Past Meetings
Fandom: X-Men movieverse
Paring: None
Rating: PG
Status: New, complete
Archive: If you ask nicely :)
Series/Sequel: No
Disclaimers: They aren't mine. You know that. I'm just borrowing them.
Notes:Thanks to Hanofer, Peja, Lee and Taryn, for hosting my work. Thanks to
Lythias, who hasn't only gotten me into this and read all my work, but is
making my web page. Thanks Lythias :) Also, thanks to Forest, who always
gives me feedback.
Summary: Past meetings between certain people, which are barely remembered.
Warnings: Injury to a child. Nothing nasty though, no abuse. :)
He let his feet trail through the water. He loved his boat, it was a place where he could get away and be alone, without having to wonder when people would start harassing him.
He lay back on the deck and adjusted his sunglasses, squinting against the sunlight. No clouds marked the beautiful red sunrise, and he smiled to himself and stretched backwards, his body glowing faintly in the light.
He watched the plane flying over overhead, leaving a trail of white in the sky like a path to those who may follow. He reached up and traced the line in the air with his finger, feeling like the sky was within arm's reach, if he just stretched that little bit further.
Al he needed now was a cold beer and it would be the perfect morning.
He snickered to himself and grabbed his esky. He pulled it open and snapped off the bottle lid, leaning back onto the deck again.
He tipped the bottle to his mouth, nearly choking. He sat up slightly to resume drinking, casting his gaze over the blue sky.
A loud noise shocked him. He dropped his beer and turned around, quickly focusing on the source of the noise.
The plane had flames dancing along its wings. It was spiraling out of control, heading towards his boat, but it would crash before then.
As he watched, an emergency capsule dropped from the plane, and it spun back in the other direction.
He watched the capsule hit the water. It was quite a distance away, but he could hear screaming. He grabbed his radio, sending an emergency call to the coast guard, before stripping off his jeans and diving into the water.
He stroked out easily, the cries and sobs becoming louder as he drew closer. He increased his stroke as the noise became clearer, the sobbing more coherent.
There was a child in there.
He clambered up onto the capsule, it was only large enough for one adult, tight squeeze, and popped the hatch, peering inside.
A small child sat huddled in the corner. Blood stank the area. He leaned in and held out his hand. "C'mon, kid, gotta get you outta there."
The child nodded and crawled forward, barely steady enough to do that. He reached up to be helped out of the capsule.
His light hair was stained red with blood. His eyes were unfocused, and he was favouring his right leg quite heavily. His eyes rolled backwards, showing whites, before he shuddered and convulsed, seizing violently.
He caught the small child and swore. This was not good, this was so not good. He sank into the water, cradling the kid to his chest, before kicking away from the capsule and starting an even stroke back for his boat.
He hauled the kid out of the water and onto the deck. Some of the blood had washed off, and the salt water would help the wounds, whatever they were.
He checked breathing and heart beat, before rolling the kid on his side on the deck. He opened the mouth and dragged his jacket over the shivering form.
He could hear the emergency boats approaching in the distance. He breathed a sigh of relief.
The kid coughed and made as if to sit up. He knelt next to him, laying a firm hand on his shoulder. "Hey, stay still."
The kid continued to struggle. He sighed and held him down with more force. "You understand me, bub?"
The boy looked at him, blue eyes trying to focus on the blurry image. He nodded.
"How old are ya?"
He held out his hand, all fingers extended. His rescuer smiled. "Yer five?"
He nodded.
"Where's yer mum and dad?"
He pointed up and looked around, as if trying to work out where he was and how he got there.
The coast guard boat pulled up next to his, men in green medical jumpsuits jumping over to his deck. "This the only survivor?"
"Only one I found. He said his parents were up in the plane."
They were pulling out portable machine from everywhere and taping things to every piece of exposed skin. He was bundled up in a thermal blanket and put on a stretcher, before being moved over to the other boat. One of the men turned to him. "You know the kid?"
He shook his head. "Nope, just found him."
"You got a contact number. The police are going to want to speak to you."
He gave them a name and address, none of it real. He couldn't risk it.
He watched them carry off the boy, not realising until they gone that he had given him his leather jacket.
Small price to pay for saving a kid's life.
The End