Betsy could still see the gardens dappled in sunlight as she and Brian ran and played amongst the trees. The grass and leaves were so vivid and green, with multitudes of flowers throughout the grounds, from wildflower meadows to the perfectly cultivated beds. The gardeners would often shoo her and Brian out of the flowerbeds, away from the kitchen garden, especially when the strawberries were fruiting, out of the fountains and ponds, and off the good lawns.
If they weren't running away from a grumpy gardener, then they were running off from their nannies. Soft grass underneath their sandals, sun hats tied on firmly by some nervous nursemaid, unbuttoned cardigans flapping behind them like like capes.
Though Betsy was the older of the twins, Brian was always taller, bigger, stronger, faster. But he couldn't hide from Betsy.
"That's cheating!" he'd call.
"No it's not, no it's not!" Betsy would laugh, as her magical glittery butterflies would lead her to wherever he hid. They would wrestle and laugh and go and find some new trouble to get into. The butterflies were instinctive, almost primal. As her telepathy and telekinesis had developed in her teenage years, Betsy concentrated more about on focus required to use these new, stronger powers, and less about the butterflies.
Betsy could smell the freshly cut grass, the roses and lavender, the fresh white loaves with strawberry jam, and lemonade waiting for them in the nursery. It was always sunny and pleasantly warm, without being too hot. There were ponies to ride, chickens to chase, dogs to play with, staff to pester.
"No dinner until you retrieve your things from the garden!" Nanny would say, sending Betsy and Brian back out to find their liberally discarded hats and cardigans and sandals and skipping ropes.
"Use your butterflies, Betsy!" Brian would say, "We'll find them quicker with the butterflies."
Elizabeth shivered, and Warren held her upright.
"As soon as Logan reappears, I'm taking Betsy down to the hold and changing her clothes. She'll catch her death like this," Warren said.
"No…" Betsy said, keeping her eyes closed, trying to stay in the garden. Anymore tricks?, she'd asked Emma, when all along it was Betsy holding the final card. It wasn't an issue of focus, for this to work she had to relax and let her instincts take over.
"Betsy, you're freezing, and - "
"Woah!" Jubilee exclaimed. "That is not me. My sparks aren't that colour, and they're definitely not butterfly-shaped."
"It's me," Elizabeth said softly. "Don't touch them. Just - just watch. They'll lead the way…"
Warren wrapped his arms tightly around Elizabeth, and they all watched the psi-butterflies float off the end of the boat. Some meters away they stopped and hovered. Elizabeth was vaguely aware of the commotion on board. Logan appeared from the hold, bundled up in warm, dry clothes, and lined up to help.
Commander Brand knelt down in front of Warren and Elizabeth. "Psylocke?" she said, taking Betsy's hands.
Elizabeth opened her eyed as she felt a warm sensation which began in her hands travel up her arms.
"Next time," Brand continued, "May I suggest trying that little stunt prior to having a meltdown. Come and change before the others need the space."
Betsy must have already been dreaming, because she could have sworn that the Commander's hands were glowing. She allowed Brand and Warren to help her to her feet and escort her below.
…
Scott sat on the narrow bed in the hold, Emma's head resting in his lap. She was bundled in blankets, but still felt bitterly cold. He absent-mindedly twirled strands of her damp hair. Warren and Elizabeth were cuddled together and covered with blankets and coats, asleep on the floor. Remy had fallen asleep on the small chair, his head resting on the desk-cum-table-cum-work bench.
The door opened and Logan came down the stairs. He sat down heavily on the bottom step. "Brand reckon's we're still a good two hours away," he said. "It's gunna take both her and Alex to navigate us home, and hopefully to the intended port. 'Ro really couldn't have done any more?"
"These are fair conditions for December," Scott said. "The cloud cover and mist is important to keeps hidden."
"Rhetorical question, Slim," Logan said.
Scott looked puzzled.
Logan shrugged. "Well ya are. Always thought you were a skinny bloke from that photo on Ems' desk. Doesn't matter how many coats and layers you wear, you still are."
Part of Scott wanted to smile, but he realised that he wasn't sure how to.
"She's gunna be all right, Slim," Logan said. "I've smelt death, and those on the fast track to it. She ain't well, but she ain't dying."
"She's so cold…"
"Heart's still beating, though," Logan said. "And that's what counts for now."
…
All day Rachel's stomach had been in knots. She'd hardly touched her breakfast, and had forced down some lunch after Kitty told her to she had to eating something. They'd both been distracted in class, but the teachers were quite used to days when certain students would be present in body, but their minds far away.
Rachel wanted to be mad at Scott for not having called that morning, though she prayed it was because he was busy. When the bell went at the end of the day, Rachel and Kitty quickly collected their hats and coats and hurried to the twin's prep school across the road. On Fridays the two schools finished at the same time, so collection of the twins fell to the older girls.
The twins raced across the school yard towards their sisters.
"You're not to cry," Rachel said by way of greeting.
Sophie bit her lip, and Celeste asked, "Are mummy and daddy going to be home when we get home?"
"I don't know," Rachel said, taking Sophie by the hand.
"I don't want to go home if they're not home yet," Celeste said, standing at the edge of the pavement between the school and the footpath.
"Come on," Kitty said, holding out her hand, "We need to get home before it gets too dark. Kurt and Rogue will be there. I'm sure Kurt will have dinner cooking."
Celeste dug her heels in and crossed her arms. "No. I want mummy to come and pick me up."
"She's been gone for weeks, Celeste," Rachel snapped. "Stop being ridiculous. Emma never picks any of us up from school. Dad gets home before she does. Stop being a baby, and come on."
"No, I want mummy!"
"Fine then, you can just spend the weekend at school by yourself," Rachel said, and marched off down the path, Sophie holding her hand and Kitty behind her.
/They're just little girls, Ray./
/Well I'm tired and cold and hungry and want to go home. I'm not their mother./
/Rachel -/
"I'm scared too, Kitty!" Rachel cried, turning around.
Kitty stopped. "I know," she said softly, looking at the ground. "But I don't want us to fight."
Rachel sighed and looked back at Celeste. /Well, come on./
Celeste sprinted up the path, and took both Kitty and Rachel's hands. The four girls walked home hand-in-hand, taking up the whole width of the footpath.
As they turned into their street, they say Nathan approaching from the other direction.
"Hullo, girls!" he called and ran to meet them outside their house.
"You're early," Kitty said, as Nathan had to catch the bus to King's College School.
"Mr Drake let me go early. He said I had literal waste of space all day, and he'd rather I spend the time searching for my brains and hopefully return with them on Monday," Nathan explained.
"Gosh, well I doubt you'll find them here," Rachel teased.
Nathan gave her a playful shove.
Kitty reached into her pocket to pull out the house key, but the door opened.
"DADDY!"
"DAD!"
"HELLO DADDY!"
"SCOTT!"
"DAD'S HOME!"
"Give me your bags," Scott said, and the children all dumped their bags unceremoniously outside the house, "I've got some very important errands for you to run."
"Are you tired, daddy?" Celeste asked, flinging her arms around Scott's waist. "Because you look tired and you're using your midnight air raid voice."
Scott rubbed Celeste on the back. "I'll sleep well tonight, I'm sure," he said. "Now, hopefully the shops will still be open and you can get some supplies. Make sure the chemist is your first stop," he said, handing one list to Rachel, and another to Nathan. "Here's a basket and the ration books. Get whatever you can, you can get the rest in the morning."
Kitty took the basket and noticed the ration books and identity cards sitting inside. Everyone in the main street knew the Summers family, but they took their ID cards all the same. Peering into the basket, Kitty eye's widened as she noticed that Emma's ration book was in there too. Kitty looked at Rachel, and Rachel looked at Scott.
"Dad, is - "
"Quick!" Scott said, "It'll be completely dark in under than an hour. I want you all to hurry home. There is a lot to be done."
"Wait," Nathan said, "Is…"
"Oh my goodness, Nathan, you have the worst telepathy ever! Come on," Rachel said, grabbing Sophie by the hand and stepping over the school bags. "We have to run."
"We'll be really quick," Kitty said, as she and Nathan took Celeste's hands. "We'll be right back, Scott."
"Everyone be careful!" Scott called. "Don't fall over or run into a lamppost."
"Rachel, is - " Sophie began.
"Yes, they're home!" Rachel grinned and skipped. "They're all home!"