Running - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Monica Tamaru
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 7

            Jean was laying across Remy’s lap as they flew from New Jersey to San Francisco. First class. The eight-hour flight was uneventful, and Remy stopped expecting his stepfather to jump out of the bathroom at them. He hated this feeling of fear, of insecurity that was invoked every time he thought of the man. As he watched the endless sky, he closed his eyes and got his first bit of sleep in three days. He pulled his sunglasses on, and slept sitting up with a magazine opened in front of him. Just in case.

                “Come on, Jeannie,” Remy said, shaking her shoulder. She slept the entire way over, and now yawned indelicately. He quickly grabbed their duffels and dragged her out of the plane.

            “Where are we going?”

                “I haven’t decided yet.”

                She stopped short and stared at him.

                “Are we just going to walk around until something magical happens?”

                “No. Just until we have enough money to get a hotel room.”

                Jean groaned. “Don’t you know somebody here?”

                Remy grinned at her. “Yeah, but I don’t think it will do us any good to look him up. He’s probably still mad that I…um…helped his sister out.”

                “Will the sister help us out?”

                “Well…probably not. Y’ see, then her best friend needed…”

                “Remy!”

                “Let’s go downtown and redistribute the wealth.”

                “They’re fucking off our scans. We totally lost where they went when they hit New Jersey. For all we fucking know, they hitchhiked into fucking Canada!” Xavier was quickly losing his cool. He paced angrily in the war room while the staff watched him warily. The only one unconcerned was Erik, who was sipping a gin and tonic.

                “Their pictures went out to press today. It won’t be long now, sir,” Scott said softly. He and Logan had been privately screamed at earlier. He exchanged a glance with Ororo across the table. She grimaced, but nodded slightly.

                “Sir, Why is it so important that we get them back? So they read their files. So what? They don’t know anything. And even if they did, we don’t do anything illegal. Plus, who are they going to tell?”

                Xavier turned and stared at her. An odd expression crossed his face. “You’re right, Ororo, it doesn’t matter so much that they know a little more than the average student here. That’s not what is important. These are special kids. We already have bids on them. Both of them. What good can they do the world living in an alley? We need these kids because the world needs these kids.”

                Ororo immediately nodded and leaned back in her seat, content. Scott looked back and forth from her to Xavier in disbelief.

                What kind of shit is that? And she accepts it! He shook his head and frowned at the desk. Am I the crazy one? No one else is saying a word.

                Xavier was watcing Scott very carefully.

                “Scott, I think it’s time for us to talk again. You haven’t had a session in a while.”

                “Yes, sir.” And I can talk to you about this crap surrounding those kids.

                unTouchable1: so what do u need me 2 do?

                phoenixREDD: nothing now. just listen.

                unTouchable1: I don’t wanna b here anymore.

                phoenixREDD: just keep ur mouth shut, and u’ll b fine. Stay out of X.’s office.

                unTouchable1: are u coming back?

                phoenixREDD: yeah, but not for a while. G2G. bye.

                Remy watched as Jean chatted on the computer. They found a busy coffee house and had been there for hours now. A cup of strong black coffee sat on the table with an untouched copy of Engineering Mechanics next to it. A couple of college freshmen kept looking over at them and giggling when Remy made eye contact. Remy didn’t want to get the girl involved in this mess. If only she had never butt into things that were none of her business. If only he had never laid eyes on Xavier. If only…

                Jean. She was so strong. She expected everything to turn out okay. She still believed in good and evil, that they were opposing forces and that good conquered all. Every time he thought about what Jean had been through, and how she could still see good in the world, he strengthened his resolve to fight until death so that she would never lose that.

                Remy sighed. If only she knew what he had done to her. For her. He leaned against the couch and just watched her as she surfed on the computer.

----------------Four years ago---------------

                He heard her crying. Remy didn’t think much of it. That girl was always crying since their mother died six months ago. He had just come back from New Orleans for the last time. No more shuttling back and forth along the coast. His father no longer wanted him.

                He vaguely heard Erik’s boots echo in the hall. He hated that bastard. As far as he was concerned, he had killed his mother. In the back of the house, a door slammed shut. Remy stared at the homework sheet in front of him, but couldn’t work. Suddenly, everything was just…too quiet.

                He slid from the kitchen table and walked silently to investigate. He crept towards Jean’s room slowly when he heard a small sound. Using his training, he stood completely still and concentrated. It was squeaking and harsh breathing.

                His blood ran cold.

                It seemed like everything happened in slow motion. The door crashed open and Erik sat straight up. His body was bare from the waist down. His hair was hanging in sweaty strands in his face, and his eyes were heavy-lidded from too much liquor. He looked around the room, confused. Jean had her fist stuffed in her mouth, trying to keep from crying out. Tears streamed down her face. Her thin, pale body was covered in bruises.

                Remy didn’t think. He picked up a lamp and smashed it over his stepfather’s head. He brought it down again and again until a thin wail broke through his rage. Jean was curled into a ball, screaming into her chest.

                “Shh, petite. It’ll be okay,” he soothed, wrapping a blanket around her. He pulled her close and rocked her in his lap. She was violently shaking and trying to pull away from him. He was trying to keep a hold on her, but also trying to be as gentle as possible. “I’m not gonna hurt you, Jeannie.”

                She didn’t say a word, but stopped trying to fight him. He was scared by the glassy look on her face. He quickly carried her to his room and began throwing clothes into a duffel bag.

                “I’m going to pack you some clothes. I want you to go into the bathroom and clean up, and pack whatever we’re going to need in there. I’m going to take you away, okay?” He didn’t wait for her to answer before running down the hall, back to her room.

                Jean jumped into the shower and scrubbed her body until it hurt. The water was scalding hot, but she didn’t notice. A light knock on the door made her jump.

                “Hurry up, Jeannie.” The door opened and Remy pushed some clothes into the bathroom.

                She quickly dried herself and got dressed. Wet red stands framed a face she no longer knew. Emerald green eyes stared back at her from the mirror, but they were so cold, so old. She looked away.

                “You ready?” She nodded and followed him to the couch. She brushed through her hair as he organized the stuff and packed some food. She never spoke a word.

                Remy watched her carefully. Every time he moved close to her, she flinched a bit.

                “I’m sorry, Jeannie,” he said softly, pulling her hand in his. She patted his knee before pulling away. It was time to go. They never set foot in that house again.

                They wandered through Boston until dark before they found an empty study room in Harvard’s engineering building. Jean fell into a fitful sleep, her thumb in her mouth as if she were a toddler. Remy watched over her that night; the first night of many to come.

                “I’m so sorry.”

--------------------------

                “It wasn’t your fault,” Jean said softly. She was gazing down at him, love and concern written clearly across her face.

                “Yes it was. I should have known. I should have watched over you.”

                “You were so young. There wasn’t anything you could do. We didn’t know how screwed up people could be.”

                “Still…”

                Jean cupped his face in her palm. He looked startled before relaxing into a weak smile.

                “Stop it. You are the best big brother ever. You will stop feeling guilty over something neither of us could control. You will get some rest so that we can keep running tomorrow.”

                “Yes ma’am. Did I ever tell you I ran with the track team while you were taking those writing classes?” He grinned shyly.

                Jean giggled. “No way!”

                “Yup. I was pretty good, too. Who knew I’d be making a living out of it.”

                “Get some rest, Rem.”

                Hank hated leaving his labs. It was only among the sterile tubes and constant whirring of the machines that he felt at ease. Teaching at the Institute was just a means to the end of getting access to all the cool shiny stuff. Then they brought that girl into his sanctuary.

                Hank looked longingly at the corner of the lab that Cece now inhabited. She actually hadn’t been introduced to the lower levels yet, and was acting purely as the school’s health advisor. He walked over to an experiment in the works.

                His pride and joy was a glob of blue substance that would stun the modern world. He was running tests on mice, and was almost ready for the final stage. His report was due at four o’clock to the United States government. Hank didn’t care for people or politics. He did care about chemicals and scientific breakthroughs. If everything went according to plan, his experiment would be the breakthrough on chemical warfare. He whistled happily as he rolled up his sleeves to get to work.

                Xavier rubbed his eyes. These past few days had been hell. Not to mention, it had blown his schedule with the students totally out of the water. Some of the students -and staff- were far behind on their therapy sessions. He pulled up Scott’s chart. It had been a couple of months since his last session, and Xavier was beginning to see the cracks in his training emerge. Marie had rescheduled her last two sessions, and even Bobby was acting strangely. Yes, things were falling apart—but not for long.

                “You wanted to see me, sir?” Scott said, taking the soft leather chair across from the desk.

                “Yes, Scott. It occurred to me that we haven’t had a chat in quite some time. Please close the door.”

                Emma Frost was playing in her room with her favorite doll. It was a fairy princess with long golden hair (like hers) and bright blue eyes (like hers). She created make-believe worlds that astounded and pleased her new parents. They had her tested for genius.

                “Who is that?” a friendly voice asked from the doorway.

                Emma turned to the pretty lady in her room. She gave her a shy smile as she moved from her kingdom back to plain old New Orleans.

                “Hi! D’ y’ wanna play wit’ me? T’is is Jeannie. Are y’ a stranger? I’m not ‘posed t’ talk t’ strangers.” A small frown marred her brow.

                “No, sweetie. I’m friends with the other Jeannie. Do you want to go visit her?”

                “Yeah! Can mommy come too?” Emma stood and walked over to her, happiness shining from her small face.

                “Not this time.” Ororo reached for the little girl’s hand and led her through the huge house to where Logan had the car running.

                Her nanny had been knocked unconscious and locked in the broom closet. Emma’s disappearance made the six o’clock news.

                Remy looked over anxiously at Jean. Her mouth was pressed into a thin line and her knuckles were white from holding her hands in a fist.

                “Y’ know t’at we’re headin’ head first int’ a trap?” Emerald eyes shot sparks at him. “Jus’ wanted t’ be sure y’ knew,” he muttered.

                They were on a train heading up to Seattle. From there they would take a plane back to New York.

                “Those fucking bastards,” Jean spat. “How dare they mess with Emma! She’s a baby still. They are going to regret it!”

                Remy stayed silent. He knew better by now than to mess with Jean when she got this angry. Redheads. He was hoping to come through this unscathed. He was glad that they were going back to finish what they started, but now things were going to be – unpredictable.

                “Remy!” She was glaring at him.

                “What?”

                “We need to coordinate a trade. Pay attention!” Remy frowned at her.

                “Jean! Be quiet and calm down, and stop acting like a little brat!” he hissed, looking around. Nobody was paying attention, though. An old lady was snoring in the aisle.

                Oh hell! Remy thought as Jean’s wide eyes filled with tears. Here we go.

                Jean turned stiffly away from him, eyes clearing up instantly. Let him feel guilty for snapping at me! She began to plan.

                Remy stared at the back of her head and sighed. Flopping back against the seat, he thought of his contacts. Monet. Sam and Paige Guthrie. Where the hell is Jonothan Starsmore?

                1DaddysGrl1: Daddy never heard of the Xavier Institute.

                Aces4High: Have him inquire about it.

                1DaddysGrl1: What r we looking 4?

                Aces4High: graduates. Money. U know, the important stuff.

                1DaddysGrl1: Careful, Rem.

                Aces4High: always, M.