The Start of Something New (August 2012)

A week had passed since Serena had broken up with Gambit. She had tried calling him several times to talk to him, but he would not answer her calls or texts. She had finally just given up. She hoped that with time the hurt he was feeling would heal and he would find someone else. She wanted him to be happy and it pained her that she could not be the woman in that position. She had talked to Peter about her breakup with Gambit and now they could just focus on each other. Serena had been onboarded at Osborn Corp. and had officially started working with Peter. This was an exciting change in her life and she felt energized and her mind felt sharp and ready to work. She and Peter had also started training together in the Tower. Serena had trained with other team members individually, but it was nice to have a partner like she now had with Peter.

They were currently down in the training room working through a few exercises together and doing a little sparring. Serena had not yet heard if her father was going to make her a suit, but Peter had said he would talk to him about it. She wanted to start training with the team and Peter had made it clear to everyone else that he wouldn't join the team and train unless she could as well.

As Natural ability and experience went Natalya and Logan were the two most skilled fighters in the tower. Neither of them though had landed a single punch on Peter. Nor had Natalya been able to hit him with the practice rounds.He was just too fast and he could anticipate their attacks. Serena though had been hit several times and a couple times Logan had hit her so hard that she knew she’d have pretty bad bruises. He had been harsh to her ever since he had witnessed her and Gambit’s breakup. Today he had been picking on her more than Peter and everyone could see her beginning to get frustrated by it. The taunts didn’t help either. Basically it was Peter and Serena against the other two.

Peter came up to her to talk to her as they prepared for another bout. “Ok, so do you want to continue and beat these two or walk away angry at Logan? If he knows he’s getting to you he’ll use it to win,” Peter said as he rubbed her forearm where a pretty nasty bruise was forming. He knew it was easy for him to say. Those two hadn’t been pummeling him up and down the gym for the past hour.

“Focus on off balancing them, leg sweeps or dodging away to draw them. Once I see you draw them I’ll hit them from the back,” Peter said.

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Logan saw Natalya looking at him disapprovingly. He had been focusing on Serena and taunting her since they began. Technically the tactic was about dividing and conquering but Logan was just being mean and obviously she didn’t really like that.

Serena had not trained in a few months. She felt slightly out of shape and was angry that Logan seemed to be taking out his anger towards her during this training. She knew he was not happy about her breakup with Gambit but she didn’t think this was appropriate. She didn’t have a suit and was no match for Logan and Natalya. It was amazing watching Peter being able to dodge their attacks though. The surprised look on Natalya’s face had been priceless.

She and Peter were trying to regroup and rework their strategy. Serena’s arm aches from one of Logan’s attacks and she knew she was going to get a bruise there.

“He’s taking his anger about my breakup with Gambit out on me.” She sighed and listened to Peter’s suggestion. “Alright, Ill give it a try.”

——————————

Natalya was not happy with Logan and what he was doing and he knew it. “Logan, if you have a problem with Serena you should talk to her, not beat the crap out of her. We’re supposed to be helping her get better, not using her as a punching bag.”

Logan’s face was expressionless as he listened to what Natalya said. “So I should go easy on her then? This is training. And you know what we face Natalya. If she can’t take it the. She shouldn’t be here,” he said. And then loud enough for Serena to hear. “This isn’t recess for the kiddies,” Logan said.

—————-

Peter frowned then looked back at Serena. “He’s pretty upset with you, what did you say to Gambit?” Peter asked but then thought better of it. “No no, I do t want to know, forget I asked,” he said as they moved and squared off with one another.

As soon as the buzzer tone went off Nayalya fired a shot at Peter. He wasn’t there of course and had already leaned over them. As Serena came in Logan came toward her and as he did she shifted downward and swept his legs. In order to avoid her legs though he had to roll but when he came up Peter was there and kicked him with both legs. Logan went flying toward one of the hanging punching bags. There were several that hung in different places where they fought. Logan hit and the force of the kick knocked him and the bag to the floor.

When Serena righted herself Natalya took advantage of Peter being further away from them. She grabbed hold of Serena and did a hip throw which bore her to the mat hard. Her body made a distinct ‘slap’ on the mat bit she didn’t remain there long for Natalya’s follow through which would have been a foot or an elbow. Serena had a training helmet on and everyone had padded gloves but the rest of her body was exposed and unpadded.

Peter has moved back toward them and once again Natalys tried to hit the man with the training shots. He was so fast! As Peter dodged Logan had come back into the fray. Serena had just managed to stand up from her roll when she was knocked down again by Natalya’s own leg sweep. Then Logan was on her. He was very heavy for a man of his stature and he pressed his forearm onto the side of her neck painfully. If Serena wanted him to back off all she had to do was tap out.

“C’mon Serena, without your powers the people and things we face will eat you alive. Give this up before you really do get hurt,” he said as he pressed a bit harder. When she tried to use her hand to grab him he just slapped it away and he pressed harder still. Natalya stopped to look at him.

“Logan, that’s enough!” She said angrily. Logan just scoffed at Serena. “Looks like recess is over girl,” he said and finally let her go and stood up. In an instant Peter was there and glared at Logan. “I don’t see a lot of training happening, only bullying!” Peter said as he helped Serena get to her feet. Logan just smiled and gestured. “The people we face will do a lot worse boy!” Logan said in a rasp.

Serena had known Logan almost her entire life. He was like an uncle to her and he had always been there when she needed him. She had never experienced this side of him with her and she did not like it. She was upset but she kept a straight face as Peter helped her to her feet. She didn’t want to give him anything else to bully her with. She turned and looked at him.

“I understand that you’re angry with me for breaking up with Gambit, but you should have just come and talk to me. I didn’t need this. I’m upset enough that I hurt him. I didn’t need that reminder from you as well. I looked up to you once as a mentor and friend, but now I just see you as a bully. You’ve taught me nothing except to want to stay away from you both in the training room and outside of it.”

She didn’t say anything else. She just turned and walked out of the room.

Natalya scowled at Logan and Logan just shrugged indifferently. The training was over. Upstairs Peter followed Serena. He could tell she had put on a good face for Logan and Natalya but when she got upstairs he saw that she wasn’t alright. “I’ll get us something cold to drink,” Peter said and headed toward the kitchen area as Serena headed toward her room. Peter retrieved 2 Gatorades, there was only the blue kind, and brought them into her room and shut the door. He handed one to Serena or tried to, she just hopped onto the bed facedown.

Her cell phone beeped with messages. Two of them were from Scott Summers and one was from Charles.

Serena had been close to Logan. He had been the one to make her pancakes on her birthday and would even let her sneak sips of his beer when she was still underage. Now though it seemed that everything had changed. She hated that feeling. She felt like she had lost Gambit and now she had lost Logan too.

She laid down on her bed but then heard her cell phone beep signaling voicemail messages. She reached over and grabbed it and as she saw two messages from Scott and one from Charles her mouth went dry and her heart began to beat a little harder in her chest. If they were calling her and leaving her messages then something was wrong. She finally worked up the courage and pushed play to listen to them.

Scott’s first message asked he if she were coming back to reach for the fall semester. His next message asked if something had happened with Gambit because he came to the mansion, packed a few things and then left. Charles asked about the teaching and about Gambit because he seemed upset.

Peter cringed when he heard the messages but didn’t say anything. He was just there if Serena needed him.

Serena listened to the messages and she became upset when she learned that Gambit had gone back to the mansion and packed a bag and left. She desperately wanted to reach out to him and talk to him, but she figured he needed to cool off for a while before he might even consider talking to her.

She sat there for a moment before she called Charles. The phone rang a few times before he picked up. "I'm sorry I haven't called before now. A few things have happened recently and I've just been trying to deal with them. Gambit and I broke up. I'm sure you can probably guess that it was me who ended things. I didn't want to hurt him..."

Charles was in his office talking with Storm when the phone rang. “Hello Serena,” he said and listened to what she said. “Well we thought it might be something like that. He didn’t really want to talk to anyone and then he was gone,” he said. “Well, the teaching position and your slot in the x-men is still open Serena. I just need to know what your plans are,” he asked.

Serena sighed a little. "It's a very generous offer, but I'm going to stay here at the Tower. I'm going back to school and finishing my degree and I got a job at Osborn Corp. I truly did enjoy my time there teaching and being apart of the team. I also appreciate everything you did for me. Nyx is truly gone now, but it wouldn't have been possible without your help. Thank you." She paused a moment and hesitated before continuing on. "Do you know where Gambit went?"

“I’m sorry, he didn’t say and though I could find him He obviously wouldn’t approve of me tracking him down like that. Well, I’m certain you are making the best decisions for yourself Serena. Good luck,” he said and hung up.

“I think all of this is just to new for everyone. Things will turn Serena. We just need to be patient,” he said. “If you want, after we get cleaned up we could go check out the art museum or where ever you wanted to go,” Peter said.

Serena was still pretty upset, but Peter managed to convince her to get out of the Tower. They went out to the art museum and then grabbed a bite to eat. They hung out for a while longer before Peter had to go check on Aunt May. Things between Logan and Serena were frosty at best. Neither one of them spoke to the other and Serena began to avoid him.

Late that night she lay in bed unable to sleep. She was just staring up at the ceiling replaying the 'training' session over and over in her head. She felt embarrassed and angry and she finally decided that laying in bed wasn't going to solve anything. It was 3 am, but she got up and put on her workout clothes and went down to the gym. She put in her headphones and began to workout with the punching bag...

This went on for days. She would go down into the gym when everyone else was asleep and work out for several hours. She and Logan still hadn't spoken to each other but she wasn't going to let him get her down anymore. She was determined to show him what she was truly made of.

While she was on the treadmill Serena suddenly felt someone watching her. When she turned around she saw Logan standing there with his arms crossed.

“Gambit told me about what happened in New Orleans,” Logan said. “He told me what you did...you killed Charlotte and managed to keep your head about you. I’m upset because I know you were good for him. He needs you Serena, a lot more than you realize. And now he’s gone,” Logan said.

Serena was jogging on the treadmill when she suddenly got the feeling that someone was watching her. She glanced over her shoulder to see Logan standing there with his arms crossed over his chest looking at her. She sighed and paused the belt and turned to look at him.

"What was I supposed to have done Logan? I didn't want to hurt him, but I didn't see a future with him. I loved him...love him...but I didn't realize what I truly wanted and needed until I met Peter. So, should I have just strung him along, knowing that we weren't going to end up together in the end? That would have made things so much worse. I got caught up in everything with him...I will admit that. Gambit is a passionate man, but I needed something more out of the relationship. I feel like shit as it is about everything so I don't need you around making me feel worse. You want to hate me Logan, then hate me." Tears had filled her eyes and started streaming down her cheeks. "Just...let me heal my broken heart."

“Why the hell is ‘your’ heart broken? Who broke ‘your’ heart Serena?” Logan said on obvious irritation. “you were engaged and then you met Peter and now you dumped him. What would have happened if you met Peter after you were married? I think I know,” Logan. Said. “This all bothers me because I thought you were better than this. You are a very smart young woman, but you have the common sense of a goat,” Logan said. “I don’t blame you for changing your mind. I blame you for taking up with Peter before you really resolved your relationship with Gambit. How do you think he’d take it?” He said. “I don’t blame him for feeling jilted and It leaves me feeling that I was wrong to think so highly of you,” he said. Before she could leave though he stopped her.

“Now I’ve said my piece...I won’t bring this up again,” Logan said. “So if you got something to say, fuckin say it now,” he said.

Serena just shook head and looked away from him as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks. "You don't understand anything about this situation. Complicated doesn't even begin to describe it." She looked back at him and decided to just tell him everything. "Peter traveled from another timeline where he and I were married. We had children...twins. In this life Peter was forced to kill me after Nyx couldn't be controlled. He and my father then spent 8 years working on way for him to be sent here to save me. There's this strong connection between us and although I didn't know Peter I felt as if I knew him. I felt as if I had known him for years. I could feel everything that my other self felt for him...I have memories. I feel pulled to him...drawn to him. I feel alone when he isn't with me. It was like a piece of me was found that I didn't even know was missing until I met him." She could see Logan just looking at her and she sighed and looked away and wiped away some tears from her face. "Go ahead...tease me for crying..."

“No I won’t tease you for crying.
,” he said as Logsn thought about what Serena had just said. There was a silence between themes r for her crying and then Logan broke the silence. “look I will submit that your situation sounds unusual but when your engaged to someone there was an expectation. Gambit expected you to be the woman he loved.

“But,” he began then sighed. “But I understand why you needed to step away from him,” Logsn said.

Serena wiped the tears away from her face with a trembling hand. Logan would be able to see that she truly did love Gambit and the decision she had made had been tough. In a way she was broken hearted because she had lost a good friend.

There was a silence between Serena and Logan. Serena was still upset over how Logan had treated her the last time they had trained. “If there’s nothing more I’d like to get back to my workout.” It was now 4 am.

Logan narrowed his eyes at her obvious dismissal and had a mind to teach her something more here and now but he refrained from that and left her alone. Later that morning at Oscorp. Peter showed up with coffee. Serena was in her cubicle working on the new program. “Good morning, Serena. I got you a coffee and a bagel,” Peter said and set everything down on her desk. The coffee was from Starbucks and the bagel was from Mia’s, a popular bakery nearby. The coffee smelled like chocolate, so a mocha latte. Peter looked around and saw no one was around and he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

“I thought about you alot last night,” He whispered. He smelled like chocolate and coffee as well like he had a mocha latte too.

Serena finished her workout and then went and showered and got dressed. She then headed to work. She was still upset about Logan, but didn’t know what to do to. She sat down at her desk and began to work on the program again. A little while later Peter appeared with a bagel and coffee. She was grateful because she was hungry and definitely needed some caffeine. These late night workouts were exhausting. She smiled when Peter kissed her cheek. They tried to be professional at work but when no one was around they would show some affection. She heard what he said and smiled. “I thought about you too. Can you come over tonight for dinner?”

“Are you kidding? Aunt May loves you, you know that,” He said and sat down on her desk next to her. “You’re upset...about Logan?” He asked. “I didn’t like what he did. I was about to intervene but I wasn’t certain you’d want me to fight your battles for you. That is something you two are going to have to work out I think. But I didn’t like him hurting you. That wasn’t training,” He agreed. “Maybe  you could get Natalya to give you one on one training. She’s incredible. You know she did hit me twice,” He said with a smile. “Those rubber bullets hurt," He said with a grin and touched his side.

Serena sighed as she thought about Logan and her strained with him. She nodded at Peter’s suggestion that she train one on one with Natalya. “I was thinking about that myself.” She took a sip of the coffee and enjoyed the chocolatey taste. Serena had a bit of a sweet tooth. She was quiet a moment before looking at Peter. “Where Natalya and Logan in the other life?”

Peter picked up his coffee and was about to take a sip when he heard what she said. He looked down then over at her and his expression was more serious. “Logan was an X-man...Natalya...well, she was killed by SHIELD,” he said as he looked at her. “Logan was key for Natalya avoiding that fate. I can’t explain the changes from there to here. One, minor thing seems to be able to make large changes,” He said as he set his hand on hers and looked around again before he looked back to her.

“Are you really upset that Logan was hard on you or at yourself? If I put myself in Logan’s shoes...I can see how it might look and feel for him. He’s not a rational man Serena, not all the time. He feels you wronged Gambit, his friend and no one called you out on it. He doesn’t know how much you’ve tortured yourself about it all. How could he, he’s not you,” He said as he looked at her. His fingers lightly massaged her knuckles in the hopes that what he said and what he was doing was taken in the best possible light. He did not want to offend or hurt Serena. "This...this all your fault either. Part of this is mine. But I came here for a reason...for you Serena. I don't like hurting people but it had to happen...this time for us to be together. And I won't apologize for wanting this...for wanting to be part of your life," He said softly and then sipped his coffee.

“I’d like to get to know Natalya. I am betting there is a personality there, its just hiding inside of her,” He said. “Maybe we both could talk to her and get to know her better,” He said.

Serena put some cream cheese on her bagel and then looked at Peter. “Natalya’s a good person. She’s just been through a lot lately. I think she would like to get to know you. She could use some more friends.”

Serena spent the rest of the day working on the program and then later that afternoon she went home and changed. She got a bottle of wine and then headed over to Aunt May’s for dinner. She rang the bell and then smiled when Peter answered. She stepped in and hugged Aunt May as she came over. “Everything smells delicious.”