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A Matter of Honor	By : purenightshade Category: M through R > Mutant X Views: 1578 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Mutant X, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Title: A matter of Honor

Author/pseudonym: Nightshade

Author websites: http://www.angelfire.com/anime/makosmusings

Characters: Adam, Jesse

Rating: The ratings vary from chapter to chapter, but it�s intended to be NC-17

Pairing: Non-shipper, non-slash, involves original characters

Status: incomplete

Series/Sequel: series
Spoilers: As of yet, no spoilers

Disclaimers: All Mutant X characters are copyright to their respective owners. Honor and Claudia are my original characters and should not be taken or used without my permission.

Summary:A New Mutant�s powers start to evolve out of control and it�s up to Adam and the team to help put them back under control. An old friend of Adam�s returns to haunt him.

Send all comments to nightshade@catlover.com
Episode 04: Parting
Claudia sat on the edge of Honor�s bed, pondering what the younger woman had just told her. She�d told her about everything that had happened since she went to the mall, how she�d collapsed and wound up in Sanctuary. She omitted the little interlude with Jesse, only telling her that she�d helped treat his injuries. Claudia looked somewhat apologetic on hearing how badly he�d been hurt when she�d slammed him into the wall, but considering the damage done to her wrist, her feelings of remorse were considerably muted.

�So you see, Adam is just trying to help me sort out this problem with my mutation. He treated me for my blood disorder when I was younger, so he�s quite qualified to do this. He knows exactly what was done to me to fix that problem, so he should be able to help now.�

Claudia looked up at her. �Do you recall those stories I told you about college?�

�Yes, but what do they have to do with this?�

�You once asked me why I never went out on dates despite being asked several times. Do you remember what my answer was?�

�Yes, but-�

�That person was Adam.�

Honor looked at her in shock. �What?�

�That�s right. It was him. I didn�t want to tell you as you held him in such high esteem for saving your life. I couldn�t shatter that image you had, despite my hatred of him.�

It was Honor�s turn to ponder what she�d been told. �Why are you telling me this? Why now?�

�I don�t want you to be asking my why I hate him. I figure that it�s best for me to explain first so that it doesn�t come as a shock later. Now I�m going to ask you to keep this from the others. This is between Adam and myself and has nothing to do with them. Understood?�

�I guess so.� Honor looked very doubtful.

�Good. Now let�s see about getting a mattress or something for me to sleep on.�
Adam sat in his room holding a large picture frame. He was staring so intently at the picture that he didn�t hear Emma come in. She sat down beside him, waiting for him to notice that she was there. When he finally did look at her, there was a very strange look on his face.

�Adam, are you ok?�

He shook his head. �I�m very confused,� he said, setting the frame down on his desk. �I don�t understand what�s going on here.�

�All I can say is that hatred felt very real.�

�You got a hit off her?�

She nodded. �I�ve never felt anything like that before. Hatred, rage, hurt, pain, confusion, and an intense sadness mixed with something I can quite pin down all combined into one. All of it is clearly directed at you, but the confusing part is that there is a similar set of emotions focused back at herself. While she hates you, she doesn�t particularly have a high regard of herself. It�s very odd.�

He nodded and turned back to the picture.

�What are you looking at?� she asked curiously.

He turned the frame to show her. In the picture was a much younger Adam with Claudia, looking much like she did now, only smiling and happy, her arm linked with one of his. Adam was wearing a tux and she was in a long black dress with very thin double spaghetti straps. Her hair in this picture was long, falling to her waist and she wore a dark purple silken scarf around her neck. One end fell to her front to her thigh and the other fell down her back to the same point. �This was taken at our graduation from our first degrees at college. The girl I was interested in turned me down, so she took pity on me and offered to be my date for the night. It�s one of my best memories of her.�

�Didn�t you start college really early?� Adam nodded. �She must be pretty smart, too, then if you were schoolmates. How long have you two known each other?�

�I�ve always known her. Our mothers were friends in school, so we were raised together. Ever since I can remember, she�s been there. Claudia is, or was, my best friend, the one person I could always count on to be there. The last time I saw her was just after we graduated, me with my doctorate and her with her second masters. We�d gone to the graduation party together, but I don�t recall going home with her. I remember waking up in my apartment the next morning. Frankly, there isn�t a lot about that night that I do remember. I think I must have gotten very, very drunk.�

Emma blinked in surprise. �You? Drunk? I find that very hard to believe.�

�I was a lot younger then. �

Emma gave him an odd look. �So you have no idea why she hates you?�

He shook his head sadly. �Not a clue. I�d ask, but I know her far too well for that. It�ll make her even angrier.� He leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the desk.

�If you ask me, Adam, I recommend that you talk to her about it. Think about it. If you don�t, it�ll torment you. I think it�s worth the risk of angering her further for the sure knowledge of what the problem is. That, and it won�t cause you as much stress as it would if you tried to figure it out on your own.�

He picked the frame up again. �I�ll think about it,� he said flatly. His voice held no emotion.

Figuring that she wouldn�t get anything more out of him, Emma stood up and left the room, heading out into the living room. Seeing the others, she joined them. She looked around. �Where�s Honor?�

�Still talking to Claudia,� Shalimar replied, nodding towards Honor�s room.

Jesse looked very worried. �I wonder how they know each other,� he said.

�They obviously know each other well enough for Claudia to cause that much of a ruckus,� Brennan commented. He looked at them each in turn. �Did any of you know about her? Have you ever seen pictures or heard about her?� They each shook their heads

�Not before today at any rate,� Emma said, telling them about the conversation she�d just had with Adam, mentioning the picture on his desk.

�We�ve all been in Adam�s room at one point or another in the time we�ve been with Mutant X, so you�d think that one of us would have seen this picture,� Shalimar said, narrowing her eyes.

�Unless it was never out where we could see it,� Jesse said slowly. �I mean, think about it. If any of us had a friend that we hadn�t seen in ages, what would we do? For all we know, he might have thought she was dead or something and so didn�t want to talk about her or have pictures out where we could see them and ask questions.�

�That does make sense.� Shalimar sat back, folding her arms. �I know how I�d feel in his situation. An old friend shows up suddenly and hates you for some unknown reason.� She shook her head.

Honor walked out and joined them, followed closely by Claudia. They all looked up as the two women sat down. Claudia reclined, one leg crossed over the other and her arms folded, hiding the bandaged hand. Honor�s posture was a good deal stiffer. When she finally looked up, they all saw the pained expression in her eyes.

�I have to go home,� she said softly. �I can�t stay here in Sanctuary anymore.�

�What?� Shalimar asked, not believing her ears.

�Why?� Jesse added, leaning forward in his seat.

She shook her head. �I�ve been away from home for too long. People are going to wonder where I�ve been.�

�Will you at least talk to Adam about it first?� Emma asked. �I don�t think he knows how to help you yet.�

Claudia twitched at the mention of Adam�s name, but otherwise made no move and said nothing.

Honor nodded. �I have to say good bye to him and thank him for what he�s done so far. Don�t look so glum. I want his help, I truly do. I�ll be back when he figures this thing out, but I can�t come back to stay. I�m sorry,� she said finally, standing up and leaving the room.

Jesse got up and tried to go after her, but stopped dead in his tracks, unable to move forward. He turned to look at Claudia. Her blue eyes were glowing. When he stopped struggling, she let him go and stood up, walking towards him. She came right up to him. She had to look up as he was a bit taller than she was. �Stay away from her,� she hissed and walked away, following Honor down the hallway.

Brennan watched her go, an amused look on his face. �You know, Jess, I don�t think she likes you.�
Adam was startled back into the real world by a knock on the door. He sat up on the edge of his bed, rubbing his face. �Come in,� he mumbled. The door opened and Honor walked in, closing the door behind her. �What can I do for you, Honor?�

�Adam, I have to leave.�

�I thought we�d agreed that it would be best for you to stay here while I figure this out.�

�I know, but I can�t stay.�

He patted the mattress beside him, indicating that she should have a seat. She did so, but looked like she�d rather not be. She sat on the very edge of it. �Is there something wrong?� She shook her head. �There must be something going on. It�s not really safe for you to be out there. You never know when your new powers are going to act up again.�

�I know that.�

�Then why are you going?�

�I�ll be ok, Adam,� she said, smiling tentatively. �Claudia�s home now. She takes care of me.�

He looked very much like someone had just hit him over the head with a very heavy object. �Takes care of you?�

She turned away. �By now, you know about her telekinetic powers, right? That�s not all she�s capable of. It�s not very strong, but she�s also telempathic. She�s been helping me keep it under control by using her gift to set up temporary blocks with the hopes that I�ll grow into it.�

�How long has this been going on?�

�A couple years now. It�s not going as well as we�d like, which is why I want your help,� she admitted. �If I�d know you were so close to my home, I would have come to you sooner.�

He nodded. �I see. Honor, can I ask you something?�

�Sure.�

�How long have you known Claudia?�

�I�ve known her for a very long time. She used to baby-sit for me when I was a little girl. After my adoptive parents died, I had no one to turn to, so she came to stay with me. When this new mutation showed up, she offered her help. That was five years ago, give or take a few months.�

�Did you know about how she felt about me?�

�Not until today. She�d told me stories from her school years, but she never mentioned your name, so until she made that connection for me a little earlier I had no idea that you and this person I knew she hated were one and the same.�

�I won�t ask you why she feels this way. That�s just wrong.�

�I wouldn�t tell you in any case,� she told him. �I have no right. This is between you and her and I refuse to get involved in her personal issues.�

�You�re very wise for your years,� he said, impressed.

She snorted. �Hardly. It�s just how I was raised. My mom always told me not to get involved in things like this.�

Again, he nodded, this time standing up to look down at her. �I can�t say that I like you leaving in the middle of these tests, but I�m not going to stand in the way if you really want to leave. Is there some way I can contact you if I either have some results or need to run more tests?�

�Do you have a piece of paper and a pen?� He rummaged around and handed her a small square of paper and a pencil. She scribbled a few numbers on it and handed it back to him along with the pencil. �That�s my personal cell phone number. I ask that you don�t give this number to anyone else without asking me first. I would have given you the house number, but Claudia answers that one on occasion and I don�t want to be responsible for a conflict. Besides, it would lead to questions and possibly a confrontation between the two of us. She�s a good friend and I would rather avoid that if possible.�

He smiled. �I understand completely. I�ll let you know how things are going in a day or two.�

She stood. �Thank you for everything, Adam. I really appreciate it.�

�Not at all,� he said, opening the door for her. �Take care of yourself.� He looked outside the door and saw Claudia leaning on the opposite wall looking very annoyed. �Claudia,� he acknowledged.

She sneered back at him and turned to Honor. �Finished?�

Jesse and Emma came running up before Honor could answer. �Are you two ready to leave?� Emma asked.

When she nodded, Jesse continued. �Let us give you a ride in the Helix. It�ll be faster that way and I�m sure you�re both eager to get home.�

Honor sent a pleading glance at Claudia. She sighed and nodded. �Faster is good,� the older woman said simply.

�Great!� Jesse exclaimed, slapping his hands together. �We�ll get it prepped and ready to go. I�ll come get you when it�s ready.�

Emma watched Jesse walk away. He seemed like he was in a hurry. An awkward silence descended. No one really seemed willing to say anything, least of all Claudia. She seemed content to glare at Adam while cradling her broken wrist. Honor looked down the hallway in the direction that Jesse had gone. Adam�s face was flat and expressionless, but his posture suggested a great deal of tension. Emma looked between him and Claudia. The readings she was getting now from both of them were confusing, so she pushed them aside to analyze later.

They all stood there for some time before Jesse came back to tell them that the Helix was ready to go. Wordlessly, Emma, Honor, and Claudia followed him while Adam watched them go, returning to his room when they were out of sight. The Helix dropped them off in Honor�s backyard. Jesse, Emma, and Brennan were startled to see the size of the manor house where Honor and Claudia lived but said nothing. Jesse leaned in the entrance of the Helix, watching Honor enter the house. He stared at the door for a few minutes before Brennan dragged him back inside to return to Sanctuary.
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A Matter of Honor