Chapter 28:

He was waiting for her when she returned home. She was so tired, she couldn't even argue back with him. The accusations flew, but when he questioned the paternity of her child, she managed to find some strength and rally back.

"Out!" she demanded, her eyes flashing with anger, then going stone cold.

He realized he had gone too far. "Allie…" he began, but felt something pushing at him. Stunned, he looked around for the force, but there was nothing around him but empty air. Allie was not even within arms reach.

"Out!" she demanded once again, then muttered a few words in Gaelic under her breath. He felt himself being pushed again towards the door. "If you think that little of me, you don't belong here!" she stated coldly. With that, she whirled around and went into their bedroom, the door slamming behind her.

He felt himself pushed towards the door and when it shut and locked behind him, he stood there, stunned. Something hit him on the head. Looking down at the ground, rubbing his head where the object had hit, he saw his keys lying in front of him. Picking them up, he stared at them, wondering where they had come from. He looked around. Windows were still closed and there was no second story on the house, so it wasn't like Allie tossed them out the window….

Allie, he thought. He had really done it this time. His mouth, always working faster than his common sense would allow when it came to her, had sealed his fate. No, he hadn't meant to say that he thought the baby wasn't his. It just popped out of his mouth in anger, in self defense, because of what he had learned. It didn't matter that she had been on a mission, he thought bitterly. The fact was, she had been intimate with another person and if that was what she truly did on her missions to get the job done, then maybe they didn't need to be together! He pushed away the thought that they weren't together at the time. It didn't matter, he argued to himself. How many other times on her covert missions had she had to do something immoralsomething sexual..to get the job done, and not told him about it? a voice whispered in his head. She hadn't been about to tell him about this time either! It just so happened he had put two and two together….It was no wonder that Hawk had made sure that Flint wouldn't have the clearance to see the mission specs!

He clutched the keys in his hand. Well, if she didn't want him in the house, that was fine, because frankly, he didn't want to spend the night in there anyway, knowing what she had done! He had plenty of spare uniforms in his office and his old room was still unoccupied. He thought again to the special mission force the CIA had requested the Joes put together a small contingent of. Well,if she could run away the first time,he thought,then why not? What's good for the goosewhispered the voice in his head.

Allie rocked back and forth in the bedroom, her hands around her legs. So, this was really it. She had thought herself safe – after all, the grainy photos they had of Natasha looked nothing like her. Her hair and eye color were different, and that had changed her whole appearance to more of a Slavic ethnicity. Somehow, she didn't know how, he had put it all together – the trip to London, the mission, and had coldly asked her if it was somehow all connected. He had already known, though, and just wanted to hear it from her. What could she say? She had sensed the undertones in his voice and had thought to lie. Somehow though, he had read her expression and just knew.

His voice was so cold when he asked who Natasha was. She hadn't realized he'd been following the story so closely. She had placed a hand on her abdomen defensively, against the harsh look he was giving her, and it had set him off. She had let him yell and scream, knowing he needed that first before he listened to reason. However, when he had accused the baby of not even being his, that had been it!

She had forced him out. Literally, forced him out, she knew, using the power that she swore she'd never use around him, or ever against him. She had made sure he had his keys, as an apology, but then again, she had aimed them at his head, so she wasn't sure how much of an apology that had been.

The fact that she had used her power against him, that he had the audacity to accuse her of being pregnant by someone other than her husband….she knew it was over. This time, it wasn't one of their "breaks" they were so famous for that would soon resolve itself with one of them apologizing to the other. No, this was it. She didn't see a way back from it. If he had just ranted and raved and stormed out, he would've been back. To personally attack her and their child….that had sealed it. There was no returning from that, she knew.

She rocked back and forth, tears flowing down her face, indulging in the self-pity, if only for one night.

"I thought he'd never leave," came a gravelly voice from the dark.

Allie's blood froze. She hadn't heard that voice since she was 12, and had hoped to never hear it again.

"Surprise!" he chuckled, amused at her reaction. "I must admit, giving him the whisper of a suggestion that the baby was not his – pure genius on my part, especially after I had already planted the seed about you being unfaithful," he boasted proudly. "These humans are so easy to manipulate….unlike you, my dear," he said softly, stepping out of the shadows and into the moonlight streaming in through the window of the dark room. "Miss me?"

She watched him warily, unable to speak.

"Ah, yes, I see you are shocked then?" He chuckled again, but not with amusement. His tone was bitter when next he spoke. "You think I would remain trapped in that dimension you sent me to? No, my dear, I think not!" His voice rose in anger. "Your human years meant nothing to me! Did you think you drained me of all my powers? No, I was able to watch and wait and plan. It took some time, but I found a way through. I may not be fully evolved yet," he held up a hand and she realized his image was transparent, "but it's only a matter of time. Stupid humans. All I had to do was offer them unlimited power and they were putty in my hands," he sneered. "As soon as they finish the ritual, I will be here and stronger than ever! And you, my dear," he smiled, his teeth sharp, "you I have also watched….and while I could have taken you at 12, I found that waiting for you to…mature….is ever so much more pleasing to me."

"Who would be fool enough to raise you?" Allie asked hoarsely, finally finding her voice.

He chuckled again. "I believe you know them well. They call themselves Cobra and they believe I am to be their ultimate weapon, that they will be able to control me. Fools!" he shouted, and a light exploded in the room.

"But you, my dear. I will follow through on my promise to you that I made long ago. Ah yes, you were definitely worth the wait!" he said, baring his teeth again and looking at her in a way that she felt like the main course of a meal. "Bring on your X-Men as well. You will find that even they cannot save you this time! I will destroy them and any humans that get in my way! You know that I will. Until we meet again, my lovely," he finished, giving a slight bow.

She blinked and he was gone. The faint smell of brimstone hung in the air, but she could feel he was no longer there.

Instinctively, she clutched her abdomen. "He will not get me or what is mine!" she declared aloud, her voice shaking.

Could she do it again? At 12, she had the blush of young womanhood, her power increased because of the change. Was he attracted again because she was at another change in her life? She could never go with him! She would die first, she declared to herself, even if it meant the young life inside her would be extinguished as well.

Closing her eyes, she did the only thing she could. She screamed for help.