Chapter 9: Nightmares Lie
It had been a few days since the incident with the Nightmare King. Everyone was on edge, even the Professor, though he didn't show it. Cerin's promise even cut to the steel bones of Logan, who was currently watching the runt toss in her own dreams. Who knew the Dream mutant could have her own nightmares. He thought about waking her up, but thought better of it and left her swimming around her bed. He made his way to the kitchen area, taking a look at the digital clocks glowing green numbers as he went to the fridge. 3:45a.m. Jeeze.
That nightmare bastard has been keeping him up for almost five days and nights full on. Turns out the bastard can get into his dreams and make his dreams into nightmares. He even tries to chat with him, but Logan's not much of a chatter. He would occasionally try to punch or slash Cerin, but he would just evaporate and appear somewhere else, unharmed. It pissed the clawed mutant off more than it should. Maybe it was because that nightmare prick annoyed him with his cocky voice, or rude gestures, or…or…maybe it was because of Rilou. He's known the kid a couple weeks now. She hasn't tried to run twice. She'd forgiven him for whatever he did to her a few nights ago. They had grown pretty close, well as close as a clawed mutant and a tiny dream kid can get. He liked having the kid around, much to his own amusement. He was sure Xavier got a kick out of it too. The kid trusted him above anyone else, she had told him this a night ago.
He opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle, popping off the cap with his nail. Taking a sip, he also recalled the times he noticed Rilou in his dreams, or Nightmares with Cerin. She was in the background somewhere in them every time, watching the conversation they were having. One time she was standing next to him silently the whole time, and had held Logan's hand when the nightmare had said something that really hurt him, and had given him a simple smile. But nothing more, not that he needed more. The only thing that cheered Logan up more was the few times Rilou flipped Cerin off in his dream. Turns out he doesn't like that very much.
There was a shrill scream from Rilou suddenly, and without hesitation, Logan dropped his drink, it shattering on the floor, and sprinted to the child's room. What he saw was a nightmare. Literally. Above Rilou, standing above her, was the Chimera nightmare from the night we first met Cerin. But this one had a shadowy 2 on its back. Logan guessed that meant it was a copy. It was roaring that blood curdling human scream, but the shrill cry was he had heard was Rilou's. She was crying out in her sleep, crying watery tears and yelling for help. The chimera cried again, something else forming above the little girl. It was a blur, but held the shape of a person. When Rilou screeched 'NO!' Logan had to do something. He did exactly what he did the first time he dealt with the damn thing. He saved Rilou. Taking out his claws, he slashed the things head clean off, then stabbed the body over and over, and didn't stop till it was gone completely from his sight. Rilou screamed, and shot up in a sitting position.
"Logan!" She was wide eyed, and moving her head around the room frantically, which made Logan realize she hasn't noticed him in the room yet. Rilou noticed someone was watching her and quickly locked gazes with Fur-Face, her best friend. She stared at him with puffy red eyes for a long time, sniffling, trying not to cry. What she had just seen, it wasn't real. For the first time, it wasn't real. He was there. He was still there. She blinked. Nope, still there.
"Kid." His voice startled her. It was laced with worry, which was new for him to her. "You ok?"
"…Logan!" She cried out, shooting up and springing from across the bed, into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck, and she began to sob uncontrollably. She repeated his name over and over while she cried. What Logan didn't know, was that she was beyond happy at the moment. He was here. Cerin lied. Logan was still here. The nightmare was a lie. For the first time, the nightmare lied.
Wrapping a strong arm around the sobbing mess, Logan made his way out f the room, into the hall, to the kitchen, flipping on the lights as he did so. He set Rilou down on the counter and made a move to leave her there to clean the mess, but she wouldn't let go of him. She just clung to him tighter. He gave a few gentle-ish tugs, but eventually Rilou ended up hopping up and wounding around him, till she was on his back. She linked her arms around his neck again, and wrapped her legs around his torso as much as she could, which wasn't much considering her size. He sighed, and let her dangle on his back while he cleaned the mess he made with his still full bottle earlier. Cutting himself a few times with the broken glass, he finally got it cleaned, and threw the stained towel in the trash. Logan looked to the kid to see her staring at him with red, puffy, watery, yet shimmering rainbow-like eyes.
"You ok kid?" Logan asked, getting a soft nod, and a tightened grip around his neck. "How 'bout a walk? I'm obviously not getting any sleep tonight?" A nod was given in reply, but she made no move except crawling up his back a bit like a koala so she her whole head was up to his left, a whole arm and shoulder draped over his shoulder. She really looked like a baby koala. It was cute! "Or I'll walk and you tag along for the ride." He huffed, walking out the door with the mini koala child strapped to his back.
They walked through the dark halls silently, not wanting to wake the students. Logan didn't really care about waking up the kids, but he didn't want another long ass lecture from Xavier. Rilou was quiet the whole time, much to Logan's surprise. She wasn't crying anymore, but her white knuckle grip around his neck hadn't loosened at all. She was squeezing herself against him as far as she could. To Logan, it was as if she was afraid she was going to vanish into thin air if she let go. To her, it was the opposite.
They made their way to the main corridor area, and crossed over to the cafeteria. Logan used his middle claw to cut the lock to the kitchen.
"Our secret, right kid?" Rilou nodded, getting a smirk out of Logan. He pushed open the tight silver door, and flipped on the kitchen light. To Rilou, it looked more like a lab than a kitchen. All the stuff in here was beyond modern. Platinum silver things were all over the place. They passed what looked like a stove, an enormous walk in fridge, and a freezer. Logan passed through to the back door, and popped the lock. Walking out the door, they ended up outside, in the forest next to the garden. He kept walking, ignoring the animals they passed as he walked. A herd of deer gave them strange looks, an owl or two hooted at them. A field mouse ran passed Logan's foot a couple times, and a bear was walking in the same direction as them.
"Logan?" Rilou's voice finally spoke up, though it was almost a whisper.
"About time you say something." He replied. "What's up kid?"
"Where are we going? We're not on the grounds anymore are we?" She looked over at the brown bear. It looked like a black bear in the darkness of the night, but you could faintly see the difference if you looked close enough. It gave a nod to them, and a little growl. Not a threat, it was more of a hello to the two mutants.
"You're right kid. We aren't on the grounds anymore. Don't know why you'd care anyway. I mean you never have before. As for the other question, you'll see." He turned his head to face Rilou, and gave her a half smirk.
The bear got really close to them, and after a minute or two was walking side by side with them.
"Friend of yours?" Rilou asked him. The bear grunted a response, even though the question was directed to Logan.
"I guess. It shows up when I come out here alone a lot. It never leaves me alone." Too prove his pals point, the bear nudged himself against Logan, giving him a playful shove. Getting a ridiculous idea, Logan looped an arm behind him, and pulled Rilou off of him.
"NO!" She screeched, wrapping her arms back around him.
"Do you trust me?" He asked. She looked up at him with watery eyes again. She nodded and loosened her grip. He placed her on the large bears back near his neck so she was riding it like the bear was a pony. The bear didn't seem to mind, in fact it looked as if it was smiling at the duo. Its eyes glistened like shimmering stars in the black night. Logan lowered his hand that had placed her there, but Rilou grabbed it in a grip that would crush a normal persons bones.
"Please…" She whimpered, making Logan freeze. "Please don't leave."
"I ain't going anywhere kid." He reassured her. God he sounded so unlike himself right now, Xavier would so get a laugh out of this.
"Promise?" She held out her tiny little finger to him, which he took into his rough one.
"Yeah. Promise." He kept walking, the bear very close to his side, and the little girl he had come to enjoy being friends with, even closer to his heart than his side.
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Hi guys! Wow this one took a while. Sorry. I haven't been in a writing mood in a while. Kinda depressed really. One of my favorite idols, Leonard Nimoy, just passed on a while ago. So I'm sorry for taking so long. As usual please comment and review on how I'm doing. Yes I know this chapter was a little out of character for Logan, but it was nessisary.
