You're the train that crashed my heart

Closed RP with @akahowlett

It had been a long time since she had arrived to Haven, the time had been a big blur and she didn't know how much she had truly spent there. She had seen many faces but not many had hit her like this one. She had actually crashed against Laura and many things came to mind.

Mixed feelings

Closed RP with @akahowlett

It had been a long time since she had arrived to Haven, the time had been a big blur and she didn’t know how much she had truly spent there. She had seen many faces but not many had hit her like this one. She had actually crashed against Laura and many things came to mind.

Now she was far taller, even a bit taller than her and she was a grown woman she had never known. She cleared her throat and stretched her hand looking at her like she had when she was a kid “Sorry, and umm hi, I’m Hope Summers” she sighed

Laura caught the taller woman by the upper arms when she realised they were set to collide.  A gentle grip, a step backwards, and the danger was avoided.  “It’s okay.  Catching a Wolverine off guard isn’t so easy,” her mouth didn’t smile, but her eyes did.  She was used to people looking over her head and not realising she was in their path.

Looking at her she was different too, this Laura looked far better, less broken you could say. It was clear she wasn't the woman she met many years ago.

Hope smirked, it was true, surprising her family was really difficult but it could be done “Oh, I know that” she took a small step back to stay in a more comfortable distance from her.

Looking at her she was different too, this Laura looked far better, less broken you could say. It was clear she wasn’t the woman she met many years ago.

“I guess you’re right” she was, it was one of the first times not even a Summers was with her but well, she could handle being alone again “I kn… Know who you are, I have met some parts of your family”

Laura’s brows flicked up, but only briefly.  “Depending on which parts of my family you’ve met, that could be a good or bad thing.”  She couldn’t say for sure until she knew who Hope knew, there was quite a spectrum of personalities.

Hope let out a soft laugh and cleared her throat “yeah… Ummm I know Logan, met him a long time ago” she scratched the back of her neck and sighed “and I also know Daken” it was clear Laura’s brother was another topic. Even if she didn’t like Logan that much Daken was far worse and for some reason she liked him.

“Oh, no! Not at all” there it was. Hope was horrible around people, because she wasn’t raised to be social but she wanted to be with some. People like Laura made her wish she was less awkward “I’m not busy today”

If Laura could know what Hope was thinking, she might have laughed at the idea of someone wishing they were less awkward so they could better interact with her.  She was part wolverine for one, and lab raised to kill for another, she was far from raised to socialise.

“I hope so too” Betsy agreed. She had been up and down the country over the past few years, and she’d never come across any other X-Men. He if she had, she wouldn’t have run into Dayle…

Elizabeth led the way down a steep, mostly forgotten path, following the thoughts of those she could identify as large group of zombies nearby. She had spent so long trying not to kill them, trying to spare them in case a cure was found… But that wasn’t looking likely any time soon. And she was angry… So very angry. She has watched them tear Dayle apart with no mercy. She hadn’t admitted it to anyone, but it was her who had dealt the final blow. His screams of pain and terror, he had begged her to end it for him before they could, so she had. She was leading Laura back in the direction of where Dayle had died, whether these were the same group of zombies, she didn’t much care.

“What? Can’t a girl want a little stress relief without it being a big deal?” Betsy offered Laura a small smile over her shoulder, before pausing in her step behind a large rock.

There we at least twenty zombies a short distance away. Elizabeth drew a bow and arrow made of psychic energy and turned to Laura, “you ready?”

Well, apparently they were not talking about this.  Laura flexed her fingers, stretched her neck by tilting her head from side to side, and prepared herself for battle.

“Ready,” she said.  She had no doubt that Betsy knew she was pregnant, she didn’t imagine one could get through the medical screening without learning that.  She wondered if there were some kind of rudimentary brainwaves that Betsy could pick up on.  That would have to be weird.

Peter moved to help her spread the blankets.   He couldn’t help but to admire how she moved.  Always so graceful.  When despite his abilities he could be such a klutz.  More to do with getting distracted and true to form he almost tripped over his feet before catching  himself.

“Hey its not a bad thing to look for the positives.   There is nothing wrong with it.   You aren’t discounting the bad things that have happened.”  He could be a pessimist, but he still tried to look on the positive side of things.  If he dwelled too much on the negative it would just keep tearing him apart. 

She chuckled when he stumbled, knowing he could easily catch himself.  “Am I distracting you?”  She asked, bent over the picnic basket she had just opened.  She set out some of the food, moving to kneel on the blankets.

As she got settled down, she asked, “Do you like the change in scenery?  Or do you miss the skyscrapers?”  She knew that his whole webslinging trick worked best in the heart of Manhattan, but there was more to life than that.

Closed RP with @akahowlett

It had been a long time since she had arrived to Haven, the time had been a big blur and she didn't know how much she had truly spent there. She had seen many faces but not many had hit her like this one. She had actually crashed against Laura and many things came to mind.

Mixed feelings

Closed RP with @akahowlett

It had been a long time since she had arrived to Haven, the time had been a big blur and she didn’t know how much she had truly spent there. She had seen many faces but not many had hit her like this one. She had actually crashed against Laura and many things came to mind.

Now she was far taller, even a bit taller than her and she was a grown woman she had never known. She cleared her throat and stretched her hand looking at her like she had when she was a kid “Sorry, and umm hi, I’m Hope Summers” she sighed

Laura caught the taller woman by the upper arms when she realised they were set to collide.  A gentle grip, a step backwards, and the danger was avoided.  “It’s okay.  Catching a Wolverine off guard isn’t so easy,” her mouth didn’t smile, but her eyes did.  She was used to people looking over her head and not realising she was in their path.

Looking at her she was different too, this Laura looked far better, less broken you could say. It was clear she wasn't the woman she met many years ago.

Hope smirked, it was true, surprising her family was really difficult but it could be done “Oh, I know that” she took a small step back to stay in a more comfortable distance from her.

Looking at her she was different too, this Laura looked far better, less broken you could say. It was clear she wasn’t the woman she met many years ago.

“I guess you’re right” she was, it was one of the first times not even a Summers was with her but well, she could handle being alone again “I kn… Know who you are, I have met some parts of your family”

Laura’s brows flicked up, but only briefly.  “Depending on which parts of my family you’ve met, that could be a good or bad thing.”  She couldn’t say for sure until she knew who Hope knew, there was quite a spectrum of personalities.

“You’re right. Knowing that the zombies probably overran them makes me a little happy at least,” and for the first time today, he chuckled and wiped at his eyes. “I can only hope. I couldn’t imagine surviving out here being an amputee, unless you had an advanced prosthetic, you know? I shouldn’t dwell on the past really, but it sucks that it fucks you up in the present still.”

“Emotions and memories are weird.” He stared at some flowers and grass swaying, as the sun set. He could tell as what little light he managed to see slowly disappered. “Heh. Could you grab my glasses? I have no idea where they are on this massive blanket.”

She retrieved the glasses from the corner of the blanket, where she imagined he had strategically placed them so as not to lean on them and break them, and then of course, forgot exactly where they were.  She placed them in his hands.

Megan smiled at the women, though looked a little nervous. She didn’t like to break the rules. But she liked Betsy, and had agreed to do her a favour. 

“No, probably not…” Elizabeth agreed. Though the though of leaving to look for Warren was more than tempting… 

They reached Megan who teleported the three of them away from Haven. Not too far, but in the direction Elizabeth had specified. She said her goodbye and disappeared again in a flash of pink light. 

“So, there’s really been no news of Jean? Kitty? Scott?..” so many friends still missing… It was sad to think about it. 

Betsy rid her mind of the thought and focused, turning in the direction of a hill; “this way” she instructed, leading the way down the slope. 

“I’m mostly just hoping they’re somewhere together.  We had three X-Squads in the field in various locations when this started, so as long as each one stuck together, I think they’ll be alright.”  That being said, Rogue had been on one of those teams.

She waved goodbye to Megan and followed Betsy down the hill.  She listened for the sounds of the undead, for signs of life out in the trees, but much closer to her, she realised she could hear an extra heartbeat that she hadn’t noticed when they were so surrounded by people.

“Hey I think its a good thing that we are doing that.  It reinforces the whole respect and balancing of the land.  If we are eating from it we need to treat things right so we don’t poison ourselves.”  Which something they were rapidly approaching as companies polluted the land, air and water.   They were barely staving off a collapse before things, well collapsed.  

When they stopped under the tree Peter shifted to move into Laura’s face.  He reached to cup the side of her face intending to rub his thumb over her cheekbone.  “You are so wonderful you know?  Smart, strong, kind, beautiful.  I’m a really lucky guy and I should tell you that more often.”   

This was the perfect setting really and a wonderful chance to just relax.   Thankfully nothing urgent on his list so he could take this time.  Especially since Laura deserved it.  He needed to spend time with her.   It helped him balance out as much as giving her the attention she deserved.

“I do wonder how much this plague has allowed the Earth to recover from its infestation of people.  Perhaps the undead are like the antibodies the planet has finally developed against, well, us.”  It was a grim thought, perhaps a callous one.  “Sorry, a lot of people are dead.  I don’t think I should be looking for metaphors and bright sides.”

Closed RP with @akahowlett

It had been a long time since she had arrived to Haven, the time had been a big blur and she didn't know how much she had truly spent there. She had seen many faces but not many had hit her like this one. She had actually crashed against Laura and many things came to mind.

Mixed feelings

Closed RP with @akahowlett

It had been a long time since she had arrived to Haven, the time had been a big blur and she didn’t know how much she had truly spent there. She had seen many faces but not many had hit her like this one. She had actually crashed against Laura and many things came to mind.

Now she was far taller, even a bit taller than her and she was a grown woman she had never known. She cleared her throat and stretched her hand looking at her like she had when she was a kid “Sorry, and umm hi, I’m Hope Summers” she sighed

Laura caught the taller woman by the upper arms when she realised they were set to collide.  A gentle grip, a step backwards, and the danger was avoided.  “It’s okay.  Catching a Wolverine off guard isn’t so easy,” her mouth didn’t smile, but her eyes did.  She was used to people looking over her head and not realising she was in their path.

The nightmares that took over her dreams took the form of drowning. Of struggling for breath and fighting to get to the surface, to breach the calm of the green lake that had swallowed her whole… 

Rogue woke suddenly with a gasp, realisation dawning of the current mind splitting headache zapping all thoughts of the nightmares away. She groaned and reached up to rub a hand across her face. The red light on her bracelet infuriatingly constant. 

Laura had only found out about the Daken confrontation after Ororo and Rogue had gone out on their misadventure, which meant she hadn’t had any opportunity to address things before now.  It served her right for not engaging in the local gossip.  She took a deep breath, and stepped into the doorway.

Gabby looked up at Laura and eventually nodded, choosing once again to trust her. Laura was older, she understood the world better than she did. Or at least, this world… A world of having friends you could rely on, trust. 

She shifted out from under Laura’s arm and lay back on her bed, allowing her sister to go an answer the door. 

Laura let Bobby in with an armful of supplies Laura had instructed him to bring.  She shut the door behind him, instructing him to get his side of things ready while she saw to hydration.

She returned to Gabby, holding an IV bag and tubing.  “Do you trust me to put this on you?  If you’re hydrated it will pass quicker, and you’ll be able to do it in your sleep this way.”  She wasn’t going to do anything without Gabby’s permission, that much was essential for both of them.

“I don’t think anyone can have a thirteen-year-old in her care and not think about her a lot,” Laura pointed out with a hint of amusement.  Of course, Betsy had taught at the school, she had some idea.  “Not that trying to make sixteen-year-old me keep my claws to myself wasn’t a taxing effort for you, I’m sure.” 

“I suppose Storm had a lot of updates for you to process, it’s hard for any of us to imagine Life Before Gabby at this point.”  She had filled up all their hearts.

Elizabeth grinned a little to herself. “You were one of the more challenging students” she agreed, adding with a slight tease; “I just see your accomplishments as a reflection of my own teaching abilities” 

“An alpaca seriously?   Don’t they have really good wool?  Pretty sure some people brought Aunt May alpaca yarn to make stuff with.”   I made for some pretty soft toys that she made for the children.   Especially the more traumatized ones it helped to have a soft toy to cuddle with.

“I think that I would be considered more feral than you these days.”   Which held an element of uncomfortable truth to it.   As much as Peter tried to avoid it, it still happened during that attack.   Something that multiple people saw.  Not a good topic for their date so he made a brushing off gesture.

“Anyways, I suppose those that won’t cooperate just means less hunting that people need to do?   Though I have to admit we are getting pretty independent these days.   Between the garden you helped make possible and the livestock.  Even those devil birds.”    He would not give up on that name for them.   

Laura nodded, “Very soft.  We have oone in the sheepfold already, they make good guardians for the sheep, they scare off foxes and dogs.  It would be nice for him to have a buddy though, even better if the one that was spotted is female, it would be good for us to have more.”  It would nice to be able to guarantee that animals endured.

She thought of Aunt May’s industrious crafting and of all the new textile they would have when the sheep and alpaca no longer needed their winter jackets.  That was something to think about.

Laura raised an eyebrow, “You go ‘feral’ when triggered to do so.  At the minute, we’re just more likely to encounter the undead than we are to receive a drone strike full of specially engineered murder gas that only affects me.”  She resisted shivering at the remembered sensation of the trigger scent entering her system.  “I think that makes us fairly even,” she reached out to take his hand and squeeze it before she led him over a tall root of an ancient-looking tree, and into a clearing where she intended for them to have their picnic.  The sky was pinkening.

Elizabeth smiled at Laura’s comment. “Can’t help being the cool older sister, eh?” Betsy’s own younger sibling was younger by just a few minutes, but she had held that over him throughout their childhood… 

“Don’t worry. I wasn’t much company for the first two days. Ask Storm…” she had spent the first 47 hours unconscious. And then had received news she still wasn’t over…

“You did, actually… Sorry, my telepathy is kind of messed up. I just got a glimpse… Seems like she’s on your thoughts a lot?”

“I don’t think anyone can have a thirteen-year-old in her care and not think about her a lot,” Laura pointed out with a hint of amusement.  Of course, Betsy had taught at the school, she had some idea.  “Not that trying to make sixteen-year-old me keep my claws to myself wasn’t a taxing effort for you, I’m sure.”