Chapter 24

Rowan, ran from his anger and hatred. What had changed? What had she done to deserve this? Why was he so angry with her? Furious tears streaming down her face making it hard to see, she lost her way, had no idea where she was going anymore, as long as it was anywhere far away from him, she didn’t care.

The look in his eyes, as he threw her out, haunted her. She had never seen such rage before, and never wanted to be on the receiving end of it again. She had to find out what she had done to him, because that kind of anger didn’t spring from nowhere. Somehow she had created this, that much was clear.

Rowan reared back after running into someone.

“I'm sorry.” She said and tried to move past the person.

“Rowan. What’s the matter my dear?”

“Why does everyone know who I am, yet I know no-one. I'm sick of it. Just let me pass, please.”

“I'm your father Rowan.” Alexion said taking her in his arms. “There, there my dear. You’re ok.”

“How would you know if I'm ok? You haven’t even bothered to come and check, and I’ve been here for hours.” She cried. Snot and slobber choking her.

“We thought you needed to rest, before everyone descended on you, little one. It's been hard staying away, but you’ve been so ill, we didn’t want to risk over taxing you.”

“Really? So it's not that you didn’t want me here.”

“Oh, little one.” He said wrapping his arms around her. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

Rowan just sobbed, great big heaving sobs. She cried in earnest for everything. The last 48 hours had been hell. Everything she had been through, everything that she had learned. Her body shook from the force of her sobs and once she started she couldn’t stop.

“My name is Alexion, you can call me that if it's too soon to call me father.” He said rubbing her back affectionately, comfortingly. “Would you like to see your mother, I know she’s chomping at the bit to see you. I’ve had to keep her very busy, while you rested.”

Rowan shook her head, no. She couldn’t deal with anyone else right now, she was only hanging on to her sanity with the barest of holds, and one more person would tip her over the edge. She wanted to see her mother but it could wait until she was able to deal with more.

Alexion walked with her to her room, picking her up when her legs gave way. She buried her head in his shoulder and continued to sob.

“What must you think of me?” she said, when she was finally able to say anything. She felt like a complete wet blanket, a total cry baby, and she was sick of it. She had done nothing but cry and be pushed from pillar to post recently, and she’d had enough. She was not going to be a blubbering idiot anymore.  

“I think that you need your rest. You’ve had a lot to deal with, and it's not surprising that it's upsetting you.” Alexion said comforting her.

“Maybe your right. Things might look better in the morning.”

“Thats my girl.” Alexion said stunning her, she’d never been called anyone’s girl before, and the feeling was nice. She belonged somewhere, to someone. Wow, this was her dad......

“So where is that man of yours? I thought for sure he’d be with you. He even threatened me, did you know that? He’s a good man Rowan, I couldn’t be happier for you.”

Rowan started crying again. Oh for god’s sake pull yourself together she told herself. She sniffed and wiped her face on the robe. Pushing all that pain away from her.  She was a princess, she better start acting like one, and just as soon as she found out how to do that, she would.

*

Xavier took Storm to his parents place. He didn’t want to be anywhere near Rowan right now. He wasn’t sure he could control himself around her. In fact he knew he couldn’t, but what he would do was another matter. He had already manhandled her and was feeling incredibly guilty about that, but that was just the iceberg of his feelings towards her.

He spent the next several days looking after Storm and attending her. His parents had wanted him to give her over to the medicians but he refused. He wanted to take care of her himself, he owed Rogue that much at least. He had given up his life to save Rowan and look where it had gotten them.

He wished not for the first time that he hadn’t sent someone back in time to help him save Rowan. They had messed up the time lines and Rogue had paid with his life.

She still had yet to regain consciousness but she was looking better. He made sure she was drinking enough water. It took hours every day to get the water down her , but he had nothing but time on his hands, He did everything to keep from thinking about Rowan, but would find her popping up at stupid times.

His dreams where the worst, so he had started sleeping less, and as a result, he’d day dream. She really was ingrained in him. He could feel her calling to him, needing him, but she wasn’t in danger, so he resisted the urge in him to go to her.

Storm grew stronger everyday, she would soon be awake and when she did, he would ask her to go back in time. She would want to save her brother.

 *

“The masked ball is today. Are we going?” Storm asked him for the umpteenth time.

After she had woken up it had become clear that, although she had the body of an adult, she had the mind of a child. She bounced rather than walked and got distracted easily. Right now she had taken a drink and held it in her mouth, waiting for Him to answer her. Her tea escaping her mouth threw the piercings in her lip. He resisted the urge to wipe her chin, it really was like looking after a toddler.

“I’ve already told you, NO.” Xavier sighed. He couldn’t go. He wouldn’t be able to resist her, he was hungry and it wasn’t for blood, it was for her. If he broke down now and went to her, the last week of going through withdrawals, would have been torture for nothing.

“But I’ve never been to a ball. I want to go. Please.please please.” Storm said bouncing around him.

“What about your brother? I thought you were going to go back tonight? It's the full moon tonight.” Xavier told her.

“But I want to go to the ball.” She pouted. “Ok, I have an Idea...... we go to the ball and then I will time shift, or I wont do it.” She stomped and crossed her arms over her chest.

“You are infuriating, has anyone ever told you that?”

“Yeah. Rogue says it all the time.” She said sticking her tongue out at him, before the sadness in her eyes took over and she remembered that he wasn’t around anymore. This happened a lot with her, she would forget Rogue was dead and then remember. He had tried to get out of her how the Shifters aged but she just shrugged and told him that she was 16. More like 3 if you asked him. It was so confusing, looking at her you would think she was around 20 to 22 but talking to her soon cleared that up.

“Ok we can go to the ball, but only if you behave and we leave before midnight.”

“Really! You mean it?” she squealed. “Oh I have to find something to wear!” and she ran off, no doubt to find his mother, who had taken to Storm like she was her long lost daughter.

Xavier sighed and rubbed his face. He was so darn tired. If it wasnt keeping Storm under control it was keeping Rowan out of his head. He hadn’t had a moments rest.