Among the Strong
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marysuevirusTitle: Among the Strong
Chapter Fifty Two: Flight
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 room was filled with tension and concern. As well as an embarrassingly large amount of male stupidity. She couldn’t believe that the four idiots in front of her were people others called on when they had problems and needed help. She was embarrassed for them. She was even more embarrassed that she was related to one of them.
They hadn’t noticed her yet, just continued on with their conversations as if the world didn’t exist around them. And it was conversations. Because there were two main conversations happening between the two pairs of them. But each one of the pair was talking about something entirely different from the other. It was enough to make her head ache. Weren’t adults supposed to know how to talk to one another? Weren’t they supposed to be able to communicate between themselves? There was no communication here. It was just plain arrogance and idiocy.
Ugh. Since no one else seemed capable of making sense, it looked like she would have to be the one to do so.
“All four of you are so stupid!” she snapped, her voice breaking across the four different conversations they were having with themselves. Four stares turned her way and she was pretty sure that at least one of them had the grace to look uncomfortable with having been brought up short by a kid. Their blatant stares gave her a moment or two to get a good look at each of their faces.
Uncle Scott presented a cool, calm exterior. It was, she knew, his work face. He’d no doubt slipped into his role as leader of the X-Men in the blink of an eye. She’d seen it happen time and again over the years with every crisis that cropped up. She imagined he’d done the same thing this time around. But she could see the hint of tension in his jaw that belied the calm. He was probably plenty freaked out and worried. So he was trying to attack the problem at hand from the logical side of things. That was how he usually handled things. But his emotions were getting in the way.
Uncle Johnny was the exact opposite. He was full of nervous energy and the desire to get moving. He was anxious and eager about it. So much so that she expected him to start vibrating with the need to move any moment now. He didn’t seem to care if there was a plan in place. He just wanted to get going and achieve his objective. He’d always been the one to want to be in motion, to be doing something instead of standing around and making plans and that was obvious as he stood inside the suite and waited for someone to come up with some kind of plan.
Uncle Remy stood still, arms crossed tightly over his chest. His mouth was pressed into a thin flat line. His eyes blazed with the anger he felt and she swore the emotion radiated off of him like heat waves or something. She was sure she could see it leaking from his pores to flood out into the room. She couldn’t recall ever seeing him this mad before. He wasn’t speaking. But he didn’t need to. His posture screamed that he thought they were just wasting time. He, like Uncle Johnny, wanted to be gone already. Wanted to be doing something. Wanted to feel useful.
And then there was Da. Despite the fact that he looked calm, she saw the pain in his eyes. He loved Mum so much. And this whole mess was killing him. Not that he showed it. But she knew. She saw the little hints that most people didn’t catch. Because she’d spend her entire lifetime watching him stare at her mother like she was his entire world. Maybe she was. Maybe this was his version of hell. She wanted to tell him it would be okay. Wanted to hug him until he smiled at her.
But she couldn’t. She wouldn’t. Not until every last one of them woke up and saw what kind of stupid asses they were being.
“Dee?” Da put everything he wanted to know into her name, a thousand questions made up of a single syllable.
“You heard me!” she snapped, unwilling to let his sadness make her soften her tone. The lot of them had so much to learn. And she fully planned on being their teacher. “Every one of you is stupid.”
“I don’t think you understand what’s going on here, Dee,” Uncle Scott said. His tone was gentle and kind. He wasn’t trying to do that thing adults liked to do where they treated little kids like they didn’t know anything. She thought that Emilia was lucky to have him as her dad. He would be a great dad. As soon as he got his head out of his ass.
“Oh, I understand exactly what’s going on here. Mum and Aunt Haley are gone and not a single one of you is thinking about anything other than charging headlong into finding them. Has it occurred to you that maybe they left for a reason?” She stepped deeper into the room and made a point of shutting the door. The four of them were so stupid they hadn’t even thought to keep others from hearing their business.
“Don’t tell me you knew they left?” Uncle Johnny asked. She turned to him and frowned, giving him a look meant to tell him he was even dumber than he appeared.
“Of course I didn’t. And I wouldn’t have known if you dumb asses had shut the door behind you,” she replied.
“You know where dey go, Dee?” Uncle Remy’s voice was quiet and soft. She still heard the anger in it. And, under that, the pain. Good. Let the idiots suffer a little bit.
“No. And before you ask, I haven’t seen any of this,” she told him, lifting one finger to tap her temple. She let her gaze swing around the room, let it rest on each of them once again. The amount of surprise and confusion was laughable. It shouldn’t have been. Maybe, if they’d gotten a clue earlier, they’d have been able to keep something like this from happening. She was a kid and she’d been able see how things were going. That was pretty sad.
“Maybe you should run along, Dee,” Uncle Johnny said, his voice sitting in that area that she knew meant he thought that this was something for the adults.
“If you tell me you think I’m too young to know what’s going on, Uncle Johnny, I will never talk to you again,” Dee replied. She made sure her tone of voice made her words a promise. Her statement prompted a startled, hurt look from him. They’d always been super close. Losing that would hurt him. It would hurt her, too. But she’d do it if he started treating her like she was the idiot here. “I know exactly what’s going on and I have to say, I agree with why Mum and Aunt Haley left.”
“And just what is it that you think is going on, Dee?” Uncle Scott was the one to pose the question. And he sounded like he genuinely wanted to know, that he was going to listen to and possibly even value her insight and opinion. A lot of the kids at the school always said he was an uptight asshole, that he didn’t respect anyone and he liked to lord his position over them. But she’d come to realize that a lot of his uptight exterior was there to help protect people. Including himself. She couldn’t imagine just how much responsibility it was to have the safety of so many people on his shoulders. She thought maybe she might be an asshole, too, if she was in a position like that.
Still, she didn’t let his honest curiosity get to her.
“Mum ran away. She took Petra and she left without anyone noticing. And Aunt Haley, being the person she is, followed so she could find Mum and make sure nothing bad has happened.”
Uncle Scott stared at her a moment, though she couldn’t see his eyes because of his glasses. Then he nodded his head at her. She thought that meant she’d impressed him. A faint warmth filled her chest. She ignored it, put it aside and clung to her less tender emotions.
“Why would yer ma run away, Dee? She’s gotta know what could be waitin’ out there for her. She should be stayin’ close to the school,” Da pointed out. There was nothing in his voice beyond a faint curiosity. But she knew it for the lie it was. He was as anxious as the rest of them to go after her mum and bring her home. She knew how much he worried every time Purple Team went on a mission. Maybe he never showed it the way other people might, but Dee saw it all the same. He loved Mum a lot. And she had no doubt all of this crap with Sinister had been eating away at him from the beginning.
“Of course she knows what’s out there. But what’s out there is obviously not enough to keep her here. Not when people are whispering behind their hands that she’s nothing but a whore. Not when someone she’s spent the last ten years or more working with on a team said the same thing to her face and acted like it was no big deal,” Dee responded, not bothering to keep the utter rage out of her voice at that. It was bad enough that people who didn’t really know her mother were calling her such things. Someone Mum had considered family doing it had to have made it so much worse. And just how freaking messed up was that?
“You Mama not a whore,” Uncle Remy spat, his voice laced with so much anger that it was almost a physical slap in the face.
Dee gave him a look that plainly said ‘duh’ and crossed her arms over her chest. “And did you tell her that? Did you make sure she knew you didn’t think she was a whore? That everyone else was petty and jealous and spiteful?”
Her gaze slid from his face to her father’s. Then to Uncle Scott and Uncle Johnny. It was clear from the looks they gave her that no one had thought to tell her mother anything of the sort. Dee snorted and brought her attention back to Uncle Remy. And she pinned her glare on his face. “Of course you didn’t. Because you think she knows by now that you don’t think she’s a whore.”
“Sometimes it isn’t as simple as all that, Dee,” Uncle Johnny started, his voice gentle. Like he thought she was a baby who didn’t understand the way the world worked.
“Isn’t it? Isn’t it as simple as looking someone in the eyes and telling them that what other people think and say is wrong? That what’s important is that it isn’t true and that you know it and you love them? Because it seems to me that its as simple as all that.” Dee’s voice rose as she spoke, her temper spiking at the idea that Uncle Johnny would try to invalidate everything she’d said by insinuating that she wasn’t old enough to get how it worked. “When was the last time you told Aunt Haley you loved her? When was the last time you looked her in the eyes and told her you loved her and that what happened wasn’t her fault? Did you ever tell her you didn’t blame her for the things that happened because they were beyond her control? Did you tell her she’s not a whore? Because you know the rumors going around include her.”
She made sure Uncle Johnny saw the disgust in her eyes before she turned to face Uncle Scott. “And you? When was the last time you even talked to Aunt Haley? Without the conversation being about Emilia? When did you last tell her you loved her? When did you remind her that what other people are saying about her isn’t true? When did you make her believe that you knew it wasn’t true?”
Dee let her gaze slide from face to face, let her words echo around them. “When did any of you morons do anything to make sure Mum and Aunt Haley know you care?”
She fell silent, allowing them ample opportunity to say something. To defend themselves. To do anything that would make them look better. But no one seemed to be capable of proving that to her. She shook her head and made a sound of disappointment. Let that disappointment show on her face. “Okay. So you thought they knew and you didn’t have to put in the work. Good job. You can see how that worked. Its no fucking wonder they both left!”
“Dee, Language,” her father said, his tone soft in the silence of the room. She shot him a look.
“No, Da. You don’t get to tell me to curb my tongue. Not now. Not when I’ve watched you fumble about in the dark where Mum is concerned. You and Uncle Remy both. Ever since she got back from the place where Sinister kept her. She’s been practically begging you to help her. But you never saw it. Neither one of you did. And you let it build until she almost died! Do you think I want to go through that again? I’m so mad at you. At all of you! Because you can’t do a fucking thing right!”
Much against her will, a pair of tears rolled down her cheeks. She’d never really allowed herself to think about what was and what could have been. Her gift or powers or whatever people wanted to call it had told her that things would be okay. That her mother and her aunts would come home. That her mother would survive whatever it was she’d been doing to herself. That it would all work out. But that hadn’t made things any easier for her. That hadn’t made the fear and the anger and the confusion any less. She’d just done a good job of keeping it out of sight because she knew her mother, her aunts, had all been dealing with so much. And she didn’t want to burden a one of them with her problems.
“Yer ma didn’t want anyone’s help. Why do you think she hid from us?” Da asked her, his tone suggesting he thought she wasn’t as knowledgeable about the situation as she thought.
“Maybe because the two of you were smothering her with your idea of help,” she retorted, making finger quotes when she said the word help. “Maybe because she was so certain that you’d hate her for what had happened that you’d reject her. Maybe because she thought you were humoring her about her feelings or just straight up lying to her. Maybe its all of the above. Hell, it could be more than that! But you idiots don’t even know how to treat her right.”
“You makin’ a lot of assumptions, Dee,” Uncle Remy began. She could hear in his voice that he was going to try and calm her down. She wasn’t having any of it.
“Am I? If Mum was here right now, what would you do? What would you say to her? How would you treat her?” Dee asked him. And the question seemed to give him trouble for a bit. Because Uncle Remy stared at her without offering up an immediate answer. “This is what I’m talking about! Neither one of you knows how to treat Mum right! Its part of why she’s gone now. Because she thinks you don’t give a shit.”
“What makes you think we ain’t treating yer ma right?” Da asked. He sounded curious. And maybe there was a little regret in his voice. She couldn’t be certain.
"Because you don't pay attention. You don't listen to her. You don't know how to communicate with her,” she shot back. One hand motioned to where Uncle Johnny stood. “I've watched Aunt Haley and Uncle Johnny for as long as I can remember and they knew how to actually talk and listen to each other. They knew how communicate with each other. And I don’t see either of you doing that with Mum!"
"And you're so sure your ma is good at communication." She bristled at the implication that her mother didn’t know how to properly communicate to people. With people. Dee pinned her Da with a hard stare and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I know she is because she does it with me and Liam and my sisters and Uncle Tristan all the time! She communicates with Aunt Haley just fine. I’m sure she’d do the same with you if you gave her a chance. But you don’t. You're the ones who suck!" She shook her head at them. Da and Uncle Remy were staring at her like she’d sprouted a second head. They were so damn useless. "You both treat her the same way Aunt Morgan does. Like she's made of glass. Mum isn't a doll! She isn’t going to shatter if you’re a little rough with her every once in a while. She’s survived everything bad that’s happened to her. She’s come back from death, for shit’s sake! And she used it to her advantage! She's so much stronger than you think."
She could see by the looks that Da and Uncle Remy were giving her that they hadn’t even considered the option that Mum’s experiences had made her stronger. To be fair, she understood their desire to protect Mum and keep her safe. So many bad things had happened to her in her life. But holy shit! Mum had survived them. While Dee wouldn’t say that her mum had thrived after all those things, she could say with certainty that her mother had risen to the challenge of living on through the pain and fear and horror of other people’s terrible deeds. She could say that nothing that had happened had made her mother close in on herself. She’d used her experiences, all of them, to shape who she was. And who she was was so many things. An honest to God superhero who helped people that genuinely feared and hated her. A caring and gentle mother who loved her children so fiercely that not even Death had been able to keep them apart. A loving partner to the man she’d chosen to spend her life with. And to the man she’d loved for so long, the ache of it had melded with her bones and her organs and simply become another part of who she was.
Her mother had been forged in fire and, as far as Dee was concerned, she was a goddamned goddess.
She was so disgusted with Da. With Uncle Remy. Dee knew they loved her mother deeply. It was there to be traced in the fear and concern and desperation that mapped their faces. It was like an aura cloaking them both. So she understood their need to find Mum and bring her home. But it saddened her to know that they didn’t see the woman her mother really was. They didn’t see Dare Scott, superhero who bent the hungry, burning flames to her will. The woman who stood proud and tall despite the way life had tried to trample her. They only saw a scared, frightened woman who needed to be saved and protected from everything. How could they be so blind to who she was?
A sound, a mix of a snort and a chuckle, saw her turning her attention from the men her mother had given her heart to. Saw her turning toward Uncle Johnny, who was wearing a smug smile as he stared across the room at the two men Dee had just chastised. And she was reminded of just how incompetent he’d been with his own marriage. Her frowned deepened and her gaze sharpened on his face. She saw the moment he realized that he was next on the list, because the smile fled and a look of what seemed to be fear took its place. Oh, yes. Uncle Johnny was also going to get his ass reemed.
“You’re no better,” she snapped at him. She motioned to the room around them with her hand. “You were so intent on being mad that you left your wife alone here. You left her to cling to my mother because Mum was the only life line Aunt Haley had! I can’t imagine how lost Aunt Haley was. Mum said you swore to her that you’d never hurt Aunt Haley. That you’d love her and protect her and honor her for the rest of your life. And you lied!”
Uncle Johnny opened his mouth to respond, but it wasn’t his voice that filled the spaces around her anger.
“I realize that you love your Aunt Haley a lot, Dee, and that you’d do anything you could to make sure she was happy. But it isn’t fair that you want to blame the way things have gone in her marriage with Johnny on him. He had a lot to think through.” Uncle Scott sounded almost like he hadn’t wanted to say it. But there was something else in his voice. Guilt, she thought. Guilt that he’d come between Aunt Haley and Uncle Johnny. And guilt that his own marriage had gone so badly in the aftermath of everything.
“And Aunt Haley didn’t?” she asked, refusing to back down. “I am so tired of everyone acting like I’m too young or stupid or whatever to understand what being married means. I might be a kid, but I’ve been more of a grown up about all of this shit than any of you have! Was it fair that Uncle Johnny left as soon as he realized that Aunt Haley had fallen in love with you? Was it fair that you walked away from her because of Ms. Grey? Was it fair that neither one of you dumb butts considered what doing so would do to Aunt Haley? Have neither one of you been paying attention to how Aunt Haley works?”
Her words hit home. She could see it in the regret on both Uncle Johnny and Uncle Scott’s faces. It was there, plain as day. Which meant that maybe at least one pair of idiots might listen to her. She had her doubts about her father and her Uncle Remy. She could also see that neither one of them really knew what she was talking about.
“Ugh. Idiots,” she ground out.
“Pretend like we haven’t known Haley longer than you have, Dee, and tell us what you mean,” Uncle Johnny suggested. He sounded like he genuinely wanted to know.
“She thinks you both rejected her,” Dee said, making it as plain and as simple as she could manage.
“That isn’t what happened, Dee,” Uncle Scott replied.
“Maybe not in your head. But you have to look at it from Aunt Haley’s point of view,” Dee returned. “Both of you walked away from her when she needed you most. When she first got back. Uncle Johnny left because he found out how she felt about Uncle Scott. And then Uncle Scott left because Ms. Grey showed up. And you kept sending her the same signals, over and over again.”
“How do you know any of this stuff, Dee?” Uncle Johnny asked. He looked so confused.
“I’m a kid. Adults forget I exist unless they talk to me directly,” she pointed out. If there was a little anger in her voice, no one made comment on it. “So they tend to talk about stuff without thinking about it. I hear things all the time.”
Uncle Johnny stared, as if he’d never considered it. Uncle Scott looked uncomfortable and apologetic all at once. But she could see that they were paying close attention to her now. A glance at Da and Uncle Remy showed the same thing. Time for her to drive her point home.
“Aunt Haley loves you both. So much so that she feels guilty about it. She’s confused because she doesn’t know what she should do. Does she stay with you, Uncle Johnny, and let Uncle Scott go? Or does she pick Uncle Scott and let Uncle Johnny go? No matter which choice she makes, she’ll be cutting out a piece of her own heart.” Dee softened her tone and let her gaze slide between the two men so that she knew they got it. “So she’s made a third choice. She’s going to let you both go because she doesn’t think either of you want anything to do with her anymore. She thinks Uncle Johnny will never forgive her for falling in love with Uncle Scott. She thinks he can’t. And she thinks you want to stay with Ms. Grey, Uncle Scott. So she’ll go it alone and hope that she can plaster over the scars so no one sees how broken her heart is.”
“She left because she thinks neither one of us cares,” Uncle Scott said softly. Dee nodded at him.
“That means you need to decide, both of you, what you want. Do you both want to be with Aunt Haley? If so, you need to figure that shit out. And then you need to figure out where she’s gone.”
“She told me she needed to find Dare,” Uncle Johnny said, as if that was the only reason Aunt Haley might have left. Dee heaved a sigh and shook her head. It took a moment, but Uncle Johnny eventually got it. “Oh. Damn. You’re right. She totally might have said that to throw me off her trail. If she’s as hurt as you say she is, she might have left to protect herself and she’d use whatever she could to cover her tracks for as long as she could.”
“I have to admit, Johnny, that you’re not wrong about that,” Uncle Scott said. “She’s an incredibly accomplished and capable leader, after all. We have to take into consideration every possibility surrounding her departure and then plan accordingly.”
Dee nodded, then turned her attention to the other two men in the room. She gave them both a pointed look that suggested she’d better like the next words to come out of their mouths or they’d never hear the end of it. Her opinion of them at the moment was very, very low.
“It won’t be easy findin’ yer ma,” Logan said, voice gruff and blunt. She could still hear the concern there. But she thought she detected a hint of pride hidden in his voice. “She lived on the streets fer years. She’d use that knowledge to her advantage.”
“She gonna go some place safe,” Uncle Remy added, a slow cadence to his words that made Dee think he was giving consideration to what he said. That he wasn’t sure he was right.
“We know she didn’t go to her ma’s.” Da replied. “We’re certain about that.”
“So how we find her?” Uncle Remy asked, a touch of fear coloring his words.
“The old fashioned way. We’re gonna look,” Da told him.
“And what are you going to do when you find Mum?” Dee asked, her tone conveying the displeasure she would release upon them if she didn’t like their answer.
“We’re gonna make sure she’s safe. And we’re gonna apologize for not seein’ that she needed more than we were givin’ her,” Da responded. She nodded at that, glad to know that her tirade had had the correct effect on him.
“And we gonna tell her we love her,” Uncle Remy finished. As if it was as simple as that. Maybe it was. She let her gaze slide around so that it touched on all four faces. The frantic worry was gone. All four of them were calm and thinking. Which was good. They were going to need their wits about them. She felt certain that this would be the hardest mission of their lives. Mum and Aunt Haley weren’t going to be satisfied by a few pretty words. Dee stepped back and let them all see the look on her face. The one that said there would be hell to pay if they failed Aunt Haley and Mum again. If they failed her this time.
“Don’t fuck things up this time. You won’t get another chance if you do. I’m already super disappointed in all of you. Don’t make it worse,” she warned. Then she turned for the door. They had plans to make and she’d done what she’d set out to do. She was out in the hallway when she heard it. A long, shaky sigh filled the room behind her. And, just before the door closed on the four of them:
"Holy shit. She is going to be such a good mom, because I feel guilty now."
Uncle Johnny’s words brought a smile to her face. He should feel guilty. She’d learned from the best.
~*~*~*~*~
The ride by car from the cottage to Vicki's home was apparently not a long one. Dare dozed off anyway, settled in the backseat next to Petra's car seat. It wasn't until the motion of the car came to a standstill that she roused. And then she flushed with embarrassment when she realized she'd literally gone to sleep. Vicki only smiled and helped her with her bags.
And then had come the shock because the house Vicki had referred to was a goddamn manor house. A real, honest to gods manor house. It looked like something out of those smarmy shows Jehnna liked to watch, a towering expanse of building made from stone that sprawled out in both directions. And Vicki was leading her into the house through a door at the back. They'd reached it by walking under a covered path from a large outbuilding she suspected was the garage. To be fair, it looked like it could house at least half a dozen cars comfortably. Well. That explained the plush, flashy Jaguar. Dare was reminded of that old cartoon where a country cousin visited their big city relative. She looked, and felt, like that country cousin.
"I've just the room for you," Vicki was saying as they made their way through what appeared to be some kind of mudroom or whatever it was that they had in Scotland that was the equivalent. It was a long, narrow room attached to the back of the house. It came with lots of low walls and big windows. Dare could see a broad expanse of green grass, craggy mountains, and grey sky through them. Then they went through a solid wooden door and into a small coat room. They stopped long enough to shed their coats and hang them, then continued on.
The deeper into the house they got, the bigger Dare's eyes got.
First was a kitchen that was a mix of old and new, with stone walls and a large hearth on one wall and sleek stainless appliances and an island that seated six. The floor was done in actual wood flooring, obviously old and well cared for based on the mellow, deep golden-brown color of the wood. The room had wrought iron sconces on the walls, as well as a wrought iron chandelier to provide light. There was a door behind them on an interior wall that looked as if it was on hinges and another before them, also set with hinges. They were heading for that door.
There was a long hallway on the other side of the door. Their footsteps echoed on a floor of more hardwood. This was more golden than brown, but still obviously old and well maintained. Then their footsteps died when they stepped onto a rug that had a bright pattern of blues and greens and what might have been tiny bits of purple. Here, there were glass encased sconces on the walls to brighten the way. And small paintings of forests, fields, and flowers to add life. Tables in dark wood upon which stood busts or vases of flowers or replica ships. It was comfortable despite being so much more ostentatious than anything Dare had ever seen before in her life. And she’d lived a good, long time in Xavier’s mansion. She knew ostentatious.
Vicki silently made her way to the front of the hall and toward the stairs. Dare followed, her gaze trying to take everything in at once. They were obviously in the main entrance hall because ahead of them was a set of large, wide, heavy doors that she suspected were made of wood. Glass panels sat on either side of them, giving her a watery view of the world beyond, telling her that it wasn’t normal glass. Two large vases sat to either side of those glass panels, filled with tall, leafy plants of deep green.
Vicki put a foot on the first tread of the stairs, then turned to look at her and offer Dare a soft smile. It was meant to be encouragement and Dare took it as such. It was as if Vicki knew just how overwhelming this was and she was letting Dare know it was okay. She was safe and welcome here. Dare blinked hard against yet more tears and followed the other woman up the stairs toward the next level. She caught a glimpse of more artwork, more thick rugs. It practically screamed money, But it wasn’t cold. There was a sense of warmth to feel coming from every item her eyes managed to take in. In fact, the house practically breathed out that warmth. It was a place that had, for a very long time, been filled with life and laughter. And love.
Dare felt tension sliding off her shoulders. For some inexplicable reason, she felt like she belonged here. She felt a sense of love and warmth and welcoming directed at her by the building surrounding her. Her steps felt lighter as they turned a corner and started up another set of stairs. When they topped the stairs and turned to the left to make their way down another hallway. Vicki eventually stopped before a door that was indistinguishable from the rest lining the hallway, an ornately carved panel painted in white while sliver accented the decorative carving. There was a knob of colored glass on the door and Vicki took hold of it a moment before sending Dare another smile. Then the opened the door and stepped into the room beyond.
Dare came through the doorway and gaped at the space into which she found herself stepping.
The walls of the space were in a soft, pale shade of purple that reminded Dare of lilacs. It was a large, spacious room, flooded with natural light thanks to the half dozen windows on the two outer walls. Each window had a set of sheer panels hanging over them while heavier panels of dark purple edged the sheers on either side. The floor was more hardwood, though much of it was hidden beneath a thick rug of dove grey and light purple. There was a massive bed in the center of one wall, with posts at each corner that reached high above her head. A velvet canopy topped the bed, the purple so deep that it was almost black. It looked as if it had been gathered into a point at the center and a wooden knob that matched the rest of the bed rose out of that point. Curtains of velvet, in the same color as the canopy rested at the corners near each post. The blanket on the bed was grey, while the plush pillows at the head were in the same light purple that decorated the walls.
She tried to take it all in. The furniture matched the bed, both in wood type, the color it had been stained, and the carving that had gone into each piece. There was a settee and a pair of chairs in one corner, all done up in a darker grey. A massive armoire and matched dresser took up space on one wall. There were two doors on the inner wall to Dare’s left. She suspected at least one was a bathroom. She didn’t know about they other. These doors were as intricately done as the one letting into the main room. Crystal hung from the lamps beside the bed and around the room. Just as it hung from the chandelier suspended in the center of the high, arching ceiling.
A ceiling that had been painted with a mural of a storm-tossed sea. There were large, white-capped waves under a dark sky thick with clouds and forked with lightning. She could see several ships riding the waves. One ship was long and sat low in the water. There was a big, single sail of white on its only mast. And there was a dragon’s head at the prow of the ship, watching out over the boiling sea. Another ship was there, this one larger than the dragon ship. It was red and gold against the dark of the water behind it. It looked as if there was a small puff of smoke painted next to the ship, as if it had fired off a cannon or two. A third ship was painted there along side the other two. This one was smaller than the red and gold ship and appeared to be black. It was little more than smudge against the water around it. But something about it held Dare’s attention for a moment, as if that small ship was far more dangerous than the other two with it.
All three ships were facing off against about a half dozen ships that were much larger than them. Each had several masts topped by a grouping of sails. More clouds of smoke were painted by these ships, suggesting they were returning fire. She felt as if she was looking upon a fierce and never-ending battle.
When she dragged her eyes away from the mural, it was find that the walls were lined with paintings of the sea. Some were done during a raging storm, the skies grey with heavy clouds and the ocean waves roiling across the canvas. Some depicted calm days, with blue skies and a smooth, unending expanse of water. There were whales breaking the surface in some, ships painted into others. A couple had what looked like the same black ship in them. Here and there, on sturdy wooden tables, were replica ships displayed proudly. She thought that she saw a match for each of the three unique ships painted on the ceiling.
And then her attention was caught up by the large painting hanging over a large fireplace. Both of them dominated the room. The painting was framed by a frame of gold, a pair of sliver candlesticks standing guard on either side of the piece. It was the only thing in the room not nautical themed in the room. This painting was of people.
And Dare stared in shock at the familiar faces looking out of the image. Because holy shit.
It just couldn’t be.
Chapter Fifty Two: Flight
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 room was filled with tension and concern. As well as an embarrassingly large amount of male stupidity. She couldn’t believe that the four idiots in front of her were people others called on when they had problems and needed help. She was embarrassed for them. She was even more embarrassed that she was related to one of them.
They hadn’t noticed her yet, just continued on with their conversations as if the world didn’t exist around them. And it was conversations. Because there were two main conversations happening between the two pairs of them. But each one of the pair was talking about something entirely different from the other. It was enough to make her head ache. Weren’t adults supposed to know how to talk to one another? Weren’t they supposed to be able to communicate between themselves? There was no communication here. It was just plain arrogance and idiocy.
Ugh. Since no one else seemed capable of making sense, it looked like she would have to be the one to do so.
“All four of you are so stupid!” she snapped, her voice breaking across the four different conversations they were having with themselves. Four stares turned her way and she was pretty sure that at least one of them had the grace to look uncomfortable with having been brought up short by a kid. Their blatant stares gave her a moment or two to get a good look at each of their faces.
Uncle Scott presented a cool, calm exterior. It was, she knew, his work face. He’d no doubt slipped into his role as leader of the X-Men in the blink of an eye. She’d seen it happen time and again over the years with every crisis that cropped up. She imagined he’d done the same thing this time around. But she could see the hint of tension in his jaw that belied the calm. He was probably plenty freaked out and worried. So he was trying to attack the problem at hand from the logical side of things. That was how he usually handled things. But his emotions were getting in the way.
Uncle Johnny was the exact opposite. He was full of nervous energy and the desire to get moving. He was anxious and eager about it. So much so that she expected him to start vibrating with the need to move any moment now. He didn’t seem to care if there was a plan in place. He just wanted to get going and achieve his objective. He’d always been the one to want to be in motion, to be doing something instead of standing around and making plans and that was obvious as he stood inside the suite and waited for someone to come up with some kind of plan.
Uncle Remy stood still, arms crossed tightly over his chest. His mouth was pressed into a thin flat line. His eyes blazed with the anger he felt and she swore the emotion radiated off of him like heat waves or something. She was sure she could see it leaking from his pores to flood out into the room. She couldn’t recall ever seeing him this mad before. He wasn’t speaking. But he didn’t need to. His posture screamed that he thought they were just wasting time. He, like Uncle Johnny, wanted to be gone already. Wanted to be doing something. Wanted to feel useful.
And then there was Da. Despite the fact that he looked calm, she saw the pain in his eyes. He loved Mum so much. And this whole mess was killing him. Not that he showed it. But she knew. She saw the little hints that most people didn’t catch. Because she’d spend her entire lifetime watching him stare at her mother like she was his entire world. Maybe she was. Maybe this was his version of hell. She wanted to tell him it would be okay. Wanted to hug him until he smiled at her.
But she couldn’t. She wouldn’t. Not until every last one of them woke up and saw what kind of stupid asses they were being.
“Dee?” Da put everything he wanted to know into her name, a thousand questions made up of a single syllable.
“You heard me!” she snapped, unwilling to let his sadness make her soften her tone. The lot of them had so much to learn. And she fully planned on being their teacher. “Every one of you is stupid.”
“I don’t think you understand what’s going on here, Dee,” Uncle Scott said. His tone was gentle and kind. He wasn’t trying to do that thing adults liked to do where they treated little kids like they didn’t know anything. She thought that Emilia was lucky to have him as her dad. He would be a great dad. As soon as he got his head out of his ass.
“Oh, I understand exactly what’s going on here. Mum and Aunt Haley are gone and not a single one of you is thinking about anything other than charging headlong into finding them. Has it occurred to you that maybe they left for a reason?” She stepped deeper into the room and made a point of shutting the door. The four of them were so stupid they hadn’t even thought to keep others from hearing their business.
“Don’t tell me you knew they left?” Uncle Johnny asked. She turned to him and frowned, giving him a look meant to tell him he was even dumber than he appeared.
“Of course I didn’t. And I wouldn’t have known if you dumb asses had shut the door behind you,” she replied.
“You know where dey go, Dee?” Uncle Remy’s voice was quiet and soft. She still heard the anger in it. And, under that, the pain. Good. Let the idiots suffer a little bit.
“No. And before you ask, I haven’t seen any of this,” she told him, lifting one finger to tap her temple. She let her gaze swing around the room, let it rest on each of them once again. The amount of surprise and confusion was laughable. It shouldn’t have been. Maybe, if they’d gotten a clue earlier, they’d have been able to keep something like this from happening. She was a kid and she’d been able see how things were going. That was pretty sad.
“Maybe you should run along, Dee,” Uncle Johnny said, his voice sitting in that area that she knew meant he thought that this was something for the adults.
“If you tell me you think I’m too young to know what’s going on, Uncle Johnny, I will never talk to you again,” Dee replied. She made sure her tone of voice made her words a promise. Her statement prompted a startled, hurt look from him. They’d always been super close. Losing that would hurt him. It would hurt her, too. But she’d do it if he started treating her like she was the idiot here. “I know exactly what’s going on and I have to say, I agree with why Mum and Aunt Haley left.”
“And just what is it that you think is going on, Dee?” Uncle Scott was the one to pose the question. And he sounded like he genuinely wanted to know, that he was going to listen to and possibly even value her insight and opinion. A lot of the kids at the school always said he was an uptight asshole, that he didn’t respect anyone and he liked to lord his position over them. But she’d come to realize that a lot of his uptight exterior was there to help protect people. Including himself. She couldn’t imagine just how much responsibility it was to have the safety of so many people on his shoulders. She thought maybe she might be an asshole, too, if she was in a position like that.
Still, she didn’t let his honest curiosity get to her.
“Mum ran away. She took Petra and she left without anyone noticing. And Aunt Haley, being the person she is, followed so she could find Mum and make sure nothing bad has happened.”
Uncle Scott stared at her a moment, though she couldn’t see his eyes because of his glasses. Then he nodded his head at her. She thought that meant she’d impressed him. A faint warmth filled her chest. She ignored it, put it aside and clung to her less tender emotions.
“Why would yer ma run away, Dee? She’s gotta know what could be waitin’ out there for her. She should be stayin’ close to the school,” Da pointed out. There was nothing in his voice beyond a faint curiosity. But she knew it for the lie it was. He was as anxious as the rest of them to go after her mum and bring her home. She knew how much he worried every time Purple Team went on a mission. Maybe he never showed it the way other people might, but Dee saw it all the same. He loved Mum a lot. And she had no doubt all of this crap with Sinister had been eating away at him from the beginning.
“Of course she knows what’s out there. But what’s out there is obviously not enough to keep her here. Not when people are whispering behind their hands that she’s nothing but a whore. Not when someone she’s spent the last ten years or more working with on a team said the same thing to her face and acted like it was no big deal,” Dee responded, not bothering to keep the utter rage out of her voice at that. It was bad enough that people who didn’t really know her mother were calling her such things. Someone Mum had considered family doing it had to have made it so much worse. And just how freaking messed up was that?
“You Mama not a whore,” Uncle Remy spat, his voice laced with so much anger that it was almost a physical slap in the face.
Dee gave him a look that plainly said ‘duh’ and crossed her arms over her chest. “And did you tell her that? Did you make sure she knew you didn’t think she was a whore? That everyone else was petty and jealous and spiteful?”
Her gaze slid from his face to her father’s. Then to Uncle Scott and Uncle Johnny. It was clear from the looks they gave her that no one had thought to tell her mother anything of the sort. Dee snorted and brought her attention back to Uncle Remy. And she pinned her glare on his face. “Of course you didn’t. Because you think she knows by now that you don’t think she’s a whore.”
“Sometimes it isn’t as simple as all that, Dee,” Uncle Johnny started, his voice gentle. Like he thought she was a baby who didn’t understand the way the world worked.
“Isn’t it? Isn’t it as simple as looking someone in the eyes and telling them that what other people think and say is wrong? That what’s important is that it isn’t true and that you know it and you love them? Because it seems to me that its as simple as all that.” Dee’s voice rose as she spoke, her temper spiking at the idea that Uncle Johnny would try to invalidate everything she’d said by insinuating that she wasn’t old enough to get how it worked. “When was the last time you told Aunt Haley you loved her? When was the last time you looked her in the eyes and told her you loved her and that what happened wasn’t her fault? Did you ever tell her you didn’t blame her for the things that happened because they were beyond her control? Did you tell her she’s not a whore? Because you know the rumors going around include her.”
She made sure Uncle Johnny saw the disgust in her eyes before she turned to face Uncle Scott. “And you? When was the last time you even talked to Aunt Haley? Without the conversation being about Emilia? When did you last tell her you loved her? When did you remind her that what other people are saying about her isn’t true? When did you make her believe that you knew it wasn’t true?”
Dee let her gaze slide from face to face, let her words echo around them. “When did any of you morons do anything to make sure Mum and Aunt Haley know you care?”
She fell silent, allowing them ample opportunity to say something. To defend themselves. To do anything that would make them look better. But no one seemed to be capable of proving that to her. She shook her head and made a sound of disappointment. Let that disappointment show on her face. “Okay. So you thought they knew and you didn’t have to put in the work. Good job. You can see how that worked. Its no fucking wonder they both left!”
“Dee, Language,” her father said, his tone soft in the silence of the room. She shot him a look.
“No, Da. You don’t get to tell me to curb my tongue. Not now. Not when I’ve watched you fumble about in the dark where Mum is concerned. You and Uncle Remy both. Ever since she got back from the place where Sinister kept her. She’s been practically begging you to help her. But you never saw it. Neither one of you did. And you let it build until she almost died! Do you think I want to go through that again? I’m so mad at you. At all of you! Because you can’t do a fucking thing right!”
Much against her will, a pair of tears rolled down her cheeks. She’d never really allowed herself to think about what was and what could have been. Her gift or powers or whatever people wanted to call it had told her that things would be okay. That her mother and her aunts would come home. That her mother would survive whatever it was she’d been doing to herself. That it would all work out. But that hadn’t made things any easier for her. That hadn’t made the fear and the anger and the confusion any less. She’d just done a good job of keeping it out of sight because she knew her mother, her aunts, had all been dealing with so much. And she didn’t want to burden a one of them with her problems.
“Yer ma didn’t want anyone’s help. Why do you think she hid from us?” Da asked her, his tone suggesting he thought she wasn’t as knowledgeable about the situation as she thought.
“Maybe because the two of you were smothering her with your idea of help,” she retorted, making finger quotes when she said the word help. “Maybe because she was so certain that you’d hate her for what had happened that you’d reject her. Maybe because she thought you were humoring her about her feelings or just straight up lying to her. Maybe its all of the above. Hell, it could be more than that! But you idiots don’t even know how to treat her right.”
“You makin’ a lot of assumptions, Dee,” Uncle Remy began. She could hear in his voice that he was going to try and calm her down. She wasn’t having any of it.
“Am I? If Mum was here right now, what would you do? What would you say to her? How would you treat her?” Dee asked him. And the question seemed to give him trouble for a bit. Because Uncle Remy stared at her without offering up an immediate answer. “This is what I’m talking about! Neither one of you knows how to treat Mum right! Its part of why she’s gone now. Because she thinks you don’t give a shit.”
“What makes you think we ain’t treating yer ma right?” Da asked. He sounded curious. And maybe there was a little regret in his voice. She couldn’t be certain.
"Because you don't pay attention. You don't listen to her. You don't know how to communicate with her,” she shot back. One hand motioned to where Uncle Johnny stood. “I've watched Aunt Haley and Uncle Johnny for as long as I can remember and they knew how to actually talk and listen to each other. They knew how communicate with each other. And I don’t see either of you doing that with Mum!"
"And you're so sure your ma is good at communication." She bristled at the implication that her mother didn’t know how to properly communicate to people. With people. Dee pinned her Da with a hard stare and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I know she is because she does it with me and Liam and my sisters and Uncle Tristan all the time! She communicates with Aunt Haley just fine. I’m sure she’d do the same with you if you gave her a chance. But you don’t. You're the ones who suck!" She shook her head at them. Da and Uncle Remy were staring at her like she’d sprouted a second head. They were so damn useless. "You both treat her the same way Aunt Morgan does. Like she's made of glass. Mum isn't a doll! She isn’t going to shatter if you’re a little rough with her every once in a while. She’s survived everything bad that’s happened to her. She’s come back from death, for shit’s sake! And she used it to her advantage! She's so much stronger than you think."
She could see by the looks that Da and Uncle Remy were giving her that they hadn’t even considered the option that Mum’s experiences had made her stronger. To be fair, she understood their desire to protect Mum and keep her safe. So many bad things had happened to her in her life. But holy shit! Mum had survived them. While Dee wouldn’t say that her mum had thrived after all those things, she could say with certainty that her mother had risen to the challenge of living on through the pain and fear and horror of other people’s terrible deeds. She could say that nothing that had happened had made her mother close in on herself. She’d used her experiences, all of them, to shape who she was. And who she was was so many things. An honest to God superhero who helped people that genuinely feared and hated her. A caring and gentle mother who loved her children so fiercely that not even Death had been able to keep them apart. A loving partner to the man she’d chosen to spend her life with. And to the man she’d loved for so long, the ache of it had melded with her bones and her organs and simply become another part of who she was.
Her mother had been forged in fire and, as far as Dee was concerned, she was a goddamned goddess.
She was so disgusted with Da. With Uncle Remy. Dee knew they loved her mother deeply. It was there to be traced in the fear and concern and desperation that mapped their faces. It was like an aura cloaking them both. So she understood their need to find Mum and bring her home. But it saddened her to know that they didn’t see the woman her mother really was. They didn’t see Dare Scott, superhero who bent the hungry, burning flames to her will. The woman who stood proud and tall despite the way life had tried to trample her. They only saw a scared, frightened woman who needed to be saved and protected from everything. How could they be so blind to who she was?
A sound, a mix of a snort and a chuckle, saw her turning her attention from the men her mother had given her heart to. Saw her turning toward Uncle Johnny, who was wearing a smug smile as he stared across the room at the two men Dee had just chastised. And she was reminded of just how incompetent he’d been with his own marriage. Her frowned deepened and her gaze sharpened on his face. She saw the moment he realized that he was next on the list, because the smile fled and a look of what seemed to be fear took its place. Oh, yes. Uncle Johnny was also going to get his ass reemed.
“You’re no better,” she snapped at him. She motioned to the room around them with her hand. “You were so intent on being mad that you left your wife alone here. You left her to cling to my mother because Mum was the only life line Aunt Haley had! I can’t imagine how lost Aunt Haley was. Mum said you swore to her that you’d never hurt Aunt Haley. That you’d love her and protect her and honor her for the rest of your life. And you lied!”
Uncle Johnny opened his mouth to respond, but it wasn’t his voice that filled the spaces around her anger.
“I realize that you love your Aunt Haley a lot, Dee, and that you’d do anything you could to make sure she was happy. But it isn’t fair that you want to blame the way things have gone in her marriage with Johnny on him. He had a lot to think through.” Uncle Scott sounded almost like he hadn’t wanted to say it. But there was something else in his voice. Guilt, she thought. Guilt that he’d come between Aunt Haley and Uncle Johnny. And guilt that his own marriage had gone so badly in the aftermath of everything.
“And Aunt Haley didn’t?” she asked, refusing to back down. “I am so tired of everyone acting like I’m too young or stupid or whatever to understand what being married means. I might be a kid, but I’ve been more of a grown up about all of this shit than any of you have! Was it fair that Uncle Johnny left as soon as he realized that Aunt Haley had fallen in love with you? Was it fair that you walked away from her because of Ms. Grey? Was it fair that neither one of you dumb butts considered what doing so would do to Aunt Haley? Have neither one of you been paying attention to how Aunt Haley works?”
Her words hit home. She could see it in the regret on both Uncle Johnny and Uncle Scott’s faces. It was there, plain as day. Which meant that maybe at least one pair of idiots might listen to her. She had her doubts about her father and her Uncle Remy. She could also see that neither one of them really knew what she was talking about.
“Ugh. Idiots,” she ground out.
“Pretend like we haven’t known Haley longer than you have, Dee, and tell us what you mean,” Uncle Johnny suggested. He sounded like he genuinely wanted to know.
“She thinks you both rejected her,” Dee said, making it as plain and as simple as she could manage.
“That isn’t what happened, Dee,” Uncle Scott replied.
“Maybe not in your head. But you have to look at it from Aunt Haley’s point of view,” Dee returned. “Both of you walked away from her when she needed you most. When she first got back. Uncle Johnny left because he found out how she felt about Uncle Scott. And then Uncle Scott left because Ms. Grey showed up. And you kept sending her the same signals, over and over again.”
“How do you know any of this stuff, Dee?” Uncle Johnny asked. He looked so confused.
“I’m a kid. Adults forget I exist unless they talk to me directly,” she pointed out. If there was a little anger in her voice, no one made comment on it. “So they tend to talk about stuff without thinking about it. I hear things all the time.”
Uncle Johnny stared, as if he’d never considered it. Uncle Scott looked uncomfortable and apologetic all at once. But she could see that they were paying close attention to her now. A glance at Da and Uncle Remy showed the same thing. Time for her to drive her point home.
“Aunt Haley loves you both. So much so that she feels guilty about it. She’s confused because she doesn’t know what she should do. Does she stay with you, Uncle Johnny, and let Uncle Scott go? Or does she pick Uncle Scott and let Uncle Johnny go? No matter which choice she makes, she’ll be cutting out a piece of her own heart.” Dee softened her tone and let her gaze slide between the two men so that she knew they got it. “So she’s made a third choice. She’s going to let you both go because she doesn’t think either of you want anything to do with her anymore. She thinks Uncle Johnny will never forgive her for falling in love with Uncle Scott. She thinks he can’t. And she thinks you want to stay with Ms. Grey, Uncle Scott. So she’ll go it alone and hope that she can plaster over the scars so no one sees how broken her heart is.”
“She left because she thinks neither one of us cares,” Uncle Scott said softly. Dee nodded at him.
“That means you need to decide, both of you, what you want. Do you both want to be with Aunt Haley? If so, you need to figure that shit out. And then you need to figure out where she’s gone.”
“She told me she needed to find Dare,” Uncle Johnny said, as if that was the only reason Aunt Haley might have left. Dee heaved a sigh and shook her head. It took a moment, but Uncle Johnny eventually got it. “Oh. Damn. You’re right. She totally might have said that to throw me off her trail. If she’s as hurt as you say she is, she might have left to protect herself and she’d use whatever she could to cover her tracks for as long as she could.”
“I have to admit, Johnny, that you’re not wrong about that,” Uncle Scott said. “She’s an incredibly accomplished and capable leader, after all. We have to take into consideration every possibility surrounding her departure and then plan accordingly.”
Dee nodded, then turned her attention to the other two men in the room. She gave them both a pointed look that suggested she’d better like the next words to come out of their mouths or they’d never hear the end of it. Her opinion of them at the moment was very, very low.
“It won’t be easy findin’ yer ma,” Logan said, voice gruff and blunt. She could still hear the concern there. But she thought she detected a hint of pride hidden in his voice. “She lived on the streets fer years. She’d use that knowledge to her advantage.”
“She gonna go some place safe,” Uncle Remy added, a slow cadence to his words that made Dee think he was giving consideration to what he said. That he wasn’t sure he was right.
“We know she didn’t go to her ma’s.” Da replied. “We’re certain about that.”
“So how we find her?” Uncle Remy asked, a touch of fear coloring his words.
“The old fashioned way. We’re gonna look,” Da told him.
“And what are you going to do when you find Mum?” Dee asked, her tone conveying the displeasure she would release upon them if she didn’t like their answer.
“We’re gonna make sure she’s safe. And we’re gonna apologize for not seein’ that she needed more than we were givin’ her,” Da responded. She nodded at that, glad to know that her tirade had had the correct effect on him.
“And we gonna tell her we love her,” Uncle Remy finished. As if it was as simple as that. Maybe it was. She let her gaze slide around so that it touched on all four faces. The frantic worry was gone. All four of them were calm and thinking. Which was good. They were going to need their wits about them. She felt certain that this would be the hardest mission of their lives. Mum and Aunt Haley weren’t going to be satisfied by a few pretty words. Dee stepped back and let them all see the look on her face. The one that said there would be hell to pay if they failed Aunt Haley and Mum again. If they failed her this time.
“Don’t fuck things up this time. You won’t get another chance if you do. I’m already super disappointed in all of you. Don’t make it worse,” she warned. Then she turned for the door. They had plans to make and she’d done what she’d set out to do. She was out in the hallway when she heard it. A long, shaky sigh filled the room behind her. And, just before the door closed on the four of them:
"Holy shit. She is going to be such a good mom, because I feel guilty now."
Uncle Johnny’s words brought a smile to her face. He should feel guilty. She’d learned from the best.
~*~*~*~*~
The ride by car from the cottage to Vicki's home was apparently not a long one. Dare dozed off anyway, settled in the backseat next to Petra's car seat. It wasn't until the motion of the car came to a standstill that she roused. And then she flushed with embarrassment when she realized she'd literally gone to sleep. Vicki only smiled and helped her with her bags.
And then had come the shock because the house Vicki had referred to was a goddamn manor house. A real, honest to gods manor house. It looked like something out of those smarmy shows Jehnna liked to watch, a towering expanse of building made from stone that sprawled out in both directions. And Vicki was leading her into the house through a door at the back. They'd reached it by walking under a covered path from a large outbuilding she suspected was the garage. To be fair, it looked like it could house at least half a dozen cars comfortably. Well. That explained the plush, flashy Jaguar. Dare was reminded of that old cartoon where a country cousin visited their big city relative. She looked, and felt, like that country cousin.
"I've just the room for you," Vicki was saying as they made their way through what appeared to be some kind of mudroom or whatever it was that they had in Scotland that was the equivalent. It was a long, narrow room attached to the back of the house. It came with lots of low walls and big windows. Dare could see a broad expanse of green grass, craggy mountains, and grey sky through them. Then they went through a solid wooden door and into a small coat room. They stopped long enough to shed their coats and hang them, then continued on.
The deeper into the house they got, the bigger Dare's eyes got.
First was a kitchen that was a mix of old and new, with stone walls and a large hearth on one wall and sleek stainless appliances and an island that seated six. The floor was done in actual wood flooring, obviously old and well cared for based on the mellow, deep golden-brown color of the wood. The room had wrought iron sconces on the walls, as well as a wrought iron chandelier to provide light. There was a door behind them on an interior wall that looked as if it was on hinges and another before them, also set with hinges. They were heading for that door.
There was a long hallway on the other side of the door. Their footsteps echoed on a floor of more hardwood. This was more golden than brown, but still obviously old and well maintained. Then their footsteps died when they stepped onto a rug that had a bright pattern of blues and greens and what might have been tiny bits of purple. Here, there were glass encased sconces on the walls to brighten the way. And small paintings of forests, fields, and flowers to add life. Tables in dark wood upon which stood busts or vases of flowers or replica ships. It was comfortable despite being so much more ostentatious than anything Dare had ever seen before in her life. And she’d lived a good, long time in Xavier’s mansion. She knew ostentatious.
Vicki silently made her way to the front of the hall and toward the stairs. Dare followed, her gaze trying to take everything in at once. They were obviously in the main entrance hall because ahead of them was a set of large, wide, heavy doors that she suspected were made of wood. Glass panels sat on either side of them, giving her a watery view of the world beyond, telling her that it wasn’t normal glass. Two large vases sat to either side of those glass panels, filled with tall, leafy plants of deep green.
Vicki put a foot on the first tread of the stairs, then turned to look at her and offer Dare a soft smile. It was meant to be encouragement and Dare took it as such. It was as if Vicki knew just how overwhelming this was and she was letting Dare know it was okay. She was safe and welcome here. Dare blinked hard against yet more tears and followed the other woman up the stairs toward the next level. She caught a glimpse of more artwork, more thick rugs. It practically screamed money, But it wasn’t cold. There was a sense of warmth to feel coming from every item her eyes managed to take in. In fact, the house practically breathed out that warmth. It was a place that had, for a very long time, been filled with life and laughter. And love.
Dare felt tension sliding off her shoulders. For some inexplicable reason, she felt like she belonged here. She felt a sense of love and warmth and welcoming directed at her by the building surrounding her. Her steps felt lighter as they turned a corner and started up another set of stairs. When they topped the stairs and turned to the left to make their way down another hallway. Vicki eventually stopped before a door that was indistinguishable from the rest lining the hallway, an ornately carved panel painted in white while sliver accented the decorative carving. There was a knob of colored glass on the door and Vicki took hold of it a moment before sending Dare another smile. Then the opened the door and stepped into the room beyond.
Dare came through the doorway and gaped at the space into which she found herself stepping.
The walls of the space were in a soft, pale shade of purple that reminded Dare of lilacs. It was a large, spacious room, flooded with natural light thanks to the half dozen windows on the two outer walls. Each window had a set of sheer panels hanging over them while heavier panels of dark purple edged the sheers on either side. The floor was more hardwood, though much of it was hidden beneath a thick rug of dove grey and light purple. There was a massive bed in the center of one wall, with posts at each corner that reached high above her head. A velvet canopy topped the bed, the purple so deep that it was almost black. It looked as if it had been gathered into a point at the center and a wooden knob that matched the rest of the bed rose out of that point. Curtains of velvet, in the same color as the canopy rested at the corners near each post. The blanket on the bed was grey, while the plush pillows at the head were in the same light purple that decorated the walls.
She tried to take it all in. The furniture matched the bed, both in wood type, the color it had been stained, and the carving that had gone into each piece. There was a settee and a pair of chairs in one corner, all done up in a darker grey. A massive armoire and matched dresser took up space on one wall. There were two doors on the inner wall to Dare’s left. She suspected at least one was a bathroom. She didn’t know about they other. These doors were as intricately done as the one letting into the main room. Crystal hung from the lamps beside the bed and around the room. Just as it hung from the chandelier suspended in the center of the high, arching ceiling.
A ceiling that had been painted with a mural of a storm-tossed sea. There were large, white-capped waves under a dark sky thick with clouds and forked with lightning. She could see several ships riding the waves. One ship was long and sat low in the water. There was a big, single sail of white on its only mast. And there was a dragon’s head at the prow of the ship, watching out over the boiling sea. Another ship was there, this one larger than the dragon ship. It was red and gold against the dark of the water behind it. It looked as if there was a small puff of smoke painted next to the ship, as if it had fired off a cannon or two. A third ship was painted there along side the other two. This one was smaller than the red and gold ship and appeared to be black. It was little more than smudge against the water around it. But something about it held Dare’s attention for a moment, as if that small ship was far more dangerous than the other two with it.
All three ships were facing off against about a half dozen ships that were much larger than them. Each had several masts topped by a grouping of sails. More clouds of smoke were painted by these ships, suggesting they were returning fire. She felt as if she was looking upon a fierce and never-ending battle.
When she dragged her eyes away from the mural, it was find that the walls were lined with paintings of the sea. Some were done during a raging storm, the skies grey with heavy clouds and the ocean waves roiling across the canvas. Some depicted calm days, with blue skies and a smooth, unending expanse of water. There were whales breaking the surface in some, ships painted into others. A couple had what looked like the same black ship in them. Here and there, on sturdy wooden tables, were replica ships displayed proudly. She thought that she saw a match for each of the three unique ships painted on the ceiling.
And then her attention was caught up by the large painting hanging over a large fireplace. Both of them dominated the room. The painting was framed by a frame of gold, a pair of sliver candlesticks standing guard on either side of the piece. It was the only thing in the room not nautical themed in the room. This painting was of people.
And Dare stared in shock at the familiar faces looking out of the image. Because holy shit.
It just couldn’t be.
(no subject)
Date: 2025-10-23 06:16 pm (UTC)That kid knows her shit and I'm happy she has figured out how to healthy communicate and I hope she continues knowing that as she grows up. Between her powers, and her observations, this kid is dangerous and I think everybody knows it now. I love how she can see the reasons behind how they're acting and how they're currently presenting too.
My favorite call out--which I admit I was waiting for--is the realization that no, it's not a guarantee that Haley just went after Dare and she definitely could have just used that as an excuse to get the hell out of there. Because, yeah. Absolutely. Also. thank you, Scott for acknowledging that finding her if she doesn't want to be found is going to be next level difficult. 'bout time someone recognized!
Logan and Remy (and Morgan) really do not know how to communicate and definitely have a "I know what's best for you" policy when it comes to Dare. Hopefully this is the wake up call on that front because that's not going to help them get her back.
I bet I know who is in that portrait! :D Love the discriptions of the manor house and the room. I'm picturing the mural and part of me wants to cry because I think I know what that battle is. LOL I feel like this might give Dare a project to take her mind off everything else for a little bit. lol
Great work hun! Can't wait to see how this all plays out!
(no subject)
Date: 2025-10-23 11:31 pm (UTC)have i mentioned lately that i just love Dee so, so much? because i really do.
i'm sure someone (Scott) might have had the idea that it was no guarantee Haley would be trying to find Dare. i also feel like he has a more solid sense of what kind of superhero Haley is and how she works simply because they've had to work together for a long time. so it makes sense that he would acknowledge that she'll be hard to find if she doesn't want to be found.
honestly, i think Dare is just as guilty about how they treat her as they are because she's never once suggested they do otherwise. but, yes. they do need to stop thinking she's a fragile doll and treat her like she's a normal human being who occasionally has stronger than probably required reactions to things. just roll with the punches and steer her in the right direction when need be.
i am quite certain you know who is in the painting. i had a hard time with the manor house because i wanted to give some clear details about what it looked like without going overboard and being boring and obsessive about it. the way the room is described is important, which will be explained later. possibly in the next chapter. and it is entirely possible the mural depicts the battle you are thinking about. this might just give her a fricking headache with trying to sort it all out!
glad you enjoyed, sweetie! thanks for reading and the lovely words!
(no subject)
Date: 2025-10-27 10:13 pm (UTC)Love the room! If I hadn't accidentally skipped ahead it would've definitely confirmed my suspicions. ;)
Still waiting, btw. *sigh* Hopefully soon.
Thanks for giving me something to read to help keep me sane. I enjoyed it muchly! <3
(no subject)
Date: 2025-10-27 11:33 pm (UTC)i admit that i had so much fun figuring out what that room looked like. stuff like this makes me wish i had some kind of ability to draw because i would try to draw some of the rooms i come up with. and the clothes. i am always left wondering if my vision comes across in words because it never seems to match what i see in my head. but i'm finicky like that. so... and no worries, bb. it happens. you knew there was a chapter. not two chapters. i should have mentioned it.
this came in two hours or so ago, so i hope the waiting is over. and i hope everything went well.
you're welcome, sweetie. i wish i could have given you more. i'm surprised i managed this much given how much i've worked the past two weeks. i'm glad you enjoyed. thank you for the lovely words. i appreciate them muchly. <3