Beast was still weak from the blood he had lost, so
Star had the lab to herself the next day. She called up the records
of yesterday's events and examined them minutely, trying to understand
how she had healed him. She found a reference in her files to a mutant
whose only ability was to heal the sick or injured. He was listed as
one of her parents, so she supposed that was where she had gotten the
ability, though she still didn't know how it worked. Hopefully, she
wouldn't have any cause to use it again, anytime soon. She copied her
files to a disc so she wouldn't have to trouble Beast when she wanted to study it.
Though for the most part she didn't remember them,
she had nightmares nearly every night. She often woke to find
Wolverine's arms around her, his eyes concerned. She refused to talk
to anyone about her dreams. Or what had been done to her while she and
Wolverine had been captive. Shame was a new emotion for her, and she
didn't understand how to cope with the feelings that came with her
memories. She understood that she was not to blame for the actions of
others, but she felt soiled.
Things in the X-Mansion were soon back to normal.
Beast returned to his lab, and Star returned to her training. She had
lost a lot of ground during her illness. Her muscles lacked tone and
strength, and she had little endurance in the Danger Room. Wolverine
helped her, carefully regulating her toning and strengthening exercises, and
strictly limiting her Danger Room training to what he felt she was ready for.
Several weeks had passed before Wolverine was ready
to allow her unlimited access to the Danger Room, but finally he
agreed that she was ready.
"All right, darlin'. Keep yer eyes open, this ain't no hologram." She
nodded and he opened the door, admitting her to the Danger Room. Alone.
She stood next to the door, waiting for the program
to begin. He hadn't told her anything of what she was to face. Her
precognition hadn't manifested since her illness, and she supposed it
had gone the way of her telepathic and telekenetic powers.
"It's nice to have a back up," she thought to
herself. "Though I don't know how much a healing factor is going to
help me with whatever is going to happen here." She laughed nervously,
"hopefully, I won't need it." There was a sudden noise behind her and
she turned quickly toward it. A small cat looked at her from the top
of a garbage can in the alley in which she had found herself upon
entering the Danger Room. The cat slipped down from the can and
disappeared down the alley. Star straightened and consciously slowed
her heart and breathing, though they remained far above normal. If she
was too wound up when the danger did appear, she would be unable to
react properly. And that could get her killed.
She moved out of the alley, into the street. There
was nothing visible, other than the usual clutter of a late night
street. The street light to her right was out and she turned away from
the darkness instinctively, moving quietly and cautiously in the other direction.
"She still fears the dark." Jean said to Wolverine
as they watched Star from the control room.
"Looks that way," he answered, never taking his eyes off the tiny woman winding
her way through the darkened streets of the Danger Room below them.
"Are you certain she is ready for this?"
"As ready as she's gonna get." He turned to Jean for
a moment. "She's gotta face it some time. This ain't somethin' anybody
else can help her with, 'specially if she won't talk about it." Jean
didn't answer and Wolverine turned back to watch Star.
She was beginning to relax in spite of herself when
she caught a hint of movement from down one of the side streets. She
turned that way, but whatever she had seen was gone.
She turned down the side street, determined to find
whatever she had seen. A few yards from the corner, there was an
alley. She looked down it warily, but didn't see anything. She had
just turned from the alley when there was a great crash from behind
her. She whirled, but it was just the cat again. She was about to move
on when she heard a voice from very close behind her.
"Yer still not a bad looking Sheila." Star froze
then, with her heart in her throat, she turned slowly toward the
voice. She had unconsciously ducked when she'd heard his voice and
when she turned, the first thing she saw was his feet. She forced her
gaze up, along his body. He was a tall man, and she had to tilt her
head far back to see his face. He was grinning down at her.
"You still a party girl?" he asked, stepping
forward. Star couldn't move. She stared up at him, her face
expressionless, but her eyes wide with terror.
"Move, girl. Do somethin'. Don't just stand there."
Wolverine muttered as he watched the scenario unfold below him. Jean
watched, ready to stop the exercise. Wolverine's hands were balled
into fists as he willed Star to move.
She stared up at the Reaver, her mind whirling.
"You're not real," she thought. "I saw you die!" Then his reaching
hand touched her cheek and she screamed. He reached for her and she
turned and ran.
"Logan,"
"Not yet, Jeannie. She's gotta face this. She can
take him." Wolverine answered Jean unasked question.
"I hope you're right."
Star stumbled and fell. She immediately rolled to
her feet, expecting to see the Reaver bearing down on her, but he was
nowhere in sight. She took a sobbing breath.
"Logan!" she cried.
Jean could hear Wolverine grinding his teeth, but he did not answer.
"Logan, please!" Star sobbed. Wolverine's shoulders drooped.
"All right, Jeannie..." he began when the Reaver
appeared before Star. He stepped forward and slapped her, a backhanded
blow. Jean reached for the control that would stop the Danger Room sequence.
Star lay on the sidewalk, stunned from the blow the
Reaver had delivered. Her nose was bleeding and she touched it
gingerly with one hand, looking at the blood on her fingers with
amazement. Suddenly she was no longer frightened. She was angry. She
scrambled away from the Reaver, glaring up at the Cyborg with undisguised fury.
"Well, now, found some spirit, did ya?" the Reaver
asked, advancing toward her. "I like that in a woman. You know what
else I like in a woman, don't ya," he said, hooking his thumbs
suggestively in his belt.
"Jeannie.."
"I see, Logan." They would let the sequence run its course.
Without taking her eyes from the Reaver, Star sought
a weapon. She'd entered the Danger Room empty handed, expected to find
something during her training. Her questing hand closed on a garbage
can lid, then upon what appeared to be an old mop or broom handle. She
snatched them up, snarling at the Reaver as he reached for her once more.
She blocked his groping hand with the lid, slamming
the handle into his knee. He staggered and she danced back out of his reach.
"C'mon, you bastard. Let's see how well you do with a target that's not helpless."
"That wasn't very nice of you, sheila. Now I'm gonna hafta punish you."
"You're welcome to try," her voice was cold.
The Reaver moved toward her and she backed away
cautiously. She knew there was no chance to beat him by using her
strength. He could crush the life out of her with one hand. If he ever
got the hand on her. He lunged and she ducked under his reach,
striking him twice with the handle, once in the belly, and a second blow to the knee.
"C'mere, bitch. I'm gonna make you pay for that."
Star didn't answer. She was faster than he was, and she knew it. He
threw a punch and she slammed the handle into his elbow. The metal
joint didn't break, but the arm wasn't as responsive as it had been.
The Reaver stopped smiling. He reached for her again and she hit him
in the face with the lid. He staggered backwards and she continued her
assault. He fell heavily and she pounced, pummeling him with the
handle. When he had completely stopped moving, she backed away from
him. She was surprised by the amount of blood on the ground. She
looked down and realized that she was covered as well. She dropped
the handle and the lid and stood looking at the body of the Reaver,
fighting down a surge of nausea. She fell to her knees beside the
body and began to sob. A door opened behind her and she whirled,
expecting a new threat. It was Wolverine. She snarled at him, climbing to her feet.
"Star," he reached for her, but she slapped his hand
away. "Darlin', listen to me," he stepped forward, his arms out and
she punched him with all her might. He doubled over, as much in surprise as in pain.
"How could you?" she hissed. "You know what he did
to me. And you know why he did it." She was crying again. "How could
you?" Before Wolverine could catch his breath, she turned and ran from
the Danger Room. He straightened and stumbled after her.
"Star," he gasped. "Wait!" She didn't even slow
down, sprinting for the stairs at the end of the hall. She disappeared
up them, panther quick, not even taking the time to slam the door
behind her as many women would have done. By the time he reached the
stairs, she was long gone. He hurried up the stairs after her, and ran into Jubilee.
"Wolvie? What the matter with Star?"
"I made a mistake, darlin'" he answered. "Made her
face somethin' she wasn't ready for. You see where she went?"
"Yeah. She was headin' for the lake."
"Thanks, darlin'."
The sky was gray, the clouds heavy with unshed rain
as Star ran from the mansion. Her throat was tight and tears blurred
her vision. As if responding to her torment, the rain began to fall,
gently at first, then more heavily. Her clothing was quickly soaked,
but she could not return to the mansion. She slowed her headlong
flight until she was walking, but she did not pause.
Wolverine moved quietly but purposefully into the
woods surrounding the mansion. The rain had washed Star's scent from
the air. The girl was so light footed that she scarcely left any
tracks, and those were quickly washed away in the rain. He'd just have
to find her the hard way.
Star walked, heedless of her surroundings, tormented
by the memories of what Lady Deathstrike and the Reaver had done to
her. She finally stopped when a muscle cramp in her abdomen nearly
doubled her over. She sat down, with her back to the bole of a large
tree and stared out over the lake, ignoring the rain that continued to fall.
Wolverine continued to search for Star. He'd found
no sign of her and had begun to worry that she had left the grounds
altogether. He was about to expand his search beyond the boundaries of
the Xavier Estate when he caught the faintest suggestion of her scent.
He turned, trying to pinpoint its origin, but it faded as quickly as it had come.
"Star!" he called, praying she would answer. "Star, where are ya, darlin'?" The
forest was silent except for the sound of the rain. Then he heard her.
"Here, Logan." Her voice was flat when she answered
him. He turned toward the sound and saw her, seated at the base of a
large tree just a few yards away. Her knees were drawn up to her chest
and her crossed arms rested atop them. She was the picture of abject
misery. He approached carefully and crouched beside her.
"Darlin' I'm sorry. I thought you were ready." She
looked up at him and her eyes were as flat as her voice.
"You were wrong."
"I know." He seated himself next to her on the wet
ground and put one hand on her arm, but she turned away from him.
Sorrowfully, he withdrew his hand. After a long moment, she looked at him.
"You said you would take care of me," her voice was full of bitterness.
"That's what I'm tryin' ta do, girl."
"By making me face that ... that ... man?" her voice cracked.
"No, darlin'. By helpin' ya face yer fear. By showin' ya that you can beat it."
"Yeah, I 'beat it', didn't I? I beat it to a bloody pulp." Fresh tears ran down her
cheeks.
"Ya did that."
"Will I have to ... face him ... again?" she asked.
"Not unless ya want to."
"I don't think so. I didn't like the way I felt when
I ... killed him." "Good." He put his arm around her and this time she
moved into his embrace. "Sometimes killin' is necessary. But you
should never enjoy it."
They sat together in the rain, watching the lake,
until a deeper darkness signaled the end of the day. They rose and
returned to the big house. Neither of them spoke, but the silence was
no longer brittle. He hoped she had seen the necessity of what he had
done. That night she slept in his arms, as she had done every night
since she had been returned to him, but her sleep was still troubled.
He was awakened by the touch of the damp night air
on his bare skin. He was alone in the big bed. He got up and padded
across the floor to the balcony door, which was slightly ajar. He
pulled the door silently open and looked out. Star was standing on the
balcony, the rain streaming across her body. A flash of lightning
outlined her form. She leaned on the railing and stared out into the
darkness. She didn't seem to be aware of him, but when he touched her,
gently caressing her arm, she turned and smiled up at him, without being startled.
"Didn't you get wet enough earlier?" he asked,
drawing her into his arms, her skin slick beneath his hands, warm against his body.
"It'll be easier to dry off this time." She put her
arms around his waist, grinning impishly up at him. He laughed and
pulled her closer. She returned his embrace, then turned in his arms
to look out over the landscape. It was brilliantly lighted by jagged bolts of lightening
which threatened to split the sky with their tremendous power. She sighed.
"It's so ... wild, Logan."
"I know what ya mean, darlin'." She leaned into him,
her hands over his, they stood together on the balcony, enjoying the
sensation of rain and wind on their bodies.
Star was very quiet for the next several weeks,
refusing to enter the Danger Room at all unless she knew the challenge
in advance. Wolverine watched her with concern. She spent most of her
time either in Beast's lab or wandering through the wooded grounds
surrounding the Xavier estate. Wolverine left her alone.
One morning as Wolverine was working out, the
intruder alarm sounded. He quickly lowered the weight set into its
cradle, and hurried to the ready room. Cyclops was already there, and
had put the alarm screen up on the wall where it could be easily seen.
The intruder was quite a distance from the mansion. The tiny dot was
visible for only a moment, then it disappeared, and the alarms quieted.
"What was that?"
"I don't know, Wolverine. Whatever it was is gone
now." Cyclops typed in several commands on the keyboard in front of
him, then shook his head. "It wasn't there long enough for our sensors
to get a solid reading. It appears to have been a teleport, but I don't know who."
"Right. I'll hike out there an' see what I can find.
If it's somebody we know, I'll be able ta tag 'em by their scent."
"I'll send Rogue to back you up." Wolverine was already moving out the door.
He went quickly to the area indicated on the map and
began to cast about for any lingering scent traces of their intruder.
He caught a familiar scent just as Rogue arrived.
"Ya got anything, sugah?"
"Yeah, darlin'. Our ol' pal Sinister's been here."
"Sinister? Now what the heck would he want all the way out here?"
"Don't know, darlin'. But we'd best get back to the mansion before he improves his aim."
"You want a lift?"
"Sure." Rogue reached for Wolverine, but he suddenly held up his hand.
"Hang on, Rogue." He turned slowly, obviously trying
to isolate a scent. "Did Cyke send Star with you?"
"I don't think so, sugah. I ain't seen the little
gal all day." Rogue tapped the communicator and spoke into it.
"Cyclops, is Star up there with y'all?" There was a
moment of silence, then Cyclops voice replied.
"No, Rogue. She did not respond to the alarm."
"Maybe she's takin' a nap, or somethin'," Rogue said to Wolverine.
"Sinister took her."
"Ya can't know that for sure, sugah."
"Can't I?" Wolverine held up the book Star had taken from the Library that morning.
[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 ]
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