A Soul Divided: Part Four

by Kerri

A week later, and she was no closer to getting home.

In frustration, she pound her fist against the computer console she was researching on, mad because it was so....archaic. She wanted her own computer, or even Hank's with the Shi'ar upgrades. This was getting her nowhere. If she had to resort to pencil and paper, she was *really* gonna blow her stack.

"That won't help," Beast said mildly. He sat at another terminal across from her. He raised a brow at her fit of frustration.

"You look like Mr. Spock when you do that," she told him. At his inquiring look, she sighed. "Never mind. Just when I think I've got the answer, it slips away from me. So far, the only possible theory is to recreate the Danger Room incident. That scares me."

"The wattage alone is risky," Beast agreed.

She stood up and stretched. "I need to get some exercise. Do you think anyone would mind if I used the pool?"

For what had to be the millionth time he marveled at how this Charlotte differed from Blade, wondered at the differences a slight cranial configuration made. "I don't believe so," he told her. "If you will wait a few minutes, I'll go with you."

The week had not been spent in vain. Jean took her shopping and she'd managed to obtain some more conservative clothing, avoiding Blade's dominatrix outfits. The hair she could do nothing about, but she kept it pulled back in a French braid so she wouldn't have to look at it. She didn't bother with the makeup.

She tried to take a turn cooking one night, but half the team wouldn't eat the meal, still understandably suspicious of her. Storm, Angel and Cyclops avoided her like the plague. Nightcrawler was civil, but distrustful. Magneto kept his distance for her sake, the sight of him upset her, though she was making progress separating this Magnus from Magneto. Wolverine upset her, too, but for entirely different reasons. She tried to avoid him, hurting every time she saw him, but he'd show up at odd times silently watching her, not in a hostile way. Gambit was alternately hostile and confused.

Jean and Beast were kind to her. Jean's attitude she could understand; as a telepath Jean was firmly aware of who she wasn't. Beast simply accepted her. He was still the same gentle man she respected in her reality.

She changed into the swimsuit Jean found for her in the lab closet away from the unrelenting surveillance monitors. Apparently Blade didn't own a swimsuit, she just pulled off her clothes and dived in when the mood took her. She stayed in the lab, waiting for Beast to come back.

"Goin' swimmin'?" Wolverine's gruff voice came from the doorway.

She swung around in the chair. "Yeah, I need a break."

"Why ya still sittin' here, then?"

"I'm waiting for Hank. He's going with me. I don't want any problems with the residents."

He came in and took Beast's seat. "They still givin' ya trouble, darlin'?"

His use of the familiar endearment fed her aching heart. "I don't blame them. I'll do what I can make things easier for them."

He shook his head in amazement. The old Blade would have gone out of her way to make trouble. 'Course, the old Blade would have never worn jeans and T-shirts, not to mention a swimsuit.

Her revelations about his other self ate at his mind all the time. The fact the other self had a mate, and this woman was her, took some getting use to. But then, if Blade had behaved like this woman did, had the same compassion and consideration this Charlotte did, he could imagine himself marrying her.

"I'll go wi' ya, too. No one'll mess wi' ya."

"That's kind of you, but I am not looking for a fight," she said. "I just want a little exercise. Maybe if I were to make myself available for combat some of the team could rid themselves of the pain Blade's caused them."

"Not a good idea," Wolverine told her. "Ya get killed."

"Like you tried?" she grinned at him.

"Yeah," he simply said. "Like I did."

"You so sure I'll lose?"

Beast returned, wearing his suit, with a couple of towels thrown over his shoulder. "Charlotte, my dear, are you ready?"

"Oh, yes," she jumped up and took one of the towels from him, hanging it around her neck. "I am so looking forward to this."

Beast looked at Wolverine, who shrugged.

At first glance the indoor pool appeared deserted. Charlotte laid her towel out on a poolside lounge chair in a spill of sunlight coming through the glass dome. She looked around to the other side and saw Storm resting on another lounge chair. With a sigh, Charlotte picked up her towel and wound it around her body. "I'm going back in," she told Beast. "I'll see you later."

He watched her walk off, confused. He looked over to where Storm was and understood Charlotte's change of heart. He picked up his own towel and followed her.

"Back so soon?" Wolverine asked when they returned to the lab. "Ya don' even look wet."

Charlotte didn't answer. She went to the isolation chamber she was using as sleeping quarters and closed the door, curling up on the bed.

"Storm was at the pool," Beast explained. "Charlotte won't stay anywhere she might upset someone."

Wolverine got to his feet. "I'll see ya later."

He made his way up to the pool. Storm was still there, dozing in the early afternoon sunshine. He took the seat next to her, waiting for her to acknowledge his presence.

She opened her eyes. "Something I can do for you?" she asked in her careful, slightly accented English.

"Jus' wonderin' how ya doin'?"

"I am fine."

"Charlotte was down here a few minutes ago. She wanted to use the pool."

Storm shrugged. "I did not stop her." She'd noticed Charlotte and Beast, had been ready to get up and leave until Charlotte left first. She was having problems separating Charlotte and Blade, her own experiences with Blade fresh and painful.

"No, ya didn', she stopped herself. She's tryin' to stay outta everyone's way. She ain' Blade, darlin', I'd know if she was."

"I know." she fell silent. "I am trying to accept her, it is just so difficult."

He said nothing.

"How can you forgive so easily?" she asked him. "Of all of us, Blade harmed you the most." His tolerance for the woman amazed her.

"'Cause she ain' Blade."

She stood up. "I believe I am done for the day. I will stop at the lab and let Beast know the pool is available."

Who would have ever thought he'd be playing peacemaker, he thought to himself.

[next part]

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