Workout Routine continues

[Ember]

As much as she enjoyed catching up with Niki the previous night, Aideen wasn't sure if she felt any better about returning to the school. Now that she had returned, everything was back to the way it was, making the weekend seem like a distant dream: a splendid, terrible, yet wonderful dream. Reality had settled, and the young warrior was back to her old routine of waking up at 5:30am on the dot, going out on a run for an hour and then another hour and a half of weapon and movement training. Despite the feeling of comfort that a routine brought her, Aideen still felt a dull ache, akin to loneliness, but not quite as strong as it was months earlier.

Practically, she knew that the secrecy of her affairs were the best route to go on, but for once there was a battle between her logic and her emotions. Previously her logic almost always won out when it came to her emotions, as Aideen's pragmatic nature wouldn't allow it any other way, but throughout her whole workout routine she was at a battle between her mind and her heart. Throwing herself into the routine did nothing to calm the battle, merely paused it before it crept back into her mind again. When it came to Logan, it was a struggle with logic, and Aideen didn't know if she altogether liked that.

Patting her elegant neck with a clean towel to wipe the thin sheen of sweat that formed from a vigorous training session, Aideen neatly began packing away her knives and belongings. She was grateful that it was Monday, the one time of the week that the gym was guaranteed to be empty. It allowed her to turn up the thermostat in a comfortable setting for her to what many others would call a sauna. It wouldn't matter now if someone came in, as Aideen finished her routine and was ready to be on her way.

[RUMBLE]

It was the doorway where Brock stood, watching his prize bent over the bag with careful and scrutinizing eyes. He had every movement of her's memorized, feeling that it was his duty to know the beautiful creature that was his in every way possible. He had missed watching her all weekend, the sweet scent of hers, the beautiful mouth that taunted him of all the wicked things that he could do to it, the perfectly curved body doing all that and more to his senses. Brock had been with many girls in his life, taking as he pleased whether they liked it or not, but none had come close to his lovely prize. She didn't have generous curves, thank the Gods as Brock never cared for anyone with what he called a low class body. Her body was fascinating to him, soft yet toned, the kind of body that was both a blessing and a trophy of hard work. The light feminine curves were inviting to the eye and the hands for all who looked at her, but not for all to touch, oh no that was not allowed at all.

The visit to see his prize in her usual place was not one of pleasure, though Brock took great pleasure in drinking in her appearance and sweet scent. The weekend may have pleasant for many, but it left him very displeased with his pet's behavior and their last words before her departure. And when Brock Van Alstyne was displeased, the most unpleasant of things were liable to occur to make his point clear. It had occurred to him on Saturday how mislead his pet might be, obviously not realizing that clearly he meant it when he said that what they had was to stay between them without bringing any outsiders into the equation. Oh his prize had always been defiant and strong willed, that was what made her belong to Brock in the first place and he did hold a sense of adoration for her because of that fiery nature. It was time however, that his pet learned what happened when brought someone else into what they had, and it would be a hard lesson for his delectable prize indeed.

"Aideen," Brock drawled out, the name of his pet as lovely as the creature. "Ah my pet, I had a lonely and cold weekend without you... too cold at one point." A smirk came on his face for a brief moment before going back to the kind and sincere voice he used for her, the voice a lover and a soulmate might use to address the dark beauty. He walked toward her, picking up the remote to the TV before sitting down on the bench where she was neatly packing away her things. "I know you missed me too my pet, it must have been torture for you to be away from me so, but I do hope that you enjoyed the weekend, for I missed you too much to ever allow you to leave me again," Brock said in a voice that if anyone were to walk in and hear, they would think nothing more than a jest between loved ones, but oh he was quite serious, very serious indeed as he observed his prize and made no move to touch her.

[Ember]

The expression on Aideen's face gave nothing away, as she did not even spare a glance at Rumble, knowing he had been there watching her for some time. She was always on her guard and with her precise training it was hard for anyone to sneak up on her, let alone the pustule of a Hellion. If she didn't think that she was out of the dream world the weekend created, Rumble's appearance made her fairly certain that she was back in the reality of Xavier's. "A weekend without having to lay eyes on your sorry self was without a doubt one of the most pleasant experience I've had in a long time. I assure you the news of my return was not meant to excite you in the least," she retorted in a cold tone as she zipped up her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

Aideen had been dreading seeing him again because that meant that her self control would take another test, and after Thursday she knew she had little to none when it came to Brock. Had it not been for Iceman stepping in, she would have plunged the dagger of fire into his neck, and not had a bit of remorse for her actions. She could handle his meager threats toward her, but the second he brought Logan into the picture, she was done. Aideen meant what she said that day, that any part of his that touches her is getting cut off. Rumble was many things, but Aideen knew he wasn't stupid enough to doubt her words.

"I have no desire to sit and chat with you, feeding into your delusion that there is a relationship between us. The fact that you insist I even view you as someone worthy to have anything to do with me is a joke, and I can only wonder on the amount of liquor your mother drank while carrying you in the womb for you to turn out as such a pustule of a human being," she spat while picking up her towel to go to the locker room. This was certainly not how Aideen wanted to start her day.

[RUMBLE]

"Speaking of 'news' my Pet," Brock drawled on with a casual smirk on his face as he turned on the television, flipping to one of the national news stations. "In a couple of minutes there might be something on of interest to you. Now don't run off my dove, I am merely trying to keep you informed as to what is going on in the world. It is a dangerous world out there you know, and my only goal is to keep you safe." His voice was one of concern but the mocking looking in his eyes would not be unseen by his clever prize.

He watched her look at him for a moment, those heavenly dark eyes that made him feel so alive as the adrenaline stirred within him only made his smile in satisfaction as he stood up and leaned against the wall next to her, not touching her, but close enough to feel the heat emanating from her body and smell the sweet scent of raspberries and vanilla that made his libido rise."Ah and here is the piece that you might find interesting. It was all over the news last night," he said as he turned up the volume to the television in the gym.

*"Police are still searching for the murderer of sixteen year old Bella Aiello, a Sicilian born immigrant who's body was found yesterday behind me in the alley on 9th Avenue and 57th street in Manhattan. She was found by nearby resident Arthur D'Milo yesterday morning, who went out to throw out the trash and noticed the large amounts of blood in the alley."*[/i]

~Screen switches to a distressed older man.~

"I went to take out my garbage, like I do every Sunday and there she was. She... she was just lying there, I didn't even know if that was a full body. No clothes on, so much blood, and so many cuts... I couldn't believe that something like that was possible. I can't believe another person could do that to someone."[/i]

~Screen switches back to the scene were police and forensics look for clues and keep the crowd away.~

*"New Yorkers are outraged by the depravity and heinousness of this crime, many demanding that justice be brought at once. The family of Bella Aiello are unavailable for comment, and as of now the police have no suspects. Aiello was last seen by her friends at the Fame Diner. We ask that anyone who has any information on-"*[/i]

Brock muted the television as the the picture of the murdered girl that flashed on the screen. She had long dark hair, brown eyes, and dark olive skin, looking eerily identical to the lovely fire bender that stood next to him. Oh the girl was not nearly as beautiful as his pet, but still pretty all the same. If one were to look back and forth they might mistaken the two girls as sisters. "Such a tragedy isn't it Pet? For a life to be taken from such a lovely young girl, and at such a young age too," his voice was almost a shame to anyone who ever showed true concern, as his mocked concern was so blatant to those that knew him and yet so hard to discern for those that don't, it just tickled him with laughter.

Now his eyes turned cold and malicious, a look that only one other girl saw in the past couple of days as he leaned in to whisper into his Pet's ear. "If you bring someone else into our little 'game' pet, than I have no problem doing the same. Either you end whatever may be going on with you and that hairy gorilla of a man, or the news media may find itself with similar stories to report on," he whispered in a low voice for only his pet to hear, though they were alone in the room. "Remember my Pet, you belong to me. Try and deny it all you want, but just remember that our game is meant for us two, and if you insist on bringing others in, I will as as well." A dark, breathy laugh left his lips onto her petal soft ear, a dangerous look on his face. "And as well as I play with you Pet, I don't always play so well with others. A shame isn't it my dove?" He relished her reaction then, for his Prize was smart, and she would know exactly what all this meant.

[Ember]

It took all Aideen could to not tremble from the mixture of emotions that welled up in her, her dark eyes remaining glued to the television screen. To say she was shocked seemed too passive of a word, as accompanying this shock was disgust, horror, and most of all guilt. The girl in the image was smiling, and the crying family that the camera turned to, the one who she assumed was the mother of the girl holding on to an older man, barely able to stand as she shook from grief. A sickening feeling came to her stomach, and it twisted with both guilt and her own grief that she had never felt before.

Being trained as a human weapon for her Uncle's disposal, many lives have been ended by her hand, her first kill was before she even hit puberty. By then she wasn't able to be sickened by it, as her Uncle wouldn't allow it. Yet here she was, indirectly responsible for someone's death and it felt like something shattered inside her. All that happiness that she damn well deserved from the weekend seemed to crumble, because she knew that while she lounged in the arms of the man she did truly love, that girl on the television was suffering and dying slowly because of her.

What Aideen hated the most, more than anything else, was that she knew that Rumble would keep his word. In his twisted mind, he believed it was within his right to do this if just to get back at her. As much as Aideen refused to give up her happiness, she didn't know if she could live with herself knowing that there were people dying because she wanted to be happy. "Leave. Now," she said quietly in a cold tone that gave nothing away, her eyes still glued on the screen as she watched the news pictures report on the story. She would not allow him to get a reaction out of her.

She refused to move until Rumble moved away from her, and from the corner of her eyes she watched him leave the room, smug as he'd ever been. It wasn't until Aideen was sure she was gone did she let out a shaky breath and bring a hand to her face. What choice do I have? If I don't do it, I'll have to live with this burden for the rest of my life. I despise him, him and his money. Even if I do tell someone and they get him in trouble, his precious family money will get him out of it. I know how that works, I've seen it time and time again on money buying a way out, and he would use it. Aideen hugged herself slightly as she walked to the showers with a blank stare on her face. She knew what she should do, what she had to do really, but God how she wished things were different.