My Last Breath
By Yunie Leonheart and Damion Cross
Disclaimer: We don't own the X-men or Rogue but Damion is owned, by no surprise, Damion. This story is a Hodgepodge of all the Cartoons, the comics and the movies. Please Enjoy and Review
Anne Marie Cross, the woman formally known as The X-man Rogue, woke gasping from a nightmare that gripped her mind. Well not a nightmare as much as a memory she wished she could bury as deep as possible in her mind. She pressed her fingers to the scars on her neck, remembering the event where she had received the marks.
Marie smiled gently as Damion led her out onto the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife. Just as the music started there were startled screams of terror and crashing from the direction of the entrance of the reception hall. Marie's eyes widened with a bit of fear as her foster father's most vicious rival appeared in the midst of the chaos. Damion, being the hero he is, tried to protect his new wife, but was charged by the massive mutant called Sabertooth and was batted away like a fly. Marie gave a small sound of fear and tried to get to Damion, as he slammed into a wall hard, dazing the young hero. She felt Sabertooth dig his cruel claws into the back of her neck, picking her cleanly up off the floor and shaking her like a rag doll.
"I heard the runt's precious little girl was getting married and I just couldn't resist." Sabertooth growled, a cruel smile on his face. "You are gonna scream for me, little one." He added, running a claw down her cheek, drawing a thin line of blood. Rogue stiffened, knowing that Creed's senses were just as sharp as Logan's and Logan hadn't needed to smell her blood to know that she was pregnant. Creed's smile grew even wider and crueler, if that was even possible. He growled triumphantly, "This is better than I could have ever expected. Not only do I get to kill the runt's precious cub, but I also get to kill her little whelp at the same time. Two for one." Damion had pulled himself up and stared at what had to be a scene from his worst nightmare. His wife and his unborn baby in danger and he couldn't make a move to save them. His hands were aflame, the fires white, in their intensity. He saw Rogue had her hand pressed to her stomach, a move he recognized as an unconscious instinct to protect the precious little life she carried. "Aww," Creed cooed, turning Marie so she could see the emotions running through her partner, " Looks like we know who the proud papa is." He flung Marie's hand away and replacing it with his own, the claws ripping through the delicate fabric of her wedding dress. Marie started to struggle and Creed shook her again, till she gave a cry of pain. Damion's flames flared at the sound, his anger growing. The other heroes who hadn't worked to get the normal people out of harms way were bristling to take down the beast, who had ruined this happy occasion, but they couldn't risk him killing Marie. Creed chuckled, "Well I'll just have to make sure that even if they manage to save you after I'm done with you, that this baby is the last one you will ever have." Tears started to gather in Marie's eyes, though she fought them down, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. Raven threw off her disguise and threw herself at her former lover and used all of her fighting skill to try to get him to let the girl she helped raise go. The huge brute threw Raven off and she hit her head on the wall hard. Then he returned hit attention back to his tormenting of Rogue and through her, Logan. "Now little one you owe me that scream." Marie glared at Creed, clenching her teeth. Creed lost his temper with her defiance. He shook her, hard, "Scream, Damn you!" He yelled.
Marie gave him a defiant smile and spat in his face, " Go to hell, you bastard." She ground out, giving Logan and Colossus the chance to work up their famous fastball special. Logan hit Creed with the force of a cannonball, causing Creed to lose his grip on Rogue and knocked her clear. Blink and Kurt ported in grabbing both her and Raven. Marie noted that Kurt was exhausted, but it didn't surprise her, Kurt was selfless in the defense of others. Jean Grey and Heather Cameron came running to give Marie the medical attention she obviously needed, if the blood staining the lovely white fabric of Marie's ruined wedding gown was any indication.
"Get me patched up, Dr. Grey. I've got to get back in there where I belong." Rogue said, pinning, Jean with a glare she retained from Logan.
"I think not, Rogue. I am sorry for this" Jean said, placing her fingers on Marie's forehead and using her powers to make the young woman sleep, sure that was what the patient needed. "Take care of her, Heather. Logan says they need my abilities." Jean said, heading towards the fight. She entered the building, looking like an avenging angel. She threw all the mental power she could spare at the brutish mutant, his own mind pulling out his darkest nightmares, locking him into a comatose state, his nightmares replaying in his mind. Jean crumpled, regaining her breath. Logan patted her shoulder as he pulled out his cell phone to call Nick Fury to pick up Creed. He gave Damion a sign that he would take care of things here, not that Damion needed it. The younger man was going to check on his family.
Heather waved Damion over to where she and Blink were waiting. "Kurt took Marie home. We thought she'd be more comfortable there and he was exhausted. It was the best way we could think of to get him to rest. You know how he is about his sister." Heather said. "Blink and I'll take you home, patch you up and then head back here to help." Heather said, her cheerful professionalism shining through. Damion gave the girls a grateful smile, thankful for their kindness. Blink ported them to their cozy little farmhouse, well in a blink. Heather then treated the injuries Damion had sustained in the fight. "Well let's go Blink. Later Damion." Heather said, leaving the home. Damion headed upstairs, passing the room where Kurt snored away, heading to the bedroom her share with his now wife. She was tucked into bed, probably Kurt's doing. The white bandages standing out starkly against her skin a glaring reminder of what happened. He pulled over her favorite chair and took her left hand in his, running his thumb over the back of her hand occasionally brushing her wedding ring. After what seemed to be hours, Marie's eyes fluttered, and she sat up with a gasp and a shout of " Damion!" She began to struggle to get free of the covers.
Damion gave a small smile as he tugged on her hand, answering her fearful cry with a amused, " Yes, Muirnin?" Marie lay back looking at her husband with tears in her eyes, glad he was safe, glad the three of them where safe.
Marie smiled at the memory, sighing as she headed downstairs to grab a cup of the herbal tea Jean insisted she drink instead of the sodas and cocoa Marie preferred. Then she would head out to the garage and work on the cars she had to finish to fill the order she had pending in a few weeks. She hoped her garage would be enough to distract her from her worries and it's not like she was going to get anymore sleep tonight.