For the next few weeks, Nelliea's life went by in bliss. She didn't even notice the time flying. Amanda came back to the apartment the day after the fight and collected her things. She fully moved out by the end of the week and Nelliea was sad to see her forced from her home and she could tell Kurt was sad as well, even though he tried to hide it. As they became closer together, spending more time with each other, their make out sessions would get hotter and hotter but Nelliea still had to work on keeping herself under control. The frustration was the only downside to her new life as she started teaching the teen's martial arts and living with Kurt, the man she was becoming to love. Since moving in she no longer dreamt of little Nigella and it worried her at first, but she convinced herself it was nothing to worry about. She wanted to give herself completely and fully to Kurt but was too afraid of what such a complete loss of control would do. He said he understands, that there's no pressure and there's no rush. But every time they pushed the limit further and further to the breaking point, endangering everyone. And every time Kurt had to pull away from her she saw the hurt build in his eyes. He must think I'm doing this on purpose. Nelliea tries to shake these depressing thoughts out of her mind as the teens pile into the training room. Kurt's chained to his desk by order of Sandra so she and Wolverine had to do this training exercise by themselves today.
The frustration at herself builds as she becomes angry. She hears Wolverine talking to the teens, prepping them for the session as she starts pacing herself. Wolverine looks at her curiously and tells the teens to go prepare as he walks to her.
"What's wrong?"
Nelliea looks at him in passing as she continues to pace, throwing her arms up in the air, "Why the hell can't I ever completely control my powers?! I mean I've been training for years! I should be able to enjoy life to some extent by now! Right?! Right?!"
Wolverine raises an eyebrow at her sudden burst of anger, "No one can ever get complete control of their powers."
"You have complete control of yours!" She points a finger at him as she paces by.
"Yes but my power's only healing. My metal claws are due to an experiment, they're not natural. You not having complete control only mean how great your powers are."
Nelliea stops and stares at Wolverine as he actually said something that made sense. He shrugs his shoulders and scratches his head, "At least that's what the Professor would say."
Nelliea walks up to him and gives him a peck on the cheek, "Thanks Wolfie."
He growls at her playfully as she rounds up the kids, starting the simulation. The training starts off without a hitch as the kids attack her with more confidence now after having train from her. Half way through the training, Nelliea raises her staff to strike a student when everything blackens and time stops. Her heartbeat echoes through her mind and rings in her ears as she freezes. The student she was poised to attack takes a step back as her eyes become black and black energy seeps through her body.
"Wolverine!"
He whirls at the sound of his name and sees Nelliea in mid-strike, emitting this black energy. He rushes to her but his hands are thrown back by the force and he turns, rushing the teens out of the room. The simulation frizzes as her power grows and the room starts to rumble.
Professor! Better get the kid here now!
Do not worry. I just told him.
Kurt plops before Wolverine staring at Nelliea, "What the hell happened?!"
The air in the room begins to swirl as Nelliea collapses to the ground. Kurt tries to go to her but Wolverine puts a hand on his shoulder halting him, "Wait a second kid! We have no idea what the fuck's going on! We should get everyone to safety and see if the Professor can do anything!"
Kurt turns, brushing his hand away as he glares at him, "That's the woman I love in danger! You get everyone to safety and wait for the Professor! I'm going to her!"
Before Wolverine could argue Kurt disappears and pops at Nelliea's side, bringing her into his arms. All Wolverine could do is go with the kid's plan and get everyone out as he hustles them outside. As Kurt cradles her head in his arms the wind whistles into a tornado as he hollers her name, screaming for her to wake. As he tries to get her to wake the wind picks up speed and grows louder as she starts to convulse, her body trembling, her muscles feeling as if they're pulling themselves apart. Kurt tries with all his strength to keep her pinned, screaming her name over and over again. Suddenly she bolts up to her knees and her head and shoulders are thrown back as she lets out an ear shattering scream. Everyone in the mansion can hear and cover their ears as blood begins to pour from those who are closes to the source. Kurt's ears instantly burst as the scream builds into a shrill and a black cloud erupts from her mouth. He watches in horror as the cloud builds upon itself, morphing in faces. It was just faces upon faces with such looks of horror and terror, all screaming down at Nelliea. As the shrill reaches higher in pitch and volume, everything suddenly gets sucked into Nelliea. The black clouds with the faces, the black energy pouring from her body, even the whirling wind suddenly pours back into her mouth as the shrill reaches higher. As everything is sucked in the air stops and Kurt watches with fear as Nelliea floats in the air, unmoving. She collapses again and he hears a sickening crack as her head hits the floor. He reaches for her but before he could touch her a black flash blinds him and everyone else, erupting like an explosion. As the light fades, Kurt blinks trying to clear his eyes and sees she's gone. There was nothing of her left in the space before him. Panic robs him of his mind as he franticly searches for her. Going everywhere in the mansion, trying to find some trace of her. Before he could search outside the grounds Jean holds him as everyone comes to him.
"LET ME THE FUCK GO! I GOTTA FIND HER! SHE COULD BE HURT!"
"Kurt," Storm tries to put her arms around his shoulders but he shrugs her off as she continues in her soft voice, "Kurt…the Professor looked. She's not anywhere to be found. She's left this dimension."
Kurt stares into her eyes in disbelief as the words sink in. He shakes his head and whispers no as he appears before the Professor inside Cerebro.
He didn't have to be psychic to know what he'd tell him as he falls to his knees, tears flowing down his face, "No…it can't be true…IT CAN'T BE TRUE PROFESSOR!"
The Professor turns from Cerebro's controls and makes his way to Kurt, laying a hand on his shoulder, "I'm afraid so son. I've searched the globe over. There is no trace of her. Wherever she is, it is not within this dimension."
Kurt's eyes become glossed over as he stares into space, not wanting the words to sink in. Finally, as they do, he collapses as he cries into his hands, screaming into the empty air of Cerebro.
"NELLIEAAAAAA!"
It's cold. Where's the light? Nelliea's ears twitch as she thought she heard her name. she realized the only sounds she heard were her own sobs. She became aware of herself cowering in some deep, dark space, crying endlessly. She doesn't know how long she simply sat there and cried, it felt like years.
"YOU FUCKING BITCH YOU KILL-"
"-MY SON! HOW THE HELL-"
"JUST FUCKING DIE!"
Nelliea clamps her hands over her ears trying to drown out the voices with her cries. What the hell is this? What are these people? She crawls herself into a smaller ball, trying to disappear within the darkness. Tears continue to rain down form her face as a thought enters her mind, Did I kill all these people? Her body is racked with shivers as this realization brings horror into her spine. She screams and cried, unable to tell the difference between the two as more voices echo through the space, penetrating her fingers and ringing through her mind. She screamed. She screamed until her voice was hoarse. She screamed until she lost her voice. She screamed until she could no longer scream in her head. Finally the voices subside, leaving her with nothing but the sounds of her tears as she continues to cower. Suddenly a small, slightly pudgy hand appears on her shoulder.
"…Nelliea…"
She snaps her head around and sees Nigella, herself as a young girl, covered with blood. With a shaking finger she points to the blood, "That's theirs isn't it? I did that, didn't i?"
Nigella slowly nods her head and Nelliea lets out another blood chilling scream as the crimes and sins of her past come crushing down. She remembers! She remembers. She had a family, a home, a hometown. A little place, not even on the map. She had family, parents, a mother and father, a little brother. They were attacked. A man came in one night and shot her parents dead before her eyes. That was their blood on her dress! She became so mad, she pushed. Her powers flattened everything within a 100 mile radius. She killed countless people! But she left the man for last. She let him see the devastation around him as she choked him in the air. And then she busted his head. It was his blood on her face, in her eyes. She and her brother were holding onto his favorite lion doll when the man attacked. She looked down and saw one of its legs was torn off. There was blood and scraps of her brother's pajamas next to her. Her feet were soaking in the blood of her brother! The brother she killed!
"Why?!" Nelliea screams at Nigella, "Why did you do that?! Why did I do that?! What the hell was the point if it killed everyone?!"
Nigella never blinks, not even as Nelliea throws fists at her, "…to learn…"
"To learn fucking what?!"
"…to never hurt again…"
A single tear rolls down Nigella's face as Nelliea stills, the words sinking in, "You mean…you hid yourself, trapped yourself in here, to save me and to keep me from hurting anyone ever again?"
Nigella looks up into Nelliea's eyes as more tears swim behind hers, "…yes…"
Nelliea's face softens, "Oh, Nigella…" Nelliea grabs the young girl and pulls her into a hug, "It's ok, it's ok. You can cry, you can let it all out. Please, let me have this burden, let me take this weight. You go to sleep, please."
As Nelliea coos soft words into Nigella's ears her walls come crashing down and the young girl erupts into tears and cries on Nelliea's shoulders. Nelliea comforts her and rubs her back as the little girl opens her heart and lets her pain fall.
Once the tears were over, Nigella slips from Nelliea's hold, "…you called me Nigella…"
Nelliea smiles as she brushes her hair from her face, "Of course. It is your name, well our name."
"…Nigella…"
Nelliea nods, "Yes."
Like a slow miracle, a smile blossoms on Nigella's face. It was the most beautiful smile she has ever seen. They hug again and as they break apart Nelliea tries to clean the blood from Nigella's face.
She side steps from her reach, "…no…reminder…"
Nelliea blinks, now understanding why the girl never blinked. She didn't want to risk washing away the blood, for it was a constant reminder to never draw blood again. She gives a small nod as she grabs Nigella's hands and leans her forehead against hers.
"I'll remember, I promise."
"…protect blue star…"
"Don't worry, I will."
A soft light emits from their conjoined foreheads and Nigella begins to fade into Nelliea, completing her memories and herself. When the light fades Nelliea stares at her hands, flexing them. I can do it. I have complete control! She gives a little laugh as she stands ready to go home. She reaches up and tears a hole in space and overlooks the city. Kurt! Is her only thought as she tries to step through, but the hands of the victims drag her back and close the hole as they pin a screaming Nelliea down, filling her with their horrors and terrors.
KURT!
Kurt jumps as he hears Nelliea scream his name. it's been a week since she's disappeared and despite everyone's encouragements, even Amanda's, he refused to go back to work until he found her. He scrambles for his phone and it rings in his hand confirming his suspicions.
"That was her wasn't it?! She made some rip and appeared right?! Can you get a lock on her?!"
He practically screamed into the phone as the Professor tried to answer, "Yes that was her if only for a split second. I'm afraid that the lapse was too short and I was unable to locate her position," Kurt gave a sigh of dejection as the pressure of another failure crashes down on him, "But Cerebro was able to record the area of the location and with your help, we may be able to pinpoint it."
Kurt appeared before the Professor before he could finish his statement, "What'd you need me to do?"
The Professor hangs up the phone as the one in Kurt's hand clicks and turns a serious gaze as the un-groomed blue mutant before him, "First you need to take care of yourself, take a shower. With you close I will be able to use Cerebro to pinpoint the location of the rip through you. It will take time, time that you will be required to be here. But if it should work like I believe it will, we will find her."
A wave of relief washes through Kurt as he realizes he's this close to finding her, "Then what?"
Professor X laces his fingers together as he gathers his thoughts, then pins Kurt with a serious look, "Once we have the location, you may be able to travel into the dimension via your teleportation. But what happens inside, I cannot tell you. There is no guarantee that you will find her or even find your way home. You could even end up in a completely different dimension and die. Will you still take this risk?"
"Yes."
Professor X studies Kurt under a hard glare, then nods his head, "Very well. Go. Clean up at least. I have work to do."
As the Professor wheels into Cerebro Storm appears and tries to lead Kurt towards the kitchen for something to eat. Nothing helps him but the thought of finding Nelliea. That was the one and only thought that has consumed and commanded him since she disappeared. He prayed the Professor works fast.
The spirits of the victims continued to cut into Nelliea, spilling her blood which only closed right back up as they continued to torture her. She tried to no avail to push them away but they would always stay until she exhausted her powers and her strength.
"NO-"
"IF WE CANT GO BACK-"
"YOU'LL NEVER GO BACK!"
"WE'LL DESTROY THAT BLUE AFTER YOU!"
"No! Don't you dare touch him you motherfuckers!"
She struggled against their grips which only brought blood to her wrist. Think. Think! What the hell are you gonna do?! Then a thought entered her head.
"Wait. Wait!" Another gashed is carved into her stomach, "Ah! Wait! You said you wanted to go back?! I can send you back! I can send you home!"
"YOU CANNOT!"
"YOU DON'T HAVE THE POWER-"
"-THE WHITE!"
"Bu-but…I can cut a rip, remember. I can cut a hole and you can go home."
"NO!"
"WE DON'T WISH TO GO HOME!"
"ONLY TO OUR FAMILIES!"
"OUR LOVED ONE!"
"OUR HOMES IN HEAVENS!"
Nelliea closes her eyes as she realizes their right. They wished to pass over but she can never do anything about that! ...no…you can… Nelliea blinks, Nigella?! …i can show you...we can give them home…but we…we will stay… You mean we'll be stuck? …yes… Nelliea blinks as the enormity of those words hit home. Fine. What do I do? …but…blue star… Nelliea blinks away tears. Yes, I know, but he will find happiness again, I've no doubt. But these people's happiness matter more than mine. …agreed… A click sounds in Nelliea's head as she feels something change within her. Her powers, her Soul-Self which was always black was now white. Her powers spread, surrounding all of the spirits around her, bathing them in glowing white light. As the darkness of their hearts fade from the light they change. No longer are they the vengeful spirits of those she's killed, but the souls of those who now know, a little girl had lost control, and thus forgive her. Their forgiveness cushions around her, feeling like a warm blanket as they pass on before her eyes. She blinks as tears of gratitude wash her face, seeing every one of them free. Soon enough, it was just her alone in this never ending darkness. Nigella? …yes… It's gonna be a long eternity, isn't it? …yes… Nelliea sits as she feels her resolve crumble. Tired of holding back, she cries for all the years with Kurt she gave up. All the kisses, all the hopes, all the days of learning new things of each other. All the times of fighting and learning to make up. All the children they could have! Her family!
Kurt stumbles in the darkness, unsure of how far he's walked or how long he's been in the emptying darkness. He screamed her name for hours until he could speak no more but still no sound came, not even an echo. Just as doubt was gnawing at the corners of his mind he sees something like a blinking star in the far distance. He stumbles and runs towards it, unable to use his abilities since coming into this place. As he draws closer the light suddenly disappears but he does not give up. Before long he starts to hear something. Someone crying.
"Nelliea!...NELLIEA!"
Nelliea's ears twitch, she's hearing things. Already she missed Kurt so much she was imagining his voice.
"NELLIEA!"
Ok that sounded closer. Nelliea looks up and sees a blinking blue star in the distance. She can't believe it! He's here! Kurt's actually here, looking for her!
"Kurt? KURT! KURT!"
She stumbles to her feet, dragging herself through the thick darkness. Kurt hears her calling him back and he runs faster, screaming her name over and over. Finally the two collide into each other and they fall over, a mingle of white and blue limbs. As they fall their lips find each other and starve for the taste of the other as their hands race to have their fill. As the kiss ends Nelliea leans over Kurt has he caresses her cheek.
"Never scare me like that again."
Nelliea smirked, "And what? Miss the chance of seeing the man I love race after me?"
A light twinkles in his eye as his mouth twitches, "You love me?"
Nelliea leans down and gives him a smoldering kiss, "To the ends of the earths, literally."
They share a quiet laugh as the moment over takes them again and they share another steaming kiss. Finally as the moment subsides Kurt brings Nelliea into his arms, vowing to lever let go of her again. Nelliea hugs him back, silently promising him that he'll never feel unloved again.
As their spirits calm, listening to the sounds of each other's heartbeats, Nelliea whispers, "How're we suppose to get home?"
There's a moment of silence as Kurt drums this over in his head. …together… Nelliea rolls Nigella's idea through her head and thinks it's worth a shot. She passes the idea over Kurt saying how Nigella came up with it and before he could question who Nigella was, he quickly agrees to try it. The lace their fingers together and touch their foreheads as they concentrate their powers. Nelliea wraps them inside a Soul-Self cocoon as Kurt tries to connect to the rip she had made previously. There's a golden light and a flash, and they're gone.