Redone: Combusting Hearts

Chapter 3

Serum

The sound of water. It was simple, familiar even, something I knew. It ran from the faucet, a vision of long dark hair before me as I turned my head forward. Vaguely, I realized words were making their way to my ears, the sound like white noise at first as I continued to concentrate on the sound of water as it hit the sink and ran down the drain. How similar it was to my sanity.

"…ney…k?"

I blinked, the fog slowly rising. I turned to the side, eyes dialing in on the person that spoke. I opened my mouth, the name I was looking for dancing on the tip of my tongue like fire. My throat went dry and I reached forward, afraid it was a dream.

"Dad?"

He smiled his usual smile, before ruffling my hair and taking a seat beside me, a newspaper in his hand.

"Morning, Peanut," he greeted. "I see you're still working on school work? Good for you."

I looked down at the papers in front of me. I frowned, trailing a hand over the sheets, before gawking. I gapped as I looked at my hand, nails chewn and paint chipped. I hadn't worn polish in years, the feeling almost foreign. I sat there for a moment, carefully picking free a layer of bright shining blue. It was a blue frosted metallic color, something that I hadn't dared touch again. I couldn't figure out why I was wearing it. It just didn't make sense.

"Elaine?"

Again, I blinked, turned forward. The woman at the sink turned around and smiled.

"M-mom?"

xXx

I didn't realize it at first as I laid there, but there was a certain sense of calm that had seemed to settle in my bones, if only for a few short moments. As the white ceiling above my head came into view, so too did the bed and the walls, the rich cherry wood of furniture and the calm gentle blue of the walls. Briefly, I wondered if I had died, though I doubted my place in hell could be so comforting. There was no way, not after all this time.

Wincing, I slowly pushed myself up, rolling my shoulder. There was a bandage wrapped around it, the fabric trailing beneath a shirt that wasn't mine. Someone had changed me. After glancing around I found a small mirror in the corner, standing as I attempted to straighten myself.

"I look like shit," I muttered, index finger running atop a patch over my cheek.

No doubt it would scar, specks of red reminiscent to the streaks in my hair peaking toward the surface. I ran a hand through my hair, bits of dust falling free as I ruffled the tangled mess, fingers nearly getting caught in it. That's when reality set in, the tenderness of my scalp bringing me back, and my heart beat spiking.

"Shit!"

I looked around, quickly pulling open one of the drawers. Two more followed on the largest one, nothing inside. I moved to the nightstand in hopes of finding something that might give me a bit more clarity, but all that lay inside was an old leather-bound bible. Scoffing, I tossed it on the bed, ducking down. I found a pair of slippers hiding. It seemed to be as good as I was going to get, quickly pulling open the door.

The hall was empty, no sounds of footsteps shuffling or that of random chatter. Perhaps this was my chance to get away. With that in mind, I crept down the hall with my hand outstretched against the wall as I stayed close, ready to run if need be. Where ever this was, it was huge, halls spanning rooms upon rooms. Silently, I made it to the stairs, pedaling down them in quick succession. Once at the bottom I pulled the slippers free, clutching them to my chest.

"W-," I paused, back pressed against the closest pillar.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as a man went by, his hair thick and ruffled. From the back, I could tell he had muscle, his shoulders bare and exposed to the lights. He stopped then, head tilting upwards, sniffing the air. I stared openly for a moment as the muscles in his neck twitched before reality hit me, the curse leaving my lips as he turned sharply, stance shifting to chase. It was short lived though as the doors around us burst open and a bell reminiscent to one in school sounded above our heads. My eyes went wide as kids of all ages flooded the halls and I was thrown back a few years.

The last time that I was in a school, I ended up killing someone. It hadn't been on purpose. Kenton was only trying to help. He was the only one that had tried to help.

xXx

I'd finished things with Mr. Kenton and headed on my way, not wanting to bother with anything else. I appreciated his words, I really did, but I didn't feel like that kind of life was possible for me. I've done too much to warrant something as simple and normal as that. The idea itself scared me, grating at my anxiety. I didn't know if I could even do something like that.

Before I realized what had happened though, I was being pushed to the ground, the asphalt slicing at my hands and knees as I caught myself. My head had touched the ground though for a brief second and I felt the blood welling at the very edge of my skin.

"You're payin' for a new one!"

I was confused until something thudded in front of me, rolling along the ground in a misshapen mess. Letting my eyes focus, I saw that it was the football from earlier. I felt the color drain from my face momentarily, before gasping for air. I'd been sent onto my back, arms curled around my abdomen. Pain erupted there from where one of them had kicked me, my muscles twitching something awful. They just laughed.

"Guys, is it really worth it?"

I let my eyes trail toward the voice. It was one of the younger boys in the group. I think his name was Steve. He was a freshman that I'd seen in passing along with in my gym class. The mere thought of that class made me cringe.

"Shut up, pipsqueak! This is between me and her!"

"Johnathon, just stop it!" Steve snapped, watching as the other kicked me again.

The other two laughed as they apparently got some sort of sick amusement out of it, before one of them joined in, catching my chin in the process. I saw stars for a moment as my head snapped to the side. The taste of blood filled my mouth. My mind was screaming at me, screaming out as I looked for help. I found none.

"She's a freak, its what she gets. Just like that little shit from last week!"

I felt something snap inside of me as I heard this, anger slowly bubbling up inside of me as he kicked me again. He did it again and again, foot colliding with my stomach and chasing the air from my lungs. It didn't bother me anymore as my heart began pounding painfully in my ears. My chest hurt and I could feel my hands shake. A strange warmth was slowly rolling over me, the tips of my fingers tingling. For a moment, I thought I was seeing red, blinking my eyes as I tried to pull myself together. I couldn't think straight as I looked down at my hands. They were glowing red, sparking static almost.

"Guys, stop it!" Steve yelled.

"Hey! What's going on here!?"

"Mr. Kenton?"

They almost didn't stop, not until they saw what was happening.

xXx

I gasped as my shoulder was clipped, hands sparking. I swallowed thickly as my eyes darted around, liquid filling at the edges, briefly locking my gaze with the strange man that had turned toward me. He said something, but I didn't quite hear it, my legs acting on their own as I pressed passed the kids leaving what I now assumed to be classrooms.

"Hey! Wait! Kid!"

I pushed forward, looking for a way out, the occasional window hinting at the world outside. Hurriedly, I turned a corner, fingers flexing. I couldn't let something happen while I was inside. I couldn't have something like that on my conscience again. It hadn't sparked as bad as it normally did yet, but I couldn't sit around and wait for it to happen. Fear was the fuel for my powers, same as anger or hurt, they all did the trick. Any high ranking emotion seemed to kick them into overdrive which spelled disaster more times than not.

"Move!"

I slid slightly as I cut another corner, weaving between people while trying not to touch anyone. I could still hear him behind me, boots pounding.

"Wait!"

No, I was not going to wait.

"Ooff!"

I grunted as I made my way out the front door. No sooner had I set foot outside I found myself ramming into the front of someone, the force nearly knocking me on my ass, before strong hands reached forward and clasped my wrists. I trembled as they sparked, fingertips glowing red as it spiderwebbed along the back of my hands. The veins always followed behind, riding out the rollercoaster every time, before running back for another round.

"Easy…"

The voice was clipped; tired. I had no memory of him as I stared outwardly, his eyes covered by ruby lenses. His hair hinted at ginger, the locks dark and clipped loose, but short toward the back. He had to be at least 6 foot as he stood before me with a frown on his face.

"P-please, you need to let go," I urged, trying in vain to pull myself loose.

"Scott."

I turned, tears in my eyes as the other man caught up, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. One of the perks to my strange ability was an accelerated speed, something that I'd come to realize a couple years back. I mean, it wasn't excessive or anything, but it helped me move quicker. It also increased my chances of outrunning people.

"Logan," Scott greeted, hands still wrapped tightly around my wrists.

"Please!" I begged. "I can't be here!"

I was becoming frantic, heart pounding. It was beating in my ears loud and clear like a hammer. Despite being stopped though, I couldn't seem to regain myself, eyes shifting and darting from place to place. I couldn't be here. Why couldn't they understand that? I needed to leave. I needed to leave before something happened. Before I did something I couldn't undo. Before I hurt someone.

"Hey, you're safe here, alright?" Logan said.

"You don't understand!" I screamed, drawing the attention of a few nearby students, before another adult came to hurry them off. "Please!" I begged, energy cracking before he finally let go.

I barely made it into the courtyard as I brushed by him, singeing his jacket, the other following behind. I tried to regain hold of my breathing as I fell to my knees. It just seemed to bubble up inside me. It was hot and scorching, a tearing sensation as it crackled along my arm. There were a few pops and then a cloud of smoke as the energy seemed to fizzle out in front of my eyes.

"Wha…"

I looked down at my hands, confusion written across my face. This was the first time it hadn't turned into a mess. I turned my hands this way and that as I sat barefoot on the grass. It had just fizzled out. It never fizzled out. Not like that. It was like I used a bit of energy and then bam. That was it.

"How…?"

"Well, I guess that means the serum is still working."

I turned toward 'Scott'. His tone was blunt as he stood there against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. The other, 'Logan', stood not too far before slowly making his way forward. He raised his hands, one at either side of his head in surrender. His footing was slow. No doubt he thought that I'd try to run again. I didn't blame him though. I should have run.

"Wait, what serum?"

I narrowed my eyes at the man as I looked between the two of them. Scott didn't say a word, merely looking at Logan. The man in question now stood a mere two feet from me, hands still raised in surrender.

"What serum?" I asked again.

I wasn't going to ask a third time, pushing myself up and about another three feet away from the strange men.

"It's not important," Scott shrugged, turning back toward the school.

At least I think it's a school.

"Then where am I?"

xXx

"Then where am I?"

That had been my first real question since waking up, the first thing that would actually make a difference. It had been obvious that I wasn't in Oklahoma anymore. It was colder here. The air didn't seem as dry either, despite the chill that still ran along my spine. It was also the only question that I had to ask once apparently as I saw them straighten up slightly, muscles tensing.

"New York."

"A school."

The words were spoken simultaneously and my mind had a hard time separating them for a moment, both just as vague and blunt. New York, that stood out though. Where, in New York, I had no clue. Suddenly, the severity of the situation seemed to kick in, my brain trying to catch up the rest of the way.

"New Yo… What!?" I snapped, eyes wide as I realized just how far away from home I was.

I had never been in New York. The majority of my life had been spent in Oklahoma. That wasn't to say that I hadn't thought about leaving the state. In fact, I had a couple of times due to my particular skill set. I'd also gone because at one point I had wanted a change of scenery. It was tempting, the glow of a new life on the horizon. I never did manage to pull through though, always backing out at the last minute. I really wasn't sure why, after all, there was nothing left for me, no matter how many times I'd bounced round. I'd out toward the west side near Waynoka and as far down as Durant near the Red River and Texas line. It wasn't like I had family, the ones around me barely being seen as friends.

Friends. Yeah, I saw rather quickly where that had gotten me. Lyko, Veil, Seth. Seth was a dirty bastard. They were all dirty. Ruthless fakes that played to their own goals. Damn the ones that mattered, the innocent, the lives lost. They just didn't care. No one ever seemed to care about what was right anymore, not if it meant getting what they wanted.

I could feel my anger slowly beginning to boil once more. The whole team had led me into a trap, setting me up, knowing full well the volatility of my powers. They knew where they were, the people that were there. It hadn't been far from the children's hospital either, the building standing nearly a block away. Yeah, it was a little run down, but that was beside the point. I never truly realized just how driven they were to their own goals, how careless, inhumane. Was Seth really looking to make that kind of statement of our kind?

"I'm sorry."

My eyes snapped upward at the sudden arrival, hands trembling as red cracked at my fingertips before fizzling away.

"Professor!" Scott exclaimed, moving to block him from my vision.

The man in question merely raised a hand, halting him in his tracks.

"It's alright, Scott," he assured him, wheeling forward.

A wheel car. He moved further, wheels gliding effortlessly atop the ground, grass crunching beneath its weight. Vaguely, I remembered his face. It was clean shaven, the blue suit he wore pressed and neat, same with the vest beneath it, tie tucked into place.

"I'm sure you are wondering what happened and how you came to be here."

It was more of a statement than a question as he spoke, quickly continuing as the other two stood close by, ready to move at a moments notice. It was almost comical as the near ginger stood there, arms crossed tightly. He was good looking I'll admit, but the near constipated look on his face killed it.

"Is something funny?" I asked, raising a brow in question at the man's suddenly stifled laughter.

I hadn't realized that I'd done anything remotely amusing. People had told me that at times I had a rather dry or morbid sense of humor. I didn't think so. Despite that, I couldn't imagine how trying to find out what was going on could be conceived as funny.

"My apologies, Miss Conners."

"How do you…"

I watched as his back straightened, the humor gone. Suddenly, the situation had changed, posture following. The others soon matched and the look of constipation on Scott's face vanished, if only for a moment.

"I know a great many things my dear," the Professor started. "Though there are also a great many things that I do not know. Like how you had found yourself within the group you were previously a part of."

I froze, attempting to swallow the lump that had suddenly formed in the back of my throat. I could feel it sitting there, heavy and weighted, nearly clogging my airway. I suddenly felt small beneath the man's eyes, guilty even as my mind worked for an answer that I didn't have. It wasn't something so readily available. It wasn't something explainable either. Not really. How was one to explain such a twisted thing?

"I realize though, that is not who you are."

"What?"

"Why don't we go inside and discuss things?" he suggested, gesturing back toward the doors I'd escaped through, the handle nearly charred in my haste. "I'm sure you'd prefer some… warmer attire?"

Alright everyone, that was chapter 3. I really hope you guys are liking it so far. As I've said, a lot of things are going to be changed. I still plan to keep the strong bond intact that she ends up having with Logan. I believe that was important for both characters, even though there is now a change in age, but as they say, family is what you make it. I also know you guys are probably wondering, "Where's Gambit?". Don't worry, we'll be seeing him soon. Their meeting is going to be different than in the original. More realistic and likely relateable. That's my hope anyway. Chapters will also become longer as well. Let the fun begin! Also, thanks Dawn Racer for the encouragement!