Disclaimer: The characters appearing or referred to in this story do not belong to me. They are the property of Marvel Comics, and I've used them without permission but also without intent to profit or infringe on copyrights. The song lyrics used in this story likewise do not belong to me. They are the property of whoever it is that songs belong to. The titles and artists are listed at the end.

City of Angels

Nothing. I see nothing, feel nothing, am nothing. There are only the voices, echoing in my ears and head.

"What happened to him?"

"Fend for yourself. You seem to have done a good job of that in the past." *

Not anymore!

"Unconscious or delirious, never lucid enough to know."

'And I'd give up forever to touch you'

I have, I would. Risk everything I have and am for a kiss. Life, trust, soul. Lost them all? Be willing to, but not like this. Offered it all, wouldn't mind losing myself in you, would know I was part of something decent that way.

'You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be'

Been trying to stay on the side of the angels to be worthy of you. Best thing I ever had, better than I deserve. Demons came back and without you to save me, heaven ain't a choice.

"Is there any hope?"

Good question, wish I knew. Supposed to be hope as long as there's life. Need to know I have hope to be alive.

'All I can taste is this moment All I can breathe is your life'

I'm frozen, world's meaningless except your scent surrounding me. I feel your soft pressure, lips on mine, gentle, sucking away my energy. Can't breathe, too much work to make my lungs move. But I can't leave. Your touch keeps me here, holds me, sustaining, draining.

"We can always hope, but he's out of our hands, I think."

'Sooner or later it's over And I don't want to miss you tonight'

Want to? Can't! Have I already?

I feel your touch fading, and it's all slipping away. Not so bad really, maybe I deserve it.

'And I don't want the world to see me I don't think that they'd understand'

They already have seen, much as they're willing, and they don't understand. Won't even try.

"And then you stood by my side, pretended to be my friend?!" *

Not like that, I've changed. Can't make him see what's in my soul, but you…

'I just want you to know who I am'

How else can I show you? You've seen it all if you would just look. I offered, and you ran. He made you see just the surface, you run again. Come back! I'll show it all, give you everything, risk it all.

"You're honest with the people you love. You trust them." *

I offered you my soul, trust you with what I am, not just what I say. You can't believe what you know, much less trust to take the rest. That mean you don't love me? Hard to blame you for it, nobody trusts me.

'You bleed just to know you're alive'

Am I? Don't feel my body, cold, numb, not there. Feel you, though. Always feel you. Softly touch me, drain me but not dry. Leaving me like this, suspended. Come back and finish what you started, take the rest of me.

"It's all right. He does that sometimes."

Save me or kill me, just don't leave me! Wait, come back, please…

I can't feel the touch I clung to, and the scent's drifting out of reach. The empty nothingness is crushing down, suffocating with aloneness. Have to struggle, fight against it. I cry to you, maybe you can hear. I need you to listen. Save me…

"A few occasional words, some English, some French, nothing coherent."

'Just want you to know who I am Want you to know who I am'

But you can't find out if you keep running. Can't run from me in your head.

Scent is gone, touch gone. You're gone, and I'm lost alone without you. Voices fading, too, hazy and not all there. Think I hear a new voice, though, softly threading its way in. As confused, longing, and helpless as the expression in green eyes in a face as pale as white snow.

'Like anyone would be I am flattered by your fascination with me'

Okay, maybe it did start that way, so long ago and so much has changed, I don't know. Somewhere, though, it quit being a game and became my life.

'Like any hot-blooded woman I have simply wanted an object to crave'

I think you want more than just that. Want to feel a body, sure, but need to be loved, too.

'But you're not allowed You're uninvited'

You the one making those rules, though. Change them, let me decide what's worth the risk. Don't just cut me out, don't just leave me.

"He's stable for now, but we can't keep him like this."

Don't keep me like this! I can't let go till I know, but I can't hold on without hope.

'Like any uncharted territory I must seem greatly intriguing'

No, it's not like that anymore. More than the thrill of the pinch, the challenge of getting the impossible.

'You speak of my love like you have experience love like mine before'

Not exactly. Had lots of women, never loved any like this.

'This is not allowed'

Someone has to be allowed to love you or you got a lonely life ahead of you. Let me be that someone.

'I don't think you unworthy I need a moment to deliberate'

Don't take too long, chere. Not sure how long I can hold on.

Author's Note:

Song lyrics (in single quotes) are taken from "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls and "Uninvited" by Alanis. Lines marked with a star (*) are quotes from UXM #350, although I confess to modifying the last one a bit to suit my needs.

Many thanks to Kori and Greg for test reading and offering suggestions. This story would be even less coherent without their input, scary as that thought is.