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Title: Eighteen
Things Known to Be True
Author:
Terri
Email: xgrrl26@yahoo.com
Rating:
PG-13
Summary:
Sequel to Eighteen Statements of Intent. Hank, Logan, and Rogue ponder the
nature of truth.
Series:
Eighteen #29
Feedback:
Please? Pretty please?
Disclaimer:
Sadly, tragically, nobody belongs to me.
Archive:
Ask, and I will gladly provide
Author's
Notes: I've always liked Beast. He's so cool. Just thought I'd say that.
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"You aren't
afraid of my skin."
"Not particularly,
no. I find your mutation quite intriguing, actually."
"You're
not afraid I'll kill you or something?"
"Not especially.
Being an X-man, I am used to living a life of danger."
"You have
a pretty good bedside manner, Doctor McCoy."
"Please,
Rogue, call me Hank."
"OK."
"But I must
request that you refrain from following Jubilee's habit of addressing me
as 'Hankster.' I find it quite disconcerting to be so hailed. After all, I
have several advanced degrees."
"Thanks
for being so nice to me. And for helping Logan."
"But of
course. He seems to be doing much better."
"Good. When
will he be able to leave?"
"Hard to
prognosticate with precision on that particular question. Perhaps two or
three more days. Perhaps as long as a week."
"OK."
"And how
about you? How are you feeling this morning?"
"Better than
yesterday. A lot better since you isolated the drug they used on Logan. Loads
better since you found an antidote and said it seems to be working."
"Yes, well,
it was actually a quite simple matter. Ingenious little virus they used.
But once you map the DNA sequence, actually quite simple to - ah, Rogue? Are
you, are you crying, my dear?"
"Yeah, a
little. It's just the stress, you know. I'll stop in a minute."
"Do you
- do you wish to talk about it?"
"N-no. Not
really."
"It may
help. You may feel better. Logan is - Logan is asleep now. If you would like
to talk......"
"I just
- I just don't. Not yet. Sorry."
"Well, you
need not apologize to me, my dear."
"Would you
talk? Would you mind talking to me a little? Just about anything."
"Not at
all. In fact, some would say that I excel at it. I was just thinking this
morning about a philosophical proposition that I first encountered in my college
days. That there is no absolute truth, that all things are relative. Now,
of course, being a scientist by trade, I tend to disagree. After all, there
are scientific truths, are there not? The value of Pi, the law of gravity,
certain mathematical constants, for example. But then, the more thought I
gave to the subject, the less certain of my position I became. Many scientifically
accepted 'truths' of the past have been proved wrong - the sun does not revolve
around the earth, one can move faster than the speed of sound, and there are
pieces of matter smaller than atoms."
"What made
you start thinking about all that?"
"Well, to
be honest, it was you and Jean. I have known Jean nearly all of my life, as
both a friend and a doctor. Had you asked me, I would have said that there
was absolutely no chance that Jean would enter the mind of another without
express permission, unless some grave emergency necessitated it. I would have
said that that was absolutely true. However, it turned out not to be so.
At least in your case."
"So you
blame me for what she did? Or for being mad about it?"
"Oh, my
dear! Hardly! Were I in your shoes, as the saying goes, I would feel the same
way. But it made me wonder about all of the things I regard as true."
"But that's
not the same as a scientific truth. I mean, you can't prove what you think
is true about Jean."
"Actually,
one cannot 'prove' many assertions commonly accepted as scientific truth either
- we are simply operating on the most likely theory or explanation. This
holds equally as true for personal relationships."
"So there
is no truth?"
"Well, it
may seem so. However, I do have a theory. One which I must implore you not
to share beyond us, lest I throw my reputation as a man of logic and reason
to the wind."
"OK. Lay
it on me."
"Perhaps
truth has less to do with proof, than it does with feeling. We often 'feel'
that something is true, and act on it without proof. Perhaps it is some primal
recognition of truth, some elemental part of us that finds that which is honest,
complete, and whole in life, in nature, and in others. Perhaps we know what
is true without all the proof."
"Hmmm...what
do you know is true, Hank?"
"I know
that I was meant to be a scientist, to serve people in this fashion. I know
that's true. What about you? What do you know to be true?"
"Mmmmrppph...."
"Logan?"
"Well, hello,
my most rapidly improving patient. How are you feeling today?"
"Better."
"Good to
hear it. Well, now that you are awake, I hope you do not mind if I leave you
two for a spell. I think I shall attend to a few other matters that have gone
sorely neglected in the past 24 hours and give you a chance to catch up."
"Hank -
thanks. Thanks a lot. For everything."
"Anytime,
my fair lady! I bid you adieu."
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"How are
you feeling, sugar?"
"Good. Let's.
Go."
"Hank said
another few days."
"No."
"I'm OK.
I really am. Jubilee's - she's right outside the door in case there's trouble.
I'll be fine for a few more days. Really."
"Lyin'.
Darlin'."
"Am not.
Besides, you can hardly talk, let alone move yet. You need a couple more
days."
"No. Fine."
"Now who's
lying?"
"You OK?"
"I will
be."
"Talk."
"Not now,
OK? I'm just - I'm not ready."
"Kill him.
Gonna."
"Don't think
about that now, all right? I just - just get well."
"Talk. Please."
"Logan,
I....."
"Need to.
You. Need."
"Not now,
I just can't do it now....."
"Now. Darlin'."
"I-I....oh,
God...."
"Tell me."
"I can't,
please, Logan, not now, I c-can't."
"Somethin'.
Say. Somethin'."
"OK. OK.
I, um, I was just talking to Hank. About what's true. He - he was thinking
about this theory that says nothing's true, that everything is relative. Well,
I don't think that's right, and neither does he. He said - he said maybe
truth isn't proving, not like in math or science or stuff. Maybe it's feeling.
Maybe we feel what's true. And I think that's right. I think that's right."
"More."
"I mean,
I think that you just know some things, right? Like, like I knew to trust
you when I woke up in the van. I knew you were safe. I knew that was true.
I-I didn't have any proof, but I felt it."
"Is true."
"Yeah. And
some of the things you told me about myself - that I'm an artist. I can feel
that. That's true."
"Real. Good.
One."
"Thanks,
sugar."
"More."
"I guess
there's some things I wish I didn't know were true. Like Mystique being my
mother. I don't want that to be true, but I know it is."
"Not. Bad.
You."
"I know,
I know, but I just wish....I mean, why does she have to be my mom? She keeps,
she keeps kidnapping me and trying to kill me, and she turned me over to
Sabretooth and she knew - I know she knew what he'd do to me. I know she
did. I know that's true."
"Get her.
Dead."
"I should've
let you kill her before. If I'd have only listened to you then, we wouldn't
be - "
"Stop. Stop."
"I'm sorry,
Logan. I'm so sorry. If I knew this would happen to you because of me, because
of that, I - "
"No. Not
true. Stop."
"I'm just
so, so sorry."
" 'S OK."
"It's my
fault, what happened, it is."
"No. Not
true."
"But I -
"
"NO. Not
true."
"I, I was
so scared, Logan. I - I didn't know what to do. Maybe I....maybe I could've
stopped him somehow, saved us."
"You. Did."
"But sooner,
before he...before he did all that stuff to me."
"Not. Bad.
You."
"I just....I
hated it so much, I hate him so much. He - I don't know how you can even
look at me right now. Everything he did, everything - it's probably just
playing through your head, and you must feel so much anger and hatred and
pain for what happened every time you look at me. You have to."
"No. Just.
Good. You."
"But I -
h-he did things to me that were so v-vile and so degrading and - "
"No. You.
Good. That's. True. I. Know."
"You don't
have to feel that way. You don't. And you don't have to stay with me, Logan.
I know how hard....you don't have to stay."
"Want to."
"Why? All
I've ever brought you is - "
"Good."
"I was going
to say heartache. Or possibly pain and suffering."
"No. Good.
Lots."
"I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to start crying so much."
"OK."
"Sorry."
"Talk. More."
"I, um,
I'm really, really glad you're getting better. I don't think - I couldn't
have handled it if you weren't."
"Fine."
"Good. I'm
glad. And I - I know something else. Something else that's true. You made
me fight. You made me fight him. You gave me the strength to do it. I know
that's true."
"You. Did.
It."
"Because
you told me I could. I just kept thinking how you told me I was smart and
brave and how you said we'd beat him before. I hung on to that, and it helped
me get through."
"Good. More."
"I'm still
a little scared, you know, being here. I think I can get through, though,
'cause it won't be long, we won't have to stay long, and Jubilee's here. She's
been really great. I think - I know we must've been friends, before. She
just - the way she's been, so supportive, I know we were close before. I
know that's true."
"She's.
Good."
"Yeah, I
think so. I think you're right. And I think the Professor is OK, too. Even
though he pissed me off a little."
"How?"
"He said
I should confront Jean, that I wasn't in any danger from her any more, and
that venting a little would help me feel safer."
"Bad. Idea."
"Yeah, that's
what I said."
"Not. Sure.
Her."
"Me either.
I don't trust her either. But I think the Professor's OK. I do."
"Yeah."
"I hope
you understand - I had to bring you here, Logan. I couldn't take the chance.
I couldn't take the chance that you'd get worse without help."
"Fine. Always."
"I know,
but I was scared. I didn't want to risk it. I'd do whatever it takes to protect
you, Logan. That's - that's another thing I know is true. I would."
"You. More.
Imp. Ort. Ant."
"No, sugar.
No."
"Yes."
"You know
what else is true? You're a stubborn, stubborn man. I'm absolutely sure that's
true."
"You. Too."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Talk. More."
"I think....I
think I'm all talked out for a while. Would you - no, no, never mind."
"Tell."
"No, no.
You can barely talk."
"Talk. Fine."
"Logan....."
"Talk. Good."
"It can
wait."
"Now."
"I just
- I just wanted to know how you're feeling about all this, about everything
that's happened, everything that's going on."
"Mad."
"I know.
I'm mad too."
"Kill. Them."
"I want
to too. I should've killed Sabretooth no matter what Scott said. I don't think
- I don't think it would've been murder. I mean, how much does he have to
do before I can stop him? How many times do I have to go through this? It's
not fair that I should have to worry about being fair to him, about making
the right decision with him after everything he did to me. It's too much
to ask."
"Damn. Right."
"Sorry.
I was supposed to be letting you talk. I got off on a rant there."
"OK. More?"
"No, you
go ahead."
"Glad."
"You're
glad?"
"Glad. You.
OK."
"Oh."
"Sorry too."
"For what?"
"Not. Keep.
You. Safe."
"It wasn't
your fault. It really, really wasn't your fault."
"Promised."
"But - "
"Promised
you."
"I know,
and I know you meant it. I know that. If there's anything I know that's true,
it's that."
"Better.
Next. Time."
"I know.
I'll do better next time too."
"I. Know.
One."
"What?"
"Always.
Take. Care. You."
"Logan....."
"True."
"I know
that, sugar. Of course I know that's true. It's just...I don't want you to
feel like you have to take care of me all the time. I can take care of myself."
"True. Very.
I know."
"Well, good.
Remember that, then. Remember that I'll be there to take care of you too,
OK? You can count on that for sure. That's true."
"Good."
"What else?
More in there?"
"Yeah. Gonna.
Be. OK."
"Me or you?"
"Both. Us."
"You're
right, we are. We are going to be OK. That's definitely true. In fact, I'm
counting on that."
"Need. Time.
Us."
"I don't
understand."
"Leave.
Here. Then. Time. Us."
"Yeah, yeah,
I think you're right. We do. We need some time for us. Just - some quiet,
uneventful, non-life-threatening-crisis time. It'll be a nice change of pace."
"Always.
Humor. That's. True."
"I guess
so. Have I always been that way? Able to make a joke? Sarcastic in a crisis?"
"Yeah. And.
Brave. That's. True."
"Thanks.
Thanks for reminding me of that. It does - I do feel better. It makes me
feel better to know that you think that."
"Good."
"Any more
in there? Anything else about what happened?"
"Yeah."
"Lay it
on me. I've got all day."
"Need. Tell.
You. Somethin'."
"OK."
"Love. You."
"I know.
I really, really know. I never doubted that for a second since I've met you.
Of everything I know, of everything I remember, I'm most sure of that. I'm
absolutely positive that's true."
"Don't.
Forget."
"Oh, funny
man. I won't forget. You just get well. Maybe then you'll make better jokes."
"Not. Likely."
"Get well
anyway. Go ahead, get some sleep. I can tell you're worn out. But thanks.
Thanks for making me talk. I needed to. You were right."
"Feel. Better?"
"One hundred
percent, sugar. One hundred percent."
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