Ashes to Ashes

Jim Steinman--Bat Out Of Hell

"How are you feeling, Kyle?" Hank asked, once the child had finished eating and Hank had put the tray on the desk to get it out of the way.

"Pretty okay," Kyle said, shrugging. "I still feel...drained, and I have a whopper of a headache, but I'm getting used to having that whenever I wake up. If I had any bad dreams these last two days, I don't remember them and they didn't wake me up, so I'm better rested than I usually am."

"Does this headache seem better or worse than the ones you normally have upon waking?" Hank asked.

Kyle frowned, thinking for a moment. "Both. It's better because it's not as sharp. Normally, when I wake up, the headaches are right here..." He pointed to his temples. "And they feel like someone is trying to drive a spike through them. But today, it's all over. It isn't as sharp a pain as it normally is, but it's in more places, which makes it worse. Am I making any sense?"

"You're making perfect sense," Hank assured him. "And, I would really appreciate it if you stayed in bed today and rested. You went through quite an ordeal a couple days ago, and I would much prefer you gave yourself the proper time to recover. Maybe I am being overly protective, but I really didn't enjoy seeing you hurt. Almost as much as I'm sure you didn't enjoy being hurt."

Kyle shrugged. "If it would make you feel better, I'll stay in bed today.

"Thank you, Kyle."

"But I'm warning you, I'm gonna get bored."

"I have often thought that life is what happens when you are between periods of boredom," Hank said. "But, I'm sure that between all of us here, we can find ways to make sure you are entertained."

"Okay, gentlemen," Gambit said, shuffling the cards. "The name of the game is five card stud. Deuces are wild." Rapidly, he delt out the cards to Logan, Bishop, Scott, Hank, Bobby and Kyle, and himself. "Place your bets."

Logan looked over his cards carefully. "I'm in," he said, pushing two chocolat chip cookies onto the center of Kyle's bed.

"As am I," Bishop said, tossing in another two cookies.

"I'll pass on this round." Scott frowned and put his cards down.

"I think I too, shall pass," Hank said.

Bobby frowned. "I guess I'm in," he said, adding to the cookie pile.

Kyle studied his cards carefully. "I'm in."

"An' I, of course, am in," Gambit said, barely glancing at his cards. He reached over and tousled Kyle's hair. "This isn't so bad, eh? All of us men playing poker together. The women downstairs in the kitchen. The way it should be, no?"

"Male bonding at it's finest," Logan remarked dryly. "First person to start singing Midnight Special is going to get their nose picked by ten inches of cold, hard, metal." He held up his fist, flexing it to remind people of exactly where that ten inches of metal was located and how easy it would be to bring it out.

"Gambit, your views on women in the 90's is positivily archaic," Hank commented. "The way it should be, indeed."

"Well, " Bishop said. "Where I am from...."

"Life stinks," Bobby interrupted him. "Gesh, Bish, how many times do I have to tell you, you're here and it's now!"

Kyle picked up an Oreo from his own pile and took a bite. "Hey, quit eating all your chips!" Hank said. "According to what Gambit has decided, you just took a bite out of a hundred dollars."

"But it's soooo good, Uncle Hank," Kyle said.

The game continued. At one point, Logan pulled out a cigar. Hank shot him a look. "Logan! The rules about smoking in the mansion have changed."

"Oh Gesh, Hank, lighten up," Logan said. "I forgot."

"It's tough to play cards without smoking," Remy chimmed in. "Perhaps we can open a window..."

"Look," Hank interrupted. "What you two are doing to your own lungs is terrible enough, but that is your own business. However, I won't allow you to damage Kyle's lungs. He is just a child, he has a right to a healthy start in life."

"Here we go again," Bobby muttered. "Lecture 179a."

That spoiled little BRAT! Jubilee thought, as she stormed into the kitchen. Ever since he came here, all anyone does is pay attention to HIM!

Jean, Storm, Betsy, and Rogue looked up from the table. "Jubilee, is something wrong?" Jean asked.

"Nothing is wrong," Jubilee snapped, going over to the refrigerator and pulling open the door. "Why in the world would you think something is wrong?" She grabbed a can of soda and shut the door to the refrigerator.

"Maybe it's just the sweet expression on your face," Rogue said.

Jubilee came over to the table and sat down. "How come Kyle is such a big deal? He's been here three stupid months and he's like all anybody seems to talk about or care about. He's just a kid for gosh sakes."

Jean's first reaction was to berate Jubilee for her selfish attitude, but she held herself back. Yelling at her isn't going to help. she thought. "Jubilee, I know it looks like all everyone is doing is fussing over Kyle, but look at it from his point of view..."

"I am!" Jubilee said. "And the kid has got it made! He gets to sit in bed all day and everyone rushes to entertain him!"

"Does he really have it made?" Jean asked. "Jubilee, try to imagine how you would feel if you were in his position. Suddenly you're surrounded by strangers. You don't know who you are or how you came to be here. All you do know is that you've got a very powerful ability, one you have little to no control over. And every time you work to try to control it, you either hurt someone or you hurt yourself. Think about it Jubilee and tell me if you really think that Kyle 'has it made.'"

Jubilee thought for a second, then shrugged, a sheepish look on her face. "I guess not." She scratched her arm. "It's just that...well, everyone is making such a fuss over him. I guess I'm feeling...left out."

Everyone? Jean thought, Or just Logan? You didn't seem to have any problem with Kyle until all the guys agreed to play poker. "I wouldn't worry too much," she said. "They've been up there for three hours, I'm sure the game will be wrapping up soon."

"Yeah, but Wolvie promised he'd take me to the mall." Jubilee scowled again. "The Spin Doctors have a new disc out and I have to get it."

"You could have gone with us this morning," Storm pointed out. "We went to the mall."

"I know that," Jubilee snapped. "That's why I'm so upset! I thought I'd be going with Wolvie later. If I'd gone with you guys, I'd be rocking now instead of waiting!"

"Patience has never been one of your strong points kid." Wolverine said, walking into the kitchen. "Mind if I interrupt the hen party ladies?"

"Cluck cluck," Betsy commented dryly.

"Is Kyle all right?" Jean asked.

"Aside from constantly eating his winnings, he's doing fine," Logan said. "I'm surprised the kid doesn't have a belly ache. That kid's got a tough stomach. He could have kept going all day, but Hank thought he looked a little pale, so he cleared us all out of there so the kid could take a nap. Fine by me, I needed a smoke."

Yeah, Jubilee frowned. And I'll bet you forgot all about me, and the mall.

"But, don't worry, Ladies. I'll leave you to your conversation. I just came in here to grab something quick." Logan walked over and picked Jubilee up off the chair and threw her over his shoulder.

"What are you doing!?" Jubilee cried out.

"Did you forget?" Logan said, as he carried her out of the kitchen. "You and I have a date to go to the mall. Don't you have to pick up a some record by the Spin Crickets or something?"

"That's the Spin Doctors!" Jubilee laughed, hitting Logan on the back. "And put me down!"

"And risk you getting away?" Logan shook his head. "No way kid, you promised. You're not getting out of an afternoon with me that easily."

It getting dark when Kerri left her friend's house and headed home, but she wasn't worried. Salem Center wasn't exactly known for a high crime rate and even if it had been, Kerri was pretty sure she could take care of herself. When you have two older brothers constantly trying to beat you up, you can't afford to be a wimp, she thought. Not to mention I've got other things I can do to protect myself.

Clutching her schoolbooks to her chest, she hurried down the dark streets. It was Thursday and on Thursdays her dad made his "famous" five-alarm Chili burgers. She knew if she didn't get home on time, her brother's were likely to eat most of it and she'd be stuck eating a peanut butter sandwich. Her father was pretty laid back about most things, but he did have one firm standing rule--If you couldn't make it home in time for dinner, you risked coming home to nothing. It made a lot of sense to Kerri. If someone was going to go to the trouble to cook something, the least you could do is be there to eat it. She didn't like it on her nights to cook when people didn't show up either.

And then after dinner I've got the evening to myself! she cheerfully thought. Donna and I were both able to finish our homework. I'm pretty sure I even got all my algebra questions right! That ought to make Old Man Brume, the Math Teacher From Hell, happy.

Rushing down the street, she planned her evening. After dinner and the dishes, she could finally play some of that video game her sort-of boyfriend Robby lent her. Her oldest brother Jimmy had just bought a Nintendo 64 and in a fit of generosity had given Kerri his old Super Nintendo system. She had it in her room, where she knew she could lock the door and play in private. Double Dragon 5 here I come! she thought. It didn't matter to her that the game was as old as the hills. She hadn't had much of a chance to play it when it was "hot." Besides, Robby wouldn't ask for it back any time soon so she could play it until she had mastered it.

She was so involved with her plans for the night, she never saw the man lurking in the shadows until he reached out and grabbed, pulling her close and slapping his hand over her mouth. "Don't scream!" the man hissed in her ear.

Kerri struggled, her heart leaping up to her throat. What in the world is going on here? she thought, feeling on the verge of panic.

The man slammed her into the brick wall behind him quickly. "Quit struggling you stupid scum." he hissed, spraying the side of her face with spit.

Kerri stopped struggling. Calm Down! she tried to tell herself, Calm down and handle this... you know what you have to do...concentrate.

"I only have one question for you, little girl, answer it and you might live..."

The man's breath smelled like rancid onions and blood. Kerri gulped. Don't panic, she told her self. Just keep calm and keep concentrating, you can do it...

"Are you Kerri Baldwin?" His grip tightened on her.

Shaking, Kerri nodded.

Still holding her with one hand, the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun. Before she could react, he put the gun to her head and pulled the trigger.

As the bullet penetrated her scull, her body burst into flames. The last though Kerri Baldwin would ever have in this existence was, "I did it!"

The man jumped away, letting her burning body fall to the ground. The fire surrounding her body immediately stopped burning. Smiling, he put the gun back in his pocket. "Wrong answer scum."

Whistling with the self satisfaction of knowing he'd done a good night's work, the man walked away.