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Pick Your
Poison - Chapter Eight
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Title: Pick
Your Poison
Author:
Terri
E-mail:
xgrrl26@yahoo.com
Rating:
PG
Archive:
Mutual Admiration, WRFA, Dolphin Haven, Peep
Hut
all others please ask first :)
Disclaimer:
I don't own anyone but Zach and Mary.
Poo.
Feedback:
Please? With a fraction-converter on top?
Good, bad,
and ugly welcome but be forewarned that
flames may
be publicly mocked ;)
Summary:
Sequel to Chapter Seven. Jubes and Kitty
get to meet
Hank, but things don't go quite as
smoothly
as they did over pie at the diner
Comments:
I got a few wonderful fb notes for the
Jubes in
the last chapter. Those are kind of to blame
for the
Jubes here, and you'll see what I mean in the
story. I
like Jubes a lot, but in small doses, and I
think she
does have some issues with tact and
consideration
for others. The Kitty you see here is
also fb-prompted,
but from a story that I wrote a
while back
called The Burdens of Leadership, about
Rogue's
first mission command. In that story, Kitty
flies the
blackbird, attacks Mystique with an ax, and
is an all-around
helpful gal ;) I got a note saying
how much
the reader liked seeing Kitty actually
getting
to do something, actually being involved in
the action.
That made this Kitty a little more with
it and interested
in the 'mission' aspects of their
visit. Lastly,
you'll see a little twist in the
voting procedures
this time at the end :)
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On the drive
back to Logan's place, Kitty and Jubilee
chattered
non-stop in the back seat, bringing Rogue up
to date
on the various couplings and un-couplings
among the
students and the current gossip at the
mansion.
Logan really hadn't been listening until he
heard Jubilee
say, "And can we meet this guy Hank?
'Cause I
totally think Dr. Grey's just being a bitca.
I mean,
if he helped you and everything, he's gotta be
a kick-ass
doctor. Plus, Mr. Summers said he was all
covered
in blue fur, with, like, fangs and claws.
That's kinda
cool."
"Hey
uh, I toldya, you ain't comin' in the house."
Logan looked
to Marie for support. She nodded
solemnly.
"I just don't wanna take any chances."
"Oh, what's
the big secret. You know what I think? I
think you're
just being paranoid. I mean, what's the
Prof. gonna
do?"
"Send a
buncha x-men to poke around in what ain't none
of their
business."
"Is it true
that you're taking in mutant kids, kind of
like the
Professor does?" Kitty asked. Logan
exchanged
a look with Marie. Marie shook her head no,
then wrote
something on the napkin she'd carried with
her out
of the restaurant. Jubes and Kitty patiently
waited,
but Marie showed the napkin to Logan, who
nodded,
before showing it to her ex-roommates. It
said simply,
"Not like the Professor does."
Jubes nodded
her understanding. "We know we know
you feel
like he kinda let you down and all. Not that
we blame
you for feeling like that. Oh no, we totally
understand.
But but he didn't mean for it to turn
out like
it all did, really, chica."
"Well, he
sure as hell didn't do anythin' from
preventin'
it from turnin' out like it did. Asshole."
Jubes and
Kitty didn't quite know what to say to that.
They were
fairly sure that there was nothing they
could say
that would change Logan's mind, and Rogue
had already
said that she didn't want to talk about
the past.
Just as Jubes was about to try to change
the subject,
the cell phone resting in the SUV's
center console
rang.
"What?"
Logan answered. "Aw, shit. How'd that
happen?"
Logan paused for a moment, listening to the
voice on
the other end. "We're on our way back right
now. Just
hang tight." Logan ended the call and
replaced
the phone, then caught Jubilee's eye in the
rear-view
mirror. "Hey put your seat belts on. We
gotta haul
ass back to the house. We got a little
situation."
"Situation?"
Kitty asked, already fishing for her
seat belt.
Marie's hand came to rest on Logan's arm
and she
tugged at his sleeve a little.
"Yeah. Tree
fell on the barn, a big one." Marie's
eyes widened.
"Don't worry, darlin', everyone's OK.
Well
Zach and Mary were inside when it happened, but
Hank said
they just had a few minor injuries. I'm
sure they'll
be fine. But we gotta get some of that
stuff outta
the barn before the next rain comes, which
is probably
gonna be in a coupla hours if you believe
the weather
forecasts."
"Dude, we
can so totally help you with that," Jubilee
piped up
from the back seat.
"I said
"
"You said
you didn't want us in the *house*. You
didn't say
anything about the barn. Come on, I wanna
meet the
blue dude. Plus who's Zach? Does he have
a girlfriend?
Is he cute? These are things I must
determine!"
Kitty laughed, and so did Marie. Logan
looked over
at her questioningly, but she just tilted
her head
in his direction, indicating that it was his
decision.
"Fine. You'll
do what I tell ya to, you'll help clean
up, then
you'll be on your way or I will kick your
asses offa
my property. I mean it. Got that?"
"Totally,"
Jubilee confirmed with a smile.
When they
arrived, Logan pulled up next to the barn.
Hank strode
out from the partially-collapsed structure
to greet
them. He was a little surprised to see the
two x-men
still with Logan and Marie. "Hello. How
was your
trip into town?"
Marie smiled
at Hank, and Logan grunted, "Fine. This
is Jubilee
and Kitty. They offered to help us clear
all the
stuff outta the barn."
"Pleased
to make your acquaintance," Hank offered,
still eyeing
the girls somewhat suspiciously.
"Dude, you
*are* blue, Mr. Summers wasn't kidding!"
Jubilee's
enthusiasm was immediately curbed by an
elbow to
the ribs from Rogue, accompanied by a very
harsh look.
"Uh, no offense," Jubes added.
"She doesn't
mean anything by it," Kitty covered.
"She's got
a brain bypass nothing goes through the
brain before
coming out of the mouth." She gave Hank
a smile
to convince her that her sentiments were
genuine.
"Ah," Hank
temporized. He wasn't quite sure how to
respond.
"Mr. Summers
said you were a doctor?" Kitty asked, in
the gap
in conversation.
Before Hank
could reply, Logan answered, "More
helpin',
less diggin' for information," and gave Kitty
a shove
toward the barn. She huffed, but went, and
the rest
of them followed.
"The structure
is not very stable. I have instructed
the children
to remain clear." Hank led them beneath
the branches
of the fallen tree and inside.
"They're
OK?"
"OK, but
Zach and Mary are slightly embarrassed. It
seems they
were, ah, making out as it were." Logan
raised an
eyebrow at that and so did Marie. "It seems
that they've
taken quite a liking to one another."
"Well, uh,
I guess that means I'll go have a talk with
Zach a little
later," Logan said uncomfortably. Marie
tugged at
his sleeve and pointed to herself, nodding.
"Aw, thanks,
but, uh, it's a guy thing, and besides, I
was kinda
hopin' you'd talk to Mary, you know, about
the girl
side of things." Marie smiled gently and
nodded again.
"Whew."
"Soooo what
you're saying is that this Zach guy is
taken?"
Jubilee asked, earning a collective groan
from the
others.
"Let's just
clean up," Logan instructed.
A few hours
later, most of the things that needed to
remain dry
had been stored and five exhausted mutants
were taking
a moment's rest at the picnic table beside
the former
barn. Clouds gathered in the darkness
above the,
and Logan could already smell rain on the
wind. "We'll
cut up the tree tomorrow, when it stops
rainin',"
he said. "Then if the weather holds, we'll
take down
part of the barn. Roof's gotta go, but I
think those
back two walls'll hold up OK. I'll get
some of
the kids to help once we've got the roof taken
care of,
and you can head back to the lab, Hank.
Thanks for
takin' care of things."
"You are
most welcome. May I ask will our two
guests be
staying the night?" The tone in Hank's
voice told
Logan what answer he was hoping for. He
still didn't
trust anyone associated with the x-men
and, while
the girls' efforts in cleaning up were
appreciated,
Jubilee's over-familiarity with him and
Kitty's
transparent attempts to gather information
were not.
"Sure, we'd
love to. We can just "
"No. No,
they won't be stayin'," Logan interrupted.
"Back to
Westchester with the both of ya."
"Aren't
you going to ask Rogue what she wants to do?"
Kitty asked
quietly. Marie gave her an even look, and
lay one
hand on Logan's leg. Knowing she had her
answer,
Kitty tried another tack. "Can we talk a
while longer,
then? We haven't seen Rogue in forever,
and we'd
we have a few questions for Hank. We want
to hear
it for ourselves. We don't think Dr. Grey's
being fair."
"What do
you mean not being fair?" Hank asked,
leaning
forward a little. Dr. Grey hadn't responded
to Hank's
faxes or e-mails and frankly, that stymied
Hank. He
would've had a thousand questions if he were
in her shoes,
and her lack of any communication was
troubling.
"She said
she can't confirm that you're a real
doctor,"
Jubilee chimed in. "She said something about
this study
in New England Magazine that says whatever
drug they
cooked up to give Rogue was A-OK. She
doesn't
think the stuff you sent her proves anything."
"Why
why that not a real doctor?" Hank sputtered.
"I'll have
you know that I graduated first in my
class. I'll
have you know that I "
"Hank,"
Logan cut him off. "We took care of that,
remember?"
Hank's expression changed completely. He
did remember
Logan had thoroughly covered any public
records
that referenced Hank's status as a mutant.
Hank had
asked him to do it, after hearing Logan's
account
of a government-run mutant experimentation
laboratory.
He thought it was safer that way, both
for him
and for the children. He hadn't stopped to
think that
anyone wanting to verify his credentials
wouldn't
be able to. He had never envisioned leaving
the house,
the children and searching for another job.
He was very
happy right where he was.
"Dude, what'd
you do, some kinda witness protection
program
sorta thing?" Logan gave her a hard look.
"Fine, fine.
Not digging for information, no not me."
She pantomimed
zipping her lips shut and scooted back
in her seat.
"So you
*are* a real doctor?" Kitty asked.
"Yes," Hank
answered cautiously. "But Dr. Grey need
not believe
me. The materials I sent outline a
testing
protocol for the drug. She can run the tests
herself,
and she will get results far from those
touted by
the New England Journal of Medicine, I
assure you."
"If you
ask me, she's just pissy 'cause she messed up.
She's just
mad because you fixed Rogue and she
couldn't.
She likes to be little miss perfect all the
time, and
you're tarnishing her crown by making with
the sane
Rogue here, dude."
Kitty caught
Hank's look and tried to explain. "Uh,
Jubilee
and Dr. Grey don't really get along."
"Yeah,"
Jubes snorted, "Like Godzilla and Tokyo don't
get along.
Like Hitler and Jews didn't get along.
Like
"
"Ahem. Jewish
over here," Kitty interrupted. "Being
a little
glib about the genocide of my people, thank
you very
much."
"No offense,
chica." Paradoxically, Hank relaxed at
the exchange.
At least it's not just me, he thought,
she's and
equal-opportunity insulter. "The bottom
line is
she's not gonna do the Bunsen burner gig. A
it's not
her thing. She's not research girl. She's
more patch-you-up-and-bitch-you-out
girl. B she's
never gonna
do anything that might prove her wrong on
something
as important to her as the whole Rogue
issue."
"Whaddya
mean by that important to her?" Logan
butted in.
"'Cause if you ask me, she did a piss-poor
job."
"I mean
important to how everyone sees her. She was
all
'oh, poor me, spending all this time on trying
to help
poor little psycho Rogue, aren't I
wonderful.'"
Marie winced a little at that, and
Jubes, for
once, caught it. "Sorry, chica. I just
mean
that was her attitude. She should get off the
cross, somebody
else can use the wood, you know?
Martyr complex,
to the max."
"Well, the
amount of time spent on a task does not
necessarily
ensure the quality of the outcome," Hank
said. "She
may have devoted great time and effort to
treating
Rogue, but if she proceeded ignorant of key
facts, her
efforts were wasted. I had hoped that by
giving her
the information on mutatol, she would be
made at
least curious enough to explore the issue more
thoroughly.
I am I am very disappointed to find
that she
is not."
"We did
what we could, which is more than they
deserved,"
Logan asserted. "Fuck 'em if they ain't
gonna listen."
"We're here
to listen," Kitty offered. "What what
does the
drug do?"
Hank took
a moment to assess for himself whether her
question
was genuine. Deciding to err on the side of
trying to
help any potential patients Dr. Grey may
come across,
he explained, "It causes very vivid
hallucinations
that are often psychologically damaging
to the patient.
This side effect occurs in a minority
of cases,
about one third. It can also bring on a
state of
irreversible catatonia in a smaller
percentage
of patients. Repeated use, such as Marie
suffered,
increases the incidence and likelihood of
side effects.
The drug "
"Marie?"
Jubilee interrupted. "You never told us
your real
name in all those months, and you go right
ahead and
tell the first blue furry guy you trip
across?"
Hank caught himself at that and shot an
apologetic
look to Marie and Logan. Marie frowned and
shrugged
in response to Jubilee.
"You're
on my last nerve, kid."
Jubilee
ignored Logan's growl, caught up in her own
emotions.
"Seriously, I can't believe that. I mean,
I thought
you you trusted us more than some guy you
just met
and "
"It's been
a while," Logan growled out. "We've known
Hank a long
time now, and he saved Marie, which is
more than
you two can say for yourselves. So maybe
you could
just get over it and shut the hell up, huh?"
For once,
Jubes didn't have anything to say in
response.
The atmosphere was suddenly thick with
tension,
and Hank was unsure whether he should
continue
his monologue on the drug. Silence fell
between
them for a few moments, but, finally, Kitty
spoke.
"I guess
it just hurts a little to think that you
didn't trust
us with that. It was easier to think you
didn't trust
anybody. But but we can understand how
close you
must've gotten to your new friends. I just
wish you
had felt like that with us. I thought we
thought
you did." Marie looked very distressed at
Kitty's
words, and Logan could smell the tears
creeping
up on her.
"Look, she
did care about the both of you, a lot.
Don't ask
me why, 'cause she's probably the only one
who could
stand livin' with you two. I was the only
one that
she told that name to back then. It was just
somethin'
she needed to do, and it ain't all about
you, so
unless you're lookin' to borrow some of that
wood when
Jean gets down offa her cross, let it go."
Logan looked
to Marie to see what effect his words had
had on her.
She was still frowning, with her eyebrows
pinched
together. He heaved a sigh, and tried to find
a few more
words. "Havin' pie and coffee and talkin'
over a busted-up
barn ain't gonna put everythin' back
to the way
it was. Marie's been through a lot, OK?
You haven't.
You haven't been in her shoes, so maybe
you should
keep your mouth shut about things you don't
know shit
about and try to cope. Christ, I wish
somethin'
like that was the biggest thing I've ever
had to be
upset about." No one spoke in the wake of
Logan's
words. Jubes and Kitty seemed to be thinking
about them,
Marie still seemed fairly upset by the
whole thing,
and Hank simply sat there, trying to send
an apologetic
look Marie's way. After a few more
moments,
Marie simply rose and headed for the house.
"We're sorry,"
Kitty called out to her. "Rogue
Marie
come back, OK? We're sorry." Marie's steps
didn't slow
at her words. She reached the porch,
opened the
door, and disappeared inside without
looking
back at the girls.
Logan had
risen with Marie but hadn't followed. Now,
he returned
his gaze to the terrible twosome. "Get
offa my
land. Now. You two ain't welcome here no
more, and
I mean it. You show up at that door, Hank
and me are
gonna have ya arrested for trespassin' and
harassment.
You think 'bout how much Chuck'd like to
see that
in the papers. I don't want you or any of
the x-men
back here, you got that?"
"Logan,
look "
"I don't
wanna hear it, Jubilee. You all go on and on
'bout how
much you care about her, but every single
one of ya
has done nothin' but upset her by comin'
here. She's
well. She's being taken care of by me
and Hank.
Nobody's hurtin' her or forcin' her to do
anythin'.
You've seen that, now go on back to New
York. You
ain't wanted here." He folded his arms
across his
chest to punctuate his point. Jubilee
looked like
she was about to try another argument, but
Kitty gently
grabbed her arm and nodded toward their
rented car.
"It was
nice meeting you," she offered in parting to
Hank as
she led Jubilee across the lawn. Kitty paused
for a moment,
turning to catch Logan's eye. "I'm
sorry
please tell her we're sorry for upsetting her.
We'll
we'll e-mail her when we get back if that's
still OK."
"Up to her,"
Logan grunted. "Get goin'." The girls
nodded solemnly,
and got in the car.
"I am so
very sorry. I simply did not think. I got
so caught
up in explaining the effects of mutatol that
I
I just didn't think. I shall go in and apologize
to Marie
as well." Hank's shoulders dropped with his
last words.
He was very upset that he'd spoiled
Marie's
visit with her friends, and he hoped that it
wouldn't
set back her progress. Some doctor you are,
Hank thought,
you're doing almost as well as the
inestimable
Ms. Grey.
"It's OK.
I know Marie'll like to see ya, but no
apologizin'
is necessary. They're they're just
kids, really.
What the hell do they know? Sometimes
I forget
Marie's the same age. She sure don't act
like it."
"Indeed."
Hank clapped Logan on the shoulder,
thankful
for his words. "I'll go inside now. Will
you be in
shortly?"
"Yeah. Just
gonna make sure they're really goin'.
Tell Marie
I'll be there in a minute." Logan's eyes
followed
the small, dusty trail that the girls' rented
car had
disappeared down. He wondered what Xavier's
next move
would be. He was sure he hadn't seen the
last of
the x-men, despite his warning.
Soooo......time
to Pick Your Poison...and, for good or
bad, all
of your choices involve a little discussion
;) A little
something different in the voting this
time
the top two vote-getters will be written in the
next chapter
;) You can vote for up to two choices if
you like,
but please, for the love of God, no
fractional
votes! ;-)
1) Logan
and Marie talk things over (with the
possibility
of a little NC-17 lovin')
2) Zach
and Mary talk things over, and we find out a
little more
about the barn collapse (they're not
really ready
for NC-17 lovin' yet, but maybe some
smoochies)
3) Kitty
and Jubes talk things over on the trip back
to Westchester
(I'm not even going there)
4) Jean
talks to herself about why she's being such a
bitca (um....we
all know Jean loves herself, right?)
5) Hank
talks to Marie and apologizes for his slip-up
and she
talks back a little ;) (just a friendship
kinda love
there - sorry, Hankster!)
6) Storm
and Scott have another talk about Marie, and
Jubilee
and Kitty's visit (I could give you some
lovin' here
if I could think of a way to get Jean out
of the picture)
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