All personal thoughts of the characters are enclosed in these**, telepathic conversations in these<>, and outloud voices in these " "
Discalimer: All X-Men characters and related titles are a property of Marvel Comics, part of the Marvel Enterprises company. I earn no money writing this story and hence none of the statues of copyright infringement are broken. _________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 1: "I'll never forget You"
The professor had come in right after Torah had dashed out, tears flowing freely from her hazelnut colored eyes. David was shellshocked, it was more than what he'd thought to hear. Darrel was alive and with Magneto, Danielle and Esperanza had been killed, and now war between the X-Men and The Brotherhood Of Evil Mutants, seemed emminent.
David sat alone in his bedroom, waiting for the professor to call him and take him to Esperanza's and Danielle'S funeral, he still couldn't believe that 2 of his best friends were dead, and it wasn't just that, it was the way they'd died, in a drive by shooting. To him it seemed so stupid that 2 mutants as powerful and healthy as Esperanza and Danielle had found such a "human" way of death. It was incomprehensible why they hadn'y sinmply stopped the bullets or jumped away, it seemed almost hopeless.
Professor: <David, it's time>
David: <I'll be down in a sec. Is Jean ok?>
Professor: <Shaken, but nontheless calm.>
David: <All right, I'll be down in a sec then. I just have to grab my coat.>
David broke the telepathic connection and walked to the closet. He knew preciselly what coat to wear, the one Danielle had always loved. He had tied his hair back in a ponytail, with the male scrunchy Esperanza had given him. He would honor them in his own way, and in his own heart, they'd always be alive.
Jean: "David....Can I come in?"
David: "Sure Jean."
David was startled when he'd heard Jean's voice drift into his room from the other side of the door, he wiped away his tears and telekinetically opened the door, what happened next was beyond all of his recognition. Instead of gently opening the door he had somehow blown it up, and that had sent jean flying backwards into the wall, hitting it with a nauseating 'crack' sound.
David: "JEAN!!!! Are you all right? Jean answer me...MOM!"
David didn't know why he'd had the impulse to call Jean Mom, she had a dopted him but they'd agreed it was too phony for him to call her mom. But now he had an overwhelming feeling that maybe he had found what his birth mother had denied him in the immense love Jean gave him.
Jean: "Wha...what did you call me?"
David: "Mom, that's what you are to me Jean, my mom."
David's tears were flowing freely from his eyes and he noticed that Jean's eyes were full of tears as well. He held her as hard as he could and let all the love and affection he'd been holding in flow gently, but powerfully through his body, and tapped into his healing power, he began to heal Jean, his mother.
Robert Drake, AKA Bobby, codename: Iceman, sat quietly in his dorm room, his mind mulled over the information that the professor had first shared with them, then with David, then with the whole institute. *Darrel's alive...and he's waiting to strike David down, I just know it, I can fell in my every bone.* Bobby had not yet been able to shake the sense of impeding doom that hung restlessly atop his head. He desperately wanted to run away with David to a place where Magneto and his followers couldn't find them but he knew if they did that they might just plunge head-first into a trap. Darrel was a part of David, he would know what David was up to, he could figure out what David would do next, and Bobby somehow knew that David and Darrel may share some type of telepathic bond. *The Bond! I need to ask David about our bond.* He remembered how they had forgotten to severe the telepathic bond which had only been intended as a communication line, and how it had grown so strong that now it connected them beyond their minds and into each other's feelings. For David that wasn't all that new, but when Bobby had first tapped into it unwillingly he had been drained. He simply couldn't tell David that he'd tapped into it when he... A loud explosion shook him from his train of thought. *Darrel!* He dashed out of his room and hitched his power to full force, he knew that Darrel would be immune to elemental attacks, but he was going to make whatever window of opportunity he could so that the fully trained X-Men could take care of him. Bobby: <David!! I'm coming!!!> David: <Bobby, it's ok. I'm not under attack, i simply developed a new power, i think the profesor called it Molecular Combustion.> Bobby: <OH, ok. I'll see you downstairs then.> David: <Bobby. I Love You.> Bobby: <I Love you too.> Bobby calmed his powers and began to walk rather than slide on his ice-sleds, slowly he returned to his normal self, except for the stupid grin on his face, and his far-away look. He knew it wouldn't look too good for him to arrive downstairs so happy, knowing that the Institute's general mood was loss and grief. But David had just told him he loved him, now he really saw no reason to tell David about the time he... Johnny: "Hey Bobby, Wait UP!!" Bobby: "Oh. Hey Johnny, sorry I was just absorbed into my own thoughts." Johnny: "Well, unless you want people to think you're a cold-hearted-son-of-a-whore you better wipe that smile off your face. They might think you're smiling about Danielle and Esperanza's deaths." Bobby: "I'm trying, but...Well...Never mind." Johnny: "OOh, tha's so cold!" Bobby: "Sorry lil' man private stuff." Johnny: "Yea...Whatever!" Bobby spotted David and their eyes met, he saw the glint of apprehension on David's face and knew that today wasn't the right time for PDA's. He bit his lip, and walked over to where Jean and David stood, he firmly shook David's hand and hugged Jean. He had promised David that it would all be done on his terms, and that was a promise he was more than willing to keep. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- David felt absolutely drained, after he'd healed Jean they'd agreed that the professor had to know about this turn of events, so they'd marched into his office. He was openly weeping, and it dawned on David that this was the first time he had ever seen such an emotional display from the man they all knew and loved, it also dawned on him that, by the look on her face, it was also the first time Jean had ever seen the professor cry. Professor: "I am sorry for this shameful display. I didn't realize how deeply these past events had affected me. Now... what brings you two here?" Jean: "David...Are you sure you're ok professor?" Professor: "Yes, now tell me, what happened to David?" Jean: "David... he blew up his door." David: "I didn't mean to, I just tried to open it with telekinesis, and then it all just kinda...blew up." Professor: "Blew up? It combusted?" Jean: "Yes. It seem to implode first then it exploded." Professor: "Well, David. This new power of yours is called Mollecular Combustion, it umm...blows up the mollecules inside an object, then it explodes to release the pent-up energy of its implosion." David: "WOW! How can i control it?" Professor: "We'll learn that with time. I do however ask that you maintain your composure, we don't yet know what triggers it, and if it's like your other powers, that will most likely be an emotion." David: "I'll do my best to keep my emotions on a short leash, specially if not doing so means I could hurt someone." Jean: "All right, now shouldn't we head out for the funeral professor?" Professor: "Yes, indeed we should." The professor lead Jean and David downstairs, to head to the joint funeral for two of the most beloved members 0f the student body. There, at the bottom of the master staircase, were all of the Institute's students, teachers, and staff. They had gathered here to await the professor, so that he'd guide them to the Blackbird, and finally to the funeral. Amongst the crowd David noticed Bobby, he knew, deep inside, that Bobby wanted to run over the expanse of room that separated them and kiss him with the intensity of a thousand lovers. David also knew that in doing that they would call a lot of attention to themselves, and, in a certain way, away from Esperanza and Danielle. *I wish I could simply melt into your arms, Bobby. I wish I could just give into my desires, into my needs, but i have to control myself. I need to be strong.* David watched in hidden horror as Bobby advanced towards him, in a confident and decided stride, but then he simply shook his hand, and hugged Jean. David was relieved that Bobby could read his emotions so, but at the same time he was afraid that Bobby could begin to dig down and find himself staring David's sense of guilt, over having sex with Cyclops, right in the face. David: "I'll go pay my condolensces to Danielle and Esperanza's parents." Jean: "We'll see you in the car." David: "The car?" Jean: "Yes, Scott's driving us there in his car." David/Bobby: "Driving?" Professor: "You thought we were..." David: "Flying there of course! I heard you had given orders to fly us all there in The Balckbird." Professor: "Perhaps 10 of you, yes. But now the whole of the institute's coming. We cannot fit 800 people inside The Blackbird." Bobby: "Ohhhh....ok" David: "D'UH! Sorry about the outburst. Well I have to go offer my shoulder and support to their families. Bobby...are you coming with me?" Bobby: "Gladly." It suddenly dawned on David that the phrasing and response were not exactly normal... to say the least. He felt himself flush, and heat under Bobby's scrutiny, and he knew he had to create some distance betwenn them. Bobby: <Are you ok?> David: <Yea. Why?> Bobby: <You're blushing, well more like reddening. I think you're tapping into your fire power.> David: <I fell flushed, but not even as warm as I did last time I tapped it.> Bobby: <Dave...You're bursting into flames!!!> David: "JEAN!!!!" Jean: "DAVID!!! You have to calm down sweetie! Control your impulses..." David: "I can't!!!" David felt his body tingle with a recognizable warmth, and he knew that although he could only feel a tickle of heat his body had erupted into flames that even now danced, and licked at everything and everyone around him. He couldn't figure out why he couldn't just stop the power, just untap this strength. It was frustrating to feel such lack of self-control, he could feel the tingle of power, boiling beneath the surface, but somehow he just couldn't reach it, and untap it. He felt nauseated and dizzy, and as the world began to slip away he grabbed control, and the fire ceased. Jean: "Are you ok David?" David: "Yea...just...fuzzy. I don't understand why my powers just bursted out like that. I couldn't control them, it was like they were acting out on their own." Professor: "You're still very weak, and vulnerable from your splitting with Darrel, not to mention your emotional estate is in absolute shock. We must be prepared to control your powers. I want Jean, Ororo, and Piotr in a perimeter around you at all times, and I want Rogue to stand-by, her powers may come in handy." Jean: "Professor, do you think its necessary? I mean, a little too much don't you think?" David: "Jean....it's ok, i get what the professor means. I think it wise to have that extra security around. I don't know when I could lose control of my powers again. Let's just get going already, we don't wanna be late." The professor ordered all of them to board one of the eighty limos and cars which had been rented to transport the institute's student body and staff to the funeral. David's mind reeled as he sat in Scott's white hummer, he remebered how he and Bobby had sat in the front seats and how looking into Bobby's eyes had sent him spiraling into a never ending world of endless posibilities. The icy blue eyes seemed to be etched into David's mind, he could remember every shine in the iris, and it made him feel like shit that he'd have the nerves to cheat on him with Scott. What made all of this worse was that Bobby was sitting right next to David, and Scott had done nothing but look at David through the rear view mirror, it kept on tearing at David's heart that he'd risked his chances with Bobby for a simple fuck with Scott. It was so annoying to have to look at Scott's handsome face, and to top it off Scott looked fucking hot in his damn suit, he filled out every inch of the Armani suit, it made David's dick pulsate with lust. ***************************************************************************************************** 3 Hours later, they arrived at Blessed Mary's funeral home, and Cementery, David's heart felt heavy and torn, he knew it wasn't his fault, but he also knew he could've stopped it, had he not been in a comma. Esperanza's mother looked exactly like Esperanza, the blond hair, hazel eyes and tight frame stood proud against the April wind. Davide knew Esperanza's father had died 5 years ago, he'd been one of Magneto's many innocent victims, a simple by-stander, protecting his daughter, nothing more. The most astonishing thing was how Danielle's parents looked nothing like their daughter, her mother had auburn hair, a few shades lighter than Jean's, olive colored skin, and bright gray eyes. Her father was an ebony prince, his dark chocolate colored skin, his astounding hazel eyes and his body-builder frame was an omage to Black men everywhere. Danielle on the other hand was of fair skin, chestnut hair, dark green eyes, and a slouchy frame that seemed to only straighten during confrontations, it began to dawn on David that they were Danielle's adoptive parents, and that unlike his own adoptive parents, they had loved their child, even though she was a mutant. Professor: "Genebeve, Joseph. Didn't think I'd see you here." Genebeve(Danielle's mother): "Well seems like you just can't see past your nose anymore Xavier. I gave you Danielle with the total confidence that i'd get her back after you were done training her, and now I am left without my son, and without my daughter, that seems a real pattern with you Xavier, first you cost me my siter, then my father, then my son, now my niece, and I bet you expect me to bring you my daughter. Tell me Charles, where will you stop? would you like me to hand you my husband as well?" David had been standing close by along with Bobby, Jean and Jubilee, he didn't understand what was going on why was Danielle's aunt, as he now understood it, talking about all these deaths? Was the professor really responsible for the deaths of all her family members? Or was this just a way for her to grief, just blame it all on Xavier? Before David could say anything Jean was turning towards Genebeve, he could almost sense her powers about to explode, he knew she thought of Xavier as her father, and any offense to him was like a personal offense to her. Jean: "Genebeve, who the fuck do you think you are huh? the professor didn't kill any of those people, they gave their lives to a cause, one that you yourself are still uncapable of comprehending. You hide under all your money, and your 'power' in the social world, but underneath you're nothing but a hollow shell full of hatred and fear, you're even afraid of your own power! I would gladly give an arm and a leg to have your power, to have no limits, no rules, no loss of control, but no, you simply squander it away in human economics. If it was up to me I'd never would've let you give up the immense opportunity destiny plced at your hands, I would use my power to rid the world of those who threaten both humans, and mutants alike! You are a spot in Charles' quest, an immovable bitch, so frigid and frozen that even your daughter prefers to hide in a room than talk to you!" Genebeve: "Oh Jean, please! You are just a suppressed bitch who doesn't even have the... balls to tell her son, she is her REAL mother!! You are a scared whore whose main concern is how goos you can look!!!!" Jean: "You selfish, self-centered, pretentious whore!! How dare you talk to me like that? How dare you reveal my secret?!!!! I have spent countless hours trying to figure out why you are the way you are, and now i see that you only care about wht others will say!!!" David slowly began to process the new information which Genebeve had so unwillingly, or perharps willingly, let slip. She had said that Jean was scared to tell her son, i.e. him, that she was his REAL mother, but David was only an adoptive son, so either that meant Jean was his birth mother, or that Jean had a son which David knew nothing about. Just as David was about to interfere and ask Jean what Genebeve was talking about a loud bang shook the ground, David's heart skipped a beat, he could sense Darrel somewhere close, and he knew that this couldn't be an empty feeling. He knew that this pull, this call, this...sixth sense about Darrel couldn't be wrong, he knew that he could sense Darrel, more than that he could smell him, feel him, he knew what Darrel was thinking, and he knew a fight was more than emminent, it was planned. David: <Jean, we have company, a lot of company!! Magneto's style company!!> Jean: <Are you sure?> David: <I can fell Darrel's influence all around! They're less than 1,200 feet aay, and closing in fast, we have air attackers, earth attasckers, and some indetectable energies, we havr to take the offensive, otherwise we're toast!> Jean: <But we outnumber them, surely Magneto knows that, we have close to 800 mutants, more than 450 are half-trained, and 100 are fully trained not to mention the first flank of the X-Men is here, all fully trained, and extremely powerful!> David: < I think he's counting on us trying to protect all the untrained, or sedate powered mutants> Jean: <Well he doesn't knw us very well does he?> David: <What do you mean? We are going to protect th freshmen right? I mean the sophomores, may be well off in a group but the freshmen, they've only just had basic classes!!> Jean: <Take it up with the professor, I have to get the other X-Men ready, and I have to take all of the families to a safe haven, I can't deal with every detail, sorry don't mean to be bitchyy, but I'm under crunch time. How long do we have?> David: <They'r3e at the bend in the road!!!! HURRY GET EVERYONE OUT NOW!!!!> David(To everyone): <We have an imminent threat, evryone who has no mutant powers follow Jean{Jean rose out of the crowd at her name, and everyone who fitted the criteria began to follow her} all mutants with telepathic powers follow Rogue{Rogue took her cue just like Jean, all those who fit the criteria began to follow Rogue}any one who's had more than 10 training sessions with Welvorine, Cyclops, or Storm, go to your instructor, Junior X's and all other X-Men report to the Professor's side, battle plan Alpha Beta Zigma is in full effect, I'm the decoy, Iceman, Magma, Hope....I mean Copycat and Sunspot are my cover. Psyche...I mean Havok, and Torch are the dployers, Multiple Man, Jubilee, Puck, Shadowcat, Longshot, and Beatsmaster, create a perimeter around the professor, all X-Men: Full on power!!!> Everyone was astounded at the way David had taken charge, however, no one doubted any of his directions, even the X-Men who were old enough to be his father, or in Logan case, his grandfather, simply listened and did, even Professor Xavier simply sat back and observed how easily and readily David had taken charge, he knew that one day, when Jean, Ororo, and Scott were gone David would be their successor, and that made him feel secure for the first time in a long time.