ANNOUNCEMENT: Two new stories-Like a Boss: Tainted Love and We're in This Together Now,along with the update wave! Enjoy! :o)

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! :o)

Chapter 16.

"I'll sit this out," Julian says.

They are in the Rec Room, and Santo has just announced it's time to pick up where they left off with Rockband. He, Victor and Nori have kept doing online competitions, and are currently ranked 2379 in the world, but that's only on a three-player mode.

Everyone seems ok with the idea, but seeing as Julian is still nursing his broken rib and will be for a while, he doesn't feel like playing.

"What other songs do you know, Laura?" Santo asks her.

They perform several pieces, their combined scores mostly around the 80's or 90's. Julian, for once, concentrates on watching the others and offering tips when he sees room for improvement (as he is considered a Rockband expert).

A few hours pass this way, then Santo assigns music for Laura to listen to and declares that he is going to bed. Julian notes that the girl seems to have enjoyed herself, and gives himself a mental pat on the back for insisting she be allowed to play.

"Want to watch a movie?" he suggests, when Laura sits on the sofa beside him, obviously not tired either. She nods, hesitates, then crawls closer to him, her eyes questioning.

"Be careful. Lie on the sofa and lean on me slowly," Julian answers. Cautiously Laura does as instructed, however he is still uncomfortable, his face contorted in a wince.

"Damn," he mumbles.

Laura sits up again and pushes him towards the edge of the couch; for a moment he thinks he is going to fall off and sees his life flash before his eyes (the idea being that he would die of pain). She slips in behind him and puts her hand on his side. "Lean back," she says, close to his ear.

Julian finds this less painful than the other arrangement, and soon he is focusing on loading the movie and starting it with his mind. He cranes his neck carefully, eyes the kitchen—just visible down the hall—and a few minutes later a bowl of popcorn floats into the room, along with some sofas from the fridge.

"Your control is improving," Laura murmurs, against his neck. He feels goose bumps raise on his arms.

"Yeah. I think it's that thing I was doing during…well, sex." He turns his head to look at her and grins slightly. "That's a really good incentive to perfect anything."

Laura nods slightly. "I think you are correct. It has improved your intricacy."

"So we can do it more often?" he asks. "If it was like, twice a day I bet I could do, like, needlework with my mind." He's trying to hint to her that he's ready. They haven't done anything together since the night before she'd tried to leave Utopia, about two weeks ago now. He does feel much, much better, and the last few days he's been able to eye down her top when she wasn't looking, and have pain-free reactions. He hasn't told her, but his telekinesis is also becoming finer because she often wears tops that have zippers on the front; when she isn't looking, he likes to unzip them. This had led Laura to believe her tops were too small, and he'd had a hard time convincing her they weren't.

Laura says nothing. They start to watch the movie, Julian holding a mass of popcorn in the air nearby and floating pieces down every so often. They make comments about the film, which is called The Happening, and try to decipher what is going on. Laura makes comments about strategy, while Julian's lean more towards analyzing the human behavior.

About three quarters of the way through, Laura's hand strays from resting lightly on his side, slipping down to his waist, and then around, very slowly. He feels her undo his belt, and he almost turns to look at her, then decides not to acknowledge it. He's amazed, as he always is, at how bold Laura is about letting him know when she wants him, and it always makes him instantly ready to go.

She moves slowly. By the time her fingers are at the waistband of his boxers, the movie is ending. The credits start as she actually slips them under, and rest them against his skin.

"Do you still feel pain?"

"Not at all," he murmurs. "Other than my ribs."

"Okay." She sits up and scoots down the sofa. "Roll onto your back."

He flops over carefully, and watches as the girl works him free, then as she suddenly takes him into her mouth, all at once. He almost loses it right there, seconds after being touched; he grips the couch to remain silent and keep it in. She starts to move her lips, and he reaches down and puts a hand on her head. "Can't hold it. Move up a bit," he whispers.

Laura releases him and crawls up the couch again; his reaches up her skirt and moves her underwear to the side, spends a few moments with his fingers, playing around with her folds and randomly releasing energy (which make her growl slightly, her hands gripping his shirt); then he pulls her down. They both arch their backs in satisfaction; he pulls her down and they kiss, deeper than they have for a long time. Laura makes a small noise against his lips, and for a moment he's completely happy.

Then she stiffens and breaks it off. "Cyclops," she whispers. Julian pales. They will be in big trouble if he catches them. He pats his chest; she lowers herself, and props her weight on her hands which are supported by the couch on either side of him. It is uncomfortable, but necessary. Then he pulls the blanket up with his mind, and they close their eyes, just as the X-men's leader wanders in, his hair mussed from sleep, and dressed in a plain t-shirt and shorts.

He looks at them. "What are you kids doing up?"

"Uh?" Julian asks, like he's just waking up. In reality Laura has down something inside that feels like she's trying to squeeze the life out of him. It feels incredibly good.

Scott looks at the TV screen. "Oh," he says, seeing the movie credits. "Get to bed. You know the curfew."

"Ok." Julian reaches up and rubs his eye. She repeats the squeezing, and he almost punches himself.

The leader doesn't see this, though. His back is turned and he's heading towards the kitchen; Laura sits up just as he's fully exited the room, and does the inside movement again, watching his face. His eyes glow slightly, and in reaction her eyes widen.

He is just about to let go when Laura lowers herself again; Scott is re-emerging from the kitchen. Julian tugs the blanket up again, making an exasperated face.

"Emma wants to see on Monday, Hellion," Scott says, sounding tired. "And there's a Danger Room session."

"Uh—okay," Julian says, faking a yawn. She is doing her newfound motion again. He decides that later he will take her to his room and then he will tease her until she begs, which could be a long time, considering Laura has experience withstanding torture.

"Why are you kids still here?" Scott asks.

Julian hesitates. "Tired. We'll get on that, s-sir."

"You'd better. Goodnight, kids."

"Night," Julian says, his face contorted. A few moments pass, then they hear a door closing, down the hall. He grabs her hips. "Christ…" he mumbles after about a minute. Laura lays down at his side and looks up at him. "Did that—"

"I liked it," he cuts her off hoarsely, then kisses her. "Come on. Need you in my room."

She gets off of him; he looks at the trash can and throws something out, mentally.

"I wonder, sometimes, what that would feel like," Laura speaks up. "If you did not—"

"Logan would kill me. He's made it quite clear." Julian reaches down and zips himself up. "Maybe someday, but not now."

Laura pauses. "Someday?"

"Maybe. Come on. Wasting time." He grins at her.

…

Julian strokes her face lightly, almost asleep, like she is. They have explored each other for hours, each reveling in being free to touch the other again after the rough patch they've just been through. Laura looks peaceful again, and he thinks about the fact that she will most probably be there when he wakes up, unlike a few weeks ago.

Then he thinks about what had come up earlier, and remembers a discussion they'd had in the mall, about the future. What does he want? He knows he's still young, but sometime not too far away—assuming he survives—he won't be, anymore. Does he see Laura with himself then?

Probably, he realizes. He thinks back to how deeply concerned he had been when Kimura had ripped her apart. It had gone beyond watching a friend suffer; it was much more than a casual attachment. He'd been disturbed to the point of being unable to eat or sleep, fighting himself about just going downstairs and doing what Laura had once instructed him to do: blow Kimura up. Kill her. And then when Laura had indicated she was leaving, he hadn't even cared about the life he'd been trying to make himself here. Granted it wasn't the best one, but it's all he has.

He thinks, too, about the times Laura has nearly died. On the floor, in hell; in his arms, after Nimrod had desiccated her. Not moving when the Sentinel had targeted him, so she wouldn't be hurt. And the things he's been willing to do to make sure that doesn't happen, things that usually involve a lot of pain and trouble for himself.

And the things she's done for him. He studies her sleeping face. Out of all the X-men, she is the only one on the team that will die for him, without thought. Loyalty is the word. It's very important to him, and they share this core quality very deeply.

He kisses the top of her head, then closes his eyes, breathing in her scent as he drifts off.

…

The next morning when he opens his eyes, Laura is already up, and using his laptop beside him, her legs folded neatly under her. He rests his head on the edge of her leg, and examines the webpage she is viewing. "Budget rent-a-car," he reads out loud.

"I have waited long enough," Laura says. "You have sufficiently recovered." She pauses. "Please, stay here. I do not want you to be hurt."

"Don't go, then," he says.

Laura doesn't answer this. "I have been thinking, on information I have heard before. I believe we can start the search in LA. I am almost certain there is a base there." She pauses. "There is one way to be certain…and I am going to need your help. Get dressed. I have already acquired the access codes we will require."

Julian raises his head. "You're going to interrogate Kimura."

Laura is silent.

"And you want me to do it for you." He sits up, runs a hand through his hair as the weight of Laura's assumption hits him. "I'm not going to kill her, Laura."

"I am aware." Laura's lips are pressed together. Her opinion on his reluctance to kill the woman is very clear. "I am asking you to hurt her. Until she tells me what I need to know."

"It's not what we do," Julian says.

"Yes, it is," Laura says, firmly. "Cyclops and Emma Frost employ this tactic. I have seen it."

"…" Julian frowns. "That doesn't make it okay."

"She would do no less to you, if given the chance," Laura says. "She has done it to me. By allowing her to keep her silence, you are doing it, to others. There are other projects out there—like myself—and they will not escape unless I help them."

"How can you be so sure?" Julian asks.

"Because after my escape, they are bound to have tightened security throughout the network," Laura says. "These projects…they will not have mothers, like I did. They will remove the one element that causes a weakness to their system."

Julian falls silent for a moment. "What happened to your mother, Laura?"

"I do not wish to discuss this," Laura says firmly. This is a matter she believes he has no business to know, and that if he did, he would not listen to all the facts. He would judge her. And therefore she will not give him the chance to.

"I wish you would tell me," he says, with a frown.

Laura ignores this. "Get dressed. We will go perform the task afterwards."

…

"How are we even going to do this?" Julian whispers. They are on the lower level—where the prisoners are kept—and Laura has stopped suddenly, squatted, and remained still for about five minutes, peering around the corner every so often.

"Keep your voice down," Laura says. He crouches down behind her and copies her glance around the edge of the wall. Down the hallway, he sees Colossus seated in a chair, reading a magazine.

"Usually, there are two guards," Laura whispers. "At the moment, Danger is being repaired by Maddison Jeffries. She was severely injured when Deadpool freed Kimura. Cyclops is not expecting any trouble at the moment, and thought that Colossus should suffice."

She glances again, as does Julian. He raises his eyebrow, noting that the big Russian's head has tilted down on his chest, and the magazine has slipped to the floor.

Laura rises to her feet. "Be quiet."

They practically tiptoe down the hall, and Laura presses her hand to the panel for the fingerprint scan. Julian is impressed, then realizes that as a member of X-force, she has had privileges that he wouldn't even know of. Cyclops probably has not thought to remove these privileges, because, honestly, who could expect Laura to break the rules?

The doors slide open soundlessly, and they begin to head down a long hallway, the reinforced metal panels sliding shut behind them automatically. Julian glances at the girl's face. It is expressionless; he can't fathom what Laura must be thinking, or feeling, about seeing Kimura again after what she had done to her. They enter a large round room, with a circle in the center, formed by seats. In each seat, is a prisoner; their hands are cuffed to the chairs by large braces, and their heads are similarly clamped by stationary helmets. All are asleep.

Laura heads towards Kimura, her face paling slightly. She stands in front of the woman that has abused her for so many years, her handler; for the first time she can just studyher, without being hurt. Kimura is oblivious, her eyes closed, her face relaxed.

"What's up?" Julian asks her, a few seconds later.

"Nothing." Laura moves to a control panel, in the center. "I am going to wake Kimura, but not unlock the restraints. They are Adamantium, which she cannot break. But you will need to begin immediately." She pauses. "Do you need suggestions?"

"Laura, I can't do this." Julian leans against the pod holding Donald Pierce, and rubs his forehead. "I know she's a bad woman…and…but I'm notlike that. I don't want to hurt someone."

"You helped me before. To find Cessily."

"That was different. We never actually hurt anyone. Well—you did—but everything I did was just bluffing. You're asking me to actually cause her pain."

Laura gives him a sharp look. "Do not come with me then."

"…" Julian closes his eyes. "You know I'm not letting you go alone."

"Julian, you do not understand. Kimura would kill us all, given the chance. She holds information we need, to destroy the facility. If Kimura does not want the pain, she will tell us what she knows. It is her choice." She pauses. "I would…appreciate it."

He looks down miserably, and says nothing. Laura turns back to the control panel and begins to type the command in, to awaken her handler.

"—utt—" Kimura's eyes snap open, and she looks around, spots Laura by the console. "KILL YOU!" she roars, her teeth gritted. "You STUPID LITTLE—urrk!" She pauses suddenly, her face contorting; Julian's eyes are glowing. He's still leaning against Donald Pierce's pod.

"Kimura. Where are the other facilities?" Laura demands, moving to stand in front of her handler.

"Real tough, X. Bring your little boyfriend to beat me up, without touching me. He's not a coward at all."

"You spent a big part of your life picking on a girl that was half your size," Julian points out.

"GRR!" Kimura glares at him. "You're DEAD, you know that? You first, then the clone. I'm going to rip you limb from limb, and rip off your—"

"I recall your not being able to touch me," Julian says. "Something about my being able to kick your ass by thinking about it. So shut up and answer her."

"Right, I'll get right on that," Kimura says. "Or not. I don't think I'm going to tell the clone a single thing."

Laura gives him a significant glance. Julian sighs, then makes a motion with his hand, a twisting one.

"ARRGH!" Kimura arches in her pod; there is a crackling noise. Julian's twisting her arm against its natural position. "NNNgggnnn…" she stares at Laura. "You're in a world of trouble, clone. When I get out of here…"

"No one's coming for you," Julian says. "Your friend upped and left. You're going to sit here and rot."

"You'll rot in your graves when I kill you. Unless I eat your remains."

"She is not in enough pain," Laura says. "Julian…you have to hurther."

"That's right, kid," Kimura says, grinning. "Hurt me! Come on! I'm going to kill you anyways. And all your little friends…and your girlfriend there, hoho, I didn't even have a chance to get started. Maybe I'll do you two together…I'll use her intestines to choke you. NNNYYAAH!" She whips her head to the side lightly, as Julian twists her arm the other way. There is a sharp CRACK!

"Shit," Julian says, feeling sick. "I didn't—"

"WHERE ARE THE OTHER FACILITIES?" Laura roars in her face. "I will have him kill you! Tell me, now!"

"Eat shit and die…clone," Kimura pants. Her arm is starting to swell.

"Julian! Do not stop!"

He looks at the woman. "How are you sure she even knows anything? Maybe she's bluffing. She was the facility's muscle. Maybe she wasn't told about important things like that."

"What? I so do!" Kimura says, outraged.

"I don't believe you," Julian sneers. "You're too dumb to be trusted with stuff like that."

Laura raises her eyebrow. A strategy she hasn't thought of. For all her strength and invulnerability, and cunning in battle…Kimura desires control. Absolute control. Making her feel like she is too unimportant to be in control will have an effect.

"SHUT UP! I'LL KILL YOU, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, AND EVERYONE YOU LOVE! I'LL—"

"My family doesn't love me, and at this particular moment in time, I don't give two shits about them," Julian says. "Besides, I fail to see how you're going to bust out of your pod thing here."

Kimura glowers at him. "You stupid piece of—"

"Laura, this is useless. She doesn't know anything," Julian says, grinning.

Playing along, Laura smiles. Being mocked by the clone is more than Kimura can take.

"RAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!" She struggles in the pod. "I KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT THE FACILITY!"

"Prove it," Julian says.

Kimura is silent, her eyes promising death.

"Let's go. This is a waste of time," Julian says. "Put her back to sleep and we can tell Cyclops she's just a useless pawn, and—"

"L.A." Kimura hisses the word. "Seattle. Montana. Detroit. Dallas. New York. Philadelphia. New Orleans. Vancouver. Toronto. Tokyo. London. Helsinki. Rome." She grins at Laura. "It's international. There's nothing you can ever do to change it, clone. Each facility has more than enough clones of you and meto stop you for good. That's not counting the hybrid creations."

Julian raises his eyebrows. "Huh. Guess she's brighter than she looks."

Laura's expression is empty, as she considers the implications of the facility being bigger than she'd imagined.

"You won't make it far enough to even find them. I'll kill you first!"

"Promises, promises." Julian looks at Laura. "Can you put her to sleep now? The only danger I feel I'm in is being bored to death."

"I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU! I—" Kimura's eyes close, moments after Laura has typed a command into the panel.

"That's how you handle people like that," Julian says, smiling at Laura.

Laura glares at him. "You could only achieve that because she is encased in Adamantium, and you knew the X-men would come running if she broke free. You do not appreciate how dangerous she is."

"Laura, I saw what she did to you. But she wasn't going to talk out of pain. I broke her freakin arm." He pauses. "I was trying to point out to you…you don't always need to hurt people physically to get what you want. There's a way to do it verbally."

"That is because you have had ample practice," Laura says quietly.

Julian stops. "You mean—I wasn't—Laura, that was ages ago. We talked about it."

"No, we did not." She taps a few buttons on the console, then heads for the hallway.

He follows. "Laura—"

"I do not wish to discuss this." She pauses. "Forget I mentioned it."

Julian catches her wrist. "No, we need to talk about this. I thought you knew."

"Knew what?"

"That I was crazy about you."

Laura gives him a look of disbelief.

"I was, and I still am. I just learned how to really deal with it. Instead of convincing myself that hating on you would make the feeling go away." Julian waits, as she thinks about this. "In a way…I was kinda hoping that you'd notice me…and the fact that I was leading people. That wasa kind of leading, considering I managed to lead most of them into excluding you."

Laura wrinkles her nose, but she eyes the boy. She knows he does not think this way now, and that he is being honest, which is one quality she values deeply about him. "I do not know these things unless you tell me," she murmurs. "I thought you believed I was an…abomination. That I was...flawed and inadequate."

"Yeah, that's kind of the angle I went for, isn't it?" Julian rubs his neck. "I had no idea you were raised in a cell, Laura. I thought you'd kind of get things. Well, I'm sorry it went down that way."

Laura turns her head towards the door. She doesn't look assuaged. "We should go. The sentry's heartbeat is increasing, signifying that he will wake up soon."