Suite 518/520, Thursday morning/early afternoon

[demonbelthazor]

The X-Men had returned Bel and Phoebe and the others to Fandom late last night. Bel was still a little freaked out about seeing Kitty, but it was good to be home. His body was stiff and sore and bruised from the fighting at the Statue of Liberty, and he welcomed the chance to sleep in his own bed again. He wasn't, however, particuarly looking forward to the questions and accusations that were probably waiting for him, and he lingered in bed come morning, dreading getting up.

But Marie was safe, and that was what mattered. He'd deal with everything else as it came.


[ooc: open for anyone who's been waiting to accost the ex-demon. ;)]

Comments

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Cally gulped. "Bein' normal's not so bad," she said. "I... okay, we'll get back to the whole Marie rescuing thing in a second." And that was a bit of a relief for her. Not that Marie needed to be rescued, but the whole Bel was wanting to do good thing, which meant he was still him and not all evil and murderous and stuff.

"But... you did do it? The... killing?"

[demonbelthazor]

Bel sank down on the couch. He was quiet for a moment, staring at his hands. "Yeah," he finally said. "I didn't want to, though. Raynor made me."

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Cally chewed her lower lip. "Who's Raynor?

[demonbelthazor]

"My mentor," Bel said, shifting uncomfortably. "My foster father. He's the leader of the Brotherhood of the Thorn, and he raised me after my mother gave me to him."

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

"And, so, he took control of you and made you kill someone?" Cally frowned. "Worst stepdad ever."

[demonbelthazor]

Bel nodded, touched that Cally would make that assumption without him even having to say it. "He cast a spell on me," he said. "I didn't want to kill the witch. I was trying to warn her to run and hide, but then Raynor was there, and...."

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Cally was twisting her hands a little, nervously. "And Marty saw."

[demonbelthazor]

"Yeah, he did," Bel said. "I didn't know it, or I might have tried to explain. But instead he set me up and killed the demon half of me."

No, he wasn't bitter at all.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Cally gulped.

"I can't blame him," she said.

[demonbelthazor]

"Didn't you hear me?" Bel said, starting to grow angry now. "He didn't give me a chance to explain! He just assumed I went evil again and he almost killed me -- no one knew what that potion would do, you know -- and you think that's okay?"

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

"I... if I'd seen it, instead of hearing about it? And frak, when I first heard, I was all... I'd have done the same. I... okay, no. If it was me, I woulda been too scared to do or say anything, but... I'm sorry," Cally stammered.

[demonbelthazor]

"I didn't want to do it!" Bel insisted. "And now because of Marty I'm helpless and I can't protect Phoebe or myself from demons, and Raynor's gonna kill me and destroy my father's soul."

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

"Being normal isn't helpless," Cally said. "It really, really isn't." There might have been a tinge of anger in those words.

[demonbelthazor]

"It is when you're up against demons and someone who controls magnetism or some guy who can jump around and attack you with his tongue," Bel said. "I need my powers to protect Phoebe."

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Cally's face scrunched in thought. "You just can't do it alone anymore," she said.

[demonbelthazor]

Bel flung his arms out. "So am I supposed to just hide in my room in case Raynor shows up looking for me?"

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

"No, you should have friends ready to help you," Cally said. "Cause we're not gonna just sit around and let him get you."

[demonbelthazor]

"Friends like Marty?" Bel said bitterly.

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

"Friends like me. And... ummm... who are you actually friends with, other than me and Phoebe, anyways?" Cally asked.

[demonbelthazor]

"I don't know anymore," Bel said, lowering his face into his hands. "Depends on who believes me and who believes Marty, I guess."

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

"Well, I got your back," Cally said. "And if you say that doesn't count, I will cry."

[demonbelthazor]

"Thanks," Bel said, lifting his head. "It counts. It counts a lot."

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

"Which, you know, doesn't come with powers, but you don't need 'em to protect your friends," Cally said. "Okay, now we can talk about Marie, and why did she need rescuing?"

[demonbelthazor]

"Her parents pulled her from school because they freaked about her powers," Bel said. "She ran away and we went to get her, but a bunch of evil mutants grabbed her. We had to get her back from them."

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

"And, see, you still managed to help with that without powers," Cally said. "Wish I'd known. I totally woulda helped."