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Post by Psylocke on Nov 4, 2005 14:55:08 GMT -5
"I dinnae think any of the kids will go where I've got planned. It's nae one of our usual spots,” he told her as he got dressed. Betsy stopped what she was doing long enough to watch him dress. If there was one thing on this entire world that she could appreciate decadently, it was a naked or half-naked man. "Ye'll see when we get there. It's a special surprise for ye, luv,” he added when she asked where it was.
Sean sat down next to her and put his arm around her. She leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss as she said, “You have no idea how tempting it is to read your mind, Irish.”
Just then, a flash of purple caught her attention and Betsy looked over to see Sharon jump, bypass Sean and land in her lap, purring and cuddling. Betsy laughed at her little felines trick and rubbed her nose affectionately. “What sort of wonderful mischief have you been stirring this morning, my darling Sharon?” she asked the cat. Betsy didn't care how silly it seemed to talk to the purple cat, it just felt natural to her.
She was stroking the sleek purple coat, paying close attention to scratching her pet behind the ears, when Warren's voice came over the intercom. "Sean, Betsy would you come up here please?" he asked, sounding a bit stressed.
Betsy mentally scanned the mansion and found their metallic winged friend by the front door, along with another presence. Leaning across Sharon, her hand still on the little cat, she flipped on the camera for the front hall and saw a teenage boy standing there. The kid had metal parts but it was nothing horrendous. They had seen stranger mutations in their time at the school. Pressing the button, she said, “I'll get Scott since it looks like we have a new student and he's just down the hall.”
Shutting down the connection, she mentally reached out for one of her oldest and dearest friends, and said, <Scott, sorry for the interruption but there's a teenager at the front door and Warren's edgy. As our wonderful administrators, do you think you or Jean can go intervene? The boy seems to have some metallic parts but I didn't sense anything hostile about him.> She kept the channel open while she waited for his reply.
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Post by Banshee on Nov 4, 2005 21:25:38 GMT -5
“You have no idea how tempting it is to read your mind, Irish.”
Sean just grinned at her impishly. He knew she wouldn't invade his mind with out his permission. He ran his hands through her hair as she kissed him.
"Now tha' would be cheating, ye'll just have ta wait until tonight, luv?"
Then they were joined by Sharon, the cat he'd gotten as a present for Betsy. He reached over to pet her gently, she was a wonderful little cat. Of course, Scott didn't agree, but he was a dog person anyway. It didn't matter, because Betsy was happy, and so was Sharon. That made Sean feel happy. Now if things went well tonight, he'd be even happier.
“Well, hello, Sharon, having a good day today?” Then Warren's voice came over the intercom, and Betsy asked Scott to take care of their new student. Another one, they were coming out of the woodwork lately. Which was a good thing, mostly. It just made privacy that much harder to find.
“Another new student? Tis a good thing we have the mansion, eh?”
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Post by Catseye on Nov 5, 2005 4:32:07 GMT -5
“What sort of wonderful mischief have you been stirring this morning, my darling Sharon?” She stopped purring for a second, actually considering the question. Blinking a few times, she looked around the room. The question that had come out of Purple Luv's mouth. She knew what was being said, she understood the words. Come to think of it, she'd understood what was being said about her earlier too. That was why she was mad at the Glasses man. “Well, hello, Sharon, having a good day today?”
Still lost partially in her thoughts (which was really a first), she looked at him and nodded, eyes darting back to the blank spot on the table leg that she'd decided held all the answers. She'd always sort of understood what the Luvs were saying, but it hadn't been so clear. And mostly, it was based on their body language. Although... some of the stuff they did confused the heck out of her. Like when they attacked each other and made those funny noises.
"Sean, --- come --- please?" She looked over at the intercom, narrowing her eyes. And now the little box was talking, too. Not as well, but it was talking. And it had to be talking to her, since she could hear it. There was more murmuring from the Luvs, but she missed it, focus now entirely on the little box that talked at her. For some reason, and completely unknown to her, her thoughts were broadcast (albeit quite faintly) to anyone in the room that was listening. < I bet it knows where the mouse is. > She leapt off Betsy's lap and onto the table, walking around the box a few times. If it knew something, that little box...
Lunging forward, she pawed at the blinking light, jumping back as the box made a crackling noise. Crouching, she watched it carefully but from a safe distance. As soon as it talked to the mouse, she'd get them both.
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Post by Cyclops on Nov 5, 2005 10:31:24 GMT -5
[[ Crossposted from Scott's office]]
Hoping Betsy couldn't feel whirl of pain, confusion, grief and anger in his mind, Scott sent her back a message. < I--I'll handle it, Betsy, > he assured her. < Thank you. >
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Post by Psylocke on Nov 6, 2005 16:32:35 GMT -5
Betsy almost laughed out loud when Sharon looked to be pondering their questions and it looked as if the little cat actually nodded at Sean. That was certainly a first. After she had replied to Warren, Sharon jumped off her lap and looked at the intercom. Betsy could have sworn that something said Sharon was looking for a mouse and she chuckled and said, “Sharon, there are no mice in the mansion.” Why she had just responded to the cat like she'd never know.
While Sharon continued to watch the blinking lights, Betsy's mind was suddenly bombarded with horribly awry feelings and they were coming from upstairs. At that same time, Scott replied, <I--I'll handle it, Betsy. Thank you.> He didn't “sound” right to her at all and his surface feelings were as much a mess as Jean's. Something was going on upstairs and it had to do with their visitor, that much she was able to pick up on without being intrusive.
Glancing over to Sean, she said, “Somethings happening upstairs.” Not explaining any further yet, Betsy reached over and turned on the remaining two cameras in that showed the front door, one giving a visual from the outside looking in and the other from the side of the door. “Watch there and make sure nothing happens. I have to calm Jean down before she takes out all the telepaths on the property.”
Closing her eyes, Betsy concentrated on her best friend's mind. Jean was a mess, a complete and utter emotional mess and she was broadcasting to everyone that was even slightly psi-sensitive. Breaking through the surface emotions to the woman below them, she said, <Jean, you need to calm and control yourself. I can feel your emotional upheaval through my shields and two levels below ground. You are practically making Scott double over in agony with your link to him and have probably let every single telepath here know that something is hurting you.>
Betsy had gone into “teacher mode” and she knew that if something was this upsetting to Jean and making her lose that much control, it had to be something big. <Remember some of the first lessons Charles taught us, Jean. Focus and control. You can not afford to lose control. I sense Esme in the room with you, think of how you are affecting her being that close to her physically. Calm down and tell me what's going on so that Sean and I can help.>
While she was trying to calm Jean down, she contacted all five Stepford girls at the same time. <Girls, gather around Jean and try to protect her mind from broadcasting as much as you can. Your mental powers and your physical presence may be just what she needs to pull through this,> Betsy instructed them. She didn't need to tell them that there was something wrong with their adoptive mother as they had to be feeling the effects as the other telepaths were.
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Post by Banshee on Nov 6, 2005 21:43:31 GMT -5
Sean could have sworn he'd seen Sharon nod at his question. He blinked a few times, wondering if he was hallucinating. 'I mus' have been hit harder than I thought. I could swear tha' Sharon understood wha' I was sayin' and tried ta answer me' He looked at Betsy, she seemed to have noticed that as well.
“Sharon, there are no mice in the mansion.”Sean raised his eyebrows, maybe he did have a concussion. He rubbed the side of his head, very confused. Next thing, Sharon would start talking and that would be it for his sanity.
Then Betsy looked distracted for a moment, and glanced back at him. This day was getting weirder by the moment. And she spoke up,
“Somethings happening upstairs.” She turned on the monitors, and he watched a young man walk into the house. He didn't look like a threat. And Scott came into view, and approached the newcomer. He turned up the audio, just in time to hear the young man state his name. “Nathan Christopher Charles Dayspring Summers.” Sean's jaw dropped, there was no way. It wasn't possible. He stood up from his chair, knowing he had to get up there to support his friend. As shocking as this was for him, it had to be much worse for Scott.
“I'll go up there, luv.”
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Post by Catseye on Nov 7, 2005 3:34:35 GMT -5
“Sharon, there are no mice in the mansion.” She looked at the Purple Luv, narrowing her eyes a bit. Of course, there were mice in the mansion. She'd brought them in. Purple Luv dangled them in front of her face. Unless she was in on it, too. No, impossible. Purple Luv was too nice to be working with the mice.
She cocked her head, trying to remember what she'd been doing before Purple Luv incriminated herself. Luckily, though, the Orange Luv turned on the TV. Things were moving on the screen, and she had no idea how to get to them. But she always liked a challenge. She watched as another person walked onscreen. He looked familiar. Oh, yeah. Angry, hates cats and mean. < Glasses man! > She turned as Orange Luv stood up to leave, wondering to herself if that meant she had to go, too. Luckily, though, she didn't. And even better, she spotted something in the corner. < There is a mouse! >
Diving off the table, she charged at the mouse, trapping it with her incredible skill and dexterity. Or just because it was a bunch of cork covered in fake fur. But she liked to think that it was because of the dexterity. Jumping back onto the table, she dropped the mouse in front of Luv. Maybe Purple Luv would throw the mouse. < Throw it... throw it >
She wasn't aware that she was broadcasting her thoughts. She wouldn't have even known what that meant had someone told her that she was. The sudden telepathy was still faint, but enough to make even a non-telepath hear a whisper.
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Post by Phoenix on Nov 7, 2005 22:36:07 GMT -5
[Cross-posted to Cyclops and Phoenix's Administrative Offices]
< I’m—I’m sorry, Betsy, > Her mental voice was ragged with pain. She didn’t even realize she had been projecting her emotions. < The boy outside—he feels like Nathan. I’d know that mental signature anywhere. > So grateful she could speak truthfully with Betsy, the tears continued on their stream down the contours of her cheeks. If it weren’t for those closest to her, she didn’t know what she would have done when they’d lost Nathan. < And—he asked-- > Jean paused, trying to get a hold of herself, < He asked me why we didn’t look for him. > Jean’s mental voice broke over their connection, cracking as the tears ran. Thankfully she had Betsy to talk with. Of course she could talk to Scott about anything, but there were some things only another woman would understand.
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Post by Psylocke on Nov 9, 2005 8:44:54 GMT -5
Jean's reply was full of pain, anger, hurt and just plain hope. It was also a complete shock to Betsy. <I’m—I’m sorry, Betsy, the boy outside—he feels like Nathan. I’d know that mental signature anywhere. And—he asked--he asked me why we didn’t look for him,> Jean managed to get across to her.
Betsy could sense that the girls had made it to Jean's side and knew they would help to shield their adoptive mother. Surprise lacing her mental voice, Betsy replied, <Nathan? Jean, he's too old to be Nathan.> She knew simply by looking at the boy on the screen that the age wasn't a match. At all. However, all of them had seen some very odd things in the last ten years and she never discounted anything. Reaching toward the boy, she encountered another very strong telepathic mind. She really didn't care if the boy could sense her probe or not, she was doing this for her best friend's sanity.
Expecting to find a trap or something that would indicate that this couldn't possibly be the baby that had gone missing while they were away on a mission, Betsy was completely startled to discover a very familiar signature. It was certainly one she hadn't sensed in a very long time and although it was different in the fact that it had matured, there was no denying it felt exactly like the baby had. Pulling back and shaking her head, Betsy continued with Jean, awe in her “voice”, <You're right, Jean. He....he feels just like Nathan. I sense that Scott and....”Nathan” are on their way to you. Keep me updated. If need be, we still have his records on file, we can do a DNA test.> Betsy hesitated for a moment before adding, <Jean, please be careful. Although he feels right, let's make sure before we get too far. Sean and I can be up there very quickly if you need us.>
As she finished her side of the conversation, Betsy heard Sean say, “I'll go up there, luv.”
Putting her hand on his arm, she shook her head and replied, “No. Scott is taking the boy into the office so they can figure things out. I'm keeping a link open with Jean in case she needs us but they need to do this alone. As long as the girls are with them, they should help shield Jean from broadcasting her emotions like she was.” Putting her hands on her face to cover her eyes a moment, she was still a bit shocked at the discovery at how very close the boy had felt to Nathan. Pulling her hands down, she watched on the cameras as Scott and him entered the office and she turned the audio off. This was a private conversation and if something happened, Jean would tell her immediately.
Sharon hopped up on the table, blissfully unaware of the chaotic emotions that were swarming all around her and she dropped the fake mouse in front of Betsy. Somewhere in the back of her head, she heard a faint, < Throw it... throw it > but she was still too emotional over Jean's broadcast and her own feelings regarding this boy who claimed to be Nathan. She had been there when he was born, trying to help Jean through the pain. She had held him immediately after his birth, cleaning him up and getting his measurements for his parents. She had helped the young parents care for the baby, the little one bringing a ray of light and hope to all of them in their dark world. He had represented everything they were working toward and made their goals seem that much more attainable. His “death” had affected them all, especially his parents although the loss had been felt very strongly through the entire mansion.
Pulling herself out of the memories, Betsy gave Sharon a quick scratch behind the ears but couldn't bring herself to smile at the beautiful cat. There was just too much going on in her head. Picking up the toy mouse, Betsy said, “Here you go, luv” as she threw the object across the room.
Looking at Sean, she said abruptly, “He feels like Nathan but it doesn't seem possible. He's too old and Nathan never had the cyborg parts but look at him, Sean.” As she said that, Betsy pulled up the video feed from a few moments before in the foyer and enlarged it to show more detail of the boy's face. “He looks like Scott. That jawline is unmistakable. So are his eyes and the look in them, the determination is exactly like we've seen in Scott's eyes many times. It doesn't seem possible, though. All I can say is, he had better be who he claims to be because otherwise, Scott will tear him apart and I am worried that Jean will have a complete breakdown.”
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Post by Banshee on Nov 9, 2005 9:06:10 GMT -5
Sean felt Betsy's hand on his arm,
“No. Scott is taking the boy into the office so they can figure things out. I'm keeping a link open with Jean in case she needs us but they need to do this alone. As long as the girls are with them, they should help shield Jean from broadcasting her emotions like she was.” He sat back down, this day was getting more odd by the minute. He put his arm back around Betsy's shoulder, she seemed a bit shaken by this, as was he. He had delivered Nathan, the first time he'd ever done anything like that. It had been an incredibly emotional time, for all of them. When they'd come back from that mission, to find the safe house in ruins . . . it had been awful. He shook his head, then there was a strange faint voice, one he didn't recognize.
< Throw it... throw it > Sean was completely blindsided by everything, then he saw Betsy throwing Sharon's toy mouse. Huh?
“He feels like Nathan but it doesn't seem possible. He's too old and Nathan never had the cyborg parts but look at him, Sean. He looks like Scott. That jawline is unmistakable. So are his eyes and the look in them, the determination is exactly like we've seen in Scott's eyes many times. It doesn't seem possible, though. All I can say is, he had better be who he claims to be because otherwise, Scott will tear him apart and I am worried that Jean will have a complete breakdown.” Sean was stunned, he hadn't noticed the resemblance until Betsy had pointed it out. He must be have a concussion. That was the only logical explanation to all of this. Children coming back from the dead, cats talking in his head, yeah, must be concussed.
“Betsy, I think I may have been hit harder than I thought. I'm hearin' and seein' things.”
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Post by Catseye on Nov 9, 2005 9:56:53 GMT -5
The scratch was obviously not Purple Luv at the top of her game, and Sharon was worried that she might not throw the mouse. “Here you go, luv” And then she did. LEaping off the table, Sharon darted into the hallway, batting the mouse until it slammed against the opposite wall. Then, she picked it up in her teeth and started back toward the room, dropping the mouse halfway and batting it for a few feet before picking it up again.
She dropped it once more when she re-entered the room, looking from Purple Luv to Orange Luv. Who should throw it now? Biting down on the mouse again, she jumped up into Orange Luv's lap, dropped it and nudged him. < Throw it? > Her voice was a little bit stronger now, but still too faint for anyone who wasn't used to telepathic conversation to pick up on it. She cocked her head to one side and looked at Orange Luv, asking again. < Throw it? >
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Post by Psylocke on Nov 9, 2005 21:18:51 GMT -5
While the emotionally overwrought couple upstairs dealt with the boy who was too old to be their son yet was still claiming to be that son, Sean put his arm around her to hold her. Betsy knew this was as shocking and difficult on him as it was on her. It also reinforced Betsy's vow to never bring a child into this world. What had happened with Nathan had completely changed all of them and there was no way she was going to open herself up for that kind of hurt. She knew that Sean didn't exactly feel the same way but he had respected her choice. If she didn't love the man so damned much she would have left him years ago so he could find someone who would be willing to give him children. Yet he stuck by her, rarely talking about it since he knew how uncomfortable she was with the subject.
After she threw Sharon's mouse and the cat ran into the hall to play with it (how she didn't slide across the floor was beyond her), Sean said, “Betsy, I think I may have been hit harder than I thought. I'm hearin' and seein' things.”
Looking at him in concern, Betsy asked, “What do you mean? I thought you said earlier that it was just a minor hit and honestly, there is no bruising, just a bit of a red spot.” Just then, Sharon came back into the room and jumped into Sean's lap, choosing him at the next mouse thrower.
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Post by Banshee on Nov 9, 2005 21:48:25 GMT -5
“What do you mean? I thought you said earlier that it was just a minor hit and honestly, there is no bruising, just a bit of a red spot.”
Sean looked at Betsy, hadn't she noticed any of the odd things Sharon had been up to today? But then there was the return of Jean and Scott's “son” who was too old to be Nathan, but looked like Scott, and . . . Sean stopped trying to figure it out. It was too confusing, and too many memories were involved.
“Well, for starters, I could have sworn tha Sharon nodded at me. Then I heard a faint whisper in me head, for ye ta throw her mouse. And now this with Nathan? Unless there is somethin about Sharon we dinnae know , , , ,” His voice trailed off as Sharon hopped in his lap, bringing her mouse with.
Sean looked at the small purple cat, scratching her behind her ears,
“Wha' did ye want me ta throw this now? Did ye?”
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Post by Catseye on Nov 9, 2005 22:21:23 GMT -5
She closed her eyes as Orange Luv scratched her. Zoning out, she almost forgot that she was still standing, catching herself before she fell. “Wha' did ye want me ta throw this now? Did ye?”
She nodded, looking toward the hallway. < Throw it. > Her eyes never left the mouse, even as Orange Luv talked to her. The mouse had tried to hide, tried to get away from her. And she had beaten it. It thought that it could hide in the rooms that you needed that big box to get to. But it couldn't. Because she went everywhere. And she found everything. And no mouse was safe. Ever. Especially the yellow one. The yellow one thought it was so smart. It was wrong.
Looking up at Orange Luv, she glanced at the mouse again, eyes widening a little bit. < Throw it. >
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Post by Psylocke on Nov 11, 2005 19:06:15 GMT -5
“Well, for starters, I could have sworn tha Sharon nodded at me. Then I heard a faint whisper in me head, for ye ta throw her mouse. And now this with Nathan? Unless there is somethin about Sharon we dinnae know....” Sean said, trailing off.
Poor guy. If he thought that Sharon was talking to him then he really must have been hit harder then he let on. Betsy studied the little cat for a moment. Sure, she was an odd color but mutations in the animal kingdom were even more common then in human. She never gave her purple hair and purple eyes a whole lot of thought other then to see how beautiful the little creature was.
“Sean, maybe we should head into the Infirmary and let me look at your head a bit closer. Sharon is a special and wonderful cat but she is still a cat, there isn't anything more to her then that,” Betsy told him.
Betsy then reached over and gave Sharon a few long strokes down her back and added, “You had better throw that mouse before she attacks your hand.” Again, she heard a faint voice at the back of her head but considering she had her mind open, ready for any messages from Jean, it was hard telling what she was picking up on.
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