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Am I Getting Through To You?:
Part 1
Natalie D started this story. She
allowed me to continue
since she couldn't. This is a response to the disability
challenge.
All characters are property of Marvel Comics.
Continuity: It is set in the near future
(about three years into the future to be exact). Most of the
X-Men are part of the team. The mansion got it's Shi'ar technology
back due to Lilandra and Corsair's assistance.
The first thing he became aware of was a constant pounding in his
head, but technically, he'd always been aware of that. The pain was
flooding his senses; he began to long for the blessed relief of
unconsciousness that would let him forget. That would FORCE him to
forget.
He had to forget. Otherwise he wouldn't have had an excuse, how would he
stay true to Xavier's Dream? No one would buy the 'I have to protect the
world.' Or the 'I'm a good leader.' Who would listen to crap like that?
After all...
Even with the highlighted-in-neon sign that was glowing as a warning, he
wasn't prepared for the rush of memories. The flashes of pain. The
torture. The sadistic pleasure they took in trying to break him. They
had only stopped when they realized what they had finally done, why he
was no longer responding.
Shreds of light began to filter into the room. He dared to hope. Hope
was the only thing sustaining him, nowadays. Maybe Hank could help him,
if any of them remembered, or cared. Then again, they wouldn't forget
him. But they might not have suspected anything... yet. What if this...
Fortress was undetectable or *almost* impossible to get into?
Who knew he was so pessimistic? Nobody, DUH! Where had he learnt that...
Jubilee?
That's right. He missed her. Screw that, he missed *all* of them.
At that point, his mind chose to wander back to his original point.
Shreds of light had started to filter into the room, through the obvious
door, that is. His last thought as his 'blessed unconsciousness'
arrived, was 'Damn it, now Tub Thumping is going through my head...'
*****
The X-Men crashed though the door. They had been trying to rescue their
'fearless leader' for the past five months. A rogue government group
that wanted him to become a weapon for them had captured Scott. They
wanted him to become a 'super soldier' for them to fight his own kind.
Jean, out in fear and anger, yelled Scott's name.
Logan looked around. "Jean, I think we found him." He motioned
toward a figure strapped to a table with medical instruments all around
him.
Everyone gasped in horror. Jean telekinetically ripped off the
restraints and cradled Scott's limp body in her arms. Scott had wires
attached all along his tall body. His very face had been altered. Where
his eyes once were, there was now a long stripe of red embedded in his
face. The stripe made him look like a true Cyclops. His rough face, due
to lack of shaving, was painfully thin.
His hair had been shaved off and revealed hideous scars that came from
numerous surgeries and torture. His body had become extremely gaunt and
lean from the muscle that were removed to put in the weaponry.
Jean's eyes seemed to glow with anger as she silently vowed,
"They-will-pay."
*****
Scott awoke to see a familiar blue furry face. He attempted to speak
Hank's name, but found that his mouth wouldn't produce sound. "I
believe that Scott is conscious," was Hank's only observation.
Logan came into Scott's line of sight "He's awake alright,"
confirming what Scott thought was obvious.
Fear started to come over Scott. Why couldn't he move? What had happened
to him? Why did his body ache or more correctly, feel like shit?
Then, Jean stepped in front of Scott. She asked gently, "Scott? Can
you hear me?"
He tried to answer through their rapport, only to discover that he could
feel her thoughts, but not the other way around. Logan answered for him,
"I think he heard ya', Jeannie. His heart's poundin' an' that means
that he's either worried or happy."
Jean placed her hand on Scott's rough face. Trying to comfort him,
"Don't worry, Scott. We'll get though this."
He wished that he could show some sign of understanding. Show some sign
that yes, he felt comforted by her touch, by her smile, or maybe even
touch her back. Logan, again, answered for him, "He knows. His
heart's slowed down 'gain. It's still goin' fast, though."
**Thanks, Logan.** Scott said psionically, or at least tried to.
"I have done a complete diagnostic on his body. There are several
various implants connected to his nervous system. I cannot remove them
without doing serious damage to his system,” said Hank.
"Why can't he move?" Jean asked as she held Scott's hand. He
could feel her soft skin wrapped tightly around his rough thin hand.
Hank sighed and answered, "The implants control his movements, his
directions. They are designed to make sure that the person stays
paralyzed unless his captors wished otherwise. His captors would have
had to, in a sense, tell the implants to let him go."
"So, he's stuck like this?" Logan asked as he looked at Jean
squeezing Scott's hand even tighter.
Hank nodded. He went to Scott and placed a hand over his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Scott. I will try to disable the implants paralyzing
you. But I cannot make any promises."
Scott had the most faith in Hank, of any doctor. He only wished that he
could show his faith, rather than act like a vegetable.
Jean hugged Scott, "Don't worry. I'll help you." Scott wished
that he could hug back.
*****
It was late at night as Scott felt the horrors of the past few months
worth of memories washed over him. He couldn't remember what happened
during his captivity. In his nightmares, he saw men standing over him
talking as if he doesn't matter.
It was a few months ago, when he was taken surprise by a group of men.
They put psyhic and power dampeners on him and they took him. He was
embarrassed about the fact that a group of humans managed to capture
him. He waited as they ripped at his body. They tried to break him and
fail. They mocked him and told him that if it weren't for the fact that
Alex was dead, they would've used him.
Scott woke up. He couldn't scream or even indicate that he was awake.
Hank was standing over him looking over his diagnostic. 'It was just a
dream.' Scott realized in relief. He wanted to get Hank's attention. But
he was occupied. Hank thought that he was still asleep. He stated in his
tape recorder, "They installed implants so they could use his body
even if his mind was still his. The implants paralyzed his entire body.
He couldn't even express facial emotions. All that was running was his
life support system. Logan had been able to understand what was Scott's
feeling due to his heart and respiratory rate. However, that is all we
could do. There are a series of weaponry that is installed within his
body already. I am concerned for Scott's sanity and well-being."
He turned off his recorder and said, "Oh, Scott." He patted
his chest lightly.
He looked down at Scott and observed, "Perspiration?" He
gently wiped away the sweat off of Scott's brow with his napkin. Scott
wanted to tell someone, anyone about his nightmare. He remembered the
nights when Jean would sense his nightmares and comfort him.
Logan entered the room and looked at Scott. He said, "Scott's
awake." He lifted Scott into a sitting position and continued,
"He must've gotten a bad nightmare."
Hank said, "I'm sorry, Scott. I shouldn't have spoken about you in
your presence." He sulked away. Scott wanted to show that he
forgave Hank, but couldn't even reach out.
Logan put an arm around Scott's shoulders and said, "It's okay,
Cyke. We're all here. Nothin' to be scared of." He hoped that Logan
was right.
*****
It had been a couple of days since his rescue. Scott had been waited on,
hand and foot, by his fellow X-Men. His nutrients were given to him via
IV because his jaw wouldn’t move. Jean stayed by his side constantly.
Logan also visited often. His enhanced senses enabled him to often
understand what Scott was feeling.
On a rare moment, Logan was alone with Scott. He was reading Moby Dick.
He enjoyed the way Logan changed his voice differently for the different
characters. Logan occasionally stopped only to take a sip of water. His
healing factor helped his throat from getting too sore.
Scott knew that Logan would rather be out on the battlegrounds, fighting
the enemies. Not reading to a man who couldn't express anything in any
possible way, except for his heartbeat, breathing, and scent. He felt
grateful for what Logan was doing.
Jean entered the room and asked quietly, "How is he?"
"He's fine, Jeannie. Heart pounding hard and good."
"Actually, I was asking Scott." Jean said as she quirked an
eyebrow.
Logan growled a little. Scott let out a sharp breath, as if laughing.
Logan grumpily replied, "Very funny, Cyke. Keep acting like that
and you won't know how the story ends."
Jean, now talking to Scott, replied, "The whale killed the entire
crew except for Ishmael."
"Thank a heap, Jeannie." Logan said as he tossed the book over
his shoulder in frustration.
Jean smiled as she sat down in front of Scott and said, "I have a
surprise for you."
Scott thought out, **Surprise?** he wondered what the surprise is. Bobby
gave him a surprise earlier that was a calendar of scantly clad women.
He hung it right in front of Scott’s face and kept on turning the
pages slowly. Jean telekinetically destroy the calendar and chased him
for an hour. Scott heard that Bobby managed to get away through the
sewers. He wondered if the stench of the sewers go through ice.
He wondered if it was the Professor. Xavier was out of the X-Men to
pursue the dream in more legal ways. He became a politician. He had been
in Washington DC for peace treaties with Genosha. He couldn’t leave.
Then he put aside the notion. The treaty is too important. The X-Men
probably hadn’t even contacted him yet.
Jean kissed him on the cheek and said, "I'm getting him."
Logan nodded and stood up, as if to leave. Jean said, "Stay here,
Logan, please. Our surprise will need an interpreter, for the most
part."
"You sure, Jeannie?"
"Yes."
Jean left and Scott's heart jumped at the figure that entered with Jean.
He was in civilian clothing, but Scott recognized him. Alex sat down and
said, "Hi, Scotty." Tears came to the Alex's eyes as he said,
"I missed you." Scott missed him too. Alex died in an airplane
explosion. His remains were scattered in ashes in the countryside. But,
he's here alive, well, and not trying to kill him.
Scott wanted so much to just grab him and hug him. Alex instead reached
out and held him tightly. "I'm sorry. I tried to come back but I
thought that I was needed in that alternate universe more. Do you hate
me? I'd understand." Scott felt a knot in his throat. he wanted to
cry too. Alex was here begging for forgiveness and he couldn’t let him
know that he is forgiven.
Logan said, "Scott doesn't hate ya' 'Lex. He's confused. Can smell
it."
Alex let go and went in front of him. "I suppose I should explain
myself. It all began when that time machine exploded...."
Alex talked for the next two hours, explaining about his adventures in
the alternate universe. He talked about Madelynn Pryor being his wife,
Scotty Summers, the alternate X-Men and even about the benevolent Dr.
Doom.
Scott listened intently. He was intrigued about his life. Occasionally,
Alex stopped to make sure that Scott was interested. Logan always
informed him that Scott was interested. Alex kept on talking. Scott kept
on listening. Logan kept on watching to see how Scott was reacting.
Finally, Alex stopped and said, "I can hardly wait till Hank
figured out a way to help you, Bro. I _hate_ one-sided conversations.
How are we supposed to have a decent argument if you can't speak? Well,
maybe I could argue for the both of us, but where's the fun in
that?"
Scott mentally smiled and thought out the same thing.
*****
All of Scott’s family members and Logan gathered in the Med. Lab with
Scott sitting in the bed. Hank said, "I have been going over
Scott's options. There are two things that we may be able to choose
from."
"About time." Nathan said, very near to a growl, "Scott
is probably miserable right now." he looked over at Scott who was
agreeing profusely.
Logan said, "He is. What's the plan, Hank?"
Hank took a deep breath and said, "Our first option is to
completely remove the implants. However, it will cause Scott to be
permanently paralyzed. Our second option is to add on more implants to
counteract the first implants' influences."
Jean asked, "Can't we just remove the implants and put in
prosthetic devices to replace the implants?"
"I'm afraid not. The implants are connected to his nervous system.
There are also implants within Scott's brain to help keep the implants
on the nervous system in check. If we remove the implants and put in
prosthetic devices, Scott's system wouldn't be able to handle it and his
system and/or body would die."
Scott heard both of the opinions. He will have to choose between being a
cripple or being a 'Robocop'. But his opinions didn't seem to matter. He
couldn't express what he wanted, and no one seemed to want to listen
anyway.
Jean said, "I think Scott would want to get the counter
implants."
"He doesn't wanna be a robot, Jeannie." Logan argued.
"I think that Scott doesn't want to be a cripple." Nathan said
angrily.
Everyone started to argue. Scott was getting angry. It was his life, and
his decision. Not their's! And everyone was acting as if he wasn't
there; that he was incapable of making the choice. He had to get their
attention. Alex was directly in front of him with Jean to his left. Hank
was to his right trying to keep Logan and Nathan from killing each
other. Over the days that he had been in the X-Men’s care. He realized
that he didn’t need to move to see. He only need to see just to use
his power. Hence, he didn’t need to move to use his power.
From the red visor that is now his eyes, a bright narrow red blast shot
out and hit Alex on the chest. Everyone stopped and Alex groaned,
"Oh man, that was my favorite shirt."
Jean gasped and asked, "Scott, why did you do that?"
Logan said, "He's angry, Jeannie. I guess that us arguin' 'bout his
fate with him right there, an' bein' ignored was what kinda ticked him
off."
Everyone looked down in self-disappointment. Scott felt better. For the
first time, he had showed that he was alive without Logan.
Jean felt the most guilt. It had been hard to act like Scott could
understand her since she couldn’t hear his thoughts or feel his
feelings. She sat down beside him and hugged him again. “I’m sorry,
Scott.”
Scott forgave her. He knew how hard it could be to act like someone is
alive even if that person was in a coma or worst. He wanted to tell her.
He just wanted her to hear him speak. He just wanted to hold her like he
use to do before he got captured.
Hank said, "Perhaps, Scott should be the one who decides."
"How will we know what he wants?" Jean asked, "Not even I
can even read his mind."
Everyone frowned and Nathan spoke up, "I have a suggestion. It's
risky."
"What is it, Nate?" Jean asked as she held on to Scott's hand.
Nathan looked at Scott and said, "We could have Rogue absorb him.
Just enough so we will know his opinion. Her 'empathy' is very strong. A
psi couldn't even block it off. She could get past the barrier."
"The process might hurt him." Hank said. "But, it seems
to be the only way."
Alex stood up and said, "I'll go and get her."
"Wait!" Jean ordered.
"What?"
"Let's not go and get Rogue to do it yet. Scott may need some time
to think it over." Jean reasoned. It was a fairly big desision.
Rogue wouldn’t want to absorb Scott twice if he didn’t make the
decision before she absorbed him.
"Sounds fair." Alex reasoned, "How long?"
"How about six hours?" Logan asked, "I think that's long
enough."
Scott mentally nodded to himself. Six hours seemed long enough to make
the decision.
*****
Over the next six hours, Scott pondered what to do. It wasn't like he
had anything to distract him. No one bothered him or try to entertain
him. He liked it like that. He tried to picture himself, as he would be
if he chose loosing the implants or getting more implants. He could tell
that everyone was wondering what he wanted. Occasionally, an X-man
entered the med. lab to peek in and he could see their curious faces.
Finally, the six hours were over. Rogue, Logan, Jean, Alex, Hank, and
Nathan entered the Med. Lab.
Rogue knelt down to see Scott eye to eye. She was wearing a pair of ruby
quartz glasses just in case she absorbed Scott's powers and lost
control. She said, "Ah hope that ya' made up your mind, sugah."
She took off her glove and said, "Ah promise Ah'll try to be as
careful as possible."
Scott just stared straight ahead. He had complete faith in Rogue. But he
couldn't help, but feel scared of what was to happen. He felt the bare
hand strokes his cheek, he felt a sudden drain in his entire body, and
darkness consumed him again.
*****
He awoke on the operation table. He took several deep breaths as he sat
up slowly. Jean and the others were sitting around his bed. He flexed
his hands and moved his head around. He loved it. For the first time in
months, he could move on his own. He smiled and reached out to Jean.
Jean went into his arms as they kissed long and hard finally reunited at
long last. They had waited for what seemed to be an eternity to be in
each other’s arms holding on to each other tightly. Finally they let
go. Everyone else gathered around him hugging him and smiling broadly.
Hank said, "I'm glad that you're pleased with the implants. I tried
to make you look as human as possible. It’s not perfect. In fact, we
will have to do some more adjustments."
Scott stood up and looked in the mirror. He still had one long red eye.
His head had traces of silver-looking metal along his headline it
counteract the implants in his head. It made his head look bald with
silvery streaks. His chest was a silvery metallic color. Traces of
circuitry were visible along his arms and legs. His arms and legs were
covered in metallic skin; silvery armor skin.
He looked down at his hands and saw that small slivery lines covered his
skin. He flinched and a group of five short sharp claws came painlessly
out of some holes from the palm of his hands. They were silvery and made
of some variant of adamantium that wasn't as deadly to the human body as
the adamantium in Logan's body. He felt stronger and bigger than ever.
The first implants enhanced his reflexes and the secondary implants
seemed to feel as if it was designed to aid them and at the same time
hinder their paralyzing ability. He stared at the mirror. He couldn't
recognize himself. He withdraw the claws.
Jean asked, "How do you feel, Scott?" She tried not to sound
horrified of her husband's look of fear. “I still can’t hear you
through our rapport.” she said.
He realized that the implants are still making it impossible to have his
mind read. Scott opened his mouth to answer only to find out that
nothing could come out. He clutched his throat in horror and glared at
Hank.
Hank put his furry hand on his shoulder and said, "I'm sorry. I
could not risk putting in a artificial vocal box." He gave Scott a
pad of paper and a pencil.
Scott's bionic eye twitched and he looked at his family sadly. They were
trying to look sympathetic and try not to stare at his cybernetic body.
He carefully and sadly wrote down, ~I feel almost human.~
To Be Continued...
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