Chris grin was conspiratorial and the advice he gave as good as that of any adult even if it did come from another viewpoint. "Sarah’s really nice at times, the boy told him “but complains about the things Connor does and it always upsets him."Upsetting Connor was easy. God knows Logan himself was a past master at it. But still despite Chris’s assurance as to her ‘niceness’ Wolverine really didn’t feel himself warming to the girl. Especially not after her behaviour in the mall and now this damned phone call. And what Chris told him next really only confirmed him in his opinion of this so called ‘girlfriend ‘ Amlarie had chosen for his son.
Ok he could understand that there might be times when having a kid tagging along might be less than ideal for a couple but surely she should have known better than to try to come between Connor and someone he considered to be his brother! Then again Logan reminded himself with a sigh, how could she. She didn’t know him at all. Even if she had slept with him. @#%$ that thought rankled. But like all the rest it was just something Logan was going to have to live with and making a big deal of it wasn’t going to help anyone. Especially not at this moment in time.
"If you leave him, he just sits there and he stays upset…" Chris was saying. "Wouldn’t you rather talk to him? Even if it’s about something else…" Talk to him. Right. Because that had always worked so well in the past. But then again in the past Connors anger had more often than not been directed against his father, even if he hadn’t been directly responsible for whatever had happened. If he went in there now wouldn’t the same thing happen again? Wouldn’t he suddenly turn out to be the one who had caused this rupture by making Connor a mutant in the first place? But on the other hand if he didn’t…….. “if all else fails you could always give him a hug."
Logan looked at Chris in surprise. He made it sound so simple. As if hugging was something you did every day. And maybe it was when you were his age. But as you grew older, things got.. awkward. Maybe they shouldn’t but they did. Until one day hugging just wasn’t an option any more Not without permission anyhow. And it would be a cold day in hell before he got that from any of his kids. Still there had to be some way he could comfort Connor. Or distract him as Chris had suggested. Yes that sounded more like something he could manage . If he could just think of something suitable that was.
Chris on the contrary was a dab hand when it came to distracting. "What’s a lovers quarrel?" OKKK he had walked into that one hadn’t he. And now he manoeuvre carefully in case this turned out to be ‘the’ talk. The ones fathers had with their sons. The one he was most definitely NOT having with Chris. Not now, not ever!
“Its emmm.” he started not too auspiciously “Its when a man and a woman who are dating have a fight” he told the boy succinctly, hoping that would be enough.”Like Connor and Sarah just did. And you’re right. We can’t just leave him sitting in there….. say…” A flicker of inspiration crossed Logan’s mind and he grabbed it gratefully.” How do you feel about horses Chris? Like to see some.?Before all this Connor used to like hanging out at the stables. Maybe we could tempt him down there again if we tried!”
Re: Logan's Apartment: Missing Pieces"Its emmm." Logan started, Chris’s dark eyes peering at the elder with a curious hunger only education and knowledge could satisfy. "Its when a man and a woman who are dating have a fight" Well that seemed easy enough! Chris gave a thoughtful look for a moment as he realized quarrel must mean fight of some kind… so a lovers fight really, and lovers were definitely people who loved each other. "Like Connor and Sarah just did. And you’re right. We can’t just leave him sitting in there….. say…" There was an odd hesitation about Logan as he talked to Chris and admittedly the youth couldn’t really figure out why, other then Connor’s upset obviously distracting the father… it seemed to make the most sense. "How do you feel about horses Chris? Like to see some? Before all this Connor used to like hanging out at the stables. Maybe we could tempt him down there again if we tried!" Horses? Real horses? A small mouth gapped open in astonishment, yes Chris had seen horses before, at a distance usually, with a police officer atop them or pulling a cart or coach along. The people in the coaches always looked like they were so happy, so much fun in such a simple thing, Chris never really considered he’d get the chance to sit on one like a police officer did, and definitely not inside a carriage, apparently that was really expensive, even working people only rode in there on special occasions.
"You’d want to take me to see the horses up close?" Connor would pay for him if they needed to… Connor always paid for Chris whenever the need arose, but they’d never really done something like horse riding before! Obviously they wouldn’t go riding, he didn’t expect that much, but to be allowed to pet one even… his heart fluttered with excitement at the idea of petting one! Chris’s mother had mentioned a few times upon seeing the coaches that she wished her parents had taken her on one of those, but they always said it was too expensive. The closest to knowing about grandparents that Chris got were such offhand comments as that, and such things were few and very far between. Though admittedly chris thought of them as the parents of his mother… not as his family or his grand parents, Missy never referred to them as that, for Chris Missy was the only family he had, a mum was all he ever needed she had said. Time with Connor had proved that wasn’t entirely true…
"That sounds like so much fun! Are we allowed to get close to them? Could Connor and I pet one? Please?" The nine year old bristled with enthusiastic eagerness, the prospect was never before really considered with any degree of realism, every inch of Chris wanted to turn and rush to Connor’s side and tell him all bout the offer and plot and wonder over just how they’d go about interacting at the stables. How would Connor feel going to a place that was supposed to be his favourite hang out but not remember it? Maybe he’d remember something… Chris tried to ignore the inkling worry that upon remembering everything Connor may remember that Chris wasn’t really family and so Connor wouldn’t have to play the role of big brother that he had done so well for the little while they had known each other… Maybe if he just showed that he wasn’t so bad like apparently a lot of homed people thought when it came to the homless.
Re: Logan's Apartment: Missing Pieces
He had wanted enthusiasm and he had certainly got it. Now all he could do was hope that his son reacted, if not in exactly the same way, then at least with half the degree of interest that Chris showed for his plan.
"You’d want to take me to see the horses up close?" the boy asked , his eyes widening at the very idea. "That sounds like so much fun! Logan smiled. He had one convert that much was clear. And that might just be enough for somehow he thought that Chris’s joy might be the only thing that could drag Connor out of the gloom this sudden rejection might have thrust him into. “Are we allowed to get close to them?” The thought that it might just be possible lit up Chris’s face with a wonder that was hard to resist. Could Connor and I pet one? Please?"
“Sure” Logan told the eager child. “You can even feed them some apples if you want to. They like that. But you’ll have to let me show you how. Otherwise they could nip your fingers by mistake. And you know what? We’ll do it. I promise. Even if Connor decides he’d rather stay in his room ! Though lets hope that he doesn’t.”
Showing his crossed fingers to the boy, Logan made his way towards Connor’s room and knocked on the door, his sharpened hearing already telling him where and in what condition his son was as he took the plunge and let himself in. The situation wasn’t good but then he hadn’t really expected it to be. Being told you were some kind of a freak by the girl who was supposed to love you wasn’t exactly easy to bounce back from. But then again Logan had never fooled himself into believing that his appearance would work some sort of magic spell and miraculously make things right. In fact, if the past was anything to judge by he would most likely end up by making things worse. But still……
If he didn’t try how would he know? At least for the time being he had a clean sheet as far as his son was concerned. Something he had often longed for in the past though not like this. Not at the price of all Connors memories. Logan would rather have been damned a thousand times than have Connor forget one moment he had spent in his mother’s presence. But still here they were. Each one confused and lost. But one of them at least remembering the ties of blood and love that bound them.
“Hey” Logan said softly. ” Are you Ok? You sounded like you could use a breath of fresh air.” There was much more behind the words than what was said. An offer to stay and talk if that was what Connor wanted. A graceful bowing out if it wasn’t. The promise of company and understanding if neither solution met his needs! “ I was telling Chris about the stables we have here in the Institute.” Logan went on quietly. “He really wants to go visit. Maybe you would too. I know he’d like you to come. And so would I.”
“It’s peaceful out there. Ok .. “Connors father continued with a smile.”It will probably be less peaceful when Chris gets there but still .. . It’s a good place to think things out! And something tells me that that might be just what you need at the moment. “
Re: Logan's Apartment: Missing Pieces"Sure" Delight lit the boys face as he tried to imagine what it would be like to see the horses so close, sure Chris had seen the occasional horse drawn carriage pulled along the street, but the owners rarely let the dirty street kids creep up to pet them. Only the cleaner well dressed kids got to, the ones who’s parents might wish to spoil with a ride. "You can even feed them some apples if you want to. They like that. But you’ll have to let me show you how. Otherwise they could nip your fingers by mistake. And you know what? We’ll do it. I promise. Even if Connor decides he’d rather stay in his room ! Though lets hope that he doesn’t." The offer of going with or without Connor took a moment to register, a moment to understand, and while Chris really didn’t want to leave Connor alone, the fact that Logan wanted to spend time with Chris instead of his son was… confusing. But Logan crossed his fingers, and Chris smiled back as Connor’s face moved off, leaving the boy to stare on in wonderment and partially lost in his thoughts.
Inside Connor’s room, brilliant blue eyes seemed to just glare across the room, it’s lack of familiarity leaving an air of discomfort and sense of intrusion even as the teen tried to unhappily take in whatever he could in hopes of finding something that would spark that trigger reaction of returning memories. Cross-legged on the bed, a bed that was supposed to be his but felt nothing to him, Connor sighed and leaned back, letting his body rest against the wall at the head of his bed. The shoes were already removed once he had started dialling the number for his previous place of residence, allowing his legs to spread out unhindered by any thoughts of dirt getting spread over the covers. It was darker in this room, even with the side light on, the light filtered in gloomily from outside, and yet despite that, it felt more comfortable; Amlarie’s offered room was so much lighter, so much more brighter…
Knock, Knock… Chris or the somewhat estranged father? Connor couldn’t tell, there was no crack under the door to examine the show of the feet on the other side, no gap to allow the leaking of sound to intrude upon his restful nights or busy days when silence was vital. The door opened to reveal the frame of his father, causing slight tension inside Connor as his legs pulled closer to his body to once again cross themselves as he sat there. "Hey" Embarrassing was hardly the most fitting word, it seemed too tame considering how he felt, however Connor leaned forward slightly, not wanting to seem sloppy in his pose in front of… was stranger too cruel a word to even think of in relation to the man who was his father?
"Are you Ok? You sounded like you could use a breath of fresh air. " Had the conversation been overheard out there? Or had just the tone of voice managed to escape… that would be just great, first day back and his father finds out his son was dumped shamefully due to Connor’s father returning to his life. But what would Connor prefer, the girlfriend or the father? There wasn’t really much thought that needed to be put into that, the answer was obvious, at least it was in this case, "I was telling Chris about the stables we have here in the Institute." Continued the man that looked like an aged version of Connor… just with less care in the grooming compartment, for the moment Logan’s appearance gained more focus then his word, even if they seemed strangely soothing due to the obvious attempts of offering comfort. "He really wants to go visit. Maybe you would too. I know he’d like you to come. And so would I." Blue eyes peered over to the doorway behind Logan, as if trying to catch a glimpse of Chris, who remained rooted to where Logan had left him, only allowing a curious gaze to wander and nothing more. If it weren’t for the boy, Connor may have said he wasn’t in the mood to stroll anywhere… but sulking in this room wasn’t any better an option for him either.
"It’s peaceful out there. Ok .. " It was as if Logan could read Connor’s mind, that was the key to his interest, and that was most clear, the blue eyes now focused on the topic at hand as if it were a life raft coming towards him. "It will probably be less peaceful when Chris gets there but still .. . It’s a good place to think things out! And something tells me that that might be just what you need at the moment." A small smile came at the mentioning of Chris drowning out the peace, but there was a strange peacefulness in Chris’s childish enthusiasm too… at least Connor thought so. What should be said to that, Connor knew that a reply was important, and polite, but no words seemed to come, and with the threat of appearing rude, he cast his gaze down. Figuring it was best to get ready at least, to show some reaction while thinking of what to say, Connor let his legs slip off the side of the bed, finding their way into the awaiting shoes. There was a moment of thought as Connor eyed the phone, slowly getting up and as always his hands seemed to smoothen down the creases in his clothes as if with a mind of their own. "Sorry about the phone," Came a soft apology, though Logan’s son returned eye contact as he continued, "This place has it’s own stables?" Sure, it looked pretty big, and somewhat fancy, but Connor never imagined it’d be packed with so many amenities, and he hasn't even scatched the surface of what this school has to offer!
Re: Logan's Apartment: Missing Pieces
Had he struck a chord? Maybe! Not a memory as such. That Logan now realised, would have been too much to hope for. But something still buried in his son that could relate to the mention of horses? And not just because of Chris’s reported enthusiasm for the idea. If nothing else the suggestion had at least brought a smile back to Connor’s face, albeit a fleeting one. Still that was better than nothing and a hell of a lot better than what Logan had imagined happening.
It even looked as if Connor might be ready to come with them on the outing. Logan stayed silent , hardly daring to breath in case he somehow ruined the moment as his son carefully put his shoes back on and then looked up contritely. “Sorry about the phone” he said quietly, as if Logan gave a damn at this point about what happened to a lump of plastic.
In the Enright household phones came and went with monotonous regularity. As did alarm clocks, toasters, TV remotes… anything in fact that could be slammed, thrown, clawed or otherwise destroyed by his volatile family! All that mattered to Wolverine was that Conner was there once again, at home, ready to do his part in ridding the world of annoying electronics, one gadget at a time.
So the feral mutant was actually grinning again when his son went on, with a hint of anticipation as well as surprise in his voice saying "This place has it’s own stables?".“Son you wouldn’t believe what this place has ’ Logan thought to himself, though for now at least he refrained from talking out loud about the more remarkable features Xavier’s boasted ...like a med lab filled with alien technology or a danger room where mutants learned to fight for the cause.
Instead answered more circumspectly, “Yep Stables, lake, swimming pool, tennis courts, state of the art sports facilities. ….You name it, kid and we’ve probably got it somewhere. Ill give you and Chris the grand tour sometime.. when you’re ready for it that is. But for now….
Logan smiled sympathetically at his son who was still looking rather lost. ‘Though he’s a damned sight less lost than he was this morning, at least from where I’m standing Wolverine reminded himself, relief at having brought him home safe finally kicking all the way in, leaving him drained and almost as much in need of the peace the stables had to offer as Connor was himself.” I think maybe a stroll and some friendly horses would be the order of the day.
“Lets just take things slow and easy, son.” he went on knowing, as Connor would surely know, that he was talking about far more than just their schedule for the next few hours. “And see how things go from there”
Re: Logan's Apartment: Missing Pieces"Yep Stables, lake, swimming pool, tennis courts, state of the art sports facilities. ¡.You name it, kid and we¡¯ve probably got it somewhere. Ill give you and Chris the grand tour sometime.. when you're ready for it that is. But for now."
It was all so dazzling come to think of it, Amlarie had so much to offer and yet it still seemed to pale in comparison¡ or was it just that what she had to give paled in what a father would have to give, regardless of what he had to offer. Of course, it was hard to ignore all the warnings both Amlarie and Logan himself had said regarding the man's faults¡ right now Connor didn't really want to think about any of it. "I think maybe a stroll and some friendly horses would be the order of the day."
Strangely blue eyes seemed to peer off towards the door, trailing their way towards the phone and then thoughtfully hovering over Logan's features as the elder talked. "Lets just take things slow and easy, son." There was something of a relaxed curve that seemed to grace Connor's lips as the feral took in Logan's words; he seemed so assuring, understanding Connor wasn't entirely sure how to put it without sounding sappy. "And see how things go from there"
"¡Sounds good," His son agreed, not wanting to let a moments silence fall once again, somehow it seemed like awkward moments fell too easily between them, not that Connor blamed Logan for that, it wasn't like Connor was going through an easy transition here, he's forgotten all of them, and that had to be just as difficult for them as it was for him. "State of the art sports facilities¡" Connor repeated wistfully as he headed for the door, "¡nifty," At some point Connor wondered if he'd be allowed to go around on his own with Chris as well, it sounded like a fun place to explore¡ and the gardens were huge! They could get lost, but that only added to the fun of exploring alone.
For a moment, Connor wondered if Logan ever took him out to these places, like you always hear fathers doing in those perfect little stories, throwing a ball back and forth, or one threw and the other struck it with a bat, family games¡ Logan had obviously gone swimming with Connor, going by the story mentioned back at the cabin with the moons reflection in the water. The memory brought a smile back to Connor¡¯s face, though a sadness too, a wondering of all the nice things he had forgotten, suddenly the sense of loss felt heavier again, like back at Amlarie's. Though at least here, in the school with people who knew Connor from before, he was closer to finding out the things forgotten, all it took was time¡ hopefully it would come back soon, for now Connor refused to think about the possibility that he'd never remember, all he had to do was be patient. Sadly, Connor wasn't always the most patient of people.
Edited by: MattMurdock69 at: 10/1/07 10:27 pm
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