Terri's Peep Hut ~~ Fiction Archive

Summary: Sequel to Blood is Thicker Than Water. Professor Xavier tries to build bridges with Marie-he uses letters, she uses pictures. Hers is probably worth a thousand words, but Jules gets it in one.

First, I would like to thank you for sharing this post office box address with me and offering me the opportunity to write. I understand from Hank that you do not wish to meet with me or speak on the phone at this time, and I feel great regret that that is the case. Let me take this opportunity to apologize for the treatment you received earlier when you came to Westchester. Please be assured that, should you like to visit here again one day, you will not be treated in a similar fashion.

Hank suggested that perhaps I should tell you a few things about myself. I am fifty-five, and originally from London, England. As you know, my mutation is telepathy. I have run the school for the past eighteen years or so. My family is quite wealthy, and had many real estate holdings world wide, so I decided to turn the family estate in Westchester into a school. You are the only child of your generation in the family-I was the only child of my parents and thought that I would be the last to bear the Xavier name. I am pleased that I shall not be the last Xavier, and I am especially pleased that you are the next generation of the family.

I realize that this is an awkward situation, and I am unsure how to best communicate with you. If there are any questions that you have of me, or any curiosities, please do write back and let me know. I would be happy to answer whatever you ask. I am also very curious about you-what your life has been like, what your likes and dislikes are, and what you are planning for your future.

Thanks for the letter. It was very polite. Every time I talk to Hank he says that you are very interested in getting to know me. I'm not sure if I want to know you or not. I don't mean to be rude, but that's how I feel. I'm just not sure.

I guess I kind of understand what made you lock me up at first, but that doesn't mean I think you were right or that that was OK. Mystique used to lock me up when I was too much trouble too and I guess that's why it's really such a sore spot with me. I appreciate what you said about what would happen if I decided to come back to Westchester, but I don't think I'll ever do that.

You said you wanted to know a little about me and my life. I don't really like to talk about my past, and you know a lot about Mystique already. I live with Logan now and we move around a lot. I paint. I like being out in nature a lot. I like living in Canada.

I don't really know why I gave Hank that address and said it would be OK for you to write because I don't want to have a father/daughter relationship with you and I don't want to just write to you to make you feel bad and complain about things that are in the past. I guess I just was curious what you might say if you wrote. I don't know.

I was so glad that you decided to write back. I am extremely glad that you have offered me a chance to correspond with you, and I understand why you feel as though you do not want to have a father/daughter relationship. It is my hope that we can get to know one another better and form a friendship.

I was very interested to hear that you paint. I believe that Hank had mentioned it on occasion as well. Our family is woefully devoid of artistic talent-you are the first artist in generations. I was also glad to hear that you are enjoying Canada. Our family owns a small resort outside Banff, Alberta, and I would be happy to arrange a visit for you there if you are ever in that area. I have enjoyed my limited travels in Canada as well. I am sure that you are seeing much more of the country than I have.

Marie, I want you to share with you some thoughts. I want you to know that I had no idea that Mystique was pregnant at the time you were conceived. She and I were together only once, and she altered her appearance to that of my lover at the time. Had I known that she was carrying my child, I would have done things much differently. I want you to know that I did not knowingly abandon you, and that I deeply regret the lost time that we have suffered.

I also wish that our first meeting had gone differently. I was wrong to judge you on the basis of your ties to Mystique. I regret and apologize for the treatment you received. I hope that you can forgive my conduct and the unfortunate circumstances that came to pass. Please write back when you have a chance. I very much enjoyed your last letter and I wish to hear about your feelings.

It was nice of you to write back, and I guess that it does make me feel a little better to know that you didn't absolutely, positively know about me and just willfully ignore me. But still-you knew there was a chance, you knew you'd been with her.

I think that maybe you didn't want to know whether she could have been pregnant or not. I think you probably hated Mystique and you didn't want to have anything at all to do with her. And believe me, I can understand that. I lived with her for a long time. I know what she's like. But you left me. You didn't care what Mystique did or if she could've been pregnant. And you probably figured that any kid of hers would be just like her, so why bother?

I'm not like her, but no one sees that. No one but Logan. How things happened when I got to Westchester-that just goes to show that you couldn't see that either. I don't mean to be mean, and I really hate myself when I whine and complain about things I can't change. But I want you to understand what I think about it.

I'm not really your family. I'm not a Xavier. The only family I really have is Logan, and Remy. They've been good to me and they've been there to help me when I needed it. To me, that's what family really is. I don't mean to be ungracious, but I don't care how much money the family has or anything like that. I'm not a part of that family. And I'm sure all the Xaviers that have gone before you would be just rolling in their graves to have a child of Mystique's as a Xavier anyway. I've been just Marie for all my life and that's how I'd like to keep it. Maybe one day I'll marry Logan and then I'll take whatever last name he wants, but until then, it's just Marie.

I'm sorry if I'm coming across as snitty or petulant. But I'm not good at saying things I don't mean. And if we're ever going to be friends at all, I should be honest about things.

I appreciate your forthright thoughts in the last letter, and I agree that you and I should try to be honest with one another about our feelings. In fact, I am greatly encouraged by your willingness to share your true feelings with me, and I am sincerely impressed by your courage and articulation in doing so. I know that I cannot begin to understand how difficult your past has been, but the person you have become despite what you must have been through speaks to a very strong character. I am very proud, as misplaced as that may be in this situation, that my daughter would exhibit such laudable characteristics.

Marie, I would like to begin anew with you, to try to get to know one another, as we have been through these letters. I would like to suggest that we meet, at a place and time of your choosing, to spend some time together face to face. If you do not feel ready for that at this time, I will understand. In truth, I am anxious to meet you, to spend time with you, and to begin getting to know you. Perhaps you would feel more comfortable if we were joined by Hank and Jules. I am sure they would both enjoy seeing you and Logan again.

I'm sorry it took me so long to write back. Logan and I took a little side trip up into the mountains and it took a while to get back to check the PO Box. I didn't want you to think I was ignoring your last letter. It was nice that you said some of those things.

I've talked with Logan about your suggestion to get together. I'm not sure what I want to do about that just yet, but I thought maybe it would be OK for you to call, if you want. Hank has our number and if you show this letter to him, he'll know it's OK to give it to you. I wanted to tell you that I know Hank likes you a lot and that really means a lot to me. Hank was pretty decent to me when I got to Westchester, and I won't forget that.

"Come quickly. It is a letter from Marie. She was not upset over the last letter at all. In fact, she has consented to a phone call. She has asked me to procure the number from you and to call. Look!"

"Thank you. And Hank-you know, she speaks rather highly of you. I do not know if she would have ever agreed to the letters without your help. I am greatly in your debt."

"I'm OK. I'm just finishing up some laundry. I'm at a laundromat-that's all the noise you hear in the background, the washers and dryers."

"Oh! Oh. Yes. Yes, we are. We're in British Columbia, up near Prince George. We're thinking about heading up north or southeast into the rockies. We haven't decided yet."

"Oh, yes. I've gotten three done this past month. They weren't my favorites, though. I kind of feel like there's something nagging at me-you know, something that's trying to get out in my paintings and I'm just not getting it quite right."

"I am very well, thank you, and very glad that you have decided to give me your phone number. I do wish to spend some time with you in person, of course, but I am pleased that you feel comfortable enough to speak on the phone."

"Yes, yes, that's quite right. It's a lodge, a small resort. It's barely ever used, really, and it's a shame to have the place empty. Would you care to meet there?"

"Actually, Logan and I talked and I was hoping that you wouldn't mind me and him checking the place out, maybe staying a little while. If-if everything goes OK, maybe sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, you and Hank and Jules could come up for a short visit. I think that might be OK."

"No. No. I mean, uh, Logan and I, we just want-well, it's our first Thanksgiving together, and our first Christmas, and we just were thinking that instead of camping in the Jeep in the winter, you know, it might be nice to stay at the place you mentioned for a while. Just for the holidays. We'll be out by New Year's. That is, if you don't mind. I mean, they're your lodges or whatever, and I don't want to impose or have you expect anything because-"

"Well, uh, OK. But-but if there's any trouble or anything, we'll-we're prepared for that. Just so you know. We're prepared for that and we'll get the heck out of there if anything goes wrong. We can take care of ourselves, and we both know these mountains pretty well by now. We'll be watching for trouble from the x-men. We're not going to let our guard down or anything. Just, uh, in case. Just so you know."

"You have my word that you will not be disturbed. I shall see to it personally that not a single thing is amiss during your stay. Rest assured, all will be well."

"Right. Uh, thanks, then. You can-you can come up anytime between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whatever works for you. Bring Hank and Jules. Just let us know and just for a short visit, OK? Just for a day or two."

I wanted to say thanks for letting us stay at the resort and I had this small canvas that I didn't quite know what to do with. I still feel pretty weird about everything between you and me, to tell the truth, but something clicked into place when I painted this. I think I finally got out what was trying to be painted all this time. I hope you like it. I liked talking to you on the phone. You've been pretty nice to me lately.

"But-but why would she paint such a disturbing subject? You said that the note accompanying it was quite positive. And the painting itself-it is done in bright colors, it is almost cheery. I do not understand."

"Perhaps.perhaps it is not as disturbing as it appears on first blush. Death, and it's totems and representations in art, is in many cultures, simply a glyph representing change. Not necessarily negative change, but the change from one state to another. Transformation. Perhaps this is what the painting means to Marie. Perhaps she is making a change in her life. Perhaps she feels ready to leave her old life behind, or feels finally free of it."

"But a bath and a snack first, my son. Professor, I am glad things are going well with Marie. You have my best wishes. Jules and I-we'll head upstairs now. Good night."