(NYC) Family Reunion [Sins, Mercy]

[Mercy]

Mercy nodded slowly, agreeing sullenly with the statement with a sort of hollow feeling that came from having never known them. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, wincing slightly. She’d been feeling a bit draggy all day, and her head had been starting to bother her long before she’d hit it against the wall. She knew the reason for the aching and the grogginess; she’d had the symptoms before.

She was trying with all her will to keep at bay the thoughts that this time, it was only going to get much, much worse. If she was really going to go with Wade, she had to quit. And besides, even if she didn’t go with him, and chose to stay with Carter…She didn’t want him to know that side of her. She had to drop the habit, she knew she did, and she wanted to with all of her heart. But she’d tried before, and she’d never gotten very far. It was impossible.

Mercy took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I guess I should tell you…where I’ve been,” she said, trying to keep light what was a very dark subject. She moved to the couch, and sank down onto it, sitting on the edge with her hands clasped in her lap. “I, uh…The accident was a setup. To kidnap me. Somebody knew I was a mutant, somehow, someone in the government. A guy named William Stryker who experimented on mutants. So I guess I was there for a long time. But then somehow I ended up here—Well, in a crappy apartment in the Bottoms. I don’t know why they got rid of me, but I guess they erased my memory so I wouldn’t remember any of that.”

“And that’s where I’ve been for the last year and a half. I didn’t even know I was a mutant until a couple of days ago…When these guys popped up,” she finished, looking up to her Senses, who had barely moved from where they stood.

“I thought I must have been Cured – I’ve read about that happening – but isn’t that permanent? So why did I just get my powers back?”

[sins]

Carter was silent as Evie told him where she had been all this time - or rather, the little she knew about where she had been. He had been afraid to ask her, because of all the horrible possibilities. Being experimented on was pretty terrible, but living with the Sins had given Carter a perverted sense of what evil could happen to a person.

“I thought I must have been Cured – I’ve read about that happening – but isn’t that permanent? So why did I just get my powers back?”

"I think it's permanent, yeah. I tried to go to the clinic one but..." Carter looked up at Gluttony stuffing his face behind Evie. The Sin laughed around a moutful of ham and cheese.

"Yeah, we couldn't let you do that." said Pride.

"Shit, Carter, do you know what time it is?" Wrath shouted from the hallway.

Carter looked down at his watch. "Oh...God." He bit his lip and looked back at Evie. "I have to go."

[Mercy]

Mercy cocked one eyebrow, giving him a curious, slightly disbelieving look. "Does this have to do with them again?" she asked, looking to the clones before returning to Carter.

"Cause you don't have to go if that's it..."

[sins]

"Cause you don't have to go if that's it..."

Carter backed up a step and gave her a sheepish smile. "No, no, God no. That's not it at all. I'm not making excuses."

"He's really not. Even I have to go, and I'm only starting on second breakfast," Gluttony said as he walked past the two siblings and joined the other Sins in the hall.

"We have somewhere to be, you little bitch!" Wrath practically screamed. He clenched his fists and jaw.

"And we need Carter now. He needs to come with us," Envy added.

Carter grabbed Evie in a big hug. "I love you, Evie. I missed you so much. I...," Carter looked back at his Sins, then to Evie's duplicates, then back to his sister. "I really have to go. If you need the apartment, please stay here. I won't be back for a while..."

Carter stood and walked out into the hall, where he was surrounded by the entourage of Sins.

"I hope we see each other again. Really soon." He gave her a small smile, then disappeared down the stairwell with the duplicates in tow.

[Mercy]

Mercy's face grew surprised and indignant as one of the clones yelled at her and called her a bitch. She'd only seen him for five minutes, and already she was sick of his attitude. She gave him a glare that managed not to waver in the face of such intense anger.

"No, you know what? Fuck you." Mercy had lived with New York's most dangerous and toughest, and she wasn't too soft to stand up for herself.

She brushed it off as she turned to look at Carter again, nodding as he spoke. "Alright. I'll see you when you get back," she said, returning his hug tightly.

When the door shut, she sighed and turned away from the door. Her clones were gone. Once again, she was alone. At least this time it wouldn't be for long.