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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 3, 2003 9:48:40 GMT -4
"True," Christine said. "I've known quite a few people who suffered that fate," she said amusedly. "Not that I was one of them who decked the idiots..." she said, a little too innocently.
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Post by Hank McCoy on Nov 3, 2003 21:50:31 GMT -4
Henry's eyebrows raised. The thought of someone Christine's size decking someone, anyone, amused him. Not that he didn't believe she would - he certainly did - but it amused him nonetheless.
"I shall endeavor never to be the focal point of such an occasion.", he said with a wry smile.
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 3, 2003 21:58:38 GMT -4
"Well, it's not like the idiot didn't deserve it. I mean, he was making a few choice comments about certain friends that are better left unrepeated," Christine said, her eyes sparkling. "I don't like it when people make fun of others, especially when they aren't there to defend themselves."
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Post by Hank McCoy on Nov 4, 2003 9:29:02 GMT -4
"The defense of others is always a noble endeavor.", Henry said thoughtfully.
"But words alone - should they be enough to justify violence?" He was not judging her, rather he was trying to make her think about what she was saying. He knew that there were occasions where words could be vile enough to cause more lasting damage than anything physical - and he knew that he would do the same in certain circumstances. But he wanted her to think about it, he was playing the teacher - the devil's advocate, because he believed that rational thinking could often defuse emotional response.
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 4, 2003 9:37:19 GMT -4
She bit her lower lip and thought a long while before answering. "I know I shouldn't have resorted to violence but I refuse to listen someone spew anti-mutant sentiments. They were cruel and wrong and I couldn’t stand to hear him say those hurtful things.” She fell quiet for a moment.
“Some of the students heard about the mutant called Proteus… and how his powers went out of control and killed him. So idiot boy said he wished that would happen to all mutants so then the world would be pure again and wouldn’t be contaminated by mutant filth.” Tears formed in her eyes at the mention of the mutant Proteus. It was obvious that the mutant, Proteus, meant something to her. "I was not about to let him get away with saying that - I wasn't!" The tears she had tried to hide spilled down her cheeks. "No one deserves his fate!"
If pressed, she would answer truthfully and confess the mutant they had mention - Proteus.. was her brother.
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Post by Hank McCoy on Nov 4, 2003 22:52:31 GMT -4
Before this moment, Henry had been pushing away suspicions that Christine's powers might be projecting her emotions somehow beyond her control. He no longer doubted it. He felt her sadness like a palpable force - even before her tears began. If he had not been sitting down he might have staggered as it hit him and his hands moved to the pain in his temples as he tried to adjust to the unfamiliar sensation. Judging by the lack of reaction from others nearby in the room he might have guessed it was a very localized phenomenon - but he knew now that he had sensed it before and not known what it was, and from a greater distance. For whatever reason, it seemed to be something he was perhaps more attuned to than others. Maybe it was his heightened senses. Maybe it was something else.
Her expression would have been enough to tell him that "Proteus" was someone very dear to her. Knowing that she grew up in a very secluded setting led him to conclude that Proteus was either one of her mother's patients - or more likely a member of her family. Since she didn't mention it outright he did not press her. He simply sat with her, his face filled with kind understanding, his eyes brimming with tears of his own...and he shared her pain. He covered her hand gently with his own.
After a moment he spoke softly to her. "It has been said that 'A brave man is sometimes a desperado; a bully is always a coward'. What you did sounds very brave to me. "
"Plato said something I have always liked.", he told her. "'When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.' I believe that defending those who cannot defend themselves is a part of doing just that."
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 4, 2003 22:57:46 GMT -4
"He was my brother and I watched him die!" she cried, tears streaking down her face. "And someone dared to say that about him in front of me! I couldn't stand it! They have no idea what it's like to see your only brother die because of his curse! It was no gift! Warping reality is a curse! And he died from it! And there was nothing we could do!"
She was past the point of being hysterical. "No one deserves that! I wouldn't wish that on anyone!" Tears were falling fast as she spoke. There were some days when it felt as if it had only been yesterday when her brother died.
She just buried her face in her hands and wept. It hurt remembering what had happened, hurt even more to remember that he died right after he promised he'd always be there for her.
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Post by Hank McCoy on Nov 5, 2003 0:13:52 GMT -4
Henry moved silently and quickly around the table - a move that had he thought about it would have surprised him given the struggle he had been having earlier. He sat next to Christine and placed his arm gently around her shoulder, trying to comfort her.
Loss was something Henry understood far better than he would have wished on anyone. What he struggled to understand was what the ability to sense the ragged, broken shape of Christine's raw emotions was teaching him. He felt like someone who was blind might feel, the first time they encountered a message written in Braille. He knew there was something there, but he had no idea how to interpret it, so he was swept along in a raging river - a victim of its current. And just as he would have if the metaphor were true - Henry tried what little he knew how to wade in and save her from drowning in her own sorrow.
"I am here", he said through tears. "And I will help you carry this weight, if you will let me."
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 5, 2003 0:21:13 GMT -4
Christine sniffled softly. "Oh, I can't believe I let all that out.. I've never made emotional displays like that before." She tried to force her emotions back and appear under control but was failing miserably. She just continued to weep quietly. "I miss him. My father had died before I was born and Kev... he.. he helped Mum to raise me."
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Post by Hank McCoy on Nov 5, 2003 1:56:56 GMT -4
"Then it's easy to see that he must have been a remarkable person.", Henry replied.
"Your memories of your brother are all that matters. And as long as you do not let them go then he is never truly gone. Nothing anyone else can say can take who he was to you away from you."
Henry was beginning to realize that deep emotions -- lots of tears, and a face full of fur were an uncomfortable combination. He sat with one arm around Christine's shoulders. He wiped his face with the back of his free hand. It didn't really help.
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 5, 2003 7:54:01 GMT -4
"Sorry, Professor," she whispered. "I didn't mean to unload like that on you." She looked embarrassed now by her reaction. She sniffled softly. "It's just.. he promised he'd always be there for me and then..."
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Post by Hank McCoy on Nov 5, 2003 10:02:29 GMT -4
"Thig nuthig ub it, my dear", he snuffled.
He pulled her closer gently and said, "I daresay with all these fine mutants about you will find that someone willing to step in to stand where he cannot."
"The X-Men are a family, too, Christine....and you are very much a part of that." He cracked a smile. "My bet is that you'll wish you could get rid of Wolverine long before he would ever abandon you."
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 5, 2003 10:32:04 GMT -4
"Family..?" she repeated quietly. She looked up at Dr McCoy with a faint ghost of a smile. "I think I like the sound of that."
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Post by Hank McCoy on Nov 6, 2003 0:25:11 GMT -4
"So do I, my dear", Henry said quietly in reply. Her faint smile hit him like the first rays of sunshine after a week of thunderstorms - and it made his heart glad.
"So do I.", he repeated.
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 6, 2003 0:30:41 GMT -4
"I just hope I can find my small niche in this family," she said quietly. "Never had a big family before. Just Mum, Kev, me and Sean, when he could be bothered come visit Mum." She wrinkled her nose at the mention of Sean.
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