31.
The Present
Chapter Theme Song: When You Love a Woman - Journey
"Stay." Nathan stood with his wife and daughter who had just alerted him to what he had been dreading: them having to leave.
Nina looked at him in understanding. "Nate, we can't, you know we can't. I want to, but we can't."
He nodding, knowing full well the truth of it as well. "I know... I just wish you could."
"So do we. But this has been an unexpected surprise."
"It has."
"And its been wonderful."
"Yeah, it sure has."
"And you'll be home with us soon."
"I'll make sure of that."
"You'd better."
He chuckled. "I'm so proud of you," he said. "Of both of you. I love you."
"We love you too."
"Oh, before you go-" Nathan removed the teddy bear from his belt and held it out to his daughter. "I believe this is yours."
She smiled. "Thanks Dad. But you keep it for now."
"You're sure?"
"Yeah. Cause when you get home, six-year-old me is going to be very happy to see Mr. Cuddles again - and see you too, of course."
Nathan laughed, pulling her and her mother into one last long hug.
"See you soon, Nate," Nina assured him.
"See you. Love you."
"Love you too."
And just like that, they were gone, back to their own timeline in the distant future. But instead of feeling sad, he felt satisfied, fulfilled, whole again.
For the first time in ages, he felt happy.
Present Nina awoke from another long rest to find her future husband sitting at her bedside again, like prince charming waiting for his lady love to awaken. Only this time he was alone.
"You didn't kiss me awake, did you?"
He chuckled. "Nope, but I just might."
"Save it for the future, Future-boy." She sat up, looking around the room that was empty except for them. "Where's Hope - our daughter? And Future Me?"
"She left with you back to your own time."
"Why didn't you go with them?"
"I wanted to, but I couldn't, cause that's not my timeline. I mean, it is, just later."
"Right. But I thought you had a way to get home."
"I do, but I had to make sure you were okay here. Otherwise, I may not even have a future and home to return to."
She hadn't thought of it that way – that was truly frightening. No wonder he was so worried.
"Your arm - it's fixed," she noticed.
He twisted it. "Yeah, good as new. Hank managed to fuse it back together - guess it was a good thing it was my infected, metal arm."
"I'm so sorry for that."
"Don't be."
"I could have killed you!"
"You weren't yourself."
"No, no I guess I wasn't... Not really..." she agreed.
"So I hear you're leaving."
She nodded. "For a little while at least. I just think it's what's best right now, all things considered. Especially with this now." She held up her hands.
"You have nothing to be afraid of," he assured her.
"I hope so." She paused before posing her next question. "Did you really mean it when you said if you lose me you lose everything?"
He gave a firm nod. "Every word." He was dead serious.
"Why?"
"Cause it's true." He was dead serious.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"I don't think it's that simple."
"It's not, it's complicated, but that's how I feel," he insisted.
She breathed a heavy sigh. "Wow, I don't even know what to say to that. I just don't know if I warrant being loved so much-" He stared back at her, eyebrows knit in obvious confusion. She looked at him, really looked at him. "How can you love me?" she cried, suddenly bursting into tears. "How can you love me when I don't even know who or what I am, or where I come from. When I'm obviously nothing but a bunch of broken pieces being held together by some dark force I can't really explain or control and that could take over me and cause me to snap at any moment. How can I have a daughter, who is supposed to be able to look up to me, when I don't even know myself? How can I build a life out of what I have no clue about? Maybe that's not the best foundation for building a life upon..."
"That's what this is about?" he asked, piecing everything together, it suddenly all making sense now. She nodded. "Oh Neen – I'm sorry, I had no idea you felt that way."
All her withdrawn behavior and denial of their future hadn't been about him after all - it had been because she was doubting herself.
"I guess in your timeline I never had the honour of meeting you beforehand and questioning it all. And I guess I didn't have these new powers either. But now all that has changed."
"This changes nothing. Look how far you've come when you haven't even known who or what you are."
"But will I ever truly know? I'm wondering now if that's better."
"You're Nina Nova, Night Witch, one of the founders of the X-Men. Member of the X-Men and X-Force. My wife, the mother of our child, the love of my life."
"You're really pushing that one hard, huh?"
"It's true."
Maybe she could begin to see what her future self saw in this guy. "And I guess all that also means I leave this place, where I've always been, always belonged. But I guess I'm doing that anyway now. Still, the though terrifies me."
"Of course, you're leaving your home." He nodded in understanding. "I can tell you miss it here, in the future. You want Hope to come here, but think she's still too young. At first, I wasn't so sure. My parents raved about this place, so did you. But it's all right. Lots of good work being done here."
She nodded. "Yes, there is." She looked at him again, really looked at him. "I'm sorry I doubted you."
"Naw, it's okay. I'll admit I was being a bit of an ass."
She chuckled, he laughing a little too. "A bit, yes. Thank you, Nathan."
"For what?"
"For reassuring me that everything's going to work out, that it's all going to be okay."
He smiled. "Anytime."
Aw, they're coming to more of an understanding :)
We're nearing the end now, but still some chapters left to come! And there will be more sweet moments between Nina and Nathan too! ;)
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)
