24.

The Future

Chapter Theme Song: Time (Clock of the Heart) - Culture Club

Nina couldn't sleep. Again. With a highly expansive mind and cosmic-level powers that she was still, after all these years, decades, struggling with, this often happened, leaving her constantly in a state of restlessness. That, and the visions that came with it.

What was most concerning to her, besides the fact that they kept her awake at night and unable to get to sleep, was that she hadn't the faintest clue what they were or what they meant. No one seemed to know. Not her, not Charles, her mentor and oldest, closest friend. Not even her husband.

"More dreams?" Speaking of her husband - Nathan had awoken, and joined her by the window.

"Just because I can't sleep doesn't mean you have to wait up too." She knew while she was the one with the inability to sleep, it put a strain on him as well as he worried about her. And the inexplainable visions seemed to have become more frequent, so all the more worrying.

"I don't want you to feel alone. I'm here for you, always. Even in the middle of the night when you can't sleep." Nathan, her husband, such a sweetheart.

She looked up at him with a sleepy smile. He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned into his embrace. She felt him place a kiss to the top of her head.

"What did you see this time?" He always got her to try and describe it, fuzzy and strange as it may be, try to work through whatever it was and what it might mean.

"That's the thing - this time there was nothing, only darkness."

"Maybe that's not such a bad thing."

"How could it not be?"

"Not all darkness is bad. Just think, without the dark, we'd never see the stars."

"You stole that."

"Borrowed it. But it's true."

She just rolled her eyes, but was smiling. That smile quickly fell though as she continued. "I couldn't see anything. I don't understand, and that scares me. And I'm scared to close my eyes because I don't know what I'll see, what I'll find..."

"Aw Sweetheart, I'm sorry."

"Thank goodness I have you." Now she was smiling again, the smile fading quickly once more though, this time due to a big yawn. She was just so tired.

They went back to bed. He awoke a couple of hours later to find her awake again, or maybe even still awake. He could tell she was majorly stressed out, from both the sleeplessness and the strange, dark visions.

"Come on, how about we go for a walk," he suggested.

She suppressed another yawn. "It's the middle of the night."

He shrugged. "Perfect time for a romantic stroll."

She agreed, and minutes later saw them doing just that, strolling slowly hand-in-hand down the dark, quiet street.

"Thank you, for doing this," she said.

"Of course, Sweetheart." He kissed her head. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"That you're having all this trouble sleeping."

"Thanks, Love. But you don't have to apologize for it."

"I just wish I could help make it better."

"You are. Thank you." She stopped walking to give him a smile, a tired smile, but a grateful, full-of-love smile.

What happened next happened so suddenly, she didn't even see the source of it.

Nathan was suddenly crying out in pain, stabbed in the side.

"NATHAN!" All she saw was shadow as she was forcefully thrown back away from him, smashing through the front window of a nearby shop. Madly disoriented, she scrambled to her feet and back out into the street where Nate was now being thrashed around by the same shadows that had attacked her.

"HEY!" She ignited her palms with energy. "Hands off my husband!"

The shadows seemed to turn to face her and she met this by throwing the fistful of energy towards it - whatever it was.

She raced to Nate's side - he had a deep cut along his side. "Nate! Oh my god - can you move?"

"Nina, get out of here!"

"No!"

"Maybe this midnight walk thing wasn't such a good idea."

"Yeah, maybe we should have stayed in bed, sleeplessness and all." She tried to help him to his feet, him leaning on her for support. Together, they staggered down the street, she casting a protective field around them.

"What the hell was that thing?" he cried.

"I don't know, did you see anything?"

"No, nothing."

"Me neither."

The street around them was becoming so dark they could hardly make out what was in front of them. The shadow-things were back.

"Ah!" Nathan cried out in pain and Nina lost her grip on him, he crumbling to the ground. It was becoming darker still, if that were even possible, and Nina promised herself she wouldn't lose sight of him. She grabbed his hand, wanting to hold him, wanting to be close.

"Nina, you've gotta go-"

"Shut up, I'm not leaving you."

"Neen, please-"

"Do not play the chivalry game right now."

"Nina-"

"Nate, I'm pregnant."

This shut him up for a moment. "What?! You shouldn't be fighting!"

"It's not an ideal situation!" she cried, exasperated. "But I'm not going anywhere."

There was a rumbling around them followed by a crash, and the vicious shadows appeared again, closing in, surrounding them.

Nina rose to her feet, standing between the shadows and Nate, ready to face them and protect herself and her injured husband. And their unborn child.

Through the darkness surrounding them, a figure emerged, the source of all this, finally coming into focus. Nina stood strong, igniting her fists again, ready to face whoever - or whatever - it was that was attacking them for some unknown reason.

Or, at least, she thought she was ready. That is, until she saw not what it was, but who it was.

Finally, the mysterious, destructive figure emerged from the shadows just enough for her to make out their face.

And suddenly, it all became frighteningly clear, and yet equally shocking.

Nina's jaw dropped. "No, not you."

This scene was inspired by the Wanda and Vision Scotland scene in 'Avengers: Infinity War' :) I realized how similar this scene is to the first chapter of my Yelena Belova story - superheroes plagued with visions to can't sleep being comforted by their loves - seems to be a common theme in my writing ;)

Finally think I understand where this is all going now, what it's all leading to, been leading to! I really need to start outlining better!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :) Got some big surprises coming soon! ;)