Love's Past Turmoil

Rahne had passed Skye in the hall, but didn’t stop. She made her way to her room, flopping down on her bed. She had closed her door and the only sound in the room was her soft cries.

Pyro watched Rahne disappear up the stairs, before nearly running into Bobby. “Hey! What’s going on?” he demanded, gritting his teeth against the emotion flooding through him.

“One word,” Bobby answered, the tone of his voice almost malicious. “Gambit.” He continued on.

Pyro’s eyes widened and with a quick glance at Skye, he rushed into the Day Room.

Skye shook her head. "Rahne’s hurt." She looked at Bobby. "She might be healed, but she’s not happy..." she told Bobby before she headed towards the Day Room.

Rahne had begun to lose herself in dark memories of her father beating her when she was younger. She curled up on her bed, shaking lightly.

Iceman didn’t even knock; he just walked into the room, over to Rahne and took her in his arms, his heart breaking at the sight of her in such a state. Gently rocking her he said, “I’m here, Baby. Shhhh!”

Pyro slid to a stop beside Mana, rolling her over. “What did he do to you?!” he demanded.

Mana couldn’t answer him, the tears falling hard.

Rahne couldn’t even speak, her eyes staring at some spot on the bed. She trembled in his arms, forgotten in a world of painful memories.

Skye knelt beside Mana. "Hey...breathe...and tell me now." she said, softly,

“I don’t know what he did to me!” Mana cried. “But I wanted it even after he hurt one of my best friends!” A fresh set of tears fell, and she covered her face with her hands.

Bobby ran his hand over Wolfsbane’s head, soothingly. “Talk to me, Rahne.” He urged, gently.

Skye stared at Mana in disbelief. "No wonder I’m getting that from Rahne, unbelievable Mana...I mean…" she said, as she got up. She looked at John. "I’m done with this...I’m gonna go make sure my best friend is all right...I don’t think she’s doing too good."

Rahne blinked her green eyes and rose to look at Bobby. "I…I didn’t mean to…" she said near silently. "I…don’t know what happened..."

Iceman took her gently by the shoulders, looking into her eyes. “You were trying to protect a friend, Rahne, and even the wolf knows that.”

The tone of Skye’s voice cut deep, and Mana climbed to her feet, looking at John. “This is all my fault. Tell her I’m sorry.” And she was gone before her foster brother could say a word.

"It happened with my father too, Bobby...he went to hit me…and all I remember is wanting to hurt him...next thing I knew…he was dead...and it was my fault..." she whispered.

Skye watched her sister leave. "Great...everything is all mucked up…because of him."

Pulling her into his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder, Bobby said, “I can’t begin to imagine how you are feeling, Rahne, but please try to remember this situation is different. Gambit’s smug, antagonistic attitude is enough to make anyone want to attack him.”

Rahne’s hands shook as he held her. "I know…but what if it happens around you or one of the others...I don’t wanna hurt you guys…"

Bobby realised he honestly did not have an answer for that, burying his face in her neck, his arms tightening around her.

“Do I go after her?” Pyro asked Skye, torn between the emotions swirling around in his head.

Rahne held tightly to Bobby, just taking in his scent. Just his being there, she felt a bit better.

Skye looked at her boyfriend. "That’s up to you...I’m going to see Rahne…"

Pyro walked over to Skye, taking her hand. “If that had just happened to me I would want to be alone.” he said. “I’ll come with you.”

Skye looked at him. "Good..." she said, as she began walking up the stairs to the dorms.

“Just remember that I love you, Rahne, no matter what.” Bobby suddenly whispered into her ear. “Even if you hurt me I will still love you.”

Rahne looked up at him, her eyes giving off just the smallest touch of light. "I wont hurt you…I’d rather die."

The sincerity in that statement caught Bobby off guard and he let out a sigh of satisfaction, his insides clenching with happiness.

Rahne closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder.

“You okay, Wolfsbane?” came Pyro’s worried voice from the doorway.

Rahne looked up. "Yeah for now..." she said softly.

Skye walked up behind John. "You want us to leave...?"

"No…" Rahne said, softly.

“What happened exactly?” Pyro asked, leading Skye over to the couch and sitting down, as he slipped his arms around her waist. “I only felt the strange emotions, I didn’t see it through Mana’s eyes like I have done before.”

"Well, Skye left, you left, Mana left...and Remy came back...despite being told to stay away...and then...I don’t know...I lost it...Wolfsbane took over and took after him...he hit me twice before I managed to turn back...Mana came in by that point...and went to attack him...when he pulled her to him and kissed her...I saw the look on her face…I saw it...she wanted it...she wants him more then she wants any of us..." Rahne said.

“You know that isn’t true, Rahne.” John answered. “Whatever is happening with her and Remy is out of her control and you know Mana hates not being in control of the choices she makes, especially when her powers are involved.”

"I don’t wanna be around her if he’s around...I know that sounds bad...but I can’t take the chance of losing it again and someone getting hurt." she said.

Skye moved over and sat on the bed. "Rahne…you won’t hurt anyone...we won’t let you."

“I’ll freeze your paws in place before I let that happen.” Bobby said, grinning, trying to break the mood a little.

Rahne smirked and licked his cheek.

Skye laughed.

Bobby gave Rahne a shocked look. “You sure the wolf is completely gone, babe? Not that I mind you doing that, but…” He cocked his head to the side, smiling.

Pyro tried not to laugh, the sound caught in his throat, his eyes bright.

Rahne smirked. "Yeah, that was pure Rahne…" She grinned.

Skye snickered.

That was it, John burst out laughing, holding the hand with his Zippo lighter in it to the side of his mouth. “Okay. I’m gonna leave now.” he said.

Skye stood up. "I’m outta here too...Rahne…call if you need me..." She grinned.

Rahne nodded.

“You want me to go too, Rahne?” Iceman asked.

"No you can stay..." she said, her eyes brightening a bit.

Nodding, he pulled her around against him, his chin resting on the top of her head. “I’m listening if you need to tell me anything more.” he told her, clasping his hands over hers.

**

Mana’s ‘contemplating log’ had been used a lot over the past week, and she was sure the cause of her using it knew exactly where it was too but she didn’t care. The serene place beside the lake was the best place for her to go when her emotions were out of control. Only a few knew where it was and only a few had been there with her.

She pulled her legs up against her chest, resting her chin on her knees. ~Something…~ her thoughts were interrupted by the sob that left her mouth. She didn’t bother to think; she just cried, moving her arms up to wrap around her head, her tears wetting her bare skin and sliding on down to absorb into the long dark purple skirt she was wearing.

From where he watched her, Gambit had tears in his eyes himself. Why he could not answer. This girl was starting to mean more to him than anything in the world; he wanted to hold her; to protect her; to keep her from the emotions she was now feeling; to never let anything cause her sadness or heartache again. He knew things about her now he never thought he would ever get the chance to know. Not everything; that much he knew, maybe that was to come. After the kiss that had caused both their powers to run together, to meld into each other, he was beginning to believe a lot more was going to happen between them whether they wanted it to or not.

Mana turned her head, staring at the clump of bushes about ten metres away to her immediate left, her eyes glowing with a mixture of anger and want. ~Go away!~ she thought, not meaning a single word.

Gambit stared into those beautiful eyes, subconsciously flicking a card out of his jacket sleeve and twirling it through his fingers. ~You an’ me are one now, Mana.~ he thought. ~An’ ma only objection t’ dat is dat I can’t be wit’ you cos o’ your friends.~ The card glowed a brilliant reddish purple as he flicked it through the air.

Mana watched it float to land near her feet, reaching to pick it up, her own energy causing the reddish glow to remain but not explode.

“Dat be de sign, Cher. Yo’ don’ even have t’ be near me t’ make my powers react t’ yours. But it not be de powers I want, it be yo’.” he said, loud enough for her to hear him. “An’ I be here when de time is right f’r yo’.”

Mana let out another sob, staring at the ten individual hearts on the card glowing with mixed energy.

**

Pyro stopped in the hallway outside Rahne’s room. “What do we do?” he asked, looking at Skye. “I mean, Mana isn’t gonna come back knowing she has hurt Rahne. She can’t stand knowing someone is in pain let alone being the cause of that pain.” He was clearly upset, and furious with a certain Cajun.

"I know that she won’t...Rahne will calm down, its part of her Scottish temper." she said, leaning against the wall. She looked at her boyfriend. "I think that we should go talk to Mana...I’ll even let you hurt Gambit…" She gave Pyro a grin.

John quirked an eyebrow. “Really?” he asked, dead serious.

"Yep, he took a hit at Rahne...he’s lucky I don’t get to him....you’d do more damage." she told him.

John didn’t smile. He was too angry to smile. He glanced up the hallway. “I know where she will be, and I am sure you do too, right?”

"I always know where she is...same as I know where you and the others are" she told him. It was part of the link and the bond that the close circle of friends shared. "She’s at the lake..." she told him as she began heading out that way.

“And if he is anywhere near her I am going to kill him.” he added, through gritted teeth.

"Just don’t get caught by any of the teachers, love." Skye said to him, taking his hand and leading him outside.

The side of Mana’s head was resting on her knees, her eyes now closed in a somewhat restless sleep. The emotion had finally caught up, and the fatigue from over usage of her powers had set in. When she woke up a recharge would be the first thing she would have to do without fail.

Remy was leaning back against the trunk of the tree behind him, still in the same place, still watching her just out of her sight but not her mind.

He heard the sound of approaching footsteps, crouching low in the underbrush.

Skye walked towards Mana. She stopped and narrowed her eyes, staring at a bush. She lifted her hand and pulled Remy into the air. "Wow...you really are stupid aren’t you?" she asked. She moved to Mana's side, leaving the Cajun suspended in air for John’s fun. "Mana…" she whispered, softly.

“You want to tell me what you are doing still near my sister?!” John demanded, the lid of his lighter flicking open before he finished the sentence.

Okay. Now Remy had had enough. Charging the air around him, he thwarted Skye’s new telekinetic ability, falling to the ground, crouching low. “I be wanting de same t’ing as yo’, Mon’ami!” he yelled, his eyes blazing.

Gambit’s anger caused Mana’s eyes to fly open and she clutched her head. “What…?!” Looking around she set her eyes on John. “No! John, no! You can’t… you have no idea who you are dealing with! Don’t!”

Gambit looked at her then back at Pyro. “I be lisnen t’ yo’ sister if I were yo’.” he advised.

Skye looked at Mana. "Do you not see it...are you so blind...look at us Mana...look at the group. John’s more upset with this then any time I’ve seen him...Rahne’s flipping out upstairs, thankful for Bobby right now let me tell you...and I’ve got the biggest migraine from putting this guy in his place...we cant continue like this, Mana...we won’t...you may have to make a choice at some point..." she said standing up. "John...let’s go."

Gambit flipped sideways, landing directly in front of Mana. He touched the side of her face. “Dat choice be hard, Petite, so let Remy make it f’r yo’.” He looked directly into her eyes, shutting out everything around him. “Yo’ friends be more important; yo’ sanity be all I care about. I will be always watching yo’. I will always be there somewhere near yo’; make no mistake, but I will not have yo’ de way I want yo’ if yo’ have to be given up part o’ y’r heart.” He kneeled down in front of her. “When dey finally realise I be de bes’ t’ing dat could happen to yo’, yo’ know what t’ do.” And with those words he turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows of the forest.

Skye lost it right there. She sat in the grass and cried.

Pyro’s mouth fell open. That was the last thing he had expected the Cajun to say; the last choice he had expected him to make. He moved over to Skye, slipping his arm around her shoulder, and glancing at Mana. He was lost for words; totally and utterly lost for words!

Skye let her tears fall. She buried her face into Pyro's neck letting her breathing calm down. "If he weren’t such a stubborn arse, I could let him be around..." she whispered.

Mana stood up, slowly. “You know who I would have chosen.” she said, starting to walk off. “And I can’t believe you nearly made me have to prove that to you.”

“Mana.” Pyro said.

She sighed, stopping. “What in the world is going on here?!” she suddenly cried, looking up at the sky.

Her answer came in the form of the storm cell she had subconsciously summoned for the recharge she so desperately needed.

Skye looked at Mana and then at the storm cell. "Oh brilliant" she said, softly. "And no I don’t know who you would have chosen...not anymore.." she said.

Mana turned her head, her eyes locking with hers. *You want to see into my mind and tell me if you don’t know after that?!* she asked. The images came quickly, starting from when she had first met Pyro leading up to when she and Skye had first connected via the link that opened after she healed her. *Gambit is new, you are not!*

"True...but I’ve never known you to choose a guy over a friend...and that’s how Rahne’s feeling right now." she said, sinking to her knees, her head swimming. She couldn’t take it anymore...the fighting, the overwhelming emotions, it was all too much. Her empathic powers, combined with the nasty migraine from her TK, Skye paled whiter than milk and collapsed fully to the ground.

John was quick to pull her up so her head was resting against his lap. He glared at Mana.

Mana returned his gaze with a steady one of her own. “Do you think I wanted this to happen?!” she nearly yelled. “Do you have any idea what it is like to not be in control of your powers, your emotions, to be controlled by something you can’t understand?!”

John caressed the top of Skye’s head.

“Tell me, John.” Mana continued. “What choice would you have made? How would you have felt if she had asked you what she just asked me?!”

John had no answer to that, and Mana turned away from them. “I have to recharge before I can be of any use to her.” She said, walking away towards the edge of the lake.

Skye lay with her head on his lap. Her breathing was fine and she had just the slightest bit of colour in her cheeks.

“I’m here Skye.” Pyro said, softly. “Just rest. It’s over. Gambit’s gone, and Mana has made her choice.” ~A choice I should have known the answer to already.~ he thought. “She’s recharging then she will help you.”

"We both should have known the answer...” she whispered to him, softly.

*And I should have fought him harder.* came Mana’s voice in their minds, the lightning bolt still connected to her as she looked over at them, her eyes glowing with renewed energy. *But he had me so tight in his grip, and it wasn’t just him holding me there, it was our powers.*

Skye opened her eyes and looked up. "I wish I knew why things were happening as they are with you and him....I know Remy...he’s a good guy...its just...I don’t want him to hurt you, Mana...I don’t...I’m scared of losing you..."

As Mana walked towards them, the lightning dissipated along with the storm cell overhead. “No guy would ever come between our friendship, Skye.” Mana said, kneeling down and placing a glowing hand on her friend’s leg. “Even if I love him. And now I have to go assure Rahne of that too.” she added, standing back up.

Skye sighed softly and let Mana's healing touch make her feel better. "She’s upstairs in her room with Bobby." she told her.

Skye’s fatigue was hardly even felt by Mana as she started to walk off.

“You won’t have to tell her, Mana,” Pyro called after her. “Just show her.”

“I will.” Mana answered, disappearing up the path to the mansion.

Skye looked at John. "I hope things smooth out...."

**

Meanwhile, Rahne had just been laying on Bobby, or rather resting with her head on his chest, just letting his cool demeanour calm her shaky nerves. She toyed with a button on his shirt.

‘You can sew that back on when it breaks.” He warned, grinning at her, running his hand through her hair, letting it linger a bit as he played with a few strands.

Rahne smiled at him. "Eh if I break it, then you just have to walk around with your manly chest hanging out" she grinned.

He puffed up his upper body. “Oh, it’s manly is it?” he asked, half jokingly, pulling her towards him and tickling her.

Rahne laughed at him, squirming in his hands. "Bobby Drake...no…please?" she begged him.

Mana sent ahead a gentle mind caress via the strong telempathic link she shared with Rahne, praying the younger girl wasn’t still too mad to speak to her. She hated this; hated knowing she had upset someone.

"Mana.." Rahne said, as she felt the mental nudge. "Bobby wait.." she said, pushing him back just a touch. *In my room...*

Reaching the door, Mana opened it, poking her head in. “Ah, Rahne, can we talk?” she asked.

Rahne looked at her and then at Bobby. "I don’t know…what do you think...think I should?" she asked her icy boyfriend.

“You know my answer to that, Rahne.” Bobby told her, moving to get off the bed.

“No. Stay, Bobby. You need to hear… see this as much as Wolfsbane does.” Mana urged.

Rahne sat up and took Bobby's hand. "Stay..." she asked softly. "What am I seeing?"

“I am going to show you want I was feeling while Gambit and me were locked together, and what happened after that. You have no idea how hard I fought to get to your side. My powers were connected to Remy through that kiss.” She trailed off, opening the link, as she sat beside Rahne and placed a hand on the right side of her face. “Just look, please. Understand the choice was not mine to make.”

Rahne looked at her for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip. "All right." she said, softly.

Mana looked at Bobby. He nodded, taking her hand and closing his eyes.

The images came slowly, informatively, showing them what happened from Mana’s point of view; giving them insight into the emotional fight within she had been experiencing ever since being bailed up in her room that first time right down to exactly what Remy had said to her the moment Skye had asked her to choose, and the sincerity behind his words, but not only his, hers too as she showed Skye what her choice would have been.

“Please forgive me, Rahne, for what happened before and for what could happen because I can’t stop it and I don’t know what to do.” Mana said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Rahne closed her eyes as she let the images filter through her head. She knew that she didn’t hate Mana, far from it and felt horrid for her treatment earlier. She opened her eyes and took Mana into a hug. "I’m sorry...I don’t know why I even attacked him...maybe its because you are part of my pack and I didn’t want you hurt..." she whispered.

“It doesn’t matter, Wolfsbane.” Mana said, holding her, accepting and returning the affection. “The fact is you cared enough to stick up for me even if the way you did it may have been completely insane.” She pulled back. “He doesn’t want to hurt me, Rahne. He wants the same thing you all do.” She looked at Bobby. “He wants to protect me, and he doesn’t even understand why.”

"Yeah that’s me...insane." She held a soft smile on her lips. "As long as he doesn’t hurt you..." she said.

“Don’t I know it.” Bobby agreed, laughing.

Mana grinned, wiping at her tears. She could never stay upset around her four closest friends, and perhaps soon Remy would be her fifth, but on a deeper level. She wanted that more than anyone knew; more than even she knew right now.

Rahne gave a dark look to her boyfriend right before she hit him with a pillow. "But you love me anyway."

“Yes, I do.” he said, nodding. Looking at Mana he took her hand. “And you too, Miss.” he added.

“I know.” Mana said, letting him pull her into a hug. “Let’s just make sure of one thing…” she started.

“What’s that?” Iceman asked, as she pulled away.

“That no matter what happens, we will always be friends.” She said this verbally and mentally, sending it to Skye and Pyro.

"Yes we will." came Skye’s voice from the doorway just before she jumped on Rahne’s bed with the others.

Pyro slipped in between Skye and Mana, draping his arms over their shoulders. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.” he agreed.

Mana’s grin said it all, as she grabbed a pillow and hit him over the head, and that was it, the fight was on, Mana lost beneath pillows and friends