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marysuevirus2024-02-11 10:21 pm
ladydeathfaerie) wrote in marysuevirus2024-02-11 10:21 pm
Among the Strong
Title: Among the Strong
Chapter Four: Confessions
Fandom: the Marvel universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic violence, language, sex, dark themes, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. Haley belongs todazzledfirestar Morgan belongs toginevra Roxxy belongs tonanaeanaven Jehnna belongs to silverfox_chan and Dare belongs to me. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from dazzledfirestar .
Author's Notes: this is almost entirely Daz's fault. okay. so it really isn't. its actually almost 100% my fault. Daz just did a whole lot of encouraging. this fic is going to be kind of dark, so please keep that in mind while reading.
Among the Strong - the index
The sky was turning shades of yellows and oranges, the blue lightening up from the black of night as the sun started cresting the horizon. Duke rubbed sleep out of his eyes and blinked at the image before him. Logan was sitting in one of the cockpit chairs in front of the console. His gaze was on the sands of the desert outside the windows. It looked like he was cloaked in sadness. It wasn't so much on his face as it was in the way he held himself. Like some of the life had gone out of him. Duke frowned at that a moment.
"`Sup?" he asked by way of announcing his presence.
Logan didn't look away from the windows. "Nothing's changed all night." Exhaustion had made a home in his voice. Duke frowned.
"You've been up all night?"
The other man shrugged, but didn't turn away from the view outside the plane. For a moment, it seemed like he wasn't going to say anything more but there was a sudden, deep sigh and the man's shoulders slumped just a little more. "I don't sleep much most nights. When Dare's gone and I don't know where she is... " Logan paused and rubbed his face in his hands. The chair swiveled to face him and Duke could see that his companion looked lost. Maybe even deflated. "I don't sleep when she ain't by my side."
That was... a surprisingly blunt admission of feelings without actually using the name of those feelings. "Matters got made worse because she ain't the only one that got grabbed. Good friends got taken along with her. People I've known for a long time. That son of a bitch set me and the other free, but he kept Scott. He kept Remy. He kept Warren. And he kept Sam. Scott an' Remy? They got an idea what they're up against. Sam doesn't. And the girls?"
Duke blinked at the last, because he definitely heard fear in those three words.
"I've been involved in Purple Team since the beginning. I've seen `em grow up. Haley is a good leader. A strong leader. She's a natural at it. Jehnna was shy when she first joined the team. Didn't know up from down most days. But she's blossomed into a confident young woman. And her control is damn near perfect. Most people didn't think Morgan and her spook would work on a team. Too erratic. Not enough discipline. They showed everyone wrong. And Dare..." His voice trailed off and he swiveled the chair to face forward once more. "She's the unpredictable one. I watched her grow from a scared, insecure girl to a woman who's confident in her abilities. She's powerful. She..."
Whatever Logan had meant to say was choked off on a wave of emotion. Duke stayed quiet and turned his attention to the desert. The sun was spreading its fingers across the sand, painting the area with gilded light and giving the whole area a raw, unfinished look. It was beautiful to look at. Duke had only ever seen sunrises in the city. Tall buildings meant he missed a lot of it.
He held his silence for a while. Logan obviously needed a moment. Duke got the impression that this was not a normal occurrence for him. He didn't come across as a touchy-feely kind of guy. There was obviously too much going on for him to process with any ease, though. Duke crossed the cabin until he could take the seat next to Logan. The man didn't look at him, but he got the attention Logan was paying attention all the same. Duke returned his gaze to their surroundings, taking a moment to find the beauty in the way the desert went from a soft, velvety purple to a glowing old. "I'd like to ask you a question. You don't have to answer it if you don't want to, but... How did you and she end up together? The two of you are a really strange couple. I mean, she's..."
His words trailed off and the sudden silence was filled by a soft snort. "She's so much younger than I am?" Logan asked. There might have been something in his voice, but Duke shook his head.
"Nah. That's not what I'm saying. Age is just a number after a certain point." Duke frowned. He wasn't always great with words and he didn't want to say anything to upset the other man. But curiosity was killing him and he just had to know. "This is gonna sound weird. And I apologize for that. But I don't get long-term, committed relationship vibes off either one of you. Dare seems more like a free spirit than anything. And you... You're a cranky fuck. You both live really fucked up lives." Duke motioned to the desert with one hand. "Its gotta be hard to maintain a solid relationship under circumstances like that. And yet, you're sitting here in the desert, waiting for her to come back. Why?"
Logan glanced at him, blue eyes serious. Duke thought maybe he saw memories lurking in them. "I love her. If I could find the portal and cross through again, I'd do it just to have her back. Every time someone takes her from me, I worry that it'll be the last time."
Duke blinked. "Every time someone takes her? What does that even mean?"
Logan settled a look on him that froze Duke where he stood. It wasn't a particularly bad look. But it was one that told Duke he was about to get schooled and it wasn't going to be pleasant. "You got a lot of misconceptions about what it means to be an X-Man, kid," Logan told him. Duke frowned at that, but made a motion with his hand that said Logan should go on. "Lot of people on the outside think its a big deal. They think its just a title. It is a big deal. Its damn hard to make a team. You gotta be damn good at what you do. And that puts a target on your back. How many mutants have you seen out there who have the powers Purple Team has?"
"None?" Duke made it more a question than a statement. Logan nodded his head.
"When you're unique even among a group of people who are all unique, people stand up and take notice. Most people tend to think its a great thing to be like that, to be so different. But some people see those unique people and it makes them a target. Jealousy. Hatred. All that shit."
"And Dare's unique?" Duke asked it, even though he was pretty sure he knew the answer. Not that the powers he'd seen from any of the members of Purple Team weren't unique. But this conversation had started because of Dare, so he figured that's where Logan was going with this.
"You seen anymore pyrokinetics?" Logan answered Duke's question with one of his own.
"There's that guy Pyro." Duke had maybe seen a thing on him once. Not a good thing. And he'd come away from it with the impression that Pyro was some kind of raging asshole.
"He can control the flames. He can't call them. Needs a source." Logan informed him.
"The Human Torch?"
"Kid got his powers from an accident in space." For a moment, Logan stopped and smiled. There was a deep sense of satisfaction there and his smile ended up being kind of frightening. Duke didn't think he wanted to know what the man was thinking about. "Dare was born with hers. She doesn't need a source, either. She calls the flames and they come. And she's strong. No one's been able to get a good reading on her powers. People take notice of that kind of thing. Not that Dare showboats. She tries to keep it in the background. But sometimes, she can't help it. "
Duke recalled the way she'd nearly brought Doom's castle down on their heads without really seeming to try. "So, when she shows off, people sit up and take notice."
"Happens with all the strong ones, not just her. But because she's the only true pyrokinetic on the planet, that makes her a target. People wanna use her because of her powers. Or they want to hurt her because of who she surrounds herself with," Logan told him. Duke frowned at that.
"You're saying someone took her because of you," he finally said.
"Yep. And he hurt her. Bad. We almost didn't get her back. We almost lost Remy because of him. Both of `em came back fucked up. And that same son of a bitch killed her."
"How is she still here?"
"That part is complicated. She got sent back by Mephisto. But she didn't remember herself. Or us. And she kind of went on a destructive rampage. That ended in her hurting her family before she remembered who and what she was. Then she called down the flames and destroyed herself. Strange brought her back."
"Is that kind of shit normal?"
Logan shrugged a shoulder. "It ain't as normal as you think it is. But it does happen." His gaze once more turned toward the desert. "And now... Sinister's got her."
"You said he was bad news."
Logan nodded. The two of them fell silent while Duke mulled over what he'd learned. This was all nothing he'd ever heard before. The media tended to focus on shit they didn't need to focus on. Things like how this hero or that hero had destroyed this part of the city or had leveled that town while fighting the villain. They never talked about what the villain had done. And they never talked about the toll being a hero had on the heroes.
"So she and all the others, your friends, they're going to suffer because he's some kind of megalomaniac?"
"That's the way it usually goes. All of `em are strong. But that strength only goes so far. Whatever Sinister puts `em through, they're gonna need help when they get back. Problem is, there's no telling what he's doin' to them."
Logan fell silent again. Duke allowed him his thoughts. He had no doubt that the other man was thinking about Dare. Logan had told him a lot. He hadn't really answered Duke's initial question. But he'd given more information than he'd expected. Duke had a feeling that Logan wasn't good with this kind of thing, that he was lost in his emotions. Who was going to listen to him and help him deal with the aftermath of all this. Because Duke was getting the feeling that Logan would put all of his personal shit aside to deal with everyone else's.
"You love her a whole fucking lot," Duke said softly.
"I do," Logan agreed, though the statement hadn't needed an answer. The man clenched his jaw and stared out at the sand for a while. "Look, it ain't easy livin' with me. I'm old and I'm set in my ways. Dare... pretends that shit don't bother her. She just keeps coming back to me even though I don't think I deserve that from her."
"Well, she loves you. Right?"
He smiled at that. A genuine smile. "She does. And I don't think I deserve that, either. There's gotta be other people out there that make her happier than I do. I'm not especially emotional. And I know there've been times where I didn't treat her the way she deserved." He paused there, swallowed hard. Duke was sure he was far more worried about that than he probably wanted to be. "If she comes back, I gotta make that up to her. Because she's the sunshine in my day. I love her moods, even her bitchy ones, and how she ain't afraid to mouth off at me. I love that she loves our kids with her whole being, even though I know she thinks she shouldn't be a mother. That she ain't a good mother. And I love how she fights her way back from everything. I ain't made her life any easier, but she's never called me on my shit. She just finds a way to get back at me in the Danger Room."
"She has gotten quite good at making your life difficult," Storm said as she joined them.
The comment put a smile on Logan's face. "She's been good at that since the beginning."
"Indeed she has," the woman agreed. The smile that had been there when she'd joined them faded quickly. Logan sat up straighter in his seat. "I have heard from Charles. He wants us to return to the mansion. Roxxy was injured in the fight with the horsemen and passed out sometime yesterday. Henry has ruled it poison, but has not been able to determine the type of poison. Mr. Fantastic is consulting in an effort to save her. Charles does not think we should linger here in case the horsemen return. He is sending someone with some equipment that will monitor the area for portals."
"I ain't leaving, `Ro," Logan replied. Duke could plainly hear the stubbornness in the man's voice.
"Logan," she sighed. "I know you want to remain here for Dare. But there is no proof that the portal will open up here again." Duke heard the unspoken part. The 'if it even opens up again' part that no one wanted to say. Logan's jaw clenched and his gaze returned to the desert scene before them. "Your children need you."
That statement saw him waver. Duke saw the indecision in the man's eyes. He was obviously torn between his love for Dare and his love for their kids. But his jaw clenched down even further and the blue of his eyes became cold and hard.
Ororo sighed. "Very well, I will tell Charles of your decision."
~*~
Henry took his glasses off to rub at his eyes. They felt gritty and dry, and they burned after he'd been looking at his computer screen for more than thirty minutes. Logic said he needed to take a break to give his eyes, and his brain, a much needed rest. But there was no time for such things. Rosemary's health was at stake.
The thought of her saw him glancing over to check the monitor to his left. Much of the screen was devoted to the image the camera fed him. Rosemary was still unconscious, the sheen of sweat on her brow visible even in the dim lighting of the infirmary. He didn't like that she was so very still and pale. The right side of the screen was a column of information being supplied by the machines to which she was connected. Her heart rate was slow, but it hadn't changed since he'd last looked at it. Respiration was a little faster than he liked, but there was little he could do to change that until he and Reed discovered the type of poison attacking her.
Speaking of Reed... Henry glanced toward the other side of his lab, where the other man occupied a chair at the table containing various pieces of equipment. He looked as caught up in his research as he had been earlier. Henry counted himself lucky that Reed was there to help him.
After Rosemary had collapsed, Reed had shown him through to a room that looked like a make-shift infirmary. It had a few pieces of equipment, but nothing that Henry though would help with the current situation. And so he'd proposed taking Roxxy to the institute. Henry's infirmary was better supplied and his lab contained enough pieces of equipment to seek out the source of the poison coursing through Rosemary's body.
Reed had agreed, only partially admitting that his labs would be inadequate for their needs. They had flown her back in the Fantasticar, leaving the car they'd driven into the city for another time. Once they'd settled Rosemary into a bed in the infirmary, Henry had shown Reed to his labs and given him a place to set up the few pieces of equipment he'd brought with him. Then the two of them had gotten down to the business of trying to figure out what the hell was trying to kill Rosemary.
Henry stood, his neck, spine, and shoulders stiff with having sat in the same position for... His eyes sought out the clock and he frowned. Hours. He'd been sitting at his terminal, pouring over the minute bits of information he had, for hours. No wonder he was stiff. Stretching, Henry turned to find Reed was engrossed in whatever slide he had on the microscope before him. Even while he stared through the ocular lens, one hand resting on the adjustment knob, his free hand held a pen and scribbled on the notepad laid out beside the microscope. It was slightly disturbing because that meant his left arm was stretched around behind the equipment so that his fingers could rest on the knob.
Shaking his head, Henry reminded himself he should be used to such things.
He retook his seat, spending a moment or two going over his notes to see if he needed to go check in on Rosemary. He was doing so every four hours, assuming her vitals remained steady. After running through several antitoxins in an effort to control the effects of whatever poison had been delivered into her system, he'd found one that helped slow the spread of said poison. It was, however, ineffective at battling whatever it was that ravaged its way through her system. He considered mentioning to Reed that he was going to check on Rosemary, but decided it wasn't important. He doubted Reed with care or notice.
It was a short walk from his lab to the infirmary. Across the room, out the door, across the hall, through the door, then to her bed. She was still resting, which was just as well. Sleep would help with the battle against the poison. That was a good thing. And he was glad to see that she was resting as comfortably as possible. But there was a part of him, the man who had married such an intelligent and lovely woman, that wished she would wake. He needed to see her eyes. Needed to hear her voice. Needed to know she was still there. Even if for a only a moment or two.
The chair he'd pulled up next to the bed upon his last visit was there, so he settled himself into it once more. Her hand was limp in his. He wanted desperately to feel her fingers curl around his own. "I find myself lost without your presence at my side, Rosemary," he said softly. He wasn't sure she would hear him. Oh, he knew speaking to an unconscious loved one was highly recommended by the medical community. And he was sure, on some level, Rosemary would hear his words. But that didn't stop him from wondering if they would spark recognition in her brain. "I need you to get well. Everything is a mess without you."
"Henry?" Her voice was a bare sliver of its former depth and dimension. It was raspy and paper-thin. She'd pried her eyelids apart just enough that he could see the gold of her eyes. He could also see the fever burning in them.
"Shh, Rosemary. Go back to sleep," he urged, his fingers closing gently around hers. She offered him a brief smile.
"Cant. Have to go take care of the children," she said. It looked like she tried to shift and sit up, but she had no energy to do so.
"That's alright. I'll take care of them today. You need to rest. You're not feeling well," he told her, his free hand reaching up to press her back against the bed even though she hadn't really moved. She heaved a sigh and went limp under his touch.
"I do feel like I was hit by a train," she whispered. Her eyes were already closing.
"Just rest, my dear." His hand lifted to brush lightly at her forehead. Her bangs were wet with sweat and clung to her skin so that he had to work to get them to move. A bowl sat at her bedside, filled with what had once been ice water. The liquid wasn't quite room temperature, but it was still cool enough. Henry dipped a washcloth into the water, then squeezed as much extra liquid from it as he could. After folding it in half, and half again, he laid it across her brow in an attempt to bring down her temperature.
Henry drew in a breath before letting it out on a sigh. He rose from the chair, leaned over the bed, and pressed a quick kiss against her lips. "You must rest, Rosemary. You have to get well and come back to me."
Reed was still bent over the microscope when Henry returned to the lab. He took his seat and gave his attention over to the computer screen. There had to be something in the results before him that he'd missed. He was going to find it. He'd just gotten back to it when the door behind him opened to announce a visitor.
Henry turned and found Jean standing just inside the doorway. There was a tray in her hands that held two covered plates and two bottles of water. There was also a look on her face that told him she was trying to hide her feelings. No doubt she was as worried as everyone else. She offered him a broad smile meant to cover her insecurities, then moved further into the room. "I thought you could use a meal. Both of you. I know how you get when you're working, Henry."
"Alas. I do have something of a reputation," Henry responded, a chagrinned look on his face. He watched as Jean's eyes moved to the monitor showing the video feed of Rosemary. She stared at the screen for longer than was probably necessary. He took that to mean she was working up the courage to speak.
"How is Roxxy?" she asked. A distraction until she could voice the question she really wanted to ask. Henry offered her a smile, waving her with one hand toward a table upon which she could leave the tray.
"She's resting as comfortably as she possibly can. Sadly, there has been no change to her condition," he informed her.
Jean nodded. "At least she isn't getting any worse."
"Something for which I am grateful," he responded. Henry crossed the room to Reed and tapped his shoulder. "Reed. Jean has brought food and drinks. Perhaps a small break is in order."
It took a moment for the words to sink in. Eventually, Reed lifted his head and blinked at Henry. Next, his attention slid toward Jean, who offered him a smile. Finally, he looked toward the tray. He stood, unfolding his long form from the chair, and stretched the kinks from his joints. "A small break is definitely in order. Thank you, Jean."
"You're welcome," she returned. Reed stretched both arms toward the other side of the room to pick a plate and a bottle of water. When he'd brought his prizes to his side, he set them on the work table and lifted the lid from the plate. Henry watched absently as he picked up the sandwich and took a bite, then turned back to the microscope.
"Is something bothering you, Jean?" Henry asked.
"Not really." She shook her head, but he could tell that she wasn't exactly telling the truth. "I thought I would let you know that Logan is going to stay in Death Valley. He's determined to wait there to see if another portal opens. He thinks he can charge in and rescue everyone."
Henry chuckled at that. Softly. "If anyone could do it, it would be Logan."
"The professor doesn't believe they'll open a portal there again. But he refuses to leave. Apparently, there's a group of young mutants with him. Rumor is they're part of a team Dare put together."
"Ah," Henry smiled. "Duke and his friends."
"You know them?" she asked, curious.
"I met them one time. When Dare rescued Haley from Doom. They were there." Henry told her. "They're very nice young people. And they were, according to both Haley and Dare, instrumental in helping retrieve her from Doom's castle."
Jean gave his words thought, then nodded her head. "Logan can probably use the company. Ororo is on her way back today. The professor sent a piece of equipment out to monitor the area of the desert where the portal opened. Forge is going to deliver it and bring Ororo back with him."
"Is it wise to leave Logan in the desert like that?"
"Probably not. But you know how he is," she replied. "I don't think its a bad idea. In case Apocalypse decides to send his horsemen back. Logan might be able to slow them down. From what I've heard, it was extremely hard to counter their powers and their attacks. Piotr told the professor that they all felt very familiar."
"I have to believe that Apocalypse will remain hidden. It seems his objective was achieved when members of Purple Team were taken. Sinister would not have released all of his captives otherwise."
Jean fell silent and glanced at the monitor showing Roxxy's image again. When she returned her gaze to his face. he could see the worry in her eyes. "Do you think he'll let them go, Henry? Will Scott come home?"
Henry reached out with one hand and patted her arm softly. "Jean, I have absolutely no doubt that Scott will come home to us. As will everyone else." She stared at him a moment or two before finding a faint smile. Then she nodded her head and turned to leave the room. No doubt she was trying hard not to cry in front of anyone. Henry quite understood that feeling.
He'd just lifted the cover off his plate and picked up the sandwich when Reed broke the silence. "Henry! Come look. I think I've found it!" His voice was filled with a rush of excitement. Henry set his sandwich down and hurried over to see what it was Reed had found.
Hope blossomed and warmed his chest. Hang on, Rosemary. Please. Hang on.
~*~
He stood in the corner and stared around the room. It had once been a classroom. But, given the insane amount of kids members of Purple Team had produced, the professor had turned it into a kind of daycare for all of them. The thing had been sectioned off into areas geared toward a block of ages. The infants and toddlers had one corner. There were cribs and mats for naps. Colorful blocks and soft books. Stuffed animals and a host of other toys for them to play with. Another corner was designated for kids between the ages of three and five. Books, building blocks, cars and trucks, dolls of all kinds, and one of those make believe grocery store check out things. The third corner was for the kids who were just hitting school age. From about six to ten. On top of the toys, there were school books and work books that they could use to get ahead in their lessons. The last corner was for any of the kids over the age of ten. There were a couple of computers, books geared for older kids, school books, and some board games.
He watched his nieces and nephew each played in their respective corners. He did find it odd that Dee and Tam were there. They should have been in class. Hell, he was supposed to be in class, but he'd been asked to come down here and help. He found it funny that he'd been needed to help look after all the rugrats.
His attention turned to the three adults in the room. They were an odd choice, but it wasn't his place to question such decisions. It was his place to wonder just what the fuck was going on here.
Herr Wagner was playing a game of chase with Cameron and Mckenna. The twins were giggling loudly, their cheeks bright red with their joy and excitement. Of course, that might have had something to do with the fact that they were chasing the man's tail in circles. He always allowed them to get just close enough to almost grab it, then he'd flick it away and send them into peals of childish laughter before the whole thing would start all over again. Elizabeth watched the game while she almost savagely slammed one block on top of another. She was building something and he got the idea the only reason why was so she could knock it down again. Nicky was crooning nonsense to a babydoll and Jason was smashing toy cars into one another.
And people kept trying to say Dare's kids would grow up to be the more violent ones.
There were a lot of kids in the next group. Liam and Brenna were playing with some actions figures. From what he could see, they were pretending to be heroes like their parents. Brock, Nickolas, and Matthew had their noses buried in books. Said books were far thicker than anything kept in that corner, suggesting they'd brought their own with them. Alexia was playing with a group of dolls and it looked like the dolls were in the middle of a heated argument. Her brother, Warren, was playing a card game with Johnathan, Jean-Paul, and Brian. He was pretty sure, no matter what the card game, that the LeBeau twins would beat the pants off the others. Jessalyn, Ashiling, and Narcissa looked like they were doing some school work. The adult in charge of that corner was Mr. Drake, who looked like he was going from group to group and offering advice or simply observing.
Which left Dee and Tam, who were plugged into a computer each. A discrete glance showed him that they were doing school work.
He was just about to go ask one of the adults what the hell was going on, but the door opened and caught his attention. Rogue let herself into the room. He watched as both Mr. Drake and Herr Wagner looked up at her with a question in their eyes. She shook her head and started motioning toward the kids. He saw Mr. Drake move through the group again, this time he was talking to them quietly. Almost immediately, the kids began returning their toys to their proper places, then they wanted over to the center of the room where Rogue stood waiting. Not long after, Herr Wagner brought the little ones over with him.
He moved toward Dee and Tam and tapped them on the shoulders.
"Uncle Tristan?" Dee asked, blinking up at him in confusion.
"Something's going on," he motioned toward the center of the room.
"It doesn't look like its anything good," Tam said softly. He and Dee left their computers and moved over to stand behind the gaggle of children. Tristan followed after them, taking up position behind Deirdre and Tamlyn. He had a feeling that Tam had the right of it. Nothing good was happening here.
"Now, I know y'all are wonderin' what's going on here," Rogue began. The older kids nodded. The younger ones mimicked their older siblings. "I've got somethin' important to tell ya, so I need y'all to pay close attention. Okay?"
"Okay!" the kids chorused. He watched as Dee shifted nervously from one foot to the other. Tam reached out and laid a hand on her arm, a silent show of support.
"So, your mommies and daddies all do important work for Professor Xavier. Y'all know that, right?" When she paused, quite a few heads nodded in response. Tristan wasn't certain all of them knew exactly what that meant. But Rogue was doing her best to keep it simple for the littlest kids in the group. "Well, your mommies and daddies are away right now.The professor had some really important work for them to do. He doesn't know how long its going to take them. That's why y'all are here today."
There was silence for a short time while the older kids processed everything. Tristan saw a couple of them looking around the room. He didn't know what they were looking for and he didn't know if they found it. "Me and Bobby and Kurt are going to watch over you until your parents come home. Which means we get to have a sleep over!"
The younger girls cheered at that. The boys sighed heavily and rolled their eyes. "We're gonna put down sleeping bags right here so we can all sleep together. Before bed, y'all get to watch a movie of your choice and there'll even be popcorn and drinks for everyone.What do y'all think of that?"
"Movie!" Elizabeth called out. Several of the children took up the chant, filling the room with a repetitive cry of 'movie' at the top of their little lungs. Tristan could feel the headache coming on. And he could smell the bullshit a mile away.
"I need a volunteer to help me find sleeping bags for everyone." That was Herr Wagner.
"I'll go with you," Tristan offered.
"Us, too," Tam replied. Herr Wagner looked between the three of them before giving a faint nod in assent. He headed for the door, Tristan, Tam, and Dee bringing up the rear.
Tristan waited until they'd found the supply room and were busy grabbing the sleeping bags before he turned to face the other man. He felt Dee and Tam do the same, all three of them pinning their teacher with their stares. Herr Wagner's movements came to a halt when he saw them looking at him.
"Tristan? Was ist es?" he asked. There was a note of caution in his voice, suggesting he might have a feeling he knew what was going on.
"What the hell was all that bullshit back there?" Tristan turned to look at Deirdre. She had her arms crossed over her chest and the expression on her face was so very much like his sisters. He knew he should say something to her about her use of language. But he didn't. Because he knew it was a lost cause.
Herr Wagner blinked at her a moment, as if he was trying to figure out what she was talking about. Tristan knew it for the ruse it was. "There's something hinky going on," he said. People have been moving around the whole building like ants after having their hill kicked over. My sister has been gone for almost twenty-four hours. Logan has been gone for two days. I haven't seen any one from my sister's team. I haven't seen Gambit. I haven't seen Angel. I haven't seen Cannonball. And there's no missing the fact that Mr. "Stick up his ass" Summers is missing. So what the hell is going on?"
"Yeah. What's going on. Dad has been missing for two days. Mom has been missing for a day. It isn't like them to be gone for more than a day without leaving a note or calling or something. What gives?" Tamlyn gave him a look that said he should come clean right the fuck now.
"I do not believe it is my place to say," Herr Wagner began.
"Whose place would it be to say? Rogue?" Tristan questioned. "Mr. Drake? Do I need to go to the professor and ask him? We deserve the right to know."
"Please, Mr. Wagner," Dee pleaded, her voice soft and her eyes large. Tristan bit back the urge to snort. Someone had been watching her mother a little too much. He'd seen his sister turn that look on Logan more than once. "I just want to know what happened to my mum and da."
He swore, if her lower lip quivered, he was going to break into applause.
"I should not tell. But you deserve to know," he sighed. Tristan watched as his tail twitched back and forth in a slashing motion that said louder than any words that he was not happy. "Do you know how Apocalypse is?"
Tristan nodded. He'd found information on Apocalypse in the school's computers. Dee and Tam nodded, too. It was likely they'd seen the same information. "He unleashed his horsemen two days ago. His horsemen took Red Team. Then Blue Team. Then they took the New Mutants. The professor sent Purple Team to investigate."
"Are you saying Apocalypse has our moms?" Tamlyn questioned.
"No. His horsemen took Purple Team captive for Mr. Sinister. The only one who was saved that was Roxxy, who is very ill after her battle with the horsemen. Mr. Sinister released the men he held, with exception of four."
"So this Sinister guy has my mom. And Dee's mom," Tam said.
"He also has your father, Tamlyn. Warren and Scott. And Sam Guthrie. He has eight of our people and we have no way of finding them. No way to rescue them. They were taken through a portal. After the men were returned, the portal closed and has not opened again. Your father waits in the desert for the portal to open again," Herr Wagner said, his gaze locked on Dee. "We do not know where they are and we do not know when they will come back."
"If they'll come back," Tam supplied.
"Well, fuck," Tristan said.
Chapter Four: Confessions
Fandom: the Marvel universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic violence, language, sex, dark themes, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. Haley belongs to
dazzledfirestar Morgan belongs toginevra Roxxy belongs tonanaeanaven Jehnna belongs to silverfox_chan and Dare belongs to me. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from dazzledfirestar . Author's Notes: this is almost entirely Daz's fault. okay. so it really isn't. its actually almost 100% my fault. Daz just did a whole lot of encouraging. this fic is going to be kind of dark, so please keep that in mind while reading.
Among the Strong - the index
The sky was turning shades of yellows and oranges, the blue lightening up from the black of night as the sun started cresting the horizon. Duke rubbed sleep out of his eyes and blinked at the image before him. Logan was sitting in one of the cockpit chairs in front of the console. His gaze was on the sands of the desert outside the windows. It looked like he was cloaked in sadness. It wasn't so much on his face as it was in the way he held himself. Like some of the life had gone out of him. Duke frowned at that a moment.
"`Sup?" he asked by way of announcing his presence.
Logan didn't look away from the windows. "Nothing's changed all night." Exhaustion had made a home in his voice. Duke frowned.
"You've been up all night?"
The other man shrugged, but didn't turn away from the view outside the plane. For a moment, it seemed like he wasn't going to say anything more but there was a sudden, deep sigh and the man's shoulders slumped just a little more. "I don't sleep much most nights. When Dare's gone and I don't know where she is... " Logan paused and rubbed his face in his hands. The chair swiveled to face him and Duke could see that his companion looked lost. Maybe even deflated. "I don't sleep when she ain't by my side."
That was... a surprisingly blunt admission of feelings without actually using the name of those feelings. "Matters got made worse because she ain't the only one that got grabbed. Good friends got taken along with her. People I've known for a long time. That son of a bitch set me and the other free, but he kept Scott. He kept Remy. He kept Warren. And he kept Sam. Scott an' Remy? They got an idea what they're up against. Sam doesn't. And the girls?"
Duke blinked at the last, because he definitely heard fear in those three words.
"I've been involved in Purple Team since the beginning. I've seen `em grow up. Haley is a good leader. A strong leader. She's a natural at it. Jehnna was shy when she first joined the team. Didn't know up from down most days. But she's blossomed into a confident young woman. And her control is damn near perfect. Most people didn't think Morgan and her spook would work on a team. Too erratic. Not enough discipline. They showed everyone wrong. And Dare..." His voice trailed off and he swiveled the chair to face forward once more. "She's the unpredictable one. I watched her grow from a scared, insecure girl to a woman who's confident in her abilities. She's powerful. She..."
Whatever Logan had meant to say was choked off on a wave of emotion. Duke stayed quiet and turned his attention to the desert. The sun was spreading its fingers across the sand, painting the area with gilded light and giving the whole area a raw, unfinished look. It was beautiful to look at. Duke had only ever seen sunrises in the city. Tall buildings meant he missed a lot of it.
He held his silence for a while. Logan obviously needed a moment. Duke got the impression that this was not a normal occurrence for him. He didn't come across as a touchy-feely kind of guy. There was obviously too much going on for him to process with any ease, though. Duke crossed the cabin until he could take the seat next to Logan. The man didn't look at him, but he got the attention Logan was paying attention all the same. Duke returned his gaze to their surroundings, taking a moment to find the beauty in the way the desert went from a soft, velvety purple to a glowing old. "I'd like to ask you a question. You don't have to answer it if you don't want to, but... How did you and she end up together? The two of you are a really strange couple. I mean, she's..."
His words trailed off and the sudden silence was filled by a soft snort. "She's so much younger than I am?" Logan asked. There might have been something in his voice, but Duke shook his head.
"Nah. That's not what I'm saying. Age is just a number after a certain point." Duke frowned. He wasn't always great with words and he didn't want to say anything to upset the other man. But curiosity was killing him and he just had to know. "This is gonna sound weird. And I apologize for that. But I don't get long-term, committed relationship vibes off either one of you. Dare seems more like a free spirit than anything. And you... You're a cranky fuck. You both live really fucked up lives." Duke motioned to the desert with one hand. "Its gotta be hard to maintain a solid relationship under circumstances like that. And yet, you're sitting here in the desert, waiting for her to come back. Why?"
Logan glanced at him, blue eyes serious. Duke thought maybe he saw memories lurking in them. "I love her. If I could find the portal and cross through again, I'd do it just to have her back. Every time someone takes her from me, I worry that it'll be the last time."
Duke blinked. "Every time someone takes her? What does that even mean?"
Logan settled a look on him that froze Duke where he stood. It wasn't a particularly bad look. But it was one that told Duke he was about to get schooled and it wasn't going to be pleasant. "You got a lot of misconceptions about what it means to be an X-Man, kid," Logan told him. Duke frowned at that, but made a motion with his hand that said Logan should go on. "Lot of people on the outside think its a big deal. They think its just a title. It is a big deal. Its damn hard to make a team. You gotta be damn good at what you do. And that puts a target on your back. How many mutants have you seen out there who have the powers Purple Team has?"
"None?" Duke made it more a question than a statement. Logan nodded his head.
"When you're unique even among a group of people who are all unique, people stand up and take notice. Most people tend to think its a great thing to be like that, to be so different. But some people see those unique people and it makes them a target. Jealousy. Hatred. All that shit."
"And Dare's unique?" Duke asked it, even though he was pretty sure he knew the answer. Not that the powers he'd seen from any of the members of Purple Team weren't unique. But this conversation had started because of Dare, so he figured that's where Logan was going with this.
"You seen anymore pyrokinetics?" Logan answered Duke's question with one of his own.
"There's that guy Pyro." Duke had maybe seen a thing on him once. Not a good thing. And he'd come away from it with the impression that Pyro was some kind of raging asshole.
"He can control the flames. He can't call them. Needs a source." Logan informed him.
"The Human Torch?"
"Kid got his powers from an accident in space." For a moment, Logan stopped and smiled. There was a deep sense of satisfaction there and his smile ended up being kind of frightening. Duke didn't think he wanted to know what the man was thinking about. "Dare was born with hers. She doesn't need a source, either. She calls the flames and they come. And she's strong. No one's been able to get a good reading on her powers. People take notice of that kind of thing. Not that Dare showboats. She tries to keep it in the background. But sometimes, she can't help it. "
Duke recalled the way she'd nearly brought Doom's castle down on their heads without really seeming to try. "So, when she shows off, people sit up and take notice."
"Happens with all the strong ones, not just her. But because she's the only true pyrokinetic on the planet, that makes her a target. People wanna use her because of her powers. Or they want to hurt her because of who she surrounds herself with," Logan told him. Duke frowned at that.
"You're saying someone took her because of you," he finally said.
"Yep. And he hurt her. Bad. We almost didn't get her back. We almost lost Remy because of him. Both of `em came back fucked up. And that same son of a bitch killed her."
"How is she still here?"
"That part is complicated. She got sent back by Mephisto. But she didn't remember herself. Or us. And she kind of went on a destructive rampage. That ended in her hurting her family before she remembered who and what she was. Then she called down the flames and destroyed herself. Strange brought her back."
"Is that kind of shit normal?"
Logan shrugged a shoulder. "It ain't as normal as you think it is. But it does happen." His gaze once more turned toward the desert. "And now... Sinister's got her."
"You said he was bad news."
Logan nodded. The two of them fell silent while Duke mulled over what he'd learned. This was all nothing he'd ever heard before. The media tended to focus on shit they didn't need to focus on. Things like how this hero or that hero had destroyed this part of the city or had leveled that town while fighting the villain. They never talked about what the villain had done. And they never talked about the toll being a hero had on the heroes.
"So she and all the others, your friends, they're going to suffer because he's some kind of megalomaniac?"
"That's the way it usually goes. All of `em are strong. But that strength only goes so far. Whatever Sinister puts `em through, they're gonna need help when they get back. Problem is, there's no telling what he's doin' to them."
Logan fell silent again. Duke allowed him his thoughts. He had no doubt that the other man was thinking about Dare. Logan had told him a lot. He hadn't really answered Duke's initial question. But he'd given more information than he'd expected. Duke had a feeling that Logan wasn't good with this kind of thing, that he was lost in his emotions. Who was going to listen to him and help him deal with the aftermath of all this. Because Duke was getting the feeling that Logan would put all of his personal shit aside to deal with everyone else's.
"You love her a whole fucking lot," Duke said softly.
"I do," Logan agreed, though the statement hadn't needed an answer. The man clenched his jaw and stared out at the sand for a while. "Look, it ain't easy livin' with me. I'm old and I'm set in my ways. Dare... pretends that shit don't bother her. She just keeps coming back to me even though I don't think I deserve that from her."
"Well, she loves you. Right?"
He smiled at that. A genuine smile. "She does. And I don't think I deserve that, either. There's gotta be other people out there that make her happier than I do. I'm not especially emotional. And I know there've been times where I didn't treat her the way she deserved." He paused there, swallowed hard. Duke was sure he was far more worried about that than he probably wanted to be. "If she comes back, I gotta make that up to her. Because she's the sunshine in my day. I love her moods, even her bitchy ones, and how she ain't afraid to mouth off at me. I love that she loves our kids with her whole being, even though I know she thinks she shouldn't be a mother. That she ain't a good mother. And I love how she fights her way back from everything. I ain't made her life any easier, but she's never called me on my shit. She just finds a way to get back at me in the Danger Room."
"She has gotten quite good at making your life difficult," Storm said as she joined them.
The comment put a smile on Logan's face. "She's been good at that since the beginning."
"Indeed she has," the woman agreed. The smile that had been there when she'd joined them faded quickly. Logan sat up straighter in his seat. "I have heard from Charles. He wants us to return to the mansion. Roxxy was injured in the fight with the horsemen and passed out sometime yesterday. Henry has ruled it poison, but has not been able to determine the type of poison. Mr. Fantastic is consulting in an effort to save her. Charles does not think we should linger here in case the horsemen return. He is sending someone with some equipment that will monitor the area for portals."
"I ain't leaving, `Ro," Logan replied. Duke could plainly hear the stubbornness in the man's voice.
"Logan," she sighed. "I know you want to remain here for Dare. But there is no proof that the portal will open up here again." Duke heard the unspoken part. The 'if it even opens up again' part that no one wanted to say. Logan's jaw clenched and his gaze returned to the desert scene before them. "Your children need you."
That statement saw him waver. Duke saw the indecision in the man's eyes. He was obviously torn between his love for Dare and his love for their kids. But his jaw clenched down even further and the blue of his eyes became cold and hard.
Ororo sighed. "Very well, I will tell Charles of your decision."
~*~
Henry took his glasses off to rub at his eyes. They felt gritty and dry, and they burned after he'd been looking at his computer screen for more than thirty minutes. Logic said he needed to take a break to give his eyes, and his brain, a much needed rest. But there was no time for such things. Rosemary's health was at stake.
The thought of her saw him glancing over to check the monitor to his left. Much of the screen was devoted to the image the camera fed him. Rosemary was still unconscious, the sheen of sweat on her brow visible even in the dim lighting of the infirmary. He didn't like that she was so very still and pale. The right side of the screen was a column of information being supplied by the machines to which she was connected. Her heart rate was slow, but it hadn't changed since he'd last looked at it. Respiration was a little faster than he liked, but there was little he could do to change that until he and Reed discovered the type of poison attacking her.
Speaking of Reed... Henry glanced toward the other side of his lab, where the other man occupied a chair at the table containing various pieces of equipment. He looked as caught up in his research as he had been earlier. Henry counted himself lucky that Reed was there to help him.
After Rosemary had collapsed, Reed had shown him through to a room that looked like a make-shift infirmary. It had a few pieces of equipment, but nothing that Henry though would help with the current situation. And so he'd proposed taking Roxxy to the institute. Henry's infirmary was better supplied and his lab contained enough pieces of equipment to seek out the source of the poison coursing through Rosemary's body.
Reed had agreed, only partially admitting that his labs would be inadequate for their needs. They had flown her back in the Fantasticar, leaving the car they'd driven into the city for another time. Once they'd settled Rosemary into a bed in the infirmary, Henry had shown Reed to his labs and given him a place to set up the few pieces of equipment he'd brought with him. Then the two of them had gotten down to the business of trying to figure out what the hell was trying to kill Rosemary.
Henry stood, his neck, spine, and shoulders stiff with having sat in the same position for... His eyes sought out the clock and he frowned. Hours. He'd been sitting at his terminal, pouring over the minute bits of information he had, for hours. No wonder he was stiff. Stretching, Henry turned to find Reed was engrossed in whatever slide he had on the microscope before him. Even while he stared through the ocular lens, one hand resting on the adjustment knob, his free hand held a pen and scribbled on the notepad laid out beside the microscope. It was slightly disturbing because that meant his left arm was stretched around behind the equipment so that his fingers could rest on the knob.
Shaking his head, Henry reminded himself he should be used to such things.
He retook his seat, spending a moment or two going over his notes to see if he needed to go check in on Rosemary. He was doing so every four hours, assuming her vitals remained steady. After running through several antitoxins in an effort to control the effects of whatever poison had been delivered into her system, he'd found one that helped slow the spread of said poison. It was, however, ineffective at battling whatever it was that ravaged its way through her system. He considered mentioning to Reed that he was going to check on Rosemary, but decided it wasn't important. He doubted Reed with care or notice.
It was a short walk from his lab to the infirmary. Across the room, out the door, across the hall, through the door, then to her bed. She was still resting, which was just as well. Sleep would help with the battle against the poison. That was a good thing. And he was glad to see that she was resting as comfortably as possible. But there was a part of him, the man who had married such an intelligent and lovely woman, that wished she would wake. He needed to see her eyes. Needed to hear her voice. Needed to know she was still there. Even if for a only a moment or two.
The chair he'd pulled up next to the bed upon his last visit was there, so he settled himself into it once more. Her hand was limp in his. He wanted desperately to feel her fingers curl around his own. "I find myself lost without your presence at my side, Rosemary," he said softly. He wasn't sure she would hear him. Oh, he knew speaking to an unconscious loved one was highly recommended by the medical community. And he was sure, on some level, Rosemary would hear his words. But that didn't stop him from wondering if they would spark recognition in her brain. "I need you to get well. Everything is a mess without you."
"Henry?" Her voice was a bare sliver of its former depth and dimension. It was raspy and paper-thin. She'd pried her eyelids apart just enough that he could see the gold of her eyes. He could also see the fever burning in them.
"Shh, Rosemary. Go back to sleep," he urged, his fingers closing gently around hers. She offered him a brief smile.
"Cant. Have to go take care of the children," she said. It looked like she tried to shift and sit up, but she had no energy to do so.
"That's alright. I'll take care of them today. You need to rest. You're not feeling well," he told her, his free hand reaching up to press her back against the bed even though she hadn't really moved. She heaved a sigh and went limp under his touch.
"I do feel like I was hit by a train," she whispered. Her eyes were already closing.
"Just rest, my dear." His hand lifted to brush lightly at her forehead. Her bangs were wet with sweat and clung to her skin so that he had to work to get them to move. A bowl sat at her bedside, filled with what had once been ice water. The liquid wasn't quite room temperature, but it was still cool enough. Henry dipped a washcloth into the water, then squeezed as much extra liquid from it as he could. After folding it in half, and half again, he laid it across her brow in an attempt to bring down her temperature.
Henry drew in a breath before letting it out on a sigh. He rose from the chair, leaned over the bed, and pressed a quick kiss against her lips. "You must rest, Rosemary. You have to get well and come back to me."
Reed was still bent over the microscope when Henry returned to the lab. He took his seat and gave his attention over to the computer screen. There had to be something in the results before him that he'd missed. He was going to find it. He'd just gotten back to it when the door behind him opened to announce a visitor.
Henry turned and found Jean standing just inside the doorway. There was a tray in her hands that held two covered plates and two bottles of water. There was also a look on her face that told him she was trying to hide her feelings. No doubt she was as worried as everyone else. She offered him a broad smile meant to cover her insecurities, then moved further into the room. "I thought you could use a meal. Both of you. I know how you get when you're working, Henry."
"Alas. I do have something of a reputation," Henry responded, a chagrinned look on his face. He watched as Jean's eyes moved to the monitor showing the video feed of Rosemary. She stared at the screen for longer than was probably necessary. He took that to mean she was working up the courage to speak.
"How is Roxxy?" she asked. A distraction until she could voice the question she really wanted to ask. Henry offered her a smile, waving her with one hand toward a table upon which she could leave the tray.
"She's resting as comfortably as she possibly can. Sadly, there has been no change to her condition," he informed her.
Jean nodded. "At least she isn't getting any worse."
"Something for which I am grateful," he responded. Henry crossed the room to Reed and tapped his shoulder. "Reed. Jean has brought food and drinks. Perhaps a small break is in order."
It took a moment for the words to sink in. Eventually, Reed lifted his head and blinked at Henry. Next, his attention slid toward Jean, who offered him a smile. Finally, he looked toward the tray. He stood, unfolding his long form from the chair, and stretched the kinks from his joints. "A small break is definitely in order. Thank you, Jean."
"You're welcome," she returned. Reed stretched both arms toward the other side of the room to pick a plate and a bottle of water. When he'd brought his prizes to his side, he set them on the work table and lifted the lid from the plate. Henry watched absently as he picked up the sandwich and took a bite, then turned back to the microscope.
"Is something bothering you, Jean?" Henry asked.
"Not really." She shook her head, but he could tell that she wasn't exactly telling the truth. "I thought I would let you know that Logan is going to stay in Death Valley. He's determined to wait there to see if another portal opens. He thinks he can charge in and rescue everyone."
Henry chuckled at that. Softly. "If anyone could do it, it would be Logan."
"The professor doesn't believe they'll open a portal there again. But he refuses to leave. Apparently, there's a group of young mutants with him. Rumor is they're part of a team Dare put together."
"Ah," Henry smiled. "Duke and his friends."
"You know them?" she asked, curious.
"I met them one time. When Dare rescued Haley from Doom. They were there." Henry told her. "They're very nice young people. And they were, according to both Haley and Dare, instrumental in helping retrieve her from Doom's castle."
Jean gave his words thought, then nodded her head. "Logan can probably use the company. Ororo is on her way back today. The professor sent a piece of equipment out to monitor the area of the desert where the portal opened. Forge is going to deliver it and bring Ororo back with him."
"Is it wise to leave Logan in the desert like that?"
"Probably not. But you know how he is," she replied. "I don't think its a bad idea. In case Apocalypse decides to send his horsemen back. Logan might be able to slow them down. From what I've heard, it was extremely hard to counter their powers and their attacks. Piotr told the professor that they all felt very familiar."
"I have to believe that Apocalypse will remain hidden. It seems his objective was achieved when members of Purple Team were taken. Sinister would not have released all of his captives otherwise."
Jean fell silent and glanced at the monitor showing Roxxy's image again. When she returned her gaze to his face. he could see the worry in her eyes. "Do you think he'll let them go, Henry? Will Scott come home?"
Henry reached out with one hand and patted her arm softly. "Jean, I have absolutely no doubt that Scott will come home to us. As will everyone else." She stared at him a moment or two before finding a faint smile. Then she nodded her head and turned to leave the room. No doubt she was trying hard not to cry in front of anyone. Henry quite understood that feeling.
He'd just lifted the cover off his plate and picked up the sandwich when Reed broke the silence. "Henry! Come look. I think I've found it!" His voice was filled with a rush of excitement. Henry set his sandwich down and hurried over to see what it was Reed had found.
Hope blossomed and warmed his chest. Hang on, Rosemary. Please. Hang on.
~*~
He stood in the corner and stared around the room. It had once been a classroom. But, given the insane amount of kids members of Purple Team had produced, the professor had turned it into a kind of daycare for all of them. The thing had been sectioned off into areas geared toward a block of ages. The infants and toddlers had one corner. There were cribs and mats for naps. Colorful blocks and soft books. Stuffed animals and a host of other toys for them to play with. Another corner was designated for kids between the ages of three and five. Books, building blocks, cars and trucks, dolls of all kinds, and one of those make believe grocery store check out things. The third corner was for the kids who were just hitting school age. From about six to ten. On top of the toys, there were school books and work books that they could use to get ahead in their lessons. The last corner was for any of the kids over the age of ten. There were a couple of computers, books geared for older kids, school books, and some board games.
He watched his nieces and nephew each played in their respective corners. He did find it odd that Dee and Tam were there. They should have been in class. Hell, he was supposed to be in class, but he'd been asked to come down here and help. He found it funny that he'd been needed to help look after all the rugrats.
His attention turned to the three adults in the room. They were an odd choice, but it wasn't his place to question such decisions. It was his place to wonder just what the fuck was going on here.
Herr Wagner was playing a game of chase with Cameron and Mckenna. The twins were giggling loudly, their cheeks bright red with their joy and excitement. Of course, that might have had something to do with the fact that they were chasing the man's tail in circles. He always allowed them to get just close enough to almost grab it, then he'd flick it away and send them into peals of childish laughter before the whole thing would start all over again. Elizabeth watched the game while she almost savagely slammed one block on top of another. She was building something and he got the idea the only reason why was so she could knock it down again. Nicky was crooning nonsense to a babydoll and Jason was smashing toy cars into one another.
And people kept trying to say Dare's kids would grow up to be the more violent ones.
There were a lot of kids in the next group. Liam and Brenna were playing with some actions figures. From what he could see, they were pretending to be heroes like their parents. Brock, Nickolas, and Matthew had their noses buried in books. Said books were far thicker than anything kept in that corner, suggesting they'd brought their own with them. Alexia was playing with a group of dolls and it looked like the dolls were in the middle of a heated argument. Her brother, Warren, was playing a card game with Johnathan, Jean-Paul, and Brian. He was pretty sure, no matter what the card game, that the LeBeau twins would beat the pants off the others. Jessalyn, Ashiling, and Narcissa looked like they were doing some school work. The adult in charge of that corner was Mr. Drake, who looked like he was going from group to group and offering advice or simply observing.
Which left Dee and Tam, who were plugged into a computer each. A discrete glance showed him that they were doing school work.
He was just about to go ask one of the adults what the hell was going on, but the door opened and caught his attention. Rogue let herself into the room. He watched as both Mr. Drake and Herr Wagner looked up at her with a question in their eyes. She shook her head and started motioning toward the kids. He saw Mr. Drake move through the group again, this time he was talking to them quietly. Almost immediately, the kids began returning their toys to their proper places, then they wanted over to the center of the room where Rogue stood waiting. Not long after, Herr Wagner brought the little ones over with him.
He moved toward Dee and Tam and tapped them on the shoulders.
"Uncle Tristan?" Dee asked, blinking up at him in confusion.
"Something's going on," he motioned toward the center of the room.
"It doesn't look like its anything good," Tam said softly. He and Dee left their computers and moved over to stand behind the gaggle of children. Tristan followed after them, taking up position behind Deirdre and Tamlyn. He had a feeling that Tam had the right of it. Nothing good was happening here.
"Now, I know y'all are wonderin' what's going on here," Rogue began. The older kids nodded. The younger ones mimicked their older siblings. "I've got somethin' important to tell ya, so I need y'all to pay close attention. Okay?"
"Okay!" the kids chorused. He watched as Dee shifted nervously from one foot to the other. Tam reached out and laid a hand on her arm, a silent show of support.
"So, your mommies and daddies all do important work for Professor Xavier. Y'all know that, right?" When she paused, quite a few heads nodded in response. Tristan wasn't certain all of them knew exactly what that meant. But Rogue was doing her best to keep it simple for the littlest kids in the group. "Well, your mommies and daddies are away right now.The professor had some really important work for them to do. He doesn't know how long its going to take them. That's why y'all are here today."
There was silence for a short time while the older kids processed everything. Tristan saw a couple of them looking around the room. He didn't know what they were looking for and he didn't know if they found it. "Me and Bobby and Kurt are going to watch over you until your parents come home. Which means we get to have a sleep over!"
The younger girls cheered at that. The boys sighed heavily and rolled their eyes. "We're gonna put down sleeping bags right here so we can all sleep together. Before bed, y'all get to watch a movie of your choice and there'll even be popcorn and drinks for everyone.What do y'all think of that?"
"Movie!" Elizabeth called out. Several of the children took up the chant, filling the room with a repetitive cry of 'movie' at the top of their little lungs. Tristan could feel the headache coming on. And he could smell the bullshit a mile away.
"I need a volunteer to help me find sleeping bags for everyone." That was Herr Wagner.
"I'll go with you," Tristan offered.
"Us, too," Tam replied. Herr Wagner looked between the three of them before giving a faint nod in assent. He headed for the door, Tristan, Tam, and Dee bringing up the rear.
Tristan waited until they'd found the supply room and were busy grabbing the sleeping bags before he turned to face the other man. He felt Dee and Tam do the same, all three of them pinning their teacher with their stares. Herr Wagner's movements came to a halt when he saw them looking at him.
"Tristan? Was ist es?" he asked. There was a note of caution in his voice, suggesting he might have a feeling he knew what was going on.
"What the hell was all that bullshit back there?" Tristan turned to look at Deirdre. She had her arms crossed over her chest and the expression on her face was so very much like his sisters. He knew he should say something to her about her use of language. But he didn't. Because he knew it was a lost cause.
Herr Wagner blinked at her a moment, as if he was trying to figure out what she was talking about. Tristan knew it for the ruse it was. "There's something hinky going on," he said. People have been moving around the whole building like ants after having their hill kicked over. My sister has been gone for almost twenty-four hours. Logan has been gone for two days. I haven't seen any one from my sister's team. I haven't seen Gambit. I haven't seen Angel. I haven't seen Cannonball. And there's no missing the fact that Mr. "Stick up his ass" Summers is missing. So what the hell is going on?"
"Yeah. What's going on. Dad has been missing for two days. Mom has been missing for a day. It isn't like them to be gone for more than a day without leaving a note or calling or something. What gives?" Tamlyn gave him a look that said he should come clean right the fuck now.
"I do not believe it is my place to say," Herr Wagner began.
"Whose place would it be to say? Rogue?" Tristan questioned. "Mr. Drake? Do I need to go to the professor and ask him? We deserve the right to know."
"Please, Mr. Wagner," Dee pleaded, her voice soft and her eyes large. Tristan bit back the urge to snort. Someone had been watching her mother a little too much. He'd seen his sister turn that look on Logan more than once. "I just want to know what happened to my mum and da."
He swore, if her lower lip quivered, he was going to break into applause.
"I should not tell. But you deserve to know," he sighed. Tristan watched as his tail twitched back and forth in a slashing motion that said louder than any words that he was not happy. "Do you know how Apocalypse is?"
Tristan nodded. He'd found information on Apocalypse in the school's computers. Dee and Tam nodded, too. It was likely they'd seen the same information. "He unleashed his horsemen two days ago. His horsemen took Red Team. Then Blue Team. Then they took the New Mutants. The professor sent Purple Team to investigate."
"Are you saying Apocalypse has our moms?" Tamlyn questioned.
"No. His horsemen took Purple Team captive for Mr. Sinister. The only one who was saved that was Roxxy, who is very ill after her battle with the horsemen. Mr. Sinister released the men he held, with exception of four."
"So this Sinister guy has my mom. And Dee's mom," Tam said.
"He also has your father, Tamlyn. Warren and Scott. And Sam Guthrie. He has eight of our people and we have no way of finding them. No way to rescue them. They were taken through a portal. After the men were returned, the portal closed and has not opened again. Your father waits in the desert for the portal to open again," Herr Wagner said, his gaze locked on Dee. "We do not know where they are and we do not know when they will come back."
"If they'll come back," Tam supplied.
"Well, fuck," Tristan said.