Among the Strong
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marysuevirusTitle: Among the Strong
Chapter Forty Nine: Setting the Record Straight
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
He was only mildly surprised by the person standing in the hallway outside his room when he opened the door. And that had less to do with his acute senses of smell and hearing and more to do with the events that had taken place earlier this morning. Jean looked fresh from the shower and slightly hesitant. As if she expected him to shut the door in his face. Or maybe she expected more trouble like she’d seen the night before. “Good morning, Logan,” Jean said, offering him a bright smile. His bullshit detector started going off at the sight of it.
“What do ya want, Jean?” he asked, voice gruff. It was likely he sounded unwelcoming because her smile faltered for a moment or two. Their last meeting hadn’t been a great one. Once Dare had left the Danger Room and her flames had died out, he and Scott had watched from the observation room as Jean slowly picked herself up off the floor. It had been plain to see she’d been rattled at having her ass handed to her in such an inelegant manner. She’d always been used to being pretty damned untouchable. It had also been plain to see that she’d been considering going after Dare for a rematch.
Logan might not have known what the fuck was going on with his girl, but he’d known without being told that Dare wouldn’t have hesitated to finish what she’d started if Jean had gone after her. And so he’d made the decision to send Slim after Dare. Scott had been confused by that, but Logan had been paying attention to the writing on the wall for a long time now. If Scott had stayed to talk to Jean, it would have been seen as an attempt at reconciliation. Both in Jean’s eyes and, when she heard about it, in Haley’s. Logan hadn’t been willing to add more fuel to that fire.
Beyond that, he’d sent Scott because he’d known that Dare would respond to Summers better than him. Whatever was going on with her now, and there was very definitely something going on with her, it wasn’t sure it was something he could help her with. Of course, he’d been doing a whole lot of sucking at helping her all these years. So maybe sending Summers after her had simply been cowardice on his part. Either way, he’d sent Scott after Dare and stayed behind to deal with Jean.
Which explained why she was on his doorstep now.
“I came because I wanted to thank you. And because I wanted to talk to you,” Jean replied evenly, a faint touch of confusion and pain coloring her words. He didn’t have to draw in a breath to know those emotions for the lie they were. Jean had gotten to be a damned good actress over the years.
He considered just shutting the door in her face. He was fairly sure he knew what she wanted to talk about. He was well aware that Summers had been sleeping out in the boat house ever since Jean had tried to break the link between Scott and Haley. The personal attack had been bad enough. But his baby girl getting caught in the crossfire had been the last straw. Jean didn’t like being alone. She didn’t like being set aside for someone else. She was too used to getting her way and was determined to have someone hanging off her every word again. And it looked to him like she’d decided to ignore their last conversation about Dare and make another attempt at wooing Logan back to her side.
He heaved a sigh and held the door open wider. “Fine. Come in.” Better he put her in her place now than let this shit go on any longer than necessary.
Jean flowed past him into the room, some subtle scent clinging to her skin. He suspected she’d applied it to make her smell more appealing. All he could smell on her was the bitterness and the jealousy. The anger. This meeting was only going to make it worse. He probably should have told her to move on. Letting her in no doubt gave her hope for whatever plans she’d come with. She had to learn somehow, though. He closed the door and turned to face her and found she’d taken the rocking chair Dare had gotten way back when she’d been pregnant with Dee. She’d spent many nights sitting in that chair, holding the tiny baby that had given her life new meaning and rocking her while she’d simply stared at the life she’d created and brought into the world.
Somehow, it felt like a slap in the face to see Jean sitting in Dare’s rocker. He kept his feelings from showing and moved to sit down on the edge of the bed. Her gaze followed his every movement almost hungrily. “You wanted to talk, Jean. Talk,” he told her.
His abrupt manner seemed to leave her confused. But only for a moment. A small, soft smile that had once enticed him curled up the corners of her mouth and a hint of joy lit her eyes. Had he been a lesser man, it would have tempted him. Had he been unaware of her lies and her underhanded tactics, he might have taken it as a genuine and honest expression. But she’d been showing her true colors for weeks now and he was confident he had her number.
“Well, I wanted to thank you for last night. I shudder to think what could have happened if you and Scott hadn’t shown up when you did,” Jean began, adding a theatrical little shudder in the appropriate place to make sure Logan knew she’d been terrified for her life.
Logan let a hint of a smile show. Huffed a very faint laugh. Then he shook his head. “Slim an’ I showin’ up was a coincidence. Danger Room monitors went haywire. We both went down to see what was messin’ with `em.”
His answer, which was the absolute truth, seemed to give Jean a moment’s pause. She was probably annoyed that this little game of hers wasn’t playing out the way she’d imagined it would. Still. It was entertaining to see her try and work things around until they were where she wanted them to be. He didn’t expect that the game would last very long when she discovered she wasn’t going to get what she’d come here for.
“Be that as it may, I still need to thank you for saving me from Dare’s wrath. I was really afraid she was going to kill me.” Jean’s voice took on a breathy quality that Logan supposed was meant to represent her fear. And he figured it was possible she’d been scared in the moment. Logan huffed a laugh again.
“You don’t know the first thing about Dare if ya think she stopped because I told her to,” Logan informed her. He could see that it wasn’t something Jean had been expecting because the look on her face had slipped from being thankful to being utterly confused. “If she’d wanted ya dead, Jean, there ain’t no power on this planet that woulda stopped her. Not you. Not Slim. And sure as hell not me.”
She stared at him a moment, genuine surprise on her face. Then her look became more calculating before fading into a sweet, girl next door kind of smile. Logan regarded her for a short while before he realized what was coming next. He almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the idea, but he couldn’t. Because Jean was used to getting what she wanted. And she absolutely didn’t like being left in the lurch the way she had. She was trying to find her equilibrium back. It looked like that equilibrium included Logan. Too bad for her that her visit wasn’t going to do her any good.
“I don’t think that’s true, Logan. Surely Dare has her limits. And I have to believe she’ll listen to you out of respect,” Jean offered, making it sound as if she was thinking hard about the subject. He had to give it to her. She sure as hell knew how to lay it on thick and make it look real. Too bad for her that he’d figured out a long time ago her affections came with requirements. Mainly that she wanted the object of her affections to pretty much be her personal slave.
That wasn’t a look Logan saw for himself.
“You seem awfully sure about what Dare will and won’t do. But I don’t recall a time when you ever interacted with her when it wasn’t related to a mission,” Logan replied steadily. He kept his gaze tight on Jean’s face, waiting to see if she gave herself away. To her credit, and her stubbornness, she offered him a look of contrition that almost felt real.
“And that’s something I regret deeply. Maybe, if I’d attempted to form a friendship with her, I could have helped her with some of the trauma she’s faced.” The words came out with a healthy dose of regret tacked on to them. As if Jean really did feel bad that she’d never made the attempt. Too bad Logan wasn’t buying it. Too bad he knew that she’d never made the effort because she’d considered herself above the members of Purple Team.
“You’re assumin’ Dare woulda let ya get close to her,” he said, his words both a reminder and an admonishment. She should know better than trying to snow him. Even if she’d actually made the effort, he had his doubts that Dare would have let it get past the first awkward sentence. “She’s always been a private person. And she’s got trust issues that make it hard to be her friend.”
He didn’t think Jean had what it took to breach those walls.
“Maybe if I’d made the effort, she would have let down some of those walls. She has to be terrible lonely with so few good friends.”
“She’s got plenty of friends, Jean. Every member of Purple Team is a friend. And also her family. And she’s taken a real shine to Duke and the others,” Logan reminded her.
“And what about you, Logan?” Jean’s voice was soft, the voice of a lover speaking in the deepest dark of night. Once upon a time, he’d longed to hear her speak to him like that. But he’d done some growing since then. He’d realized that there were parts of Jean that were fake. And he’d realized that love, real love, didn’t come with conditions and requirements. Dare had shown him that. With her love for her friends and her love for her children. And her love for him. Even after all these years, after everything that had happened, that love humbled him and made him realize just how goddamn lucky he was.
His thoughts were broken when he felt her hands land on his thighs, a touch that promised warmth and tenderness and love. A touch that was little more than a lie. Here it came. Jean’s attempts to woo him back to her side. Her attempts to turn him against everything he’d held close to his heart for such a very long time. She probably thought it would be easy for him to shift his affections her way. There was no ring on his finger. Dare hadn’t put one there. He hadn’t put one on Dare’s finger. Marriage wasn’t something they’d ever talked about. To be honest, he’d always thought she could do better. And if she wanted to get married, it should be to someone else.
“Where do you fit into her life? It seems to me that she doesn’t appreciate you the way she should,” Jean commented, her gaze turned up toward him. Her eyes were soft with concern and he could almost think it was real. But he’d never been more than a foil for her arguments with Summers. And this was little more than a ploy to try and make the other man jealous.
“I don’t think ya know what yer talkin’ about, Jean,” Logan said. There was a gruffness to his voice that was meant to be a warning. This was not the place she wanted to go. Not now. Not ever. She wouldn’t like how it ended. And Logan was done being considerate of her feelings. He’d put up with a lot of people dumping on Dare like she didn’t have a brain in her head. Like she wasn’t a thinking, feeling human being. Like she didn’t have problems and issues that affected pretty much damn near every part of her life. He was the first to admit he hadn’t done his best by her. But he tried. He loved her and he damn well tried. And he’d be fucked if he let anyone else treat her like shit.
“Of course, I do, Logan. I’ve seen how she disregards your feelings. I’ve seen how she moons after Remy. Its been hard to miss,” she insisted. Which was a load of bullshit, because Dare had kept her feelings for Remy a deep secret for years. The only way Jean would have known Dare had been mooning over the Cajun was if she’d been dipping into his girl’s head when she wasn’t aware. And wouldn’t that just end in pain and agony if it was the truth and Dare found out.
Jean better hope, if she had been stealing Dare’s thoughts from her, that Dare never found out.
“Why do you let her do that to you? You deserve better than that,” Jean insisted. Her hands moved further up his thighs, her touch light. Filled with a promise she would never keep. He took a breath before he reached down and took hold of her hands. He saw the flash of triumph in her gaze when he did so. And then he casually threw her hands away from him.
“Dare is the best I could ever ask for. I told ya before. She’s beautiful and she’s smart and she’s a great mother. And she completes my life in ways I never thought possible. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me and there ain’t nothing you can say or do to make that any less the truth.” Logan let her see the coldness in his gaze, the absolute lack of feeling he had for her. “I love Dare. That ain’t gonna change. Yer just makin’ a fool of yourself, Jean.”
Jean rose to her feet and glared down at him. Her anger saw her eyes sparkling and dark. Saw color staining her cheeks. But it lacked something after years of Dare’s anger coming with her hair floating on the thermals she created herself. After years of her power flooding the air around her like a buffer. Or a warning. There, in that moment, he found Jean lacking. She’d never be better than Dare. And she hated that fact as much as she hated that Scott was in love with Haley.
Jean’s mouth twisted into a scowl when he didn’t react to her anger. When he didn’t throw himself on his knees and beg her forgiveness. “Why are you still so loyal to the bitch? She doesn’t deserve that! She told you just last night that you don’t control her any longer. She’s rotten to the core and -”
Logan rose to his feet and let her see the temper that had been steadily rising over the course of their conversation. It worked to silence her tirade and she suddenly looked afraid. Because she realized what she’d been about to say.“I’m only gonna tell ya once, Jean. That wasn’t Dare talking. And if ya knew her, you’d know it as sure as I do.”
He turned and moved to the door, opened it and motioned to the hall with a jerk of his head. “I think you’ve worn out yer welcome, Jean,” he said, making it clear she was no longer welcome there. Outrage shone on her face, eyes burning with it. Her mouth even gaped open as she tried to find a response that would properly put him in his place. “Let me remind ya of one thing, Jean. You don’t get ta talk about Dare like that in front of me. Ever. She’s the one I chose to spend my life with. She’s the one I love. For better or for worse. No matter what you might think about her. Next time I hear ya talking shit, I’ll be sure to let her know. And then we’ll see who comes ta yer rescue. Because it ain’t gonna be me.”
She made a noise that was halfway between outrage and disbelief. Then she stormed out of his room without another word. Logan closed the door behind her and shook his head. Damned woman. She was more trouble than she was worth.
~*~*~*~*~
He found her in the school’s library, sitting at a table by herself. Her attention was given over to the book before her, her face scrunched up in concentration. There was some paper next to her, a pen grasped loosely in her hand. At the moment, it was hovering over the paper. He wasn’t sure what she was reading or taking notes on. He knew classes had picked up again, though things weren’t completely back to normal yet. So it was possible she was taking notes for class. And it was just as possible she was taking notes for herself. Though what her subject might be was beyond him.
He hated the idea of disturbing her. He hated that he had to go to her to help sort out the shit in his head. She was a child, for Christ’s sake. But his mind was still spinning with the things he’d seen and heard. And he needed someone to help him make sense of it. She was the best one for it. Drawing a deep breath, he slowly closed the distance between the two of them.
She looked up when he came to a standstill by the table. Maybe she’d sensed his approach. Or maybe she’d heard him. Not that it mattered. What mattered is she was staring up at him, her eyes wide with confusion and maybe a touch of fear. “May I?” he asked, motioning to a chair.
She considered his question a moment, then nodded her head. “Sure,” she told him. She closed the book before him, giving him an opportunity to see it was a text on clairvoyance. She set the pen down and sat back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest in a move that reminded him of her mother. “What can I do for you, Uncle Scott?”
“I… “ he started, only to fall silent upon registering what she’d said to him. For a moment, a flash of something warm slid through him and he was tempted to ask her why she’d addressed him in that manner. But he pushed it aside as unimportant. He couldn’t afford to be sidetracked, There was too much in his head to allow that to happen. “I need to talk to you, Deirdre,” he replied softly. For a moment, it looked like she was about to make a fuss. But that look faded when he brought his hand up and laid the tape he’d brought with him on the table.
Her gaze dropped to the tape, then rose to his face again. He thought she might try to play dumb, but a frown slid across her face. “Is Mum in trouble?” she asked softly.
“What? No. I’m glad your mother gave me this,” Scott assured her. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He hadn’t really gone in search of Deirdre with a plan. He’d just known he needed to talk to her. The things he’d heard on the tape… “So that is your voice on the tape. Right?”
“Yes,” she nodded. She looked like she wanted to run as soon as she got the opportunity. Scott didn’t know if it was him or the contents of the tape or something else. He didn’t want her to be afraid. He didn’t want her to run. And he certainly didn’t want to make her think he was mad at her.
“Why did you give it to your mother?’ he asked, trying to understand.
“I’ve been having visions in my sleep,” she said, which didn’t answer his question. But he figured that she had a reason, so he let her continue without interruption. “But they were visions, or dreams, I didn’t remember. And that left me confused and anxious. Aunt Roxxy said that maybe it would help to tape them. That way, I’d know maybe what was going on. She and Uncle Henry set it up for me. This is one of the tapes that I made. Not all of them were like this. But this one kind of freaked me out. And Mum has always told me that I could go to her with any problem I ever had and she’d try to help me find a solution.”
“Did you think that maybe you should bring it to me?” he asked her.
“I thought about it. But I didn’t know if it was the right thing to do,” she admitted. “I didn’t want to make trouble. I thought Mum was the best option.”
“I think you were right to trust your mom with this,” Scott replied gently, one finger tapping the tape for emphasis. “Dealing with this tape required a little more life experience than you’ve had so far, Deirdre.”
“Is that adult speak for ‘I’m too young to understand.’?” she asked him. There was, perhaps, a hint of disgust and hurt in her voice.
“No, Deirdre. Its a statement of fact. You’re barely a teenager. You haven’t lived much of your life yet. Your mom has lived more of her life than you have. She knows better how to deal with things like this. I’m proud of you for taking it to your mother.”
Some of the tension eased out of Deirdre’s shoulders. The action took away some of the similarities to her mother, but not all. Scott sat back in his seat and studied the girl a moment. He had a thousand questions he wanted to ask her, but he wasn’t sure how to go about it. His brain was addled with lack of sleep and the things he’d seen last night. The things he’d heard on the tape. Which he’d played more than once. Because he just hadn’t been able to believe it.
He was aware of Deirdre shifting in her seat, one hand kind of reaching for him. But it stopped before it touched his hand and hovered in the air a moment. Then she drew it back and lifted a slightly concerned look to his face. “Are you okay, Uncle Scott?” she asked softly.
There was that form of address again. The desire to know why she kept calling him that burned the tip of his tongue. But he thought maybe making a big deal about it would see her becoming a little defensive. She might stop addressing him that way entirely. And, oddly, there was a part of him that really liked it. So he focused more on her question and put those warm feelings on the back burner for the moment. “I’m not sure, Deirdre. It has been a long, strange night.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for my tape to cause so much trouble,” she apologized softly. There was a look on her face that said she genuinely was sorry. But only up to a point.
“I don’t think you could have predicted what that tape would make your mom do,” he replied, then could have kicked himself when Deirdre’s eyes got wide as saucers.
“Mum wasn’t supposed to do anything. I only gave her the tape because I thought she might know the best way to handle it. She wasn’t supposed to do anything,” Deirdre insisted. There was maybe a hint of rising panic in her voice that suggested she thought she might still get in trouble. “What did she do? She… Did she hurt anyone?”
The question saw Scott’s thoughts drifting back to the night before, to the moment he and Logan had accessed the control booth above the Danger Room. The windows had been blocked by curtains of fire and Scott had been able to feel the heat through the glass. For a moment, he’d wondered just how the flames hadn’t eaten anything. And then he’d heard Dare’s voice in the midst of all that hell, telling Jean she was tired of her. For a moment, based on the lack of inflection in Dare’s voice, he’d thought she’d really meant to take Jean out.
That Dare hadn’t, that she’d left without doing any harm, was still mind-boggling to him.
“Uncle Scott? Did Mum hurt someone?” Deirdre asked again. This time, he heard a touch of fear in her voice.
“No. Your mom didn’t hurt anyone,” he responded. His words saw Deirdre letting go a deep breath and she seemed to deflate a little. He watched her a minute, then frowned. “Did you think she would hurt someone?”
Deirdre met his gaze head on, her expression filled with the same defiance he’d seen on her mother’s face time and time again. “I heard what was on that tape. And I know Mum has a complicated relationship with people messing with her mind. I didn’t think she’d be very happy to hear Ms. Grey was doing it to you.”
“And you’re so sure that Jean actually did try to mess with my mind?” he questioned That had been the thing that had been making him crazy all night long. The notion that, if what had been recorded on the tape was correct, Jean had been manipulating his memories for as long as they’d been a couple. He didn’t want to think she’d done something as underhanded as that. But he could recall remembering that he’d once been determined to ask Haley out. That he’d had burgeoning feelings for her way back in the day. But then those feelings had suddenly vanished and he’d been head over heels for Jean. And he had no memory of when he’d stopped wanting Haley and started wanting Jean.
“Are you so sure that she didn’t?” Deirdre asked in return. Scott stared at her and saw, in that moment, the adult she was going to become. The question she’d asked, the tone of voice she’d used to ask it, were calm and cool and challenging. And Scott found himself really considering the answer to that question. He was silent as he thought and dug and searched for the answer.
The warmth of her hand on his startled him out of his head, making him realize he’d been lost in it for some time. The look Deirdre was giving him was filled with gentle understanding. “I understand why you’d be hesitant to say yes, Uncle Scott. But there’s something not right about Ms. Grey. Something not right. I can’t explain why I feel this way, I just know I do. I don’t trust her.”
Twelve hours ago, Scott might have tried to change Deirdre’s mind. He might have let her know that he was still a child and she didn’t really know what she was talking about. But twelve hours ago, he hadn’t known that his wife had spent their entire marriage playing with his memories and his emotions as if they were toys. And he didn’t like what such actions said about Jean as a person. Scott was another person who couldn’t trust her anymore.
“Look. I know I’m still a kid. I know I don’t understand grownups. I know I’m not supposed to get their relationships. But I’ve grown up watching how Mum and Da treat one another. How they look at one another. How they act with each other. They love each other. A lot. I’ve never once questioned whether or not that was the truth,” Deirdre said. Her tone was gentle and kind. The look on her face suggested she was trying hard not to hurt his feelings. “I never saw that with you and Ms. Grey. At least, I never saw it with her. It was genuine with you, Uncle Scott. You always looked at her like she was the most amazing thing in your life. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look at you the same way.”
She was right. Scott could admit, now that he’d had time away from Jean and her obvious attempts at control, that she’d never looked at him the same way he’d seen his friends look at their partners. For years, he’d seen his friends take their places along side women who loved them unconditionally. He’d seen the way they acted with one another. The way they’d talked to one another. The way they’d looked at one another. And he could also see that he’d never had that with Jean. Not really.
She’d never looked at him that way. Or talked to him that way. Or loved him that way. Not the way Haley had. He’d seen more genuine emotion, felt more genuine emotion, from Haley in their year of captivity than he’d seen from Jean in the entire time they’d been together.
And he’d fucked that up so deeply that he didn’t think Haley would ever forgive him for it.
“She loves you a lot, Uncle Scott,” Deirdre’s voice cut into his thoughts. He looked up to find she was smiling, giving him a knowing look that he didn’t think had any business being on such a young face. “She loves you and Uncle Johnny both a lot. But she thinks neither one of you wants her anymore. That’s why she’s shut herself off from you. Because she thinks she’s going to be alone for the rest of her life.”
Scott stared at Deirdre a moment, hope fighting with common sense. “Did your visions tell you this, Deirdre?” he asked her quietly. He didn’t want her to hear the hope and fear in his voice.
“My name is Dee, Uncle Scott. And no. This isn’t anything from my visions. This is stuff I’ve heard. Because sometimes, adults forget that children are in the room with them,” Dee gave him a smile. It slid away into a serious look. “There’s still time, Uncle Scott. You just have to get up off your ass and do something about it.”
Scott nodded and rose from his seat. She was right. Things weren’t over yet. Not by a long shot. He just had to prove to Haley that he wasn’t going to fuck off and leave her this time. He knew just how to do that, too. “Thank you, Dee. For everything,” he said, offering the girl an honest smile.
“You’re welcome, Uncle Scott. Just don’t hurt her again. Or else you’ll have to deal with me.” There shouldn’t have been much weight behind her threat. She was just a kid. But, for a moment, he saw her mother in her. And he knew that her threat was as serious as any her mother might have issued.
“I won’t, Dee. Not this time. Not ever again,” he responded, his heart light for the fist time in more than a month. It was time to make things right with Haley. That meant a trip into the city. He had places to go. People to see.
A divorce to get started.
~*~*~*~*~
The smell of green things tickled her nose. Brought with it the scents of hundreds of blossoms opened to the world. The grass beneath her feet was thick and soft, so brilliantly green that she swore she hadn’t seen that color in ages. A small brook babbled gently off to her right, cutting across the broad meadow toward a deep, still pool in the distance. Trees as tall as the sky, as old as time, stood on her left, the darkness that lived between them beckoning to her with the offer of solace and protection. She wanted to go to them. She was so tired. But there was a reason she was here. And she couldn’t let her desire to rest deter her from her reason. She couldn’t let it come between her and what she still needed to do.
Movement at the tree line brought her attention back to the shadowy forest. After a moment, a pure white stag stepped out of the darkness. Vivid blue eyes watched her warily for a moment, then the beast’s head dropped and its crown of antlers dipped in her direction. A long-remembered greeting. An honor. Then the animal was gone, running across the field toward the darkness of a mountain directly in front of her. She watched it go, a soft smile playing at her lips.
It was only moments later that figures melted out of the trees. Six of them, unchanged since she’d last seen them all those years ago. A head of red hair that stood above that of an auburn head. One crowned with brunette tresses. One the color of gold. And one as dark as night. The sixth head was topped by glossy brown hair. Each of them wore a cautious smile. Even across the distance, she could see that. As well as the hope that accompanied the caution.
She didn’t move from her place, standing knee deep in the grass that surrounded her. She merely stood there and watched as the regal figures moved toward her with careful purpose. It felt like an age passed until they stood before her, their eyes bright with emotions as they simply took her in. And then the spell was broken as the shortest of the group stepped forward and enfolded her into her embrace. “Faye. You’ve finally returned to us.” The woman’s voice was choked with tears. Faye hugged her back, holding tight to her for as long as she could spare.
“I have. It has taken so long to find my way back,” she replied. And then she gently set her companion back, giving her a look that held all of her sadness and regret. “But I cannot stay. I need to return. They need me.”
“We’ve needed you here, Faye,” the tallest of the group said. There was no condemnation in his voice. Nothing but the taste of the loneliness he’d felt all this time.
“I know this. And I apologize for being gone so long from your company. I beg your forgiveness,” she responded, dipping her head as she dropped into a deep curtsy. “But I must go back. All these long years, I’ve been searching for them. And I’ve found them. And they need me now more than they ever have.”
“You’ve found them? After all this time?” The question came from the woman with hair like night, her frown heavy and almost tangible.
“Yes. Its why I was away for so long. I’ve been searching through the ages for them. And I’ve finally found them. And their time is drawing near. They will need me to guide them into their next lives,” she responded. Her thoughts turned to them, focused on what was ahead for them. “The barrier is already thinning for some of them. If it was to vanish completely before I can prepare them…”
She trailed off and let her gaze slide from one face to the next. Then she turned back to the tall man and again dipped her head. This time, thought, she went down on her knees and knelt in the tall grass before him. “It must be done soon, my lord. Everything depends upon it. Things are unraveling faster than I expected them to. “
“And are they ready for what is to come?” he asked her.
“I… do not know for certain. But it cannot be stopped now. It has already started. Better that it happens with your help than by itself. I shudder to think what will happen to them without your guidance.”
The grass rustled as he moved closer. One hand settled upon her head, a touch she’d longed for since she could remember. And probably before she could remember. Then he was helping her to her feet, his gaze soft and filled with understanding. “You love them that much. Tell me, Faye. Is the world ready for what this will mean?”
“The world is the reason it must happen,’ she explained. Her gaze slid around the meadow and took in the face of each of them. There was confusion there. And concern. Along with so many other feelings. She could well imagine what they were thinking. She’d been gone for so long. And upon her return, she was demanding that they act immediately. And on something that would change so many lives. “They have people who care and who will understand. And who will help protect them from the world. Things have changed so much. The people of the world need to learn what fear is again. And compassion. And love. I believe that they will be able to show the world the way.”
The man towering over her studied her face a moment before turning his attention to the women who had come with him. After studying each face for a short while, his attention returned to her. The smile he offered her saw relief flooding through her. “It will be done, Faye. Prepare them. See to it that they are ready.”
“As you will, my lord,” Faye responded. A moment later, she found herself in the trees surrounding the school. It was time to get to work. There was much to be done.
Chapter Forty Nine: Setting the Record Straight
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
He was only mildly surprised by the person standing in the hallway outside his room when he opened the door. And that had less to do with his acute senses of smell and hearing and more to do with the events that had taken place earlier this morning. Jean looked fresh from the shower and slightly hesitant. As if she expected him to shut the door in his face. Or maybe she expected more trouble like she’d seen the night before. “Good morning, Logan,” Jean said, offering him a bright smile. His bullshit detector started going off at the sight of it.
“What do ya want, Jean?” he asked, voice gruff. It was likely he sounded unwelcoming because her smile faltered for a moment or two. Their last meeting hadn’t been a great one. Once Dare had left the Danger Room and her flames had died out, he and Scott had watched from the observation room as Jean slowly picked herself up off the floor. It had been plain to see she’d been rattled at having her ass handed to her in such an inelegant manner. She’d always been used to being pretty damned untouchable. It had also been plain to see that she’d been considering going after Dare for a rematch.
Logan might not have known what the fuck was going on with his girl, but he’d known without being told that Dare wouldn’t have hesitated to finish what she’d started if Jean had gone after her. And so he’d made the decision to send Slim after Dare. Scott had been confused by that, but Logan had been paying attention to the writing on the wall for a long time now. If Scott had stayed to talk to Jean, it would have been seen as an attempt at reconciliation. Both in Jean’s eyes and, when she heard about it, in Haley’s. Logan hadn’t been willing to add more fuel to that fire.
Beyond that, he’d sent Scott because he’d known that Dare would respond to Summers better than him. Whatever was going on with her now, and there was very definitely something going on with her, it wasn’t sure it was something he could help her with. Of course, he’d been doing a whole lot of sucking at helping her all these years. So maybe sending Summers after her had simply been cowardice on his part. Either way, he’d sent Scott after Dare and stayed behind to deal with Jean.
Which explained why she was on his doorstep now.
“I came because I wanted to thank you. And because I wanted to talk to you,” Jean replied evenly, a faint touch of confusion and pain coloring her words. He didn’t have to draw in a breath to know those emotions for the lie they were. Jean had gotten to be a damned good actress over the years.
He considered just shutting the door in her face. He was fairly sure he knew what she wanted to talk about. He was well aware that Summers had been sleeping out in the boat house ever since Jean had tried to break the link between Scott and Haley. The personal attack had been bad enough. But his baby girl getting caught in the crossfire had been the last straw. Jean didn’t like being alone. She didn’t like being set aside for someone else. She was too used to getting her way and was determined to have someone hanging off her every word again. And it looked to him like she’d decided to ignore their last conversation about Dare and make another attempt at wooing Logan back to her side.
He heaved a sigh and held the door open wider. “Fine. Come in.” Better he put her in her place now than let this shit go on any longer than necessary.
Jean flowed past him into the room, some subtle scent clinging to her skin. He suspected she’d applied it to make her smell more appealing. All he could smell on her was the bitterness and the jealousy. The anger. This meeting was only going to make it worse. He probably should have told her to move on. Letting her in no doubt gave her hope for whatever plans she’d come with. She had to learn somehow, though. He closed the door and turned to face her and found she’d taken the rocking chair Dare had gotten way back when she’d been pregnant with Dee. She’d spent many nights sitting in that chair, holding the tiny baby that had given her life new meaning and rocking her while she’d simply stared at the life she’d created and brought into the world.
Somehow, it felt like a slap in the face to see Jean sitting in Dare’s rocker. He kept his feelings from showing and moved to sit down on the edge of the bed. Her gaze followed his every movement almost hungrily. “You wanted to talk, Jean. Talk,” he told her.
His abrupt manner seemed to leave her confused. But only for a moment. A small, soft smile that had once enticed him curled up the corners of her mouth and a hint of joy lit her eyes. Had he been a lesser man, it would have tempted him. Had he been unaware of her lies and her underhanded tactics, he might have taken it as a genuine and honest expression. But she’d been showing her true colors for weeks now and he was confident he had her number.
“Well, I wanted to thank you for last night. I shudder to think what could have happened if you and Scott hadn’t shown up when you did,” Jean began, adding a theatrical little shudder in the appropriate place to make sure Logan knew she’d been terrified for her life.
Logan let a hint of a smile show. Huffed a very faint laugh. Then he shook his head. “Slim an’ I showin’ up was a coincidence. Danger Room monitors went haywire. We both went down to see what was messin’ with `em.”
His answer, which was the absolute truth, seemed to give Jean a moment’s pause. She was probably annoyed that this little game of hers wasn’t playing out the way she’d imagined it would. Still. It was entertaining to see her try and work things around until they were where she wanted them to be. He didn’t expect that the game would last very long when she discovered she wasn’t going to get what she’d come here for.
“Be that as it may, I still need to thank you for saving me from Dare’s wrath. I was really afraid she was going to kill me.” Jean’s voice took on a breathy quality that Logan supposed was meant to represent her fear. And he figured it was possible she’d been scared in the moment. Logan huffed a laugh again.
“You don’t know the first thing about Dare if ya think she stopped because I told her to,” Logan informed her. He could see that it wasn’t something Jean had been expecting because the look on her face had slipped from being thankful to being utterly confused. “If she’d wanted ya dead, Jean, there ain’t no power on this planet that woulda stopped her. Not you. Not Slim. And sure as hell not me.”
She stared at him a moment, genuine surprise on her face. Then her look became more calculating before fading into a sweet, girl next door kind of smile. Logan regarded her for a short while before he realized what was coming next. He almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the idea, but he couldn’t. Because Jean was used to getting what she wanted. And she absolutely didn’t like being left in the lurch the way she had. She was trying to find her equilibrium back. It looked like that equilibrium included Logan. Too bad for her that her visit wasn’t going to do her any good.
“I don’t think that’s true, Logan. Surely Dare has her limits. And I have to believe she’ll listen to you out of respect,” Jean offered, making it sound as if she was thinking hard about the subject. He had to give it to her. She sure as hell knew how to lay it on thick and make it look real. Too bad for her that he’d figured out a long time ago her affections came with requirements. Mainly that she wanted the object of her affections to pretty much be her personal slave.
That wasn’t a look Logan saw for himself.
“You seem awfully sure about what Dare will and won’t do. But I don’t recall a time when you ever interacted with her when it wasn’t related to a mission,” Logan replied steadily. He kept his gaze tight on Jean’s face, waiting to see if she gave herself away. To her credit, and her stubbornness, she offered him a look of contrition that almost felt real.
“And that’s something I regret deeply. Maybe, if I’d attempted to form a friendship with her, I could have helped her with some of the trauma she’s faced.” The words came out with a healthy dose of regret tacked on to them. As if Jean really did feel bad that she’d never made the attempt. Too bad Logan wasn’t buying it. Too bad he knew that she’d never made the effort because she’d considered herself above the members of Purple Team.
“You’re assumin’ Dare woulda let ya get close to her,” he said, his words both a reminder and an admonishment. She should know better than trying to snow him. Even if she’d actually made the effort, he had his doubts that Dare would have let it get past the first awkward sentence. “She’s always been a private person. And she’s got trust issues that make it hard to be her friend.”
He didn’t think Jean had what it took to breach those walls.
“Maybe if I’d made the effort, she would have let down some of those walls. She has to be terrible lonely with so few good friends.”
“She’s got plenty of friends, Jean. Every member of Purple Team is a friend. And also her family. And she’s taken a real shine to Duke and the others,” Logan reminded her.
“And what about you, Logan?” Jean’s voice was soft, the voice of a lover speaking in the deepest dark of night. Once upon a time, he’d longed to hear her speak to him like that. But he’d done some growing since then. He’d realized that there were parts of Jean that were fake. And he’d realized that love, real love, didn’t come with conditions and requirements. Dare had shown him that. With her love for her friends and her love for her children. And her love for him. Even after all these years, after everything that had happened, that love humbled him and made him realize just how goddamn lucky he was.
His thoughts were broken when he felt her hands land on his thighs, a touch that promised warmth and tenderness and love. A touch that was little more than a lie. Here it came. Jean’s attempts to woo him back to her side. Her attempts to turn him against everything he’d held close to his heart for such a very long time. She probably thought it would be easy for him to shift his affections her way. There was no ring on his finger. Dare hadn’t put one there. He hadn’t put one on Dare’s finger. Marriage wasn’t something they’d ever talked about. To be honest, he’d always thought she could do better. And if she wanted to get married, it should be to someone else.
“Where do you fit into her life? It seems to me that she doesn’t appreciate you the way she should,” Jean commented, her gaze turned up toward him. Her eyes were soft with concern and he could almost think it was real. But he’d never been more than a foil for her arguments with Summers. And this was little more than a ploy to try and make the other man jealous.
“I don’t think ya know what yer talkin’ about, Jean,” Logan said. There was a gruffness to his voice that was meant to be a warning. This was not the place she wanted to go. Not now. Not ever. She wouldn’t like how it ended. And Logan was done being considerate of her feelings. He’d put up with a lot of people dumping on Dare like she didn’t have a brain in her head. Like she wasn’t a thinking, feeling human being. Like she didn’t have problems and issues that affected pretty much damn near every part of her life. He was the first to admit he hadn’t done his best by her. But he tried. He loved her and he damn well tried. And he’d be fucked if he let anyone else treat her like shit.
“Of course, I do, Logan. I’ve seen how she disregards your feelings. I’ve seen how she moons after Remy. Its been hard to miss,” she insisted. Which was a load of bullshit, because Dare had kept her feelings for Remy a deep secret for years. The only way Jean would have known Dare had been mooning over the Cajun was if she’d been dipping into his girl’s head when she wasn’t aware. And wouldn’t that just end in pain and agony if it was the truth and Dare found out.
Jean better hope, if she had been stealing Dare’s thoughts from her, that Dare never found out.
“Why do you let her do that to you? You deserve better than that,” Jean insisted. Her hands moved further up his thighs, her touch light. Filled with a promise she would never keep. He took a breath before he reached down and took hold of her hands. He saw the flash of triumph in her gaze when he did so. And then he casually threw her hands away from him.
“Dare is the best I could ever ask for. I told ya before. She’s beautiful and she’s smart and she’s a great mother. And she completes my life in ways I never thought possible. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me and there ain’t nothing you can say or do to make that any less the truth.” Logan let her see the coldness in his gaze, the absolute lack of feeling he had for her. “I love Dare. That ain’t gonna change. Yer just makin’ a fool of yourself, Jean.”
Jean rose to her feet and glared down at him. Her anger saw her eyes sparkling and dark. Saw color staining her cheeks. But it lacked something after years of Dare’s anger coming with her hair floating on the thermals she created herself. After years of her power flooding the air around her like a buffer. Or a warning. There, in that moment, he found Jean lacking. She’d never be better than Dare. And she hated that fact as much as she hated that Scott was in love with Haley.
Jean’s mouth twisted into a scowl when he didn’t react to her anger. When he didn’t throw himself on his knees and beg her forgiveness. “Why are you still so loyal to the bitch? She doesn’t deserve that! She told you just last night that you don’t control her any longer. She’s rotten to the core and -”
Logan rose to his feet and let her see the temper that had been steadily rising over the course of their conversation. It worked to silence her tirade and she suddenly looked afraid. Because she realized what she’d been about to say.“I’m only gonna tell ya once, Jean. That wasn’t Dare talking. And if ya knew her, you’d know it as sure as I do.”
He turned and moved to the door, opened it and motioned to the hall with a jerk of his head. “I think you’ve worn out yer welcome, Jean,” he said, making it clear she was no longer welcome there. Outrage shone on her face, eyes burning with it. Her mouth even gaped open as she tried to find a response that would properly put him in his place. “Let me remind ya of one thing, Jean. You don’t get ta talk about Dare like that in front of me. Ever. She’s the one I chose to spend my life with. She’s the one I love. For better or for worse. No matter what you might think about her. Next time I hear ya talking shit, I’ll be sure to let her know. And then we’ll see who comes ta yer rescue. Because it ain’t gonna be me.”
She made a noise that was halfway between outrage and disbelief. Then she stormed out of his room without another word. Logan closed the door behind her and shook his head. Damned woman. She was more trouble than she was worth.
~*~*~*~*~
He found her in the school’s library, sitting at a table by herself. Her attention was given over to the book before her, her face scrunched up in concentration. There was some paper next to her, a pen grasped loosely in her hand. At the moment, it was hovering over the paper. He wasn’t sure what she was reading or taking notes on. He knew classes had picked up again, though things weren’t completely back to normal yet. So it was possible she was taking notes for class. And it was just as possible she was taking notes for herself. Though what her subject might be was beyond him.
He hated the idea of disturbing her. He hated that he had to go to her to help sort out the shit in his head. She was a child, for Christ’s sake. But his mind was still spinning with the things he’d seen and heard. And he needed someone to help him make sense of it. She was the best one for it. Drawing a deep breath, he slowly closed the distance between the two of them.
She looked up when he came to a standstill by the table. Maybe she’d sensed his approach. Or maybe she’d heard him. Not that it mattered. What mattered is she was staring up at him, her eyes wide with confusion and maybe a touch of fear. “May I?” he asked, motioning to a chair.
She considered his question a moment, then nodded her head. “Sure,” she told him. She closed the book before him, giving him an opportunity to see it was a text on clairvoyance. She set the pen down and sat back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest in a move that reminded him of her mother. “What can I do for you, Uncle Scott?”
“I… “ he started, only to fall silent upon registering what she’d said to him. For a moment, a flash of something warm slid through him and he was tempted to ask her why she’d addressed him in that manner. But he pushed it aside as unimportant. He couldn’t afford to be sidetracked, There was too much in his head to allow that to happen. “I need to talk to you, Deirdre,” he replied softly. For a moment, it looked like she was about to make a fuss. But that look faded when he brought his hand up and laid the tape he’d brought with him on the table.
Her gaze dropped to the tape, then rose to his face again. He thought she might try to play dumb, but a frown slid across her face. “Is Mum in trouble?” she asked softly.
“What? No. I’m glad your mother gave me this,” Scott assured her. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He hadn’t really gone in search of Deirdre with a plan. He’d just known he needed to talk to her. The things he’d heard on the tape… “So that is your voice on the tape. Right?”
“Yes,” she nodded. She looked like she wanted to run as soon as she got the opportunity. Scott didn’t know if it was him or the contents of the tape or something else. He didn’t want her to be afraid. He didn’t want her to run. And he certainly didn’t want to make her think he was mad at her.
“Why did you give it to your mother?’ he asked, trying to understand.
“I’ve been having visions in my sleep,” she said, which didn’t answer his question. But he figured that she had a reason, so he let her continue without interruption. “But they were visions, or dreams, I didn’t remember. And that left me confused and anxious. Aunt Roxxy said that maybe it would help to tape them. That way, I’d know maybe what was going on. She and Uncle Henry set it up for me. This is one of the tapes that I made. Not all of them were like this. But this one kind of freaked me out. And Mum has always told me that I could go to her with any problem I ever had and she’d try to help me find a solution.”
“Did you think that maybe you should bring it to me?” he asked her.
“I thought about it. But I didn’t know if it was the right thing to do,” she admitted. “I didn’t want to make trouble. I thought Mum was the best option.”
“I think you were right to trust your mom with this,” Scott replied gently, one finger tapping the tape for emphasis. “Dealing with this tape required a little more life experience than you’ve had so far, Deirdre.”
“Is that adult speak for ‘I’m too young to understand.’?” she asked him. There was, perhaps, a hint of disgust and hurt in her voice.
“No, Deirdre. Its a statement of fact. You’re barely a teenager. You haven’t lived much of your life yet. Your mom has lived more of her life than you have. She knows better how to deal with things like this. I’m proud of you for taking it to your mother.”
Some of the tension eased out of Deirdre’s shoulders. The action took away some of the similarities to her mother, but not all. Scott sat back in his seat and studied the girl a moment. He had a thousand questions he wanted to ask her, but he wasn’t sure how to go about it. His brain was addled with lack of sleep and the things he’d seen last night. The things he’d heard on the tape. Which he’d played more than once. Because he just hadn’t been able to believe it.
He was aware of Deirdre shifting in her seat, one hand kind of reaching for him. But it stopped before it touched his hand and hovered in the air a moment. Then she drew it back and lifted a slightly concerned look to his face. “Are you okay, Uncle Scott?” she asked softly.
There was that form of address again. The desire to know why she kept calling him that burned the tip of his tongue. But he thought maybe making a big deal about it would see her becoming a little defensive. She might stop addressing him that way entirely. And, oddly, there was a part of him that really liked it. So he focused more on her question and put those warm feelings on the back burner for the moment. “I’m not sure, Deirdre. It has been a long, strange night.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for my tape to cause so much trouble,” she apologized softly. There was a look on her face that said she genuinely was sorry. But only up to a point.
“I don’t think you could have predicted what that tape would make your mom do,” he replied, then could have kicked himself when Deirdre’s eyes got wide as saucers.
“Mum wasn’t supposed to do anything. I only gave her the tape because I thought she might know the best way to handle it. She wasn’t supposed to do anything,” Deirdre insisted. There was maybe a hint of rising panic in her voice that suggested she thought she might still get in trouble. “What did she do? She… Did she hurt anyone?”
The question saw Scott’s thoughts drifting back to the night before, to the moment he and Logan had accessed the control booth above the Danger Room. The windows had been blocked by curtains of fire and Scott had been able to feel the heat through the glass. For a moment, he’d wondered just how the flames hadn’t eaten anything. And then he’d heard Dare’s voice in the midst of all that hell, telling Jean she was tired of her. For a moment, based on the lack of inflection in Dare’s voice, he’d thought she’d really meant to take Jean out.
That Dare hadn’t, that she’d left without doing any harm, was still mind-boggling to him.
“Uncle Scott? Did Mum hurt someone?” Deirdre asked again. This time, he heard a touch of fear in her voice.
“No. Your mom didn’t hurt anyone,” he responded. His words saw Deirdre letting go a deep breath and she seemed to deflate a little. He watched her a minute, then frowned. “Did you think she would hurt someone?”
Deirdre met his gaze head on, her expression filled with the same defiance he’d seen on her mother’s face time and time again. “I heard what was on that tape. And I know Mum has a complicated relationship with people messing with her mind. I didn’t think she’d be very happy to hear Ms. Grey was doing it to you.”
“And you’re so sure that Jean actually did try to mess with my mind?” he questioned That had been the thing that had been making him crazy all night long. The notion that, if what had been recorded on the tape was correct, Jean had been manipulating his memories for as long as they’d been a couple. He didn’t want to think she’d done something as underhanded as that. But he could recall remembering that he’d once been determined to ask Haley out. That he’d had burgeoning feelings for her way back in the day. But then those feelings had suddenly vanished and he’d been head over heels for Jean. And he had no memory of when he’d stopped wanting Haley and started wanting Jean.
“Are you so sure that she didn’t?” Deirdre asked in return. Scott stared at her and saw, in that moment, the adult she was going to become. The question she’d asked, the tone of voice she’d used to ask it, were calm and cool and challenging. And Scott found himself really considering the answer to that question. He was silent as he thought and dug and searched for the answer.
The warmth of her hand on his startled him out of his head, making him realize he’d been lost in it for some time. The look Deirdre was giving him was filled with gentle understanding. “I understand why you’d be hesitant to say yes, Uncle Scott. But there’s something not right about Ms. Grey. Something not right. I can’t explain why I feel this way, I just know I do. I don’t trust her.”
Twelve hours ago, Scott might have tried to change Deirdre’s mind. He might have let her know that he was still a child and she didn’t really know what she was talking about. But twelve hours ago, he hadn’t known that his wife had spent their entire marriage playing with his memories and his emotions as if they were toys. And he didn’t like what such actions said about Jean as a person. Scott was another person who couldn’t trust her anymore.
“Look. I know I’m still a kid. I know I don’t understand grownups. I know I’m not supposed to get their relationships. But I’ve grown up watching how Mum and Da treat one another. How they look at one another. How they act with each other. They love each other. A lot. I’ve never once questioned whether or not that was the truth,” Deirdre said. Her tone was gentle and kind. The look on her face suggested she was trying hard not to hurt his feelings. “I never saw that with you and Ms. Grey. At least, I never saw it with her. It was genuine with you, Uncle Scott. You always looked at her like she was the most amazing thing in your life. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look at you the same way.”
She was right. Scott could admit, now that he’d had time away from Jean and her obvious attempts at control, that she’d never looked at him the same way he’d seen his friends look at their partners. For years, he’d seen his friends take their places along side women who loved them unconditionally. He’d seen the way they acted with one another. The way they’d talked to one another. The way they’d looked at one another. And he could also see that he’d never had that with Jean. Not really.
She’d never looked at him that way. Or talked to him that way. Or loved him that way. Not the way Haley had. He’d seen more genuine emotion, felt more genuine emotion, from Haley in their year of captivity than he’d seen from Jean in the entire time they’d been together.
And he’d fucked that up so deeply that he didn’t think Haley would ever forgive him for it.
“She loves you a lot, Uncle Scott,” Deirdre’s voice cut into his thoughts. He looked up to find she was smiling, giving him a knowing look that he didn’t think had any business being on such a young face. “She loves you and Uncle Johnny both a lot. But she thinks neither one of you wants her anymore. That’s why she’s shut herself off from you. Because she thinks she’s going to be alone for the rest of her life.”
Scott stared at Deirdre a moment, hope fighting with common sense. “Did your visions tell you this, Deirdre?” he asked her quietly. He didn’t want her to hear the hope and fear in his voice.
“My name is Dee, Uncle Scott. And no. This isn’t anything from my visions. This is stuff I’ve heard. Because sometimes, adults forget that children are in the room with them,” Dee gave him a smile. It slid away into a serious look. “There’s still time, Uncle Scott. You just have to get up off your ass and do something about it.”
Scott nodded and rose from his seat. She was right. Things weren’t over yet. Not by a long shot. He just had to prove to Haley that he wasn’t going to fuck off and leave her this time. He knew just how to do that, too. “Thank you, Dee. For everything,” he said, offering the girl an honest smile.
“You’re welcome, Uncle Scott. Just don’t hurt her again. Or else you’ll have to deal with me.” There shouldn’t have been much weight behind her threat. She was just a kid. But, for a moment, he saw her mother in her. And he knew that her threat was as serious as any her mother might have issued.
“I won’t, Dee. Not this time. Not ever again,” he responded, his heart light for the fist time in more than a month. It was time to make things right with Haley. That meant a trip into the city. He had places to go. People to see.
A divorce to get started.
~*~*~*~*~
The smell of green things tickled her nose. Brought with it the scents of hundreds of blossoms opened to the world. The grass beneath her feet was thick and soft, so brilliantly green that she swore she hadn’t seen that color in ages. A small brook babbled gently off to her right, cutting across the broad meadow toward a deep, still pool in the distance. Trees as tall as the sky, as old as time, stood on her left, the darkness that lived between them beckoning to her with the offer of solace and protection. She wanted to go to them. She was so tired. But there was a reason she was here. And she couldn’t let her desire to rest deter her from her reason. She couldn’t let it come between her and what she still needed to do.
Movement at the tree line brought her attention back to the shadowy forest. After a moment, a pure white stag stepped out of the darkness. Vivid blue eyes watched her warily for a moment, then the beast’s head dropped and its crown of antlers dipped in her direction. A long-remembered greeting. An honor. Then the animal was gone, running across the field toward the darkness of a mountain directly in front of her. She watched it go, a soft smile playing at her lips.
It was only moments later that figures melted out of the trees. Six of them, unchanged since she’d last seen them all those years ago. A head of red hair that stood above that of an auburn head. One crowned with brunette tresses. One the color of gold. And one as dark as night. The sixth head was topped by glossy brown hair. Each of them wore a cautious smile. Even across the distance, she could see that. As well as the hope that accompanied the caution.
She didn’t move from her place, standing knee deep in the grass that surrounded her. She merely stood there and watched as the regal figures moved toward her with careful purpose. It felt like an age passed until they stood before her, their eyes bright with emotions as they simply took her in. And then the spell was broken as the shortest of the group stepped forward and enfolded her into her embrace. “Faye. You’ve finally returned to us.” The woman’s voice was choked with tears. Faye hugged her back, holding tight to her for as long as she could spare.
“I have. It has taken so long to find my way back,” she replied. And then she gently set her companion back, giving her a look that held all of her sadness and regret. “But I cannot stay. I need to return. They need me.”
“We’ve needed you here, Faye,” the tallest of the group said. There was no condemnation in his voice. Nothing but the taste of the loneliness he’d felt all this time.
“I know this. And I apologize for being gone so long from your company. I beg your forgiveness,” she responded, dipping her head as she dropped into a deep curtsy. “But I must go back. All these long years, I’ve been searching for them. And I’ve found them. And they need me now more than they ever have.”
“You’ve found them? After all this time?” The question came from the woman with hair like night, her frown heavy and almost tangible.
“Yes. Its why I was away for so long. I’ve been searching through the ages for them. And I’ve finally found them. And their time is drawing near. They will need me to guide them into their next lives,” she responded. Her thoughts turned to them, focused on what was ahead for them. “The barrier is already thinning for some of them. If it was to vanish completely before I can prepare them…”
She trailed off and let her gaze slide from one face to the next. Then she turned back to the tall man and again dipped her head. This time, thought, she went down on her knees and knelt in the tall grass before him. “It must be done soon, my lord. Everything depends upon it. Things are unraveling faster than I expected them to. “
“And are they ready for what is to come?” he asked her.
“I… do not know for certain. But it cannot be stopped now. It has already started. Better that it happens with your help than by itself. I shudder to think what will happen to them without your guidance.”
The grass rustled as he moved closer. One hand settled upon her head, a touch she’d longed for since she could remember. And probably before she could remember. Then he was helping her to her feet, his gaze soft and filled with understanding. “You love them that much. Tell me, Faye. Is the world ready for what this will mean?”
“The world is the reason it must happen,’ she explained. Her gaze slid around the meadow and took in the face of each of them. There was confusion there. And concern. Along with so many other feelings. She could well imagine what they were thinking. She’d been gone for so long. And upon her return, she was demanding that they act immediately. And on something that would change so many lives. “They have people who care and who will understand. And who will help protect them from the world. Things have changed so much. The people of the world need to learn what fear is again. And compassion. And love. I believe that they will be able to show the world the way.”
The man towering over her studied her face a moment before turning his attention to the women who had come with him. After studying each face for a short while, his attention returned to her. The smile he offered her saw relief flooding through her. “It will be done, Faye. Prepare them. See to it that they are ready.”
“As you will, my lord,” Faye responded. A moment later, she found herself in the trees surrounding the school. It was time to get to work. There was much to be done.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-05 04:34 pm (UTC)There's part of me that really hopes Jean realizes just how far she's fallen and how awful she's truly being so she can figure her shit out. Hopefully Logan's warning hits home and she can stop acting like an idiot and reacting like she has. She has to sit down and think. REALLY think. Because reacting is just making things worse.
I kind of love that Dee is still calling him Uncle Scott despite them not really being there yet. Him needing more context on how this information got put on that tape makes sense too. I still want to hear it though. lol Dee is really at a pivotal moment in her life with her powers... she is absolutely still a kick but she has insight that is well beyond her years and she knows that, and is clearly kind of put out by the fact that nobody seems to see what she does. That's carrying through her arc beautifully.
Scott better listen to her!
Oooo... the stag tipped me off as to what we were dealing with and I'm intrigued! Whatever do they mean by all of this and what is Faye orchestrating? I would imagine this has to do with the power spikes we've seen but... dear me! Can't wait to hear more about that! LOL
Great work hun.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-05 05:00 pm (UTC)i hope Jean figures it out, too. she'll be happier and more in tune with herself if she does. but its kind of low that she thought she could try and woo Logan back to her side simply because he 'stopped' Dare from roasting her ass. Logan is right that Jean knows nothing about her if she thought Dare meant to fry her. she'd have done it, no fucking around. that was a warning, plain and simple.
i love that Dee is calling him Uncle Scott. i don't think she ever considered not doing it. she's much like her mother in that she does what she wants. i'm sure it was some kind of comfort to her. we know it was for Scott. and i didn't see him not going looking for more information about what was on the tape. he needed some kind of confirmation that he wasn't just hearing what he thought he was hearing. also, honestly, i'm not entirely certain what Dee said other than things that would imply that Jean was fucking Scott (and probably others) over with her abilities. you know i have so much love for Dee. she's coming along as a character so well. and i keep looking at clothes at work, in the juniors section, that i think she'd wear. she's that real to me. i feel like she's one of the most level-headed and stable characters i have. scary, that.
i'm sure Scott will take her words to heart.
i am kind of proud of that ending. its obvious if you know what you're looking at, but still vague enough that it might be confusing until people start naming names and all. hopefully i can get into that bit of story soon. ... ish.
glad you enjoyed, hon! thanks for reading
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-06 12:06 am (UTC)About fucking time! I mean, obviously I don't really think it took longer than it should have for Scott to get there, but still.... About fucking time. Also, his talk with Dee went about as well and I could've hoped for. Sure, he could have done better on a couple points, but I'm willing to cut him some slack - just this once. I do love Dee so much. I love the hints of Dare in her, while still being her own person.
As for the last bit, I'm lost. Who are these people that Faye is talking to? At first I thought that they were the Goddess verse versions of everyone but there's only six if you include Faye. And then there was a guy so that theory didn't hold up for long. Some sort of group like the Eternals maybe? Certainly not the Watchers. I know, I know, I'll find out eventually. *sigh*
Good job, hon! I enjoyed it muchly (even if I still don't know what's going on with our girls)! *smooches*
(no subject)
Date: 2025-09-06 12:30 am (UTC)i think Scott was trying very hard to find a solution that would work on both sides. Jean just finally tipped his hand with her fuckery. i think his chat with Dee was informative for him in more than one way. and i'm not sure how much time he's spent talking to kids her age. he was doing the best he could. also. i am so glad that you can see the parts of Dare that Dee has while still being her own person. i have so many feelings for Dee. so so many. i love her so much.
someday, i will flesh out her siblings, too. and Duke and the rest of the team. someday...
you will absolutely find out. i promise. seriously. just let me get through this. then everything will become so much clearer.
i'm glad you enjoyed, bb! thanks for reading!