Eye of the Beholder

Author’s Notes: Thank you blue_lioness (for both reviews and for letting me know the chapter hadn’t uploaded properly) and Namipulla for your reviews. More fun with James coming right up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Storm steps out of the bathroom to find her way partially blocked by Hank’s bulk. Hate and anger radiate off of the large man in waves and she’s taken aback by such emotions coming from her normally placid friend, but when she looks around him, she can see why he’s so upset. Standing on the other side of the corridor is James looking as if he doesn’t have a care in the world and a smirk on his lips. She quickly looks around and sees a few guards with their guns trained on James to keep him where he is.

“Really, Ambassador, why all the dramatics?” James asks pleasantly. “All I want to do is take Amanda back to the hotel.”

“And then use your power to seduce her into your bed,” Hank growls in response.

“Oh, please, she’s a grown woman, I don’t think she needs you to protect her,” James scoffs.

“Not from a normal man, she wouldn’t,” Hank snarls. “But you’re not a normal man, are you?”

“Look who’s talking,” James snaps in response, his patience thinning.

Storm moves out from behind Hank and starts to circle around, giving the other mutant a wide birth. Suddenly, she becomes very relaxed again and she gets this overwhelming urge to go to James. She hears someone calling her name, but that person doesn’t matter, all that matters is getting into James’s arms.

Hank tries to follow her only to start to feel the effects of James’s power and he quickly has to back up, a growl reverberating through his chest. He watches helplessly as Storm walks into the cad’s arms and Hank wants nothing more than to rip the scoundrel limb from limb. The smug look on James’s face isn’t helping his mood either.

“I always did find it easier to charm the ladies than the gents,” James admits as he wraps a possessive arm around Storm’s shoulders. “Now here’s the deal, Ambassador, a lady for a lady. Bring me Amanda and Ororo will be returned to you unharmed. Fail to bring me Amanda and well…one way or another, I’m going back to my hotel with a beautiful woman on my arm and I’m not really caring which one at this point.”

Hank glares daggers at the other man; the guards look at each other nervously, unsure what to do. A distant sound catches Hank’s attention, but he doesn’t let on that he’s heard it. Hank looks at Storm and she stares back with a smile on her face, her eyes almost glowing with the same devoted look a dog has for its owner.

“Fine,” Hank growls. “Wait for us outside.”

“Why outside?” James demands, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Because if you’re out here, there’s no way Amanda’s going to come out,” Hank tells him irritably. “And I refuse to go into the lady’s room and drag her out kicking and screaming.”

“Very well,” James replies with a warning in his voice. “But don’t try anything stupid or who knows what I might want to do with you precious girl.”

With that, James and Storm leave, the guards are now completely confused and stand around staring at each other with their guns still in their hands. Hank takes a deep breath and lets it out, trying to release the tension in his muscles. It’ll do no good to scare Amanda by being more beast than man and he quickly works on getting his temper under control.

“Thank you for your assistance, gentlemen,” Hank tells the bewildered men. “Your weapons will no longer be needed.”

The guards hesitantly put their guns back in their holsters and then slowly wander off, casting glances at the front door, Hank and each other as they head back toward their assigned areas. He makes sure the entire area is clear before partially opening the bathroom door an inch or two where the smell of cleaning products, chemical air freshener and the very faint smell of vomit mix with the scent of one very scared Amanda.

“Amanda?” he gently calls out.

“Is he gone?” she asks, her voice trembling slightly.

“The coast is clear,” he assures her, wanting to kick himself for this and praying that this works.

A few moments later the door opens to reveal the woman and he’s shocked by her transformation. Her makeup has been washed away, her eyes are red and puffy from crying and the front of her dress has a few suspicious stains on it. He had expected her to have a terrified look in her eyes and to be trembling in fear like some frightened animal, but instead she stands with her back straight, a calm air about her and a resigned sadness in her eyes.

“Are you alright?” he asks as he hands her back her shoes.

“I’ll survive, I suppose,” she answers as puts her evening bag’s strap over her shoulder and then takes her shoes from him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replies before turning and putting a guiding hand on the small of her back. “Are you ready to go?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she responds as they head towards the front doors at a sedate pace.

As they step out of the doors, he can see a limo waiting at the curb and the back door opens as they come away from the building. James gets out with a very smug look on his face and then turns to help Storm out of the vehicle. Hank looks down at Amanda and expects to see the woman freaking out, but instead she’s still calm though she is trembling. He’s not sure if the shaking is due to fear or the cold autumn wind that’s blowing; whipping her long hair around her making it look like it’s alive.

“Amanda, I…uh…,” he starts, not sure how to phrase what needs to be done.

“Ambassador, I am many things,” she tells him, looking up at him with those sad eyes. “Deaf isn’t one of them. I heard your conversation quite clearly through the door. Lawyers are a dime a dozen, but there’s only one Weather Witch in the world and I can perfectly understand your desire to save your friend. Now if you’ll excuse me, destiny awaits. I just hope God and my mother will understand.”

With that, she starts to walk towards the limo, every nerve in her body telling her to run away as she continues her steady journey. About half way between Hank and James, she feels the calming effects of James’s power and her shoulders start to relax. Once he sees that he has a hold on her, James turns his attention towards a still very upset Hank.

“As tempting as it is to take both of these beauties home with me, I am a man of my word,” James calls out jovially as he sends Storm back towards the Ambassador.

Once that’s done, he turns his attention back to the dark haired woman headed towards him with her chin held high. He can already feel the blood starting to rush towards his groin and thoughts of the rest of the night occupy his thoughts. He opens his arms to welcome Amanda too him when she’s about ten feet away and that’s with the bolt of lightening strikes the ground right in front of him.

He’s blown back against the limo where he hits his head hard enough to knock him senseless for a minute while Amanda gets knocked back several steps. She steps on the hem of her dress and goes down on her butt, still dazed and stunned by being released from James’s power and the lightening strike. Before she can get her wits about her, she’s scooped up off of the ground and is quickly being carried away.

It takes her several moments to realize that Hank is carrying her in his arms again, but this time he’s running as if his life depends on it. Not caring why or how she got there, she wraps her arms around his neck and buries her face into the high collar of his costume. An eternity later he stops, gently setting her on her feet and it takes her a while to convince her arm muscles to let go of his neck.

“Are you alright?” he asks, his hands on her upper arms to help keep her steady.

“Where is he?” she questions back.

“Back at the museum I imagine,” he answers and he points back towards where they came from.

“How long where you running?” she inquires, shocked at the distance between them and the building.

“Not long,” he replies as he fishes his keys out of his pocket. “Fortunately, this costume doesn’t require shoes to go with it. I hate running in dress shoes. You haven’t answered my question again. Are you alright?”

“I am now thank you,” she answers with a weak smile. “Though, I seem to have lost my shoes again.”

“We can go back for them if you like,” he suggests, his eyebrows rising.

“No, thank you,” she replies, a haunted look coming to her eyes. “I don’t ever want to go near that man again. He was going to…”

She can’t finish that thought as her stomach cramps up and a shiver runs up her spine, causing goose bumps to form on her arms and shoulders. Without another word, he shrugs out of his coat and places it around her shoulders. She smiles at him as she pulls it closer to her body and tries not to make it too obvious when she inhales the scent of him that hangs on the coat.

“Where’s Miss Munroe?” she asks, looking around as a sudden wind makes her hair go flying around her head again.

“I’m right here,” Storm assures her as she comes in for a landing next to them.

“What happened?” Amanda questions.

“When he released his hold on me, I zapped him,” Storm tells her. “Or at least I nearly did. I did manage to knock him for a loop, but he’s still conscious. The chauffer was calling an ambulance when I left though James was yelling at him.”

“I imagine I’m going to have to call the President tomorrow and explain everything,” he sighs. “I’m not sure there are any laws covering something like this.”

He pushes a button on the remote on his key ring and it’s not until she hears the chirp of a car alarm disarming that Amanda realizes that they’re standing in the middle of a nearly deserted parking lot. He walks over to the large luxury car and opens the passenger side doors for the ladies. Amanda heads for the back seat and Storm tries to redirect her.

“You can have the front seat if you like,” Storm offers.

“I’d never fit with this dress on,” Amanda points out as she proceeds to stuff herself and the dress into the back seat.

“So, where are you staying?” he asks as he slides behind the steering wheel as Storm gets into the front passenger seat.

“The Madison,” Amanda answers as she struggles to fasten her seatbelt. “I’m never going to go to a masquerade ball again for the rest of my life.”

“I’m not inclined to want to argue with you on that point,” he replies as he patiently waits for her to finally get her seat belt taken care of before starting the car.

Once she’s securely in, he turns over the engine and carefully leaves the parking lot.

“I hope this doesn’t cause any problems with your boss,” he says as he pulls out onto a pretty empty street.

“I don’t even want to think about Monday and facing Mr. Jones,” Amanda groans as she leans her head back against the head rest. “All I want to think about is a hot shower and my bed.”

“Her boss?” Storm asks softly.

“I’ll explain later,” he quietly answers before turning his attention back to his other passenger. “Did you get the letter I sent you?”

“What letter?” Amanda inquires, not bothering to open her eyes.

“I sent it the Monday after Serena’s trial ended,” he tells her.

“In that case it’s probably still buried under the huge pile of letters I got that week,” she sighs. “I still have something like three crates to go through. I’ll find it someday.”

“What about the birthday card I sent you?” he questions and she’s silent for a few moments.

“I didn’t get one,” she answers.

“How about the flowers?” he inquires, feeling a bit disheartened.

“Now those I got,” she replies, finally getting the energy up to lift her head and look at him. “They were beautiful. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he smiles, a bit proud of himself.

They pull up to the front of The Madison about then and one of the footmen opens the passenger doors. Amanda digs her way down to the belt buckle and frees herself from the car. By the time she struggles her feet around to the correct position to get out, Hank is standing there waiting with his hand out. She gladly takes it and lets him pull her out of the car.

“Thank you for driving me back to my hotel,” Amanda says as he starts to escort her into the hotel. “I think I’ll be ok from here.”

“Call me old fashion,” he grins as he links her arm through his. “I will see you to your room door.”

“Normally, I’d object, but I’m not sure I have the energy to even get to the elevators by myself,” she admits. “I’ll gladly take the company.”

“Good, since I wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer,” he chuckles and she tiredly smiles up at him.

They make their way to the elevators in silence, waiting patiently for the car to arrive. Once one arrives, they get in and are thankful that no one else is around since her skirt takes up most of the floor space. Once the doors open onto her floor, he catches a whiff of a familiar scent and his eyes narrow though he says nothing.

When she pulls her room key out of her purse, he takes it from her and opens the door. She starts to thank him, but he goes into her room and she stands there in shock. As the door starts to swing shut behind him, she hears a roar and another voice yelling. She quickly stops the door from closing and sees Hank and James fighting in her room.

Hank quickly finishes off the other man with an upper cut, flattening James out on the floor. Hank grabs the cad by the back of his collar and drags him out of her room, dumping him in the hall. She stares at all of this speechless, completely baffled by James being in her room.

“I was unaware that you were sharing a room with him,” Hank states, trying to keep the disapproval out of his voice and pretty much failing.

“I’m not,” she gasps, her cheeks coloring in indignation. “I have no idea how he got into my room.”

“He probably charmed someone at the front desk to give him a spare key,” he nearly growls.

“Lovely,” she grumbles, staring down at the prone man. “What do we do with him now?”

“I’ve got a few ideas,” he growls deep down in his throat.

“As much as I’d love to see him staked out on a fire ant hill covered in honey, he’s still my boss’s nephew,” she reminds him.

“Then what do you suggest we do with him,” he grumbles.

“Take him to his room and leave him there,” she replies and he frowns at her. “I know, not the solution that either of us really wants, but it’s for the best. I’d like to keep my job long enough to pay next month’s rent.”

“Very well,” he mutters as he bends down, grabs James by an arm and then flings him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and she looks slightly horrified. “What? You didn’t say I had to be gentle.”

With a shake of her head, she searches James pockets until she comes up with two room keys. She leads Hank upstairs to the suit rooms where Hank dumps James rather unceremoniously on the bed, ‘accidentally’ knocking his head on the headboard in the process. She leaves the key to his room on the dresser and takes the spare key to her room with her. Hank follows her back to her room and this time lets her go in first.

“Thank you, Ambassador,” she says after she carefully looks around her room. “I don’t know what I would have done without your help.”

“Hank, please,” he insists.

“Ok, Hank,” she smiles and he returns it.

“Now, when I leave, I want you to shut the door and bolt it so he can’t get back inside,” he instructs. “Storm and I’ll pick you up in the morning. Until we do, don’t open this door for anyone.”

“Yes, sir,” she replies, trying not to snicker at his over protective behavior and he narrows his eyes at her.

“May I have my coat back please,” he requests and she hastily removes the item from her shoulders.

“Thank you for the loan,” she says as she hands it back and his hands linger a little longer on hers than is strictly necessary. “Can I ask a favor of you?”

“Anything,” he replies instantly and she turns her back on him.

“Would you mind unzipping the top few inches?” she asks as she points at her back. “I can’t reach the top of the zipper.”

“Oh…um…of course,” he stammers and with a slightly shaking hand, he does as she asked, noticing how tight the dress is by the red marks on her body. “That looks painful.”

“Uncomfortable more than anything and I can’t wait to get out of it,” she replies, looking over her shoulder at him.

“Oh, right,” he hastily says as he quickly heads for the door, pausing before he leaves. “Good night, Amanda.”

“Good night, Hank,” she replies.

He quietly shuts the door behind him and then stands there until he hears her bolt the door so no one can get in. With a nod of satisfaction, he heads back to his car which he finds just where he left it and with Storm still sitting in the passenger seat. She looks at him with a finely arched eyebrow as he slides into the driver’s seat.

“Get your goodnight kiss?” she teases as he starts the car.

“What!?” he gasps, nearly driving up onto the curb. “Good heavens, no. When the valet opened the car door I caught Jones’s scent, I didn’t want to take the chance that he was lying in wait for her.”

“And was he?” she asks.

“Yes,” he snarls as he heads the car in the direction of their hotel. “He had a key to her room and was waiting there for her.”

“So what happened?” she questions.

“I got the drop on him,” he replies smugly. “I was able to punch his lights out before he was able to use his power.”

“What’d you do with him?” she inquires.

“As much as I would have staked him out in the middle of the desert for the vultures, I put him in his own room at her request,” he grumbles in distaste. “It turns out that the cad is her boss’s nephew.”

“That’s going to make for a very interesting Monday morning,” she says.

“I know,” he sadly mutters. “I wish there was something I could do to help, but I’m not sure what.”

“You like her,” she states, a smile playing on her lips.

“Of course I like her,” he defends. “She’s smart and witty and…”

“Pretty,” she adds.

“Well, yes, there is that,” he mumbles. “She’s a nice lady. Why wouldn’t I like her?”

“No, Hank, you don’t understand,” she replies smugly. “You like her, as in the possible future Mrs. Hank McCoy.”

“Oh my stars and garters,” he gasps as he nearly plows into a light post. “Don’t be absurd. A woman like that would never…”

“Oh, please,” she snorts. “What did she do when you picked her up the first time?”

“She tried to cover herself with her shawl,” he answers.

“And where was her other arm?” she asks and when he doesn’t answer, she continues. “When you picked her up to get her away from Jones, what did she do?”

“She wrapped her arms around my neck,” he replies softly, remembering the feeling of her holding onto him, something he could get used to. “However, I have a feeling Jack the Ripper could have been carrying her off and she would have held onto him.”

“At any time tonight has she shied away from your touch?” she questions.

“Well, when she first fell into my arms she couldn’t wait to get away from me,” he says, the painful memory like a knife to the heart.

“That could have been she just realized that she had fallen on the UN Ambassador, not Hank McCoy,” she points out. “Ask her out. The worst she can do is say ‘no’.”

“I suppose you’re right,” he sighs, trying to formulate ways to ask Amanda out. “I’ll ask her tomorrow after we pick her up at her hotel.”

“That sounds good,” she agrees. “Oh, and one other thing, Hank.”

“What’s that?” he asks, still lost in thought.

“You just drove past our hotel.”