psinex@yahoo.com Reverse Polarity 2: Slayer's Dawn by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: Everyone here is Marvel's, except for Buffy and Co., who's 20th Century Fox's. Please don't sue. NOTES: Yes, she's back ! BWAHAHAHA !!! -------------------------------------------------------- Sunnydale, Calif.: 6/12/96: 08:00 hrs PDT: -------------------------------------------------------- "Daaaddy, get up !" Scott Summers rolled over and smiled with a sigh at the elder pair of his four children. "Hi, Ray, Buffy," he sighed from beneath his covers. "You PROMISED we'd go to the beach today !" Buffy - her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail - begged. Rachel nodded, looking at Scott with equally pleading green eyes. ~I'll get them into their swimsuits,~ Jean sent with a wink from the doorway. The family's 4-year-old twin boys, Nathan and Steven, were already in their swim shorts, and bounded onto the bed with TK-enhanced glee. "C'mon, Pa !" Nate giggled. "Yeah !" Steve grinned. "OK, OK," Scott laughed, shooing his brood out the door and rising. #Can it really be seven years since the Phoenix ?# he thought, showering and throwing on his trunks and a T-shirt. He whistled as Jean met him at the doorway in a two-piece, a sun hat atop her head. ~Looking good, cutie,~ she sent with a mischevious wink. ~You're not too bad yourself,~ Scott thought along their rapport, kissing his wife. They headed for the minivan, finding the kids already strapped in and smiling broadly. "How're you doin', Nate ?" Ray asked, looking at her brother's scarred cheek. "'M OK," Nate nodded. Scott sighed as he started up the van; he'd thought he could trust the dog he'd bought the kids last Christmas. #We're lucky Nate didn't lose an eye,# he thought. #But he seems OK with it ...# "Th' wheels on th' van go 'round an' 'round, 'round an' round ..." the boys chanted. "What'cha readin', Buffy ?" Ray asked her fraternal twin. Buffy smiled and looked at the cover of the incredibly thick book. "S'bout monsters an' stuff," Buffy said. "'The Golden Dawn' ?" Jean said. "That's for my psychology class at the community college, sweetie. Maybe you ought to -" "But I LIKE it," Buffy pleaded. "B'sides, th' 'Little Engine that Could''s borin'." ~She's got your brains,~ Scott smirked mentally as they pulled into the parking lot. ~Well, you're no slouch in that department either,~ Jean replied, helping the kids get out and gathering their bags telekinetically. #That's one blessing about Sunnydale - people don't care if we're mutants,# Jean thought with a smile. #Of course, considering who founded the town, we're positively normal ...# She locked the van and set up beach towels and an umbrella before making the kids hold still and slathering sunscreen on them. "OK, now you can go," Jean told her horde, laughing as they all pounced on Scott in the surf. "Must be nice," a voice called from behind her. Jean jumped up and looked over her shoulder in surprise, her fear and surprise making Scott look back up at them from the shoreline. ~I'm OK - it's just - ~ Jean thought before total disbelief set in. "Cute kids," Logan said, sitting beside Jean's deck chair in cutoff shorts. "They're a blessing," Jean replied evenly. "What brings you out here, Logan ? The last I heard, you were dead." "You don't sound heartbroken, Red," Logan countered. "Of course I was !" Jean frowned, glaring at her former teammate. "But Scott and I swore never to get involved in that chaos again. We earned our rest, Logan. You and the others didn't have to go to Dallas." "I understand duty, Jean," Logan nodded. "Th' New Mutants learned that too. Good thing McCoy an' that doctor friend o' his from X-Factor - Reyes ? - took up th' headmasterin'." "Hank's got a good heart," Jean agreed. "How many graduated ?" "13, countin' Rusty, Skids, Rictor an' Boom Boom," Logan said, watching Scott play with the children. "Most o' them're becomin' the X-Men Red." "They're to be commended," Jean said, looking at Logan. "Why are you here ?" "To tell ya Chuck's back from outer space," Logan said. He felt a pang of sympathy for Jean as her face contorted in fear, then rage, and finally a frown. "If he comes near my children -" Jean hissed. "He's bedridden, Red," Logan replied. Jean listened as Logan told her about Xavier's misadventures, finally nodding as the tale of Muir Island concluded. "Chuck ain't inta kids, Red," Logan added. "I've smelled that kinda scum, an' -" "I'm not talking about deviant sexuality, Logan," Jean sighed. "I mean, I don't want my children caught up as soldiers in a war we can fight other ways - that we adults can fight." "I know. We heard y'r speech durin' the Mutant Registration Act hearings," Logan nodded. "You took a risk y'rself, goin' public with Scotty like that." "We're not going to hide behind mansion walls, Logan. That totally defeats the purpose of the Professor's dream," Jean said. She looked regretful and added, "Maybe I'm being too hard on him ... he lost David, didn't he ?" "Kid's in a coma," Logan replied. "Gabbie moved him t' Tel Aviv. There's another favor we gotta ask, Red, 'bout kids." Jean listened to Logan's request, then laughed for a while. "You think for an INSTANT that Scott's going to agree to this !?" Jean snickered. "Actually, he probably would ... he loves irony." "Kid's well-behaved, an' his power kept him clean o'Farouk," Logan agreed. "Excalibur thinks th' world o' him, but their place got blown up. He's a pretty decent rugrat, Jeannie." "What about Wanda and Pietro - wait, don't tell me. They're too busy," Jean said. "Piet joined that new government outfit, X-Factor, an' Wanda's got her hands full with her twins," Logan shrugged. "You got room, carin', an' experience with mutant kids, Red." "You're hopeless," Jean smiled. "Here comes Scott - he 'heard' our conversation." Logan arched an eyebrow as Scott followed the kids up the beach, and Buffy sat beside Logan with an odd expression. "You're diff'rent," she said. "Kid, you got no idea," Logan chortled. The boys clung to Jean fearfully, while Ray glared at Logan and growled, "You're all mean inside." Her face softened, and she added, "But'cher hurt, too." "Rachel, it's impolite to scan others without asking," Jean reprimanded the girl softly. "Sorry," Ray said. "I just felt his feelin's ..." "Cripes, Summers, y'r breedin' 'em powerful," Logan sniffed, rising to shake Scott's hand. "So ? What's yer choice ?" Scott and Jean looked at each other, and Scott slowly smiled - a sincere smile, Logan thought in surprise, considering the request. "Logan, you're giving us a chance to keep the world's deadliest mutant from going bad again," Scott grinned. "Why would we say no ?" -------------------------------------------------------- Summers Residence: Noon: -------------------------------------------------------- The Summers kids watched from the banister with wide eyes as a blonde girl in armor appeared with a small boy in a circle of light in the front hall. "She's a WITCH," Buffy whispered. "I c'n tell ..." "How ?" Steve asked curiously. "Buffy's got th' Sight," Nate said. "Gram tol' me so when we saw her last. Buffy pre-pre-predicted th' storm, right ?" "Thanks, Nate," Buffy smiled, blushing. The kids descended semi-nervously as Jean called, ~Kids ? Come meet your new foster-brother.~ They crowded at the foot of the stairs, waving at the boy who waited beside the teenaged girl. He had white hair - not the towheaded surfer hair some local kids had, but honest-to-God WHITE hair - and his eyes were bright blue. "Hi," he smiled shyly. "'M Erik." "Hi," Buffy said, smiling and leading the others over to him. The kids introduced themselves, while Buffy looked at the blonde girl with a nervous expression. "Well, I don't like YOU either, Slayer," the teen growled, backing away. Scott and Jean looked over in surprise, and Jean said, "What did you call Buffy, Illyana ?" "You'll find out soon enough, Mrs. S," Illyana said warningly, vanishing in a stepping disc. "You'll find out soon enough ..." -------------------------------------------------------- Most DEFINITELY to be continued ! -------------------------------------------------------- end _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com