Chasing The Rogue - Chapter One
Title: Chasing The Rogue
Author: Karen
Rating: PG
Universe: AU
Disclaimer: The X-Men belong to Fox & Marvel. *sad panda*
Summary: Marie Lehnsherr - the President’s daughter, is tired of being followed by Secret Service agents so while on a diplomatic trip to Europe, she runs away from her bodyguards.
Thanks and air kisses to my fabulous betas ~ Taryn and Kendra.
Publication Date: July 2012
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Chapter One: Datus Interruptus
Like any typical teenager getting ready for a date, Marie had half a dozen outfit combinations strewn across her bed. Except she was no ordinary teenager - she was the daughter of President Erik Lehnsherr and her bedroom was in the private wing of the White House.
While she was getting dressed her date was going through security at the south gate. By the time he finally pulled up to the main entrance he was already questioning his decision to ask her out. Suddenly, Marie came charging out of the door and jumped into the car.
“Drive,” she commanded as she fastened her seatbelt.
“Shouldn’t I meet your mom and dad?” Warren asked - knowing most parents would want to give their daughter’s new boyfriend the third degree and figuring that he might as well get it over with.
She gave him a horrified look - wondering why he’d willingly subject himself to an interrogation. Noting her expression, he merely said, “Okay then.” as he started back down the driveway. Two black SUVs followed them.
“God damn it!” Marie exclaimed. She was far too irritated to even make the effort to fake ‘first date manners’.
“Should I try to lose them?” Warren offered eagerly - suddenly envisioning himself as the hero in an action movie - engaging in a dangerous chase through the crowded city streets and skillfully escaping from the bad guys. He pushed down on the accelerator and the car lunged forward.
When Marie just laughed at his suggestion, he eased off the gas and reluctantly abandoned the idea of attempting to outrun them.
At the restaurant they tried to have a nice peaceful dinner but they kept getting interrupted by people stopping by their table to say “hello” to Marie - who noticed the additional Secret Service stationed throughout the room. Once again her father had broken his promise to reduce her bodyguard detail to just a couple of discreet agents.
Later at the valet stand someone approached the young couple and requested a photo with Marie. When he reached into his pocket six men in dark suits pounced on him. They wrestled him to the ground and relieved him of his ‘weapon’ - only to discover it was just a harmless camera. When the valet pulled up with the car, Warren told Marie that he couldn’t deal with her ‘babysitters’ and suggested that she return home with them.
While she understood his frustration, she also couldn’t believe that he’d dumped her so callously and then humiliatingly just left her standing on the curb. On the ride back her anger mounted the closer they got to the White House.
Bursting into the Oval Office she began yelling at her father.
“At this rate, I’ll never get past first base!” She screamed in frustration. He just stood there silently. It was at that moment she realized he was not alone in his office. Several foreign dignitaries were seated on the couches in the center of the room. One of them looked amused, but the other three just seemed embarrassed to be witnessing the teenager’s outburst.
“Oh,” Marie said in mortification as she slowly backed out of the room.
“Teenagers,” she heard her father say simply as she closed the door.
~*~*~*
The next morning at breakfast, after being lectured by her father about proper etiquette within the most important home in the country, Marie had her chance to lodge yet another complaint about the ever-present security presence in her life.
“It’s for your own safety. You know that,” her mother Raven reminded her.
“But, mom,” Marie whined, “we agreed … only two bodyguards. Last night I counted at least twelve of them.”
“After the incident with Creed, we need to make sure that you have back up,” Erik stated.
The incident he was referring to was still fresh in Marie’s mind. She’d tried to shake her bodyguard - Victor Creed - by using her mutation to knock him out and slip away. From then on she’d been guarded by at least two people at all times. But recently her father had added an entire contingent of agents and she felt suffocated by all the extra security. Except for a couple of loyal friends, most of her schoolmates had abandoned her - tired of being constantly watched by the people in dark suits. So while gaining control of her mutation had given her a long-awaited modicum of freedom, she was now obsequiously trapped in a different kind of prison. At this point the end results were the same - her social life was practically nonexistent.
“I’m going to college in the fall, I’m not a child anymore,” she reminded them.
“First of all, there was nothing magical about you turning eighteen last month. If you want to be treated like an adult, then I suggest you act like one,” Erik responded.
“He has a point,” Raven offered.
Marie didn’t know how to reply to that because she knew her father was right. If she wanted them to respect her, then she had to behave like an adult and not a spoiled, entitled child.
Her mother had always been her biggest champion, but even she had limits on what was acceptable behavior for the First Daughter. Marie’s tendency to push those boundaries necessitated occasional reminders of her current status. As Erik was halfway through his second term, by this point they should’ve all been familiar and accepting of their responsibilities to the people he represented. Raven was beginning to be as irritated with her daughter’s petulance as her husband had already become. The more Marie acted out, the less she was willing to constantly defend her. The latest stunt was dying her beautiful chocolate brown and platinum-streaked hair. She’d always hated the wisps of platinum that framed her face. They were the result of a childhood trauma that she’d somehow forgotten, but it was still a constant reminder nonetheless. So, in what was supposed to be an act of defiance, she’d covered over the dull brown and almost white stripes with a sunnier blonde color. Instead of being angry, as Marie had expected, Raven was delighted that her daughter looked more like the blonde form she herself used most often.
Not wishing to engage in yet another pointless debate that inevitably wouldn’t resolve anything, Erik decided to change the subject and outlined the schedule for their upcoming diplomatic visit to Prague.
“After the State Dinner, I’d like a night of freedom to go out with Kitty,” Marie requested - hoping that by phrasing it that way, instead of as a demand, her father would acquiesce.
Kathryn Pryde, the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Prague was a sweet and sensible girl, so Raven said, “I think that would be okay, Erik.”
“Fine,” Erik consented, but then added a condition. “But you still have to have four agents with you.”
“Two,” Marie bargained.
Raven nodded at her husband who caved. “Okay … two,” he agreed in defeat.
“Thanks, mom,” Marie told her mother as she leaned down and kissed her on the cheek before bouncing out of the room.
“I hope we’re not making a mistake,” Erik told his wife.
“Don’t worry, darling, I have a plan,” she replied with a knowing smile.
“Are you going to change form and secretly follow her?”
“You know that I’ve never been able to fool her,” she reminded him - then reassuringly added. “I have something far less obvious in mind.”