Disclaimer:
I don't own X-Men Evolution, though I wish I did.
Summary:
The X-Men are experiencing their most dreadful nightmares. And worse... they can't seem to wake up. Takes place right after 'Ghost of a Chance' but prior to 'Ascension.'
Kurt went flying through the air, but thankfully he didn't hit the far building as a telepathic hand grabbed him gently in mid-air, helping him to land gracefully back down on his feet. Scott slapped the side of his visor and let loose an optic blast that lanced into the side of the Juggernaut, but his aim was off and all it did was knock Cain's shoulder back, throwing off his balance for a millisecond. Still, it was enough to help, as Rogue leapt atop of the behemoth's back and undid another latch before being forced to retreat.
Finally the battle was over, as Cyclops blasted Juggernaut's helmet clean off his head, leaving him vulnerable to psychic barrage. Turning, the great red behemoth turned and ran, retreating from the fight and leaving the X-Men, who once again let him go. They had more important matters to attend to.
"Ooooh..." grumbled Kitty, holding her bruised head. "Remind me never to sneak up on Juggernaut again... especially when he's throwing a car around."
"Least you veren't tossed around like a verddamit sack of potatoes," grumbled Kurt. "I nearly got my head smashed like a pumpkin."
"Alright, that's enough," interrupted Scott, relaxing now that the threat was over. "Let's head home and call it a night... its already way too late."
"What? Past your bedtime?" asked Kurt with his usual humor. Kitty giggled.
The walk home took place mostly in silence, few willing to talk after an exhausting battle against Professor Xavier's half-brother. On their way back to the mansion a number of them noticed the passing by little kids in costumes, and a few of them smiled when they caught sight of some of the younger, innocent kids, enjoying the holiday season.
"So Kurt, how did your date with Amanda go? I didn't see you two at the halloween dance," asked Kitty. Most of the X-Men had decided to go to the dance, in uniform instead of costume, but they'd run into trouble with the Juggernaut and been forced to bail out early. By now it would be long over, it was already 2am, according to Kurt's watch.
"We didn't attend," replied Kurt soberly. "Amanda and I had a private dance on the track field," he added with a wistful smile.
"I hope dance is all you did," remarked Jean, in what most of them recognized as her 'motherly' voice. Sometimes, more annoying than Scott's 'leader' voice.
"Of course," snapped back Kurt, weary from the long night and the equally difficult battle. "I'm mature."
"The words Kurt Wagner and mature do not go tagether unless ya'll put 'isn't' between them," remarked Rogue. Kurt chuckled, willing to admit it was a good joke even if it was poking fun at him. Right now he didn't care. All he wanted was about 40 good winks and a nice, clean dream about his liebchen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scott lay down on his bed, in his sleeping clothes, his nightglasses firmly wrapped around his head, to prevent him from accidenlty waking up in the middle of the night and blowing a hole clear through the ceiling. Despite his fatigue, however, and the many aches his body had gained in the fight, he couldn't sleep. His brain was abuzz with activity, mostly thoughts around his future. That is, if many people had a future once Apocalypse finished whatever he was doing in those mutant domes.
Sighing, Scott shifted, laying atop of the covers, his eyes open as he stared up at the ceiling, and slowly drifted off to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the next room, Kurt Wagner lay suspended upside down from the chandelier, writing his journal upside down, as he was wont to do before bed each night. His entries of late had been growing longer and longer, he noticed. His life with the X-Men certainly didn't lack excitement, though some things he could've done without. Still, he could see a happy tone returning to his own writing, and he was glad for his sister Rogue making peace with herself.
Tonight was a special night for him, being one of the few he could actually walk around without a need for a holowatch (provided no one came too close) and even better, more time he could spend with Amanda. He'd been amazed when he saw her at the school, decked out in a cute little sorceress costume. She'd been absolutely radiant, and he'd been hard pressed to keep himself civil when they'd been dancing out on the track field, alone in the moonlight. His tail hadn't been, and more than once he'd had to lightly smack it for slipping up under the skirt of her sorceress robes. But she'd just giggled and said it tickled her.
She's one in a million Kurt, he told himself. Don't ever let her go.
Finishing his entry, Kurt Wagner changed into his sleeping shirt and trousers and slid under the covers of his bed, placing his journal in its appropriate drawer and his holowatch ont he dresser. Then he closed his yellow eyes and let sleep overtake him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kitty Pryde shifted under her covers, sighing contently, the drapes closed, the dreamcatcher hanging over her bed. She smiled to herself, remembering how her newfound friend Danielle had given it to her before she'd left, saying it would protect her from bad dreams.
It was really a shame Danielle couldn't stay and be an X-Man, like she had been in her dream, but she wanted to go home and spend some time with her grandfather for a while. Kitty understood, but hoped she would be back.
Sighing, her blue eyes closed, she drifted off to sleep, her dragon plushie (named affectionately Lockheed) cuddled in her arms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rogue was up late, showering, the steamy hot water rushing over her body as she tilted her head back. Sometimes she imaged the stream of water as the hands of another, as if she could actually touch someone and feel them touch her, without her deadly gift getting in the way.
Grumbling, she shut off the flow of water and slid out of the shower, grabbing a towel and drying herself off, ruffling her auburn and white locks. She wiped the steam away from the mirror and took a long moment to study her own features, thinking for what must've been the millionth time... why me? Why did she have to get the most horrible gift a mutant could have? Even Scott could live a more normal life than she could.
Sighing deeply, reminding herself again that questioning wouldn't help herself, she dressed in her green and orange pajamas (a gift from Kitty, who else would have such awful taste?) and walked back into her new room, laying down under the covers and closing her eyes. Sleep came almost immediately, and she drifted off into the dreamworld. A place she sometimes considered better than reality. A place where her mom and dad were nice, normal people, where she could touch anyone, and sometimes (these dreams she kept to herself) where Scott loved her more than Jean.
Though for some reason, lately her dreams of Scott had vanished to be replaced by a suava Cajun with red on black eyes and an ego the size of Lousiana.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jean Grey finished brushing her hair, a nightly tradition with her, and telekinetically sent her brush to its proper place on her dresser. With equal ease she lifted up the covers and floated over to her bed, sliding underneath and drawing the covers up over her with the power of her mind. Another telekinetic blip and the light switch flipped, plunging the room into sweet, blessed darkness.
Jean Grey fell into a quiet, untroubled sleep
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Upstairs in the loft, Ororo Munroe slept contently in her miniature arboretum, among the plants she loved and nurtured as much as any of the students at the Institute. The moonlight shone through the sunroof, filtering down across her serene features as she dreamed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Downstairs, in the lab, Hank and Xavier, though very sleepy, had stumbled upon a great discovery in regards to the energy domes Apocalypse had erected, and despite their fatigue pressed on, coffee mugs near their computer screens as they continued their work, hoping to find a dent in Apocalypse's armor that could be exploited. Logan dropped by every so often with some more coffee, but he wasn't too sleepy. Another benefit of his healing factor allowed him to go days without sleep or rest, even though he'd been out most of the other night searching for Mesmero.
The three adult mutants continued their respective work, while the rest of the Institute slept soundedly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Moonlight shined down on the Institute, illuminating it with a soft, eerie glow. The carved pumpkins outside, even with their happy smiley faces (Kitty's work, mostly) still seemed very ominous in the light. By the edge of the woods, just outside the gates, two figures appeared. One was clad in dark robes, their color lost in the darkness of the shadows that engulfed him. The other was more simply dressed, tunic and trousers, sandals on her feet.
Now... destroy them all, my pawn, said the first, thoug his lips did not move.
The girl complied, her dark, haunted eyes narrowing in concentration.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Notes:
And my curse of writer's block has been lifted! And just in time for Halloween, how wonderful. A story for All Hallow's Eve, inspired by 'Ghost of a Chance' and an equally chilling JL episode of a similar nature. As always, reviews welcome and even needed for my continued existence.