The Land of Maple Syrup{Buster}

Buster said nothing as they drove. The music blasted in the background, but that did little to sooth his nerves. The thing about going really really fast, was your mind tended to race whenever the world slowed down around you. In the quiet moments, the moments you had time to really reflect.... His mind was like a formula 1 car on a fucking race track.

Buster was never the type of guy to give a shit. He had his moments of genuine caring, but half the time it was because it served him in some way or another. He was a self serving, egotistical little wise ass. He was thoughtless, and violent, and his eye had a bad habit of wandering to the nearest skirt that entered the room. And yet, the somehow he felt like the good guy in all this. Buster was never a good guy, but those pricks back there were worse. Way worse.

Buster tossed a casual glance over at Sophia every now and then. If only to see the scornful sour look on her pouty lips. Did it make him an ass that he was thinking about kissing her? They had a brush with death. He wanted to pull off her clothes and make snow angels, but that was him. His mind wasn't too hard to read at any given time. He had a taste for life and everything it entailed.

Where most of the fools would drink themselves into a stupor and party all night, Buster spent his hours peeling the paint off the wall with empty hollow screams and self pity. That ego was big, but it was always human enough to shrink when the lights died down and he found himself alone. Lately had hadn't found himself alone much. He had a live in girlfriend.

She kept him on his p's and q's, and on his best behavior. It was a wonder he hadn't gone fucking crazy. Buster himself had thought briefly about running. Not so much running from the club, but skirting out of commitment with some flimsy excuse. Find some reason to boot her ass to the curb just so he could go back to the random hookups and spilling his soul to a bottle of jack and a few random gunshots in the wall.

But he didn't.  Buster could have done that easily.  He had in the past.  He was notorious around the club for never settling down.  They called him all sorts of teasing names.  Saying he was never going to have a Queen.  William was the worst, but then again.  William always gave him the hardest time.  Buster and William were just like that.  They gave each other shit as their way of saying..."Hey, i fucking love you man." 

What did Buster do you ask?  He went out and dropped a few grand on an engagement ring on a whim.  Kept it in his jacket pocket for days now.  Once he even started to get down on one knee.  He moved fast.  He quickly changed his mind and stood up before she even realized he was down there.  It wasn't her fault she didn't notice his almost proposal, he used his supers peed to make sure she didn't.  Of all the places to leave it he had to have left it in a secure government laboratory.  

It's not like he could just run back and get it really quickly.  There were was no way in fuckville he was going back in there.  Not when it brought Sophia right in after him.  He glanced at her again and smirked proudly at the fact that despite her attitude and claiming she didn't give a shit, she still followed him like a lost little puppy.  Pun totally fucking intended.  Buster's smile died on his face after a moment though.  He didn't want to propose now it would just seem like he was doing it because they had a near death experience.  

The truth was, maybe he was dodging a bullet.  He went back and forth on the issue in his head.  She was gorgeous.  She put up with his shit, and they just clicked together.  That was as good a basis for a marriage as any he heard.  His dad was a garbage filled piece of shit who only married his mom because she was knocked up. The first sign of rocky times and she bailed on them... Leaving little baby buster with a boozy, bruising broken down piece of shit with brutality issues. 

Still, he turned out alright.  He never saw himself as husband or father material because.... Well, look at the fucking example he had to go by.  He would do anything not to turn out like the old man.  Worthless asshole who spent his entire life working at a plant only to get laid off and take it out on his family.... The unemployment checks didn't stretch long.  Then again... He was always lending money to his friend Johnny Walker. 

Buster remained quiet.  Off in his head thinking about what kind of man he wanted to be.  What kind of husband he would make and god forbid father.  He would get a vasectomy if the fucking thing would take but his body would just heal in minutes.  All that pain for a snip that self corrected.  Go fuckin figure.  Buster was still lost in thought when the car came to a stop.  Without even realizing he had pulled them into a diner parking lot. 

The neon sign said open.  His body must've been telling him he was hungry because his stomach growled as soon as he saw the words Elden's Diner.  "Hungry?" He asked grumpily?  There was an odd quiet between them.  Like they were just going to ignore the crazy shit they just escaped from.  But he didn't really know what to say about it.

Selfish?  "Selfish?!? I'm selfish?  What about the fact that I was ready to give up everything for you?!?!?  You see where we are?  We're in fucking Canada! You think I just came here to see the Canucks play the fucking San Jose sharks?!?"  A hockey reference because of course why not.  "We can't fucking go back there Sophia.  Not ever!  Johnny and Lulu and Will and Shawn and everyone I've ever fucking counted on are back there.  We can't go back.  I won't go back....."  

Buster was panting and breathing heavy.  His chest heaved from the anger seething through him.  ".......Not if it puts you in dangerou."  Buster's usual cold emotionless eyes were soft.  Sorrow lived there.  They were sparkling with the thread of tears.  His cheeks were red from the cold and his breathe was frosty on the chill air.  The wetness of his hair was starting to stiffen and freeze.  Buster just stared at her.  Wanting more than anything for her to realize what he had just done for her.  

He was walking away.  And even though they were across the boarder his heart was still in Michigan.  His heart belonged to the Fools.  His heart also belonged to her now.  As far as he knew Canadians weren't hunting mutants.  Canadians were about as fucking passive as they came.  It was the underground fucking railway for mutants.  Make it to Canada eh!  You can have your freedom in your neighbor to the north.  Buster shook his head and cut his eyes away from her.  He expelled a gasping breathe as he swore at the same time.  "Fuck."  He almost sound liked a laugh had escaped him.  He was smiling!  Despite the fucked up situation, Buster was smiling.  

Buster wiped at his mouth and nodded.  "Okay."  He agreed.  He had the look of someone who was totally over it.  He was ready to become a fucking Canadian for her, that was like.... Beyond the ultimate sacrafice.  Buster pointed at the diner.  "You hunt for your dinner.  I'm going to get me some fucking ham and eggs."  Buster said.  He was willing to let her have her moment alone.  Give her some space.  To process all of this.  No, he didn't want to talk about any of it.  He just  wanted some fucking ham and eggs and a moment to process everything his way.  Buster's breath still clouded in the air, but he didn't notice the cold.  He didn't notice the way his body was shivering.  He thought it was just from the electrical charge of the moment.  

With a lazy woosh of his hand he tossed her clothes in the snow by her feet.  "I know you need to do this.  To hunt.  To feel in control of something....." He was looking down at the snow.  He couldn't look her in the eye.  For some reason, even though it wasn't really Buster's fault he felt like he let her down somehow.  Buster wasn't the type to usually feel guilt, but damn this fucking hurt.  It hurt like a mother fucker and there was nothing he could do about it beside grind his teeth and try and imagine a way to make her happy.  ".....Everything's spiraling out of fucking control. We need to take back our control."
 
He looked at her when that last bit came out of his mouth.  There was a more confident look on his face now.  HIs eyes were stll shrink wrapped in tears, but they weren't sad anymore. They were determined.  He looked back to the car and the diner.  "We'll worry about a place to crash for the night after lunch...  Go, hunt.  Take control." He said motioning to the woods with his hand.  Then he was gone.  A blur, a whoosh and he had zipped back to the car... A good hundred yards or so away.
  
Opening the car door he grabbed an old faded jean jacket from the backseat and slipped it over his shoulders.  He couldn't go in in green scrubs and barefoot someone would think he was an escaped mental patient.  Thankfully there was some snow boots in the backseat.  Caked in snow, and a little big for him but they worked.  He pulled them on and took one last look in the car.  He found a crumpled pack of cigarettes in the floorboard. There was a few slightly crushed cigarettes still inside.  "That'll work." He said and slammed the door.  

Buster walked inside the diner and looked around at all the happy smiling faces.  Jesus christ.  He thought.  It's Mr. Rodgers neighborhood.  Taking a seat at the counter he sighed.  He looked over he shoulder to see curious Candians still eyeing him up.  He made a face at them and gave them a slight wave as if to say "yeah, hi! ya fucking bastards leave me alone!"  Then there was a portly waitress standing in front of him.  He looked up over his eyelids to meet her gaze.  Her name tag said "Big Marge."  

He offered her a broad smile.  Her face was unamused with his sarcastic smile and apparent cutness.  At least not all canadians were smiling happy jackasses.  "What do you want hunny?  You're skin and bones i need to bring you a little of everything i think." Buster laughed and packed his cigarette on the counter, looking down he breathed in his scathing retort and bit his tongue.  He wanted to say 'one of everything was what got you into your predicament.' But he didn't.  He felt like lashing out because of the circumstance.  Instead he looked up at her.  Honest curiosity in his eyes.

 "If you caused a woman to uproot her life and change everything because something you fucked up.... You think you still had a chance to make her happy?"  He asked her.  She was a little taken aback by this.  She stared at him a moment with hard eyes and they eventually softened.  Shifting her weight she leaned on the counter.  "I don't know honey.  I think if you meant it... She might come around."  Buster sighed and stuck the cigarette in his mouth.  Lighting it up he looked up when it was snatched away.  Big Marge took his cigarette and dropped it in a cup of coffee.  "He..." Buster stared to say hey but she cut him off.  "No smoking."  Buster shifted in his seat now.  She sighed and gave him one last piece of advice.  "If you're honest with the girl......

She should love you back no matter what.  Just make her know she's special to you, don't make her guess it." Buster thought about it a minute and ran his fingers through his hair.  "Now what can i get you?" She snapped.  Big Marge was fiesty.  If he wasn't sorta almost engaged he might even make a pass at her.  Buster smirked at her.  "Ham and eggs... And some coffee."  Marge crossed her arms.  "Coffee what?"  Buster looked at her shaking his head.  "Coffee please?"  She smiled.  "Coming right up honey."  Buster looked outside over his shoulder as the last of the dying day kissed the horizon.  

Orange and red and golden sky blurred together in the twilight of the day as night was approaching.  He had faith Sophia could find her way back after her hunt.  Buster reached in his pants pocket and pulled out an engagement ring.  When he zipped to the car he made a little side detour to the jewerly store.  Sure, the ring was stolen, but he was taking back control.  He opened the box and his eyes shimmered in the reflection of dazzling diamonds.  He stared at it a few moments and closed the box shoving it into the pocket of his new jean jacket.

 Buster finished his breakfast and set the fork down.  He sighed and turned to the sound of a familiar voice.  Spinning around he saw that Sophia had at least changed her clothes.  She looked different, calmer at any rate.  She didn't have that resting bitch face that made him think she was ready to tear his fucking throat out.  Packing a new cigarette on the counter he leaned on the counter with one arm before tucking the cigarette behind his ear.  Buster stared at her.  She was contempuous and ballsy.  It was almost like looking into a mirror sometimes.

 She was very much like him in so many ways.  For one thing, she didn't let anyone give her any shit.  Buster was the type of guy who knocked out first and asked questions later.  Especially if he felt disrespected.  It was something he had built up a bit of a reputation for in the club.  Though he had no intentions of going back.  Buster didn't know about the grand designs of GADEM.  He didn't know that they were after the rest of the fools.  If he would have known he would have left Sophia stranded in Canada and went back alone to fight for his friends.

 It was about keeping her safe.  It was about not loosing the one good thing in his fucking life.  Still as he stared at her he could see she was serious.  Sophia was maybe even more of a bruiser than he was.  He smirked.  "Okay."  He said.  Buster reached in his pocket and pulled out some folded up cringled cash and placed it on the counter.  In one motion he pushed himself off his stool and headed to the door.  Grabbing his cigarette he placed it in his mouth and gave Sophia a head nod motion to tell her to follow him.  His hands sunk into the pockets of his jacket.  Outside the wind was howling across the frozen tundra of artic bullshit.  He wasn't a great fan of the place either, but America was fucking crazy.

 They had shadowy governement agencies chasing you, mutant murdering mother fuckers and all the bullshit in between.  Was it really worth going back to all that?  Buster squinted against the sunlight and cupped his hands over a dancing flame as he lit his smoke.  Breath it in kiddo.  The world isn't a shiny happy place anymore.  Staring out over bullshit Canada Buster smirked.  It was amazing this place was so tranquil and quiet and yet it was still the last place either of them wanted to be.  Buster didn't care really.  He could be here, Hong Kong or in outter fucking space.  He wasn't alone.  He wasn't screaming into an empty bottle and racing around the room in a drunken blur like an intoxicated tornado.  He hadn't had the urge for a drop of the shit in weeks.

 Things were looking up.  His hand rested on the ring box inside his jacket pocket.  He glanced over his shoulder as Sophia followed him out the door.  "Fine.  You want me to take you back I will, but one one condition...." Buster turned to her and looked at her seriously.  "No matter what happenes.  If for some reason I find myself in that fucked up place again; you leave me there.  You turn tail and fucking run.  Don't think about me.  Don't even dream about coming to get me.  You just leave me there kid.  That's the only way this shit works.  If i can't get your word on that...."  He took a puff of his cigarette squinting his eyes as he did so and shifting his stance.  "Then get ready to apply for Canadian citizenship, because no matter where you run I'll just keep bringing you right back here to this spot."

He turned back to her with a smile.  "And you know you can't outrun me." He winked at her and placed a hand on the railing.  He was willing to fight for his club.  Fight for his family, he just didn't want to fight without her by his side.  If she was up for fighting to keep the life they had Buster would gladly roll up his sleeves and fight.  LIttle did he know the fight was just beginning.  William had been taken, turned and soon would be set loose upon the fools.  Buster would be probably one of the few who could reach William with reason.  Their part in this fight wasn't over they had a tough road ahead of them, but at least they were traveling it together.

Buster smiled at her words.  She didn't look happy about it, but he didn't really give a shit.  He had her word that's all that mattered.  She could cry and pout about it all she wanted but that's how he felt about it.  He didn't give a damn about himself.  He was a lousy two bit huslting con man with an overactive ego and a hair jell addiction.  She was a sassy sweet everything in the world to him and he didn't have the balls to admit it.  Not to her, not to himself.  He strung her along and played this little game of tease and flirt but deep down she was the one.  He knew that.  He knew that probably from the moment he fucking laid eyes on her.  

Buster waited until he was done smoking his cigarette.  Sophia was riffing about how Canadians were sticky pussyes that smelled like syrup and Bust couldn't help but laugh.  He laughed even harder when a woman walking down the street heard her riffing and just stopped and stared.  Her mouth hanging open in disbelief and shock as Buster about fell over holding his ribs.  

"Sorry.  American's eh? What are you going to do about it?" He waved her off the woman walked away mumbling about the rudeness and saying the cliched words "I never been so insulted..." Buster was crying now.  Tears streaming donw his face he hadn't had reason to laugh that hard in a long time.  When the laughter dried up he ran his hand through his hair.  Taking a puff of his cigarette he took a deep breathe and just enjoyed the last inhale of Canadian air.  It kind of did smell syrupy around here.  Son of a bitch he thought.  With that he was a whirling gust of crazy havoc.

Moving through the world like a blur and bringing with him the only dame he ever gave a shit about.  She wanted to go back and the truth was so did he.  He didn't like the thought of putting her in danger, but Buster was a fighter.  He always had been.  From when he was a little kid getting picked on for his ratty shoes and his hand me down jeans that were two sizes too big for him  Buster had to fight for everything in his life.  GADEM and those pricks wee no different.  

Papers flew around the room as Buster came to a halt.  Cinders and sparks burned on his shoes and he quickly stamped them out.  The room they were in was forgien, strange.  It was a strangers house after all.  Buster let himself in.  When he stopped moving it was  only after dropping Sophia on the couch.  In front of here was a bottle of wine anad two glasses.  Rose pedals sprinkled around the room.  Circling the couch, leading upstairs.  The room was dark.  The candles on the coffee table weren't lit.  A gust of wind blurred in front of them and they flickered to lift.  

Suddenly piece by piece the darkness of the room started to light up as bit by bit strings of white christmas lights appeared almost out of nowhere hung up around the living room, wrapped around the handrail to the stairs and across the banister.  It was a nice house.  The furiniture was beauitful as was the layout and floor plan.  Buster ran and ran without stopping.  Suddenly more lights were hung around the legs of the coffee table, over the doorway.  It was like a million twinkling little stars in the dark room.  Suddenly the empty walls were covered with pictures of them!  Buster and Sophia Laughing.  Secret selfish taken by him.

 When you move to fast to detect you can do just about any damn thing.  Buster hung the photos of them all around the house as if it was theres.  Suddenly he was in front of her in one knee.  Only seconds before that space was empty.  He was holding out a ring box.  "All this could be ours someday.  Fancy house,  nice furniture.... A good life Sophia.... I can give it to you.  No more running.  No more looking ove our shoulders.  THis is what your future looks like.  Say yes." He said smiling at her with a hint of hope dancing in his eye.  He was literally trying to show her everything he would promise to her.

Buster could move faster than the speed of sound and yet this moment drug out forever.  It was like being caputred in a moment in time.  He was a prisoner to the internal debate in her head.  WELL? SAY FUCKING YES ALREADY! He thought in his head.  Then she did.  She actually fucking did.  Buster almost lost his balance when she attacked him with a kiss.  Not because she did it forcefully, but because he was shocked at the fucking implications.  Buster Fleetfoot was engaged.  He had a history with women longer than the great wall and he always ducked out in the middle of the night.  

He prefered to see woman as something to pass the time rather than someone to share you life with, but not her.  She was different.  Every girl wants to be the one.  To find that special guy that makes their heart sing.  Buster always assumed it was fucking fairy tale non sense, but he knew he loved her.  Maybe even before she did.  He would rather himself be locked up in that fucked up place than see her suffer a single ounce of pain.  That's where the change began.  Buster Fleetfoot the skinny rail with the ego and the self preservation agenda.  "Benny."  He said after a long pause.  "My real name's Benny.  Everyone just calls me Buster."

 He smiled.  He had never told a girl that before.  If his old man could see him now.  The soggy fuck would probably shit himself.  He used to tell Buster he would never amount to shit.  Look at him now.  He had everything.  A future wife.  A family.  Buster swallowed hard.  His eyes very serious.  "Want to go make it offical?" He asked with a slow smirk driving his wild features.  He was insinuating they go break in someone else's bed.  Buster's mind never strayed to far from the physical.  

He was only half serious though.  As his eyes danced around her face he saw in her the potentinal for everything he was told he couldn't be.  Honest.  Good.  Family man.  Buster's hand ran nervously over the side of his head as he slicked his hair back and looked around.  There were light in the driveway.  Someone was home.  "Shit." Buster said almost laughing.  He grabbed her hand and led her through the kitchen door as he heard the front door open.  

All the pictures and lights and roses picked up in a flash as he zipped there and back again.  He rejoined Sophia in the kitchen with an arm full of shit.  Sovieners he supposed.  He was trying not to laugh his ass off honestly.  This was the single most important moment of his life and some dickhead just ruined it.  But it was hard to be mad when he got a yes.  A big fucking yes and a what took you so long?   Buster had grabbed everything.  "What the fuck is this?" He heard from the other room.  

An oh shit expression crossed his face.  He forgot the candles.  Oh well.  He dropped all his momentos on the kitchen floor and grabbed up Sophia.  He whisked her away once again.  Not to some other random fucking person's house but to a real home.  The Fool's Dice club.  His pad was bachleor as fuck, but she was sure to change that.  Not that Buster had any idea of her intintions to do so.  "Home sweet fucking hell." He said with a proud smirk.  

The big neon sign in front of the Fool's club blinked and flashed welcoming them like a beacon in the dark.  "You're my Queen.  I'll never let anything bad happen to you again."  He said.  His words were confident, but they pitched with a shaky warble.  He looked around anxiously ready for anything.  He didn't know if they were still being hunted, but it was time for the newly crowned Queen to come home to her kingdom.