Lyrissa's Sparkles

Lyrissa woke up surrounded by a mix of sleepy, and sleeping kids, and Logan sitting in a chair watching her. She slowly tried to get up, without waking Allie, or hurting her burn, but sighed in defeat when she found it would be impossible.

“Need help?” he smirked. “Please?” she pouted, giving him a very pleading puppy pout, which looked ridiculous on her to him. He nodded and stealthily made his way over to her to avoid waking any of the kids, and helped her get Allie off of her so she could get up. “Thank you.” She mouthed and carefully made her way to the kitchen where she could hear someone quietly starting breakfast.

“Hey, you should be restin’.” Gambit frowned when he saw them. “I was asleep for almost eighteen hours Gambit, I need to be awake.” She smiled, hugging him before sitting down at the table. “Mornin’ Gumbo.” Logan grunted as he joined her. “Wolverine.” Gambit nodded in response and went back to making breakfast.

“So you feelin’ any better dis mornin’?” Gambit asked Lyrissa.

“A bit, thanks. I could do without these burns, but you know, other than that.”

“Dat’s good. Maybe dey get better soon, an’ you be back in de danger room soon, no?”

“Maybe.” Her hair wasn’t sparkling at all.

“You okay?” Logan asked softly. “Fine, I just know they aren’t gonna let me do anything with you guys for a while. I feel so bad for scaring everyone like that. I should’ve reacted faster, and been able to control where I was teleporting too. I was doing so good with it, why didn’t it work?” she replied in deep frustration.

“Hey, you didn’ do nothin’ to feel bad about. Gambit like it better dat you scare us den if you be dead anyway.”

“Thanks Gambit.” She smiled, a small sparkle returning, but nothing like her usual. Logan was starting to worry that she had lost her sparkle again.

Allie walking in, rubbing her eyes and crying interrupted their conversation. “What’s wrong sweetie?” Lyrissa asked as she climbed into her lap. “You were gone.” She cried, holding on as tightly as she could. “Baby, I’m right here. I only came to say good morning to Gambit, that’s all.” She smiled, trying to calm the five year old. “I woke up and you weren’t there. Spawkles I thought it was a dweam.” She sniffled. Everyone knew that she meant Logan and Lyrissa’s return, and even Logan felt bad for her.

“Is the child all right?” Storm asked as she joined them. “She’s fine. She woke up and Lyrissa wasn’t there; she thought us comin’ back was a dream and got scared.” Logan answered. “Maybe some chocolate chip pancakes make it better, no?” Gambit smiled, setting a stack down, and pulling out some extra plates.

The other X-Men slowly filed in for breakfast, and ate quietly speaking in hushed tones so they wouldn’t wake the sleeping kids in the next room. “Hey Jean, do you think you could take Allie so I could get a shower?” Lyrissa asked once they had finished eating. “Sure.” She shrugged, knowing it wasn’t going to be that simple. As soon as she tried to take her, Allie tightened her grip again and flat out refused to let go.

“Al, I’ll be upstairs in the shower, and then back down in like fifteen minutes. My hair’s a lot shorter now, so it won’t take long to fix. I’ll be right back I promise.” Lyrissa sighed. “No you won’t!” she cried, holding on for dear life. “What if I take ya, and we wait outside the door?” Logan asked, looking to Lyrissa as if to ask if it was all right. “That would work, right Al?” she asked hopefully. It took a while of pleading, and a lot of convincing, but eventually she agreed and let go of Lyrissa, only to be attached to Logan instead.

The three of them walked together to the bathroom, and just like he suggested, he and Allie sat outside the door while Lyrissa got cleaned up. A few minutes after the water turned on, they could hear her singing, but even he couldn’t make out the words. Allie knew the tune, and quickly started singing the words in her high-pitched, childish voice, which sounded surprisingly good.

“Hush now, my love, I’m here don’t cry. Hush now, my love, I’ll hold you through the night. Come now, my love, just close your eyes. Listen now, to my words, because it’ll be all right.”

“What song’s that?” he asked when she stopped to take a breath.

“Spawkles’ lullaby. She sings it to me sometimes.” She answered before continuing with the lyrics. “And that’s why, I love you, and I’ll always be by your side. And that’s why, I won’t leave you, why I’ll stay here through the night. I love you, my love, don’t worry tonight.”

Lyrissa stepped out of the bathroom a few minutes after, fully dressed and messing with her short, soaked hair. “I can’t believe how short it is!” she growled as she tried to braid it. “Spawkles!” Allie smiled, hugging her as she picked her up. “Hey babe told you I’d be out in a few.” She smiled, kissing her, then kissing Logan. “It looks fine, I kinda like it.” He smirked as they started their way down to the others.

“Nuh-uh, because it’s blue that comes next!” Kiera argued with someone as they neared the front room. “Is not, it’s orange.” Max spat. “We already have orange, that’s the second color.” Jazz sighed. “Guys, red, orange, yellow, green, then blue, then violet.” Jubilee explained. The four of them were sitting around a large sheet of poster board, surrounded by markers, crayons, paints, glitter, and other art supplies, trying to paint a rainbow through the background of their poster.

“What’cha makin’?” Logan asked curiously. “Don’t look! Go… uhm… go help Miss Storm in the garden!” Kiera replied quickly as Jazz and Max blocked the poster from view. “What’re you guys up to?” Lyrissa asked suspiciously. “Nothing” they answered together, which only made Lyrissa and Logan suspect more.

“Okay guys, I don’t know what you’re planning, but if Uncle Charlie hasn’t stopped you yet, it can’t be that bad.” Lyrissa sighed, knowing they were never going to tell them what they were doing. “Its not!” Max grinned and pushed her and Logan out of the room.

“Well, I guess we’re going to the garden then.” She smiled, adjusting Allie who demanded to be carried by her, so that her arms wouldn’t go to sleep. “Guess so.” Logan shrugged and followed her out. “Hey Logan, can you do me a favor?” she groaned suddenly as they walked.

“Hmm?”

“Fix my shirt in the back, I didn’t put any bandages on my burn after the shower, and it’s rubbing. It kinda hurts.”

“Well c’mon, let’s get to the infirmary and get ya some bandages. It ain’t gonna quit rubbin’ without ‘em.” He said after fixing her shirt. She nodded and followed him in the opposite direction.

“Hello Lyrissa, how are you?” Hank asked when they got to the infirmary; he was working on some paperwork on one of the kids. “Good, just need some band-aids for this burn on my back. Can’t wait until its gone.” She smiled. “You know where they are. I do like what you’ve done with your hair by the way.” He nodded cheerfully. “Thanks.” She mumbled, she really hated having short hair, and missed having it long.

Allie once again refused to let Lyrissa go, which meant they had to fix her bandages with her standing up, holding Allie again. Logan accidentally scratched the top of her burn, and almost made her cry, and felt extremely bad for it; but other than that it went without a problem. “Thanks Hank.” She smiled once they had finished. “Not a problem. Take care.” He answered, carefully hugging her before they left to help Storm in the garden like Jazz, Kiera, Max, and Jubilee demanded earlier.

“Allie, you’re gonna have to let me go eventually.” Lyrissa sighed as they walked. “Uh-uh.” She whined, burying her face in her neck.

“Why not? How about we just walk together, and I hold your hand?”

“No.”

“Allie, what’s wrong, huh? I’m not going anywhere.”

Allie didn’t answer. Lyrissa sighed and adjusted her, and walked in silence until they got to the garden. They exchanged hellos, and had some small conversation, but the majority of their time with Storm was spent in silence. Lyrissa was pretty tired from carrying Allie all day, and knew it wasn’t going to end any time soon.

“Hey Sparkles!! Look at this!” Box shouted suddenly from a second story window. As soon as she looked up, he jumped out and slid down a purple slide that appeared from nowhere, and into the pool. Jazz slid down right after, her hands aglow, and took away the slide as soon as she hit the water. “Cool guys!” she smiled as he and Jazz climbed out and ran over to them.

“You wanna hang today?” Box asked after plopping down on some patio furniture. “If Allie can come, I can’t put her down.” She answered. “Well, yeah if she wants. We were just gonna go explore the woods over there. Professor Xavier told us it’s okay if we stay close.” Jazz grinned. “Sure, you going now?” she asked. “Well, after we get changed yeah. Can’t hike in your swim trunks.” Box answered. “Well you can, but it’d suck if you got poison anything.” Jazz smirked before they darted into the house.

“You comin’ too Logan?” she asked, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Sure.” He shrugged, playing with her hair. The ends were a bit rough and frizzy from being burned, but the rest of it was just as soft as ever. He did notice it wasn’t sparkling as much as usual; it was just a few sparkles here and there.

“You feelin’ alright?” he asked quietly. “Mmhmm.” She nodded.

“Ya don’t look it.”

“I’m fine Logan, really.”

“Alright. But if ya wanna talk, just say so. I’m here.”

“You ready to go?” Jazz asked suddenly, trying not to giggle from how close Logan was to kissing Lyrissa. “Yeah. Logan’s coming too.” She nodded, slowly standing up and re-adjusting Allie before heading out with Jazz and Box.

“Remember when you used to tell us those stories about woods like this?” Box smiled as he jumped over roots and fallen branches. “Yeah, I remember.” Lyrissa smiled. “Is this the place you were talking about?” he asked. “Yeah, kinda. When I lived here before, I would play out here a lot. Usually with Jean, Rogue, or Scotty.” She answered. “Cool. Hey, I bet I could get to the top of that tree over there!” she shouted, changing the subject entirely. “Beat ya can’t!” Jazz jeered. “Oh yeah? Watch me.” He smirked, and started to climb.

Fifteen minutes later, his head was poking out the top of the pine tree. “Are you serious?” Jazz laughed. “Yeah! I win!!” he shouted triumphantly. “Yeah, so get down!” Lyrissa laughed. He got very quiet, and didn’t move. “Really Box?!” Jazz gasped, fully amused. “No! I… I can get down. Just uh… just wait. Yeah, I’m cool…” he called back and disappeared into the tree. Logan, Lyrissa, Jazz, and Allie all watched as the branches moved here and there, and slowly the movement traveled down the tree.

“No, no, no, you stupid tree!” Box yelled suddenly. “What happened?” Lyrissa asked quickly, worried that he may be hurt. “It has my pants, chill Sparkles I’m fine!” he shouted back, pulling the branches around to free his pants. They heard a branch snap, and Box swear, and suddenly he was on the ground under the tree. “Box, are you okay?” Lyrissa gasped. “Yeah… that’s not how you climb trees.” He groaned, getting off the ground and brushing the dirt off his ripped pants. “Nice one.” Jazz smirked. Box was laughing, and joking around, which meant he was okay.

An hour later they were back at the mansion. Allie had fallen asleep, and Xavier had taken her from Lyrissa to give her a break, which gave her a chance to go up to her room for the first time since she got home.

“They really went all out fer ya didn’t they?” Logan asked when they opened her door, and saw the memorial that had been set up for her. “Yeah.” She smiled and went about organizing the gifts, and clearing off her bed. “What’s with the trash bags?” he asked, noticing several black trash bags draped over her furniture and windows. “Mourning thing. We didn’t have black cloths and curtains in the sewers, so we used black trash bags when Dee died. We covered his bed, and favorite things, and hung them around down there. I guess they figured it would be better to do that up here too.” She explained, taking three off her bed, and finally laying down.

“Lay with me?” she asked softly, she looked so small and frail, it was impossible for him to say no. “What’s the matter?” he asked as she snuggled up against him. “I don’t know. I just feel bad, about everything. And even though I shouldn’t, I feel … I feel scared.” It was very hard for her to admit to anyone that she was afraid, of anything. “Ya don’t have to be, ya got me protectin’ ya, and ya got everyone else lookin’ out fer ya too.” He whispered, kissing the top of her ear lightly.

Without thinking, Lyrissa leaned up and kissed him. He kissed back gently, being careful of the burns on her back and arm. He saw her hair start to sparkle again before he closed his eyes and deepened the kiss, until they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“God just doesn’t like us doing this, does he?” she sighed somewhat angrily. Logan growled and let her answer the door. “Allie’s awake.” Was all Scott had to say for them to know Lyrissa had to go. “Okay Scotty, I’m coming.” She sighed, and waited for Logan before following him to her room.

“See? There she is, told ya she’d be back.” Rogue smiled, letting Allie attack Lyrissa with hugs and demands to be carried again. “Thanks for taking care of her Rogue.” She smiled, stroking Allie’s hair, trying to calm her down. “It’s alright Sugar, I didn’t mind it.” She smiled.

“Allie, you okay now?” Lyrissa asked. She nodded and started happily playing with her hair, watching the sparkles. “Good, I don’t like you being sad.” She smiled, and sat down on her bed. It wasn’t long until Allie fell asleep again, with her arms wrapped tightly around Lyrissa’s neck. Lyrissa, unable to move herself, dozed off soon after.