The X-Men: New Additions - Part 18

Author:  Stacy Ricco

 
    The next two weeks had past by rather quickly for Alex. Her days were filled and she kept rather busy. She usually woke up around nine or ten and then headed to Tessa's at eleven. She usually stayed there until four and then came back and sat and talked with the Professor for a while. After dinner she did her assigned chores and usually went to bed around ten or eleven. She couldn't believe how fast the days went when she slept ten or eleven hours a day. It helped to keep her from going nuts from having nothing to do. She had been busy enough that she didn't notice that two weeks had passed and Logan still wasn't home.
Alex decided that if she was going to become a permanent resident of the room, she was going to have some impact on the décor. She added a few potted plants and a tree. She woke one morning at nine and laid there debating whether or not to sleep another hour or get up and do something. She pulled the covers back over her head and went back to sleep. The sound of the door opening woke her up an hour later and she peeked out of the covers to see who it was. Some residents of the mansion forgot to knock when they were excited about something. Bobby came running in the door, slammed it behind him and dove to the floor on the far side of the bed. Alex turned over and just looked down at him.
"Shhh. Hank's after me and I needed a place to hide," he whispered to Alex.
"Get him good?"
"There's barely a hair left on his head," Bobby said giggling.
"By the Great Mother!"
"ROBERT DRAKE YOU ARE FISHBAIT IF I EVER GET A HOLD OF YOU!" Beast yelled out in the hallway.
Alex and Bobby both stifled giggles.
The door flew open and instead of Hank it was Logan.
"Logan!" Alex jumped.
"'Lo Darlin'."
Bobby peeked up over the bed at Logan. Logan eyed him suspiciously.
"Is Hank still out in the hall?" he whispered.
Logan nodded. "He ain't too happy with you Drake."
"I know. I took refuge in here."
"DRAKE!" Hank yelled pushing Logan out of his way in an effort to get at Bobby.
A look of sheer panic spread on Bobby's face and he iced up and went out the window. Of course he didn't think to open it first. Hank ran to the window and looked out at the fleeing Iceman.
"YOU CAN'T RUN FOREVER DRAKE!" Hank yelled.
Alex and Logan watched the proceedings and couldn't help but to laugh at seeing a bald Hank. Alex had to admit. Hank didn't look all that bad. Bobby must have put the hair remover in his shampoo bottle. Only Hank's head was devoid of hair, which was quite a strange look for the hairy man. Hank shot them a look when he heard them laughing. Alex and Logan instantly stopped laughing. Hank stormed out of the room.
"Well you don't see that everyday."
"Nope. What are you doin' still in bed?"
Alex shrugged. "Been sleeping a lot lately."
"You okay?"
"Yes. I better get up and get going, or I'll never get moving today."
Logan just shrugged and threw his rucksack on the bed and began to empty it. Alex hit the shower and twenty minutes later she was out the door and on her way to Tessa's.

    Alex arrived back at the mansion later than usual that evening. She didn't get back until about seven. She kept finding reasons to stay at Tessa's and probably was doing it subconsciously. Things between her and Logan were improving little by little, but they weren't back to where they were before the mission to Australia. She sighed and mounted the stairs to their room. The room was empty and she didn't want to stay in there. She made her way to the library and found Hank sitting in there reading a book. Alex looked around the room and noticed that fresh flowers had been placed around the room. They were probably from Storm's greenhouse. Alex went over to one of the vases and smelled the flowers. She inhaled deeply of their intoxicating perfume.
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever," she heard Hank say from behind her. Alex turned to look at a smiling Hank.
"Its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness," Alex finished the line.
Hank's eyes brightened. "But still will keep a bower quiet for us, and a sleep full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing."
Alex returned the smile. Alex sat in a chair across from Hank and they began to recite poetry to each other.

    Logan knew she was back in the mansion. He went up to their room and her scent was fresh. He inhaled deeply of the sweetness of her scent and closed his eyes. He missed her in the two and a half weeks that he was gone. He couldn't wait to get back to the mansion and see and touch her again. He was looking forward to spending the day with her, but after she left their room this morning he couldn't find her for the rest of the day. He did notice his jeep was gone and wondered where she could have gone. He waited all day for her to come back and now that she was back she had disappeared again. He followed her scent to the library. He stopped outside the doors when he heard voices inside.

    "Love not me for comely grace,
    For my pleasing eye or face,
    Nor for any outward part:
    No, nor for a constant heart!
    For these may fail or turn to ill:
    So thou and I shall sever.
    Keep therefore a true woman's eye,
    And love me still, but not know why!
    So hast thou the same reason still
    To doat upon me ever." *
   
Alex? Reciting poetry? He didn't think she was they type for that mushy bullshit. He continued to listen and then heard Hank's voice.

    "I arise from dreams of thee
    In the first sweet sleep of night,
    When the winds are breathing low,
    And the stars are shining bright;
    I arise from dreams of thee,
    And a spirit in my feet
    Hath led me-who knows how?
    To thy chamber window, Sweet!
   
    The wandering airs they faint
    On the dark, the silent stream -
    The Champak odors fail
    Like sweet thoughts in a dream;
    The nightingale's complaint,
    It dies upon her heart; -
    As I must on thine,
    Oh, beloved as thou art!

    Oh lift me from the grass!
    I die! I faint! I fail!
    Let thy love in kisses rain
    On my lips and eyelids pale.
    My cheek is cold and white, alas!
    My heart beats loud and fast; -
    Oh! Press it to thine own again,
    Where it will break at last."  **

"Oh Hank!" Logan heard Alex exclaim. He shook his head. Alex was full of surprises and definitely kept him on his toes. He knocked lightly on the door and then entered. Hank and Alex were sitting across from each other and were thoroughly wrapped up in the poetry. They both glanced at Logan for a brief instance and then went back to reciting poetry. Logan just shook his head, sat down and waited for them to finish. An hour later Hank and Alex finally stopped reciting poetry. Hank bid Logan goodnight and turned to Alex. Alex looked at Hank and smiled. "Good-night, good-night! Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say good-night till it be morrow." ***
Hank grinned. "Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast!" ****
Logan hmphed and waited for the two to be done. Hank chuckled and left the room. Alex just sat there staring at Logan.
"Where'd ya go today? I spent most o' the day lookin' for ya?"
"I had some errands to run."
Logan didn't say anything.
Alex yawned and looked at the clock that was sitting on the mantle above the fireplace. It wasn't that late, but Alex was tired. She stood up, stretched and yawned again.
"Ya going to bed Ace?"
Alex looked at him. She was surprised at the new name. "I think so. I'm beat."
Logan quirked an eyebrow at her.
"This isn't the easiest thing in the world," Alex said laying her hands on her stomach. "This whole thing is taking a lot out of me."
Logan nodded.
"You coming?"
"Nope. Too early for sleepin'."
"Who said anything about sleeping?" Alex said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and began to kiss him.
   
Alex woke the next morning at ten-thirty and scrambled to get dressed.
"What's your hurry Ace?"
"I have an appointment at eleven that I need to keep." She cursed in a few different languages as she threw on some clothes. Logan couldn't help but to chuckle as he watched her run around the room. She surprised him with a quick kiss before she went running out of the room. Logan didn't see her again until about six that evening. He asked around to see if anyone else in the mansion knew where she was going during the days. He did find out that about two weeks ago she started disappearing everyday around ten-thirty and didn't return until between four and six. Logan didn't have a good feeling about this.


*        Love Not Me - Anonymous
**      The Indian Serenade - Percy Bysshe Shelley
***    Romeo And Juliet - William Shakespeare
****  Romeo And Juliet - William Shakespeare