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Grief
Dec 20, 2003 17:23:15 GMT -4
Post by Christine MacTaggart on Dec 20, 2003 17:23:15 GMT -4
Christine ran from the school, and headed down to her other secret spot. It was a tiny hiding hole she had discovered while Logan had showed her around when she was smaller. She quickly found it and curled up in. The only other person who knew about its existence was Scott, who had caught her entering it the last time Logan had gone off on a mission by himself.
She buried her face in her hands and wept quietly. Logan never broke his word before - he promised that he would be back. She sniffled softly. She looked up when she heard familiar footsteps.
OOC: tag, big brother Scott
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 17:19:45 GMT -4
Post by cyclops on Dec 21, 2003 17:19:45 GMT -4
Scott had heard the return of the Blackbird, and had headed out of the infirmary (despite Hank's loud protests) to give Logan an earful about joyriding in his plane.
On his way down the stairs, he glanced out the window as a sudden thunderstorm seemed to whip up out of nowhere. He also spied a familiar figure darting towards the woods in the rear of the mansion.
Christine? What's she doing? It's pouring out!
His brow furrowed. If I remember right, that's where her little hidey-hole is. She never goes there unless...
A pit of dread began to open in his stomach, as he ran out a side door and followed her. Darting down a barely visible deer trail through the trees, he arrived finally at a small overhang of rock at the base of a gully. Stooping down, he peered into the darkness.
"Christine?"
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 17:23:54 GMT -4
Post by Christine MacTaggart on Dec 21, 2003 17:23:54 GMT -4
Christine poked her head up, her dark hair even darker when wet and framing her pale face. She was soaked completely to the bone. Tears merged with the rain that ran down her face. "Yes?" she managed to choke out between sobs.
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 17:36:58 GMT -4
Post by cyclops on Dec 21, 2003 17:36:58 GMT -4
"Hey, what are you doing?" Scott asked gently. "Come on, it's pouring out. You'll get pneumonia out here."
He saw she was visibly upset, and leaned closer.
"Are you all right? What's the matter?"
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 17:40:44 GMT -4
Post by Christine MacTaggart on Dec 21, 2003 17:40:44 GMT -4
" Daddy's dead, big brother," she whimpered. "He went on a mission and... and..." Words failed her as she began to cry again in earnest. "He promised me he'd come back, Scott! He promised me! He never broke his word before!"
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 17:45:20 GMT -4
Post by cyclops on Dec 21, 2003 17:45:20 GMT -4
Scott started.
"Dead?! What are you talking about? Where did you hear that?"
Scott realized he probably shouldn't have raised his voice to her, she was upset enough. The pit of dread in his stomach yawned wider, though, even though he refused to believe his ears.
"Nobody's dead, Christine. I was just going to the Blackbird to give Logan a piece of my mind for flying it. Come with me, I'll show you."
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 17:50:49 GMT -4
Post by Christine MacTaggart on Dec 21, 2003 17:50:49 GMT -4
" Damn it, Scott! I just came from the hanger! He's not there! He didn't come back with them!" she sobbed, hysterics and grief coloring her voice. "He's dead! Guido and Gambit and Pyro said that!" She was sobbing uncontrollably. "Why, Scott? Why did he have to go play hero!?"
OOC: *wipes eyes in order to continue typing* Damn you, Logan. You're actually making *me*, the RPer, cry
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 17:58:49 GMT -4
Post by cyclops on Dec 21, 2003 17:58:49 GMT -4
OOC: ;D Oscar moment!
Scott was silent at Christine's outburst.
Logan and himself were often at odds, but they respected each other in their own way. Now, all of a sudden...
He knew Logan was the closest thing Christine had to a father here. He hunkered down, and crawled under the ledge with her, cradling her in his arms.
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 18:03:16 GMT -4
Post by Christine MacTaggart on Dec 21, 2003 18:03:16 GMT -4
Christine buried her face in Scott's shoulder and wept. She shivered softly as she slowly felt the chill from the rain. "Scott?" she asked softly. "You won't leave me too? Promise me you won't leave me?"
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 18:09:26 GMT -4
Post by cyclops on Dec 21, 2003 18:09:26 GMT -4
He rocked her a bit and stroked her damp hair.
"I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
Now, more than ever, he had to be the grown-up. The leader. The mantle of responsibility was almost crushing him under its weight.
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 18:13:18 GMT -4
Post by Christine MacTaggart on Dec 21, 2003 18:13:18 GMT -4
"So tired," she whispered softly, struggling to stay awake. She had all but cried herself to sleep - in fact, she was almost asleep in her brother's arms. She curled up closer and eventually fell asleep, curled up in his arms.
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 18:17:03 GMT -4
Post by cyclops on Dec 21, 2003 18:17:03 GMT -4
He held her as she sobbed and sniffled and eventually dropped off to sleep.
With Logan and the Professor gone, it's up to me to look after the X-Men. For their memories, I will NOT fail!
Setting his jaw, he extracted Christine as gently as he could in the cramped quarters, as his still-healing body protested. Wincing, he hoisted her in his arms and made his way back to the mansion, through the rain.
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 19:05:16 GMT -4
Post by Guido Carosella on Dec 21, 2003 19:05:16 GMT -4
Guido wandered towards the front door of the mansion, after making his peace with Storm. Peering through the gloom during a flash of lightning, he spied an odd figure emerge from the woods at the edge of the yard. He held his goggles up to his eyes to assist his long-range vision as best he could, and frowned.
It was too dark to make it out, but the figure walked in an odd, painful shuffle towards the house. Guido headed to intercept the stranger, and as he drew closer, it turned out to be not one, but two people, one carrying the other. He gasped as he drew closer.
"Chris! You okay? Not you too..."
He looked up at the scowling young man who held her, who returned his gaze suspiciously.
"She's okay right? What happened?"
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 19:10:23 GMT -4
Post by cyclops on Dec 21, 2003 19:10:23 GMT -4
Scott's weakened body was beginning to give out, but he gritted his teeth and doggedly kept trudging towards the mansion, Christine safely tucked in his arms. In a moment of alarm, he saw a large figure appear out of the gloom in front of the mansion, and begin quickly moving towards him.
The large man drew closer, and Scott began to wish he had worn his visor instead of his glasses. As he closed to within speaking distance, Scott was startled to see him clad in the remains of an X-Men uniform. What's more, he knew Christine, by the way he was exclaiming over her.
"She's fine, just sleeping. Her, uh, father was killed." Scott said. He began to wobble, and the giant put out a steadying hand on his shoulder.
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Grief
Dec 21, 2003 19:17:09 GMT -4
Post by Guido Carosella on Dec 21, 2003 19:17:09 GMT -4
"Yeah, I know." Guido said softly. "I was there. I gotta tell her."
He saw the young man's eyes flash at his confession, and took a step back.
Looks like I touched a nerve. Wonder if this is tha Scott I've heard about.
"Look, buddy, I'm not gonna hurt her. How about I carry her to her room for ya, and you can follow along and keep an eye on me. I just gotta tell her what happened, an' then I'll leave her alone."
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