Anna knew there was something on Scott’s mind; he had been distracted all night long. He barely responded to her comments about the recent goings on in Washington with the proposed Mutant Registration Bill, when it was all he could talk about for the past few weeks. He seemed more interested in his glass of wine than in her.
They had visited the Pearl River Conservatory earlier which had been beautifully decorated for the following night’s festivities. The elite of Caldecott County were looking forward to seeing Anina perform for the Biloxi Children’s Hospital Charity Gala being held there, and Anna met up with Oliver who would be accompanying her on the piano for the performance. After a few rehearsals of various arias, Anna cut short their appointment, sensing Scott’s anxiety escalating. She left the song selection in Oliver’s hands, requesting that he just choose a song he felt best suited to her, over Scott protests. He told her to take her time, but she took Scott’s arm and led him through the downtown streets of Pearl River towards their favorite Italian bistro, intent on enjoying the rare opportunity to be away from the academy.
Now it was two hours later. Anna put down her glass of wine and took Scott’s hand into hers. “What is it, Scott? Is it the hearing next week that has you so distracted tonight? The Mutant Registration Bill isn’t a done deal, we’ve prevented it for almost ten years already. We just need to remain vigilant, that’s all. We have enough support to keep it from passing into law. It’ll be alright.”
Scott was silent for a few moments. Then he squeezed her hand, suddenly serious. “That’s not what I want to talk about, Anna.”
She tilted her head, smiling encouragingly. “What do you want to talk about then?”
“Us.”
She felt herself flush and her mouth suddenly became very dry. She lifted her glass to her lips, taking a small sip, before asking in a quiet voice, “What about us?”
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. Almost angrily, he told her, “I love you, Anna.”
Fear began to take a hold of her. “I love you, too,” she told him softly, her eyes darting over his handsome face. His ruby quartz visor reflected the candlelit centerpiece on the table between them.
Scott pressed her hand again to his lips, his hold on it tighter. She saw him swallow harshly and the anguish that began to pour of him slammed into her. She leaned forward, growing more afraid, and placed her free hand against his cheek. “Please, Scott. Tell me what’s wrong.”
He released her hand. The expression on his face became haggard. “I’m letting you go, Anna.”
She stared at him, not understanding. “Letting me go?” she repeated, pulling back.
Scott fought the impulse to gather her into his arms and kiss away the pain that began to seep into her eyes. But he pressed forward, determined. “We can’t pretend anymore.” His voice was rough with emotion and he cleared it before adding more calmly, “We both know that Logan coming back has changed things.”
Anna closed her eyes, her throat suddenly very tight. There was a loud roaring in her ears and she was grateful that she and Scott were the only people left in the small restaurant. The serving staff had left the dining room to afford them privacy after having served them their desert minutes before, and didn’t seem to be returning any time soon.
Thiscan’tbehappeningpleasepleasethiscan’tbehappening
“Anna. Anna, look at me.” Scott’s voice seemed to be coming at her from very far away. She felt his fingers lace themselves through hers and she stared at them, as though seeing them for the first time. Her vision blurred immediately with tears. She blinked and the first few escaped.
“Please sweetheart, don’t cry.” Scott’s voice was thick, tormented.
She stood up abruptly, her chair scraping loudly behind her. The owner came to investigate the sound, a big grin on his face, but he stared at the scene, confused. This wasn’t what he expected at all. Anna turned to him and forcibly read his thoughts as he backed into the kitchen.
La signorina must have said no. How sad, they looked so in love. What a bellissima bride she would have made.
Shock raced through her. Her eyes turned back to Scott, who was standing up now and looking so miserable that her aching heart twisted even more painfully. “Why, Scott?” She asked him, taking a step towards him. “Why are you doing this to us?”
He stepped back, not wanting to her to touch him, feeling his resolve weakening. Scott wasn’t prepared for how hurt she would be. “I’m not blind, Anna,” he told her harshly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black velvet jeweler’s box. He threw it onto the table and it rolled awkwardly across the white linen. “I had intended to give this to you on your birthday.” His voice was flat, emotionless. “I was going to ask you tonight.”
She stared at the box, and shook her head, the reality of what was happening beginning to hit her.
“Scott?” She looked beseechingly at him but he looked away, the sight of her heart breaking too difficult for him to witness. A tic played along his jaw, telling her that he was getting angry. She approached him slowly, hoping he wouldn’t move away from her again. He didn’t, but he still wouldn’t look at her.
Barely able to speak from the pain, she whispered, “Ask me, Scott. Ask me to marry you.”
Anna felt as though she was made of the thinnest glass as she waited for him to reply. This was the man who took her to Alaska when he discovered it had been her teenage dream to go there, where he shared with her his earliest memories, what little he could remember, before his parents were killed in a horrific plane crash, orphaning him. This was the man who shared with her the terrible memories of being placed in foster home after foster home, before being rescued by Professor Xavier. He shared with her the joy he felt at the discovery that his younger brother Alex was still alive, and how the responsibility of being the X-Men leader weighted heavily on him. This was the man who understood what it felt to have a mutation that you couldn’t control; who understood what it felt to not be loved as a child. He shared with her the devastation he felt at the loss of his first love, and how he thought he could never love again.
This was the man who showed her how to trust again, love again. Anna reached out to him, but he backed away from her as though she were a toxin. His body became tense and still as stone.
“I wanted you to wear that ring for all the wrong reasons.” He took a steadying breath before bravely looking into her eyes. “I wanted Logan to see that you belonged to me. I wanted to brand you with that ring. I wanted him to see that I won.” Each word was like a stab directly into her heart.
“But you bought that ring before he came here, Scott.” Her eyes were begging him to listen to her. “This has nothing to do with Logan. This is about you and me.” Tears fell from her eyes, scared she was losing him.
He grabbed her by the forearms suddenly, pulling her towards him. “No, it’s not Anna! I’m trying so hard, so hard to be the good one here, but everything inside me wants to throw you across this table and make love to you. For two years I waited, waited for you to let me in, to show you just how much I love you. And in an instant, I see you go up in flames. For him!”
Anna was crying openly now. “You don’t understand, Scott! It’s not that simple!”
“Oh really?” he snapped, shaking her roughly. “Are you going to tell me that you don’t want him, in your bed, inside of you?”
Sobbing, she desperately told him, “Please, Scott. It’s not what you think!”
The pheromones he was giving off were powerful. Anna closed her eyes and her body went lax in his arms, submissive and pliant. She would give him what he wanted. His hold on her increased painfully, and she could feel his breath, hot on her face. She opened her eyes, bright with resolve. “I’ll do anything for you, Scott. Anything.” And she meant it.
His desire blinded eyes poured over the beautiful woman in his arms. The body he dreamed of making love to so many times, night after night, for so long, was finally there for his taking. With a strangled sob, he pushed her away.
“No, Anna. I can have you physically for the rest of our lives, but you will always want him.”
Anna felt dizzy. The room spun around her and she stumbled into the nearest chair, staring down at her lap. “You don’t know what I want.” She said this more to herself, but Scott heard her.
“You don’t know what you want, Anna. You’re confused.” He sounded impatient, aggravated.
“I’m confused?” she echoed, incredulous. She wiped the tears from her face with shaking hands. “Is that what you think?” With a steadying breath, she stood up to her full height, giving her temporary strength. “Well then, Mr. Summers, it appears that you have made my choice for me. I don’t recall being asked for my opinion, but clearly that’s irrelevant since you obviously know what’s best for me.”
“Stop it, Anna!” He yelled at her. “This isn’t my fault!”
They glared at each other, both angry and hurt. Moments passed and Anna could see that Scott wasn’t backing down. He made his decision. She knew him enough to know that there was nothing she could do to change his mind.
She reached for her handbag resting on the table, her vision blurred by tears. She touched the carelessly thrown jewelry box with her fingers, and bit back a sob, digging her nails painfully into her palm. She raised her eyes to him, a heavy sadness reflected in their green depths.
“I loved you, Scott.”
Anna walked away, out the glass front doors, into the night.
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