by DuAnn Cowart
DISCLAIMER: Any character you recognize is the property of
Marvel Comics and is used without permission for entertainment
purposes only.
Warning: This story may deal with adult issues, so be
forewarned.
She swung the heavy oak door open, grimacing slightly at the stale bar smell of old beer and cheap cigarrettes. The place was about what she expected, full of out-of-town salesmen bored with their wives and young women bored with their lives. She briefly considered turing around and going to that new club she'd heard Tabitha and Rictor discussing earlier, but quickly decided that she spent more than enough time around over exuberant kids. She just wanted a drink and some time away from the mansion. She'd had tickets to a Vivaldi concerto tonight, and had asked Nate to come with her, but he had 'plans'. Since she didn't feel like going alone, she'd given the tickets to Warren and Betsy. She snorted.. He hadn't even have the guts to come out and tell her what he really was doing that night, although she had already known. He and Storm were going to see a highly touted performance artist that Ororo had heard about. She grinned wickedly, knowing that Nathan absolutely detested the type of pretension that she knew that particular artist symbolized. She'd seen him before, years ago, and hadn't been much impressed. She preferred the classics, as she knew Nathan did, but privately thought it justice that he'd have to sit through the 'performance'. Snapping out of her reverie, she noticed a small empty table in the back of the bar, and walked to it. Just as she pulled a chair back, she felt a light brush on her shoulder. Immediately dropping into a defensive position, she whirled around, hand flying to the pistol she kept with her at all times.
"Hey! Nina! No need for that!" The tall man in front of her grinned, one hand holding a glass, the other held palm open, convincing her of his intentions.
Her eyes flew open in shock. "John?"
"Yep...Never thought I'd see you again...It's been some time, hasn't it?" Though his warm brown eyes were now lined with delicate wrinkes and his raven hair had become salt-and-pepper, she immediately recognized him. She'd worked with him so many years ago, when working an op in Guatemala, posing as a graduate student doing field work. He'd been an Ivy League professor doing field research, and they'd turned an impromtu friendship into something a little more entertaining for a while. She smiled briefly, thinking of those days with the Wild Pack, thinking of how young they'd all been, before returning her attention to the present. She smiled a small, genuine smile "Yes, it has. Care to join me? We can catch up..."
They both sat, and after an initial period of awkwardness, they began to enjoy the other's company. An hour or so passed, and she felt considerably more relaxed by the scotch she'd been sipping. She narrowed her eyes. John was speaking animatedly about a project he was working on, and the topic, which had aboslutely nothing to do with deteriorating mutant-human relations, time travel, prophecies or killing people, was actually fascinating. He sat his glass down and looked at her "I'm sorry, I've been rambling. It's just so good to see you again..." His hand gently touched hers.
"What were the chances of us ever seeing each other again, especially like this, such a chance meeting in such an unexpected place?"
She smiled, thinking of her ability to inadverdantly have things 'fall into place'. "Oh, I don't know..we're just lucky, I guess..." He smiled, eyes crinkling in that way she remembered so well, and she was suddenly very glad that Nathan hadn't come with her after all.
To be continued....
I crave feedback. As this is a first posting, please let me know your thoughts. Constructive criticism is most welcome. Thanks, and God bless ya'll! -DuAnn