Subject: [OTL]: REPOST: (Frank/Rachel/Marauders) Walk on Water (PG-13) Date: Sat, 02 Sep 2000 17:45:26 -0700 From: Phil Hartman will1@earthling.net Walk on Water by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: Everyone here is Marvel's, except for anyone I make up to further the plot. No money is being made off of this. Please don't sue. WARNING: Some violence and language. CONTINUITY NOTE: Same timeline as Gatherings and the rest, set just before Namesake... NOTE 2: I'm reposting this with some tweaking - if anyone wants to archive this, please use this version ... -------------------------------------------------------- 6/3/00: United States Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado: 08:00 hrs MDT: -------------------------------------------------------- Lance Michaelson glanced over his shoulder at the visitor standing in the doorway of the aquatics center, a curious smile playing about his lips as she looked into the water at the men's swim team candidates practicing. #Awfully young to be here alone,# Michaelson thought. #Maybe she got cut out from a tour group - but it's early...# The girl - Caucasian, teenaged, with shoulder-length red hair, jeans and a sweatshirt with the words "Property of Xavier's School" - noticed Lance's gaze, and smiled at him with a brilliant set of braces-less teeth while she held a festively-wrapped package. What made the trainer take real notice, however, were her eyes - green, and deep as the pool behind him. #Man, she'll be a looker when she gets older,# Lance thought, walking to the door. He started towards her, but noticed a sudden look of concern on her face as he approached. "Miss ? May I help you ?" he asked. The girl blushed, then hung her head before looking at Lance apologetically. "I'm sorry," the girl said, sighing. "I thought I read something - off - from you - I'm a telepath, I should know better than to judge people by surface thoughts." "Oh." Lance fought down a flash of concern; he'd known such mutants existed, everyone did thanks to the government's education programs since the Kelly Act went into effect three years earlier. He'd just never thought he'd meet a telepath in person. #She must've thought I'm a lech,# Lance thought, guilt and suspicion roiling around in his mind. #She's just a kid, though ! She can't mean to hurt me...# "Please, don't be angry - I'd never mind-probe someone without asking," the girl said, drawing Lance's attention back to her. "I guess I'm too used to reading surface thoughts - my name's Rachel. Rachel Summers. I came here to see a friend..." "Summers ?" Lance asked, smiling again. "You don't know -" Rachel laughed a little and said, "Yeah, Scott Summers is my dad. My brother and our cousins and I, and most of our friends, hid in Canada with Alpha Flight during O:ZT - my folks've tried to keep us out of the media." "I think I understand," Lance said. "You want to come in ? The guys are busy right now, but if your friend's with them, maybe you can catch him on a break." "Thanks - I think I see him," Rachel said, accepting a chair from Lance as they sat closer to the pool. "I'm here to see Frank Richards." "Franky ?! Well-WELL," Lance chuckled. "You know our wunderkind ?" "We go way back," Rachel said, flashing Lance another brilliant smile. Concern crossed her face as she added, "I thought the USOC couldn't let active mutants join the Olympic team..." "Depends on the power and the sport," Lance explained. "They think precognition isn't too useful for a swimmer, and what good can clairvoyance or astral projection be ? They're not enhancing the swimmer's stroke. And the mental part of swimming is challenging yourself, not someone else." "I see," Rachel said, nodding as the break horn sounded. The swimmers clambered out of the water, and she smiled as one of them approached. Lance gave the tall, dripping Caucasian boy a towel, watching as he removed his swimcap to scrub buzzcut blond hair. The teen removed his goggles, then looked at Rachel with an expression of shock which rapidly turned to joy. "Red !?" Frank Richards laughed, letting Rachel hug him carefully as he toweled off. Lance stood, winking at the speedo-clad Frank and chuckling at the blush spreading across the boy's face the teen gave him. "I - how'd you get here !? This is so great !" Frank exclaimed, watching Rachel sit down. "Lockjaw," Rachel said, beaming. "I missed you, you big goof - and I wanted to give you your birthday present before Sydney." "Thanks - hey, these are great !" Frank said, unwrapping the present to dig out a new pair of goggles. He tried them on, then slipped them down around his neck as Rachel looked at him with a funny little smile. #You're misbehaving,# Frank thought, trying not to blush again. ~Well of COURSE I am,~ Rachel sent, sighing with real regret across the link. ~Frank - I know... I mean...~ Something flashed between them, and Frank stood up to drop to one knee beside Rachel's chair. "Red, I... you're more than my best friend," he began, looking at her with honesty and stark terror in his eyes. "I just... I -" "I know. I like you too," Rachel breathed, leaning over to him - - and screaming when something exploded behind her, throwing her into Frank's arms. "OUT !" Frank shouted at the other swimmers, trying to shield Rachel from the figures stepping out of a transportal which flickered open on the pool deck. His heart sank when he recognized them. "Mm-MMM," Arclight teased, looking at Frank with naked hunger as he stood, glaring at them. "He's a scrumptious thing, huh, Vert ?" "SHUT UP, YOU SKANK !" Rachel screamed, leaping in front of Frank as her eyes flashed. Arclight shrieked in agony, stumbling, while Rachel's telekinetic shield flared into visibility when Harpoon's first slayspear slammed into it. "Can't - hold it for - long," Rachel grunted, glancing at Frank behind her with fear. "Nate's the - teke expert - run, please !" "I won't leave you !" Frank cried. #Damnit, DAMNIT - these stupid dampers, I could HELP Ray, but -# He looked up, feeling time turn to molasses around him in that waking dream-state he recognized as a precognitive flash - - seeing the psi-resistant darts pierce Rachel's TK-shield, then her flesh, the fast-acting sedative dropping her - - and more darts seeking HIS flesh, finding purchase, Scalphunter's chuckles as he loomed over them - - and agony, scalpels and psychotropic drugs and a Gothic devil nodding in approval as Frank and Rachel's souls grew stained - - and something broke. Rachel gasped, instinctively ducking at Frank's snarl, and watched him glow bright white. "YOU WON'T HAVE US !" the boy raged, psi-fire leaping outwards at the Marauders while his words rang like thunder. "I'VE HAD IT WITH EVERY ALTERNATE TIMELINE WHERE SINISTER TAKES US AND MISUSES US ! I'VE SEEN TOO MUCH TO LET IT HAPPEN HERE ! Rachel dared to look up, her heart pounding, and was transfixed by the tableau before her: Scalphunter's weapons started to spark and explode, flying off of his body as he clutched his head. Arclight, struggling to stand, screamed again, something invisible pounding into her stomach and felling her. Blockbuster crumpled under another "fist," roaring ineffectually. Vertigo shrieked, wobbling on her feet, and fell to her hands and knees before retching. Scrambler was outlined in white flame, his voice cut off by the sound of raw biogenetic energy pouring out of his eyes and mouth. Riptide spun about, helpless, finally falling over amidst a pile of shuriken. Harpoon howled as the floor beneath him glowed and exploded, hurling him into the wall with a sickening thud. Prism trembled, energy refracting everywhere from him, finally screaming when he crumpled into a ball and clutching his head. Rachel slowly stood, starting to smile, until a moan came from behind her. She turned, catching Frank with a grunt as he leaned on her, and she helped him to a chair. "Oh God - oh God," Frank whispered, starting to tremble. "Minds - my tepe - Ray -" ~Follow me,~ she sent, entering his horribly exposed psyche. ~Just do like I do - make a wall, with a door for the thoughts you do want, just one brick at a time, I won't pry, I promise -~ Then the tidalwave hit her, and they went under for a heartbeat - - and they surfaced, gasping. ~I... oh wow,~ Rachel sent, finding herself physically in Frank's lap with a silly grin. ~Wow,~ Frank replied, returning Rachel's sudden kiss. They cuddled together, until a familiar voice cut through the warmth. "Frank," Lance said, watching SHIELD agents flood the pool area, "the directors need to see you." -------------------------------------------------------- "YOU CAN'T !" "Miss Summers, we have no choice," Sylvia Montegro said with honest regret a half-hour later. Frank had showered and dressed, and let Rachel hold his hand as the blood drained from his face. Rachel bit back a sob, listening as Frank nodded and said, "I accept the USOC's decision, Ms. Montegro. I'd have too great an advantage if I competed at Sydney, with my healing factor and other powers." "It's not -" Rachel protested, stopping only when she saw the pleading look in Frank's heart and mind. ~Not here, Red. We can't win this one,~ he sent, walking with her as they picked up Frank's suitcases outside the meeting hall. "But it's not FAIR ! Damnit, you've worked almost a year for this - your whole LIFE for this !" Rachel demanded, walking with Frank past knots of suddenly-quiet Olympians. The teens exited the building, then sat on a bench outside the center and waited for Lockjaw. After a moment, Rachel looked at Frank and whispered, "Do you hate me ?" "Why !? Ray, I love you," Frank insisted, taking her hand. His expression grew tearful as he sent, ~I don't care about some stupid medal - you matter to me, not some silly hunk of gold-plated junk ! I just wanted to win it for you, but you're more important !~ "Oh, Frank..." Rachel breathed, curling into his lap and arms. "I love you too. I... just..." She muttered, "I just feel so guilty, like I cost you your dream. I want you to be happy with and without me, you know ?" Frank looked in her eyes as Rachel leaned back, and said, "I can't BE happy without you. I know that might sound heavy, and I don't want to burden you, but I do want to be honest. I missed you a lot this past year..." "Well then," Rachel said, her grief-stricken expression turning to a faint smile, "first, relax. It's not heavy - I can deal with the deep stuff too, you know. Second, kiss me again." Frank complied, and sent, ~You know, I could 'port us across country.~ ~We might get lost,~ Rachel replied, a mental giggle undercutting her attempt at being serious. ~Well, I'm getting lost in your eyes.~ ~Frank, you're 14. I'm 13. You CAN use better lines than that, you know.~ ~Ouch. How about... your hair is a fiery halo ?~ ~Getting there. You're still a better swimmer and kisser.~ ~Hey, I'm the son of the world's smartest man. I'd BETTER improve...~ ~Takes practice.~ ~Good point.~ SMOOOCH -------------------------------------------------------- tbc in Laborious Gatherings... ;) --------------------------------------------------------