xp_logs | (no subject)

Kurt meets Meggan at the gate, and Amanda isn't far behind.

Meggan was feeling very tired and dirty and hungry... and decidedly ruffled,
after having that bag on her head for so long. But she was home, finally,
and she slipped easily through the narrow space between the bars of the
gate. As soon as she got to the end of the drive, there would be food and a
bath and Manda. Wincing a little as the gravel dug into her bare feet, she
headed slowly towards the house.

Professor Xavier had picked up her presence on the grounds immediately, and
alerted the staff. Others would be following, no doubt, but Kurt's
advantages allowed him to reach the gate long before any of them. He
teleported in a few feet from her, dropping into a crouch and holding
out his arms. "Meggan."

"Kurt!" Meggan threw herself into his arms, holding on with all four limbs.
"I was STOLE," she told him, sniffling a little bit. Now that it was all
over, the calmness of shock was wearing off fast. "An' I bited, an' they put
a bag on my head and di'n't give me anything to eat or drink or anything!"

He blinked at the sudden marked improvement in her English - and
speaking in general - but shook it off, standing and lifting her in
his arms. "I am sorry to hear that, Meggan." And so would her
captors be, if he ever found them. "But you are safe now, and home -
and you must be hungry."

She burrowed her face into his neck. He had bamfy-smell, which she usually
didn't like, but right now anything that smelled like home and safety was
good. "VERY hungry," she said plaintively. "An' I want Manda!"

"Then food and Manda you shall have", he told her reassuringly,
starting to carry her towards the mansion. "She has been worried
about you."

Meggan sniffled a bit. "Missed Manda," she said, still holding on tightly.
"An' you. An' everybody." Being a prisoner had been so very much worse, the
second time, because she knew that things could be better. "Never get stole
again!" She wiped her eyes with a grubby paw. "Bited them," she added rather
proudly.

He hugged her tightly, and managed a smile. "Good girl, Meggan. They
deserved no less. And I promise you, they will not take you again."

Meggan nodded. "Rescue Man said not ever again," she agreed, resting her
head on his shoulder. "An' said Manda wouldn't mind that I bited."

Kurt blinked, frowning slightly, then asked carefully, "Rescue Man? And no,
of course she will not mind."

"Man who rescue me. Bring me back." Meggan wrinkled her nose. "Didn't see
face... made me promise to keep bag on my head 'til he was gone. But nice.
Gave me apple juice and bring me home."

Kurt filed this away carefully for later consideration - someone who knew
where to bring Meggan home and was nice to her, but didn't want her to know
what he looked like... he changed the subject. "What would you like to eat,
Meggan?"

"Sandwich. With meat. An' a orange. An' cookies." Meggan snuggled against
him. "An' water. Thirsty." They were in sight of the house now, and she
wriggled around to look. Nearly there...

At that point the front door was flung open and a
slim, dishevelled shape came dashing out. Amanda
_didn't_ run, this was a well-known fact. She said it
was against her religion as a devotee to the Nicotine
God. But running she was, as fast as she could, and
had been since the Professor's voice had sounded in
her mind, telling her Meggan was home. She'd almost
knocked several people down the stairs in her hurry.

"MEG!" The words came out in a babble. "Thank gods
you're back, are you all right, I'm so sorry!"

"Manda!" Meggan wound up happily squished between Kurt and Manda as they
both hugged her. She put an arm around Manda's neck, kissing her cheek. "I
okay. Rescue Man said tell you..." She scrunched up her face, rememebering.
"Tell you that Patches won't ever come near us 'gain."

Kurt met Amanda's eyes over Meggan's head. He
remembered what the staff had been told about her
various encounters with Patches - and this was just more
evidence of what he suspected, regarding the identity of "Rescue Man".

"Patches. That fuckin' son of a motherless..."
Amanda caught herself, realising that anger - and
swearing - wasn't needed here. "An' listen t' you,
talkin' away with sentences an' all." She took refuge
in the mundane - her mind was shying away from what
would have happened if someone like Selene had decided
to make Patches a rich man. "He didn't hurt you, did
he?" she asked, running her hands over Meggan's face
and arms, making sure there were no bruises or cuts.
"Didn't hit you or anythin'?"

"He smack my head," Meggan said, rubbing the side of her head with
remembered indignation. "'cause I bited. Harder than bited Manuel,
even. An' then he tie me up an' put a bag on my head! For long long
time!"

"You did good, bitin' him. Someone smacks you like
that again, you bite as hard as you can." Amanda
couldn't take her hands off Meggan, apparently trying
to reassure herself she was actually here. Stroking
her furry cheek, she smiled despite the tears that
were insisting on welling up. "Look at you, a right
mess. An' I bet you're hungry, too. Did you get
anythin' t' eat or drink?"

"Rescue man give me apple juice. He bring me home too." Meggan cuddled
up to Manda, rubbing her cheek against Manda's. "He say name Paul.
Knew you long time ago, an' couldn't help you. So he help me 'stead.
Bring me here in car."

"Paul...?" Amanda looked up at Kurt, frowning at
little as she tried to remember. "There was a Paul
with Rack's people, used t' help fix me up after..."
She didn't complete the sentence - Kurt would probably
be able to draw his own inferences. "I haven't thought
'bout him in years."

Kurt nodded - clearly his suspicions had been unfounded - then looked down
at the tired child. "I think it is time Meggan went inside and we found her food."

Meggan nodded. "VERY hungry," she said plaintively, resting her paw on
her stomach. "I'm all empty here."

"Then we'd better fill you up, shouldn't we?" Amanda
said, her laugh skating the edge of hysterical relief.
Kurt went to hand Meggan to her, and she shook her
head. "You got her this far, only fair you bring her
the rest of the way." She rested her hand briefly on
his arm before reaching out to take Meggan's hand as
she walked beside the pair. "C'mon, monkeygirl, let's
go home, yeah?"