and David knew that it was the signal to start moving the children out.
Remember, if anything happens, reach out for me, Jean thought.
Yes, you'll get the best signal, David thought, And if I have time, I'll try to see if I can connect to my father somehow.
He could almost hear Jean smile, but it would have had to be a sad one. They were both out of range for something like that. David hadn't grown up with a strong connection to his father. He'd refused to build one with him.
Alex looked back at him and gave him a stern look. David knew he was worried about his children. He waved at him and turned away towards the other side of the camp. They had already gotten the first group of children sorted out.
David watched as the children huddled close to Calvin. He'd given them all a rope to hold onto, which he'd tied to his wrist, so they could all teleport together. Calvin was only mimicking his wife's power, and he wanted to make sure the children stayed close.
Calvin was doing a good job reassuring the children that everything was going to be fine though. David knew that he worked with underprivileged youths for a living, and was hoping to adopt. He'd be a good father one day.
He held out one of his crystals, his fist clenching around it.
"This is going to feel kind of strange," Calvin said, "But it's going to be okay. It'll only take an hour tops, and then Hank's going to give you all a ton of ice cream. Make sure to ask Carly, that's his wife, for cookies. Those are awesome."
He grinned.
"Right Sharon?" he asked.
"No one beats my mom's cookies," Sharon said.
A few of the children looked a little more relaxed at this statement.
"Three...two...one!" Calvin said.
There was a flash of pink light, and the children disappeared. David turned away from the area and sat down next to Clarice. Sharon followed. Clarice idly began forming another crystal in her hand.
"You think Kurt should go next, don't you?" she asked.
"Not right away," David said, "He's been doing some teleporting over the past few days. He probably needs to rest."
Clarice pursed her lips as she finished her crystal.
"That means I should go next," she said, "I plan on taking Max and Luna in my group."
"We're taking the youngest ones first," David said.
"Last I checked, Luna was ten," Clarice said, "She's young enough to make it into the next group. It's either I take Max with us or separate them."
David considered her words.
"Makes sense," he said, "Feel free to take them with the next group."
He looked at Sharon.
"I don't suppose I could convince you to go with them?" he asked.
Sharon gave him a cool look.
"No," she said.
"I know better than to argue with that face," David said.
He got up.
"Make sure that the next group is gathered together," he said, "I'm going to go tell Max and Luna that they're going with them."
"Can't you just, you know?" Sharon said, waving her hand around her head.
David shrugged.
"I could," he said, "I'm trying not to overdo it though. Besides, I need to make rounds of the different patrol stations."
He cracked his neck.
"Standard procedure," David said, "I can't exhaust my telepathy on that."
"Right," Sharon said, "Because we all know how easily you get tired."
David laughed and kissed her cheek. It still felt strange to be so affectionate with her.
"I'll be back soon," he said, "Well, I'll be back before Calvin is anyway."
He got up and began walking to the other side of the camp. On his way he saw Terry sitting at her patrol point. Her eyes were facing forwards and David saw something he'd never seen before: she had a gun.
In the past, she had never needed a weapon. Her voice was her weapon. Her own skills had been enough. Then again, he'd never seen her on a mission with her father for whatever organization they'd worked for. She must have handled a gun during at least one of those missions.
He remembered when she had been training for the X-men. With those memories came memories of how the jealousy had bubbled up inside him. If she had been taken in for training, allowed to do missions, then why couldn't he? It had been part of his self-destructive path.
Something had to be said about that. He needed to tell her that things had changed, that he was different now. They hadn't had a chance to talk since his epiphany that night in Boston. It hadn't been long since then, but it seemed like it had happened an age ago.
In the distance he saw Remy switch patrols with Deadpool. The two of them nodded to each other and Remy headed back into the camp. Deadpool looked in their direction and Terry looked away, her expression tense. Deadpool's shoulders sagged slightly before he hurried off.
For a moment David looked after him. He knew that there were other patrol points to check. He still needed to find Max and Luna, tell them that they were in the next group. However, he still hesitated.
Finally David sat down next to Terry. He knew he had no right to discuss these things with her, but he was unofficially in charge of their small group. It meant that the responsibility of making sure that everyone was alright fell to him.
More than that, they had once been good friends. They had drifted apart, and that was his fault. He knew that what he was about to do might not endear himself to her, but it couldn't make things too much worse.
Terry inclined her head, but didn't show any other sign that she had noticed his presence.
"I heard what happened," David said, "I'm sorry."
Terry shrugged.
"And I know what Deadpool did," David said.
Terry stiffened.
"You've probably heard a lot of different things, ranging from people wanting to kill him and, well, other people telling you that you should move on, that he wasn't worth your time in the first place," David said, "I just...as your friend, although I haven't been a very good one, I just want to know how you feel."
He tapped his head.
"You can tell me," he said.
Terry swallowed and looked down at the gun in her hand. She closed her eyes.
David, it hurts.
He waited, still listening. He wondered when he had become the type to listen like he did now. Then again, between her father trying to take care of her and the upcoming battle, there might not have been much time for her to let anyone know just how she felt.
Back when we were just starting out, Terry thought, He used to get into trouble all the time. I saw him do some things, act in ways that made me feel sick. But, beyond that, I always knew that there was more to him. I knew that there was a good person who was struggling beneath the weight of so much.
She looked into the distance.
I knew he would do things to hurt himself, Terry thought, I'm not talking about actually hurting himself physically, but damaging himself mentally and emotionally. Ignoring his better angels and pretending that he was just a monster. But...I've seen real monsters David. I know that he isn't one of them. Even now, he's just a troubled idiot. And once he found out I cared about him, he got better. I always thought...
Terry bowed her head.
I thought I might be helping him learn who he really was, she thought, I thought he cared for me. I promised him, once when things were bad, that if he wanted it, I would make sure that he never had to face the darkness alone.
She clenched her fists.
But then, the one time when I needed him, he left me, she thought, He left me to go after the people who attacked me. In some way I suppose that shows he cared, but that's...he should've known that's not what I would've wanted. I wanted him there David.
I can imagine, David thought, We sometimes need people more than we'd like to admit. If I hadn't had Kurt when I was younger, after what happened at the hotel, I don't know what I would've done.
Terry nodded.
I've told him that I loved him, Terry thought, He never said it back, and I thought that was just his way. But now...David, I've been used too much when I was little to let myself get used again.
Are you sure he's using you? David asked.
He isn't, Terry thought, Not really. But...before I can forgive him I need something from him David. Something that I don't think he can give me.
And what's that? David thought.
She looked at him, pain in her eyes.
Reassurance he won't do this again, Terry said, Reassurance that he'll at least try not to.
David nodded in understanding. Terry'd already gone through enough pain to last a lifetime. The last thing she needed was to experience more of it.
Thank you for coming over, Terry thought, I've missed you.
From the inflection in her thoughts David knew she meant more than just his absence.
You're different now, Terry thought, You haven't been yourself for the past six years, and now it's like the clock's turned back.
I'm trying to be better, David said, To not be the bitter person I've been through the last years. To be the person my father hoped I would be, that my brother thought I was. The person that Sharon thinks I am.
I thought you two might get together some day, Terry said.
That obvious? David laughed.
She's the only person outside of your family that really understands you, Terry thought, So, yes, it was obvious in that sense.
You're right, David thought.
He got up. To his surprise Terry rose with him and hugged him. David blinked and hugged back.
Thank you, she thought, You're really growing up to be like your father, you know that right?
The words shocked him.
I have his looks and his powers, he thought, Kurt has his soul.
Don't sell yourself short David, Terry said, You've been scarred, but so have many of us. Maybe it's time you started to think of yourself as the person you could be, rather than the one you see yourself as. Try to see yourself through the eyes of the people who love you: it's a much better sight than you think.
David let go. He looked over at Deadpool's figure in the distance.
He's an asshole if he doesn't love you, he thought.
He's already an asshole David, Terry thought, It doesn't make me love him any less.
David chuffed her shoulder and moved off, feeling a little more capable now.
