lubakmetyk@worldnet.att.net, shackett@nctimes.net, winter_oak@yahoo.com,
TangleToy@cs.com,
(Pryde/Wisdom) the Greatest Miracle of All 5/?
Disclaimer: Main ones are Marvel characters, some will be mine, too, so don't sue because *looking around her room* I am just a happy, but poor comic book store worker. I don't have the money for those prosecuting and if i do *smirk* you can't have it because i need it for more comics.
Feedback: Very much welcome. This is my first story the OTL so I'll welcome any kind of feedback good or bad, but flamers don't make me tie anyone down. I've over and done with that but I'm sure i can find something to stake you down with and some creatures to leave to play with you.
Adoration's, Praise and Acknowledgments: To Luba for dedication char wise and wanting more to the story. But first and foremost, to Winter Oak and Tangle Toy for pushing me to finish this piece, hint at the goings on of it, beg and prod me at points to get me going and writing. Love to you all, you're the BEST!
~*~*~
The Greatest Miracle of All, Part V: "Just Like the Kids Do It"
~*~*~
She stood silently, tearing apart the flower, more grace and confusion in that simple action of picking the petals and tossing them at the water, than she could have found in any words within the whole of her vocabulary. The petal landed on the water after serenely twirling in the wind, to cause mirad ripples on the calm water, so vastly different from her own mind.
Why were men so difficult and utterly confusing?
"He loves me."
Piotr Rasputina was a metal armored mutant and she was his Katya. The canvas came second after the X-Men, which seemed always to come first in their lives. He's had been shy and quiet, easy to confuse, overwhelm and embarrassed. She often wondered if being the more spontaneous and take charge person in the relationship was a power trip. She had thought she loved him, not that she didn't still, but it was more like a brother now, unlike the first pangs of puppy love. He'd simply opened up her heart, shown her -- in the end -- how much it could hurt.
I abhorred the pain.
"He loves me not."
Douglas Ramsey was a computer genius and a mutant with the talent to speak any and every language. He was a best friend and a New Mutant, also. He'd been energetic, funny, loud and balanced out the teenage side of her that had wanted to act like a teenager during her first years at the Mansion, with the X-Men and with Piotr. He'd had a large crush on her but Piotr stood in the way. She couldn't keep from worrying when he got out to fighting; his heart simply wasn't in it.
Mine is.
"He loves me."
Alistaire Stuart was brash, sarcastic, and smart. Smart and cute, he had that face of a man who never lost the college pretty boy look even once he'd sunk to hard work, and even while his hair receded. His smile was gentle and he was loyal to everyone he counted close and got involved with. Just him being around has broadened her with his situation. She liked him, and he couldn't take a moment away from hopelessly fawning over their teammate, Phoenix (II), AKA Rachel Summers.
Being the one left out blows.
"He loves me not."
Lord Alasdhair Kinross, Laird of the Kinross Domain, cousin of the Princess turned Queen, Lilibet, and she was his 'accushla'. In all her life after and before him, no one had trusted her, believed in her or loved her so completely in such a short time, so assuredly. So noble, yet he was comfortable, and he saw deep into people. Who would ever thought she'd fall so fast in love with a man in a skirt, and then also have him ask to be his lady?
I wish he were still here today.
"He loves me."
Peter Wisdom...Pete.scourge, rogue from Black Air, the mutant with fire knives from his fingers. Smart-ass, ice cold, drinker, flirt, smoker, swears, couldn't dress to save himself, cynical. handsome, loving and oh, so, stupidly, and adorably, stubborn. Danger was written on him like a bright neon blinking sign. He annoyed her so much, and she couldn't trust him worth a lick those first few times. Then suddenly in a burst of anger -- she WANTED him, and she almost blurted it out. Everything fell into place less than a week later and they were the newest, most exciting thing to hit Muir since 'sliced bread' as Rahne put it.
Turned and ran, when I got honest..
"He loves me not."
Rigby Fallon was a lot of them it seemed, almost too real. He seemed perfect. He was her age, like Doug. He was a bit shy, curious, and unswervingly loyal like Piotr and Alasdhair. He was involved with S.H.E.I.L.D adding for the danger Piotr and Alistaire had. He was unlike her boyfriend, Pete at that point. He was pretty, lively and wanted to empress.
He couldn't even handle the real me.
"He loves me."
Kitty tossed the white petal at the water angrily, and let out a huff from inside her lungs feeling like she hadn't been breathing the whole time she'd been out here in the Japanese Gardens behind Breakstone Lake thinking. Thinking only made the small hole she had thought to have rid her of hurt more.
Ohhhhh, suffer him to England! She wouldn't care!
"Hey, Kit? Ya still here wit' us, Sugah?"
She blinked phasing suddenly even while she denied her impulse to jump back at the hand in her face waving back and forth. Rogue clad in her tight green uniform togs, hovered a small bit off the ground, next to her on the path by the small tiny pond.
"'Ah believe we had a training session scheduled," the Southern Belle's voice sounded, and as she shook her beautiful shaggy brown hair from her shoulder's, crisp confidence to her voice which rested on confusion, and curiosity it seemed. At Kitty's eyes rounded and Rogue squinted a second thinking, and the opened her eyes all the way with a nod.
"Round 'bout thirty minutes ago in tha' Danger Room." Kitty's mouth moved to form a small o, and to start an apology, but she hadn't finished yet, and went on. "But 'ah can understand with ya condition an' all if yer refrainin'."
Suddenly her eyes went wide, at the surprisal of the Rogue knowing. She had only talked to Hank a few days ago and sure Logan and Ororo knew, but the whole house abuzz with her news already? No. Maybe. Well, they still had a resident telepath, and a another returning one soon.
"Tha' house isn't half as big as ever'one makes it out ta be."
"I'm fine, Rogue," Kitty said tightly, a bit defensively, holding the near destroyed flower by her side, as if to hide it from the woman with her body in the way. Her expression changed only seconds later to apologetic and annoyed with herself. She didn't want to start snapping at her friends. "I lost track of time. I'm ready whenever you are."
"Twenty minutes. Danger Room," Rogue said tentatively as if to make sure for a second without asking if she was okay.
She nodded, waving her off, with a smile that caused her to ache inside. " Have Logan or Remy bring a scraper, because they'll have to peel you off the floor once I'm through with you."
Kitty watched Rogue, laughing, take off towards the house across Breakstone Lake, she let a breath leave her mouth that sounded akin to relief. With so much building up inside, punching her way at an indestructible object might be the only thing that could help. It'd be training, exercise, and a release from the pent up frustration.
She pulled the flower in front of her look at it. One petal left on the now mauled small nature's beauty. She stared at it long and hard, before she threw it out and let the wind catch it, her eyes following the white petal till it and then stem landed in the water and caused ripples to mar the reflective perfection again. The petal.
One petal left.
One line left.
The dismal sky of gray that had hung over much of Salem City rumbled lightly and Kitty pushed her hands into her pockets, and started off towards the boathouse first, with a mumble of chastising to her.
"It doesn't mean anything. It's just a flower."
Four steps on, she had slowed and glanced over her shoulder as the small Kao pond. It was again mostly still, the only ripples now left caused by the gales of wind. The petal and stem were gone, sunk beneath the cool water, she guessed. Her eyes stayed there a few long seconds not allowing her to look away and the wind blew her hair, and bangs about her face, blowing straight through her body, straight through the silent, dark hole inside her.
Maybe he doesn't care at all.
~*~*~*~
"Aaaahhhhh!" a female voice cried out, her face drawn together cringing, as tears, beneath the hair, which had fallen over her face, began to leave her eyes and stream over her cheeks. The pain was excruciating, making her want to wretch and simply give up all together. What was there to hold on to?
"Me," a male voice answered softly, with an aching clarity, and she felt the arm around her tighten silently in the darkness. She sobbed into his chest as she felt like someone was clawing their way through her, from the inside out. What hurt most was her head. It felt like it was going to explode. Simply detonate.
"Kyyyy," the small hippie surfer girl mumbled into his arm, trying her best still to keep it from him, and to hang on to him with all her strength. The darkness was coming.
The girl scream her anguish suddenly, then fell silent and limp within the strong masculine arms which held her. The man closed his eyes in the darkness of the room and all that could be heard was the softest muffled prayer for the woman in his arms.
* * *
Colors, swirling, flashing, dominated all that was her vision. Faces came and went. She didn't know any of them. Some of them didn't even look human. Was that possible? What was happening? Where was the pulsing, throbbing sound she could hear on the edge of her mind? And why was it there?
Everything came to a halt, a blinding light meeting her eyes. She couldn't shield her face her arms felt too heavy, and so foreign to her. Like a limp noodle, she couldn't summon the strength to even move, as she screamed and ugly faces peered at her.
They were pale skinned, with what looked like rows of preened deep black feathers on their heads. The eyes were dark, and had what looked like thin black line tattoo's surrounding them in odd directions and design. The one that hovered over her closest, sneering at her in disgust drove a shiver down her spine, causing her to try to move even more. The eyes, a woman's eyes, so full of rage, hate and anger, were all she could catch other than a dark purple metallic headdress of metal.
"They're our children! You have NO right!"
A man was shouting with a deep gruff voice, one that threatened. The words, so full of anger, trembling with a wave a fear, came from somewhere near by, but her head felt to heavy to lift. She waves her hands just barely at the edge of her peripheral vision, and she saw they were small...like a baby's.
"I have every right. They are by right of the empire mine, as are you and your woman," another male voice broke into the first plea's confusing her hearing as she could see very little of what was going on. His voice was sarcastic
"They are so beautiful," the dark, evil woman's voice hissed sadistically and she felt something like a talon or claw rounding her cheek. Suddenly she felt a gasp go through her lungs like it too supreme effort, and howled as a shock of pain ran through her cheeks flushing them, surprising herself even with the loudness of her shrieking wail.
"Get AWAY from her, you bitch!" the first man bellowed again, and some sorta of struggled was all she could here. A shot sounded, but it didn't sound like a gun. It sounded like the laser gun from TV shows and movies, or maybe the "wump" nose the swords of Luke Skywalker and Vader made when fighting. The room fell tense and a thump, along with a scream broke the silence.
"CATHERINE!!!!!! I'll kill you D'Ken!" the man was struggling against other people, the sounds of it met her ears. She'd heard it before too many times in her life, no matter how she hated it.
"How the meek shall fall," the second mans voice laugh; was that the D'Ken, whatever or whoever it was?
"Go." the mans voice commanded and foot steps underlied the heavy breathing to the first man. He wasn't moving, but other people were. More than just the woman, and they were gone then.
"You can't escape, enjoy the few moments you have left."
Then suddenly the man was gone with a rolling laugh the echoed behind him, and she was being moved. Someone arms were around her entire body. Was that possible? She was still blubbering. She could hear but she couldn't stop herself. Everything was so confusing, and it was beginning to hurt gain. The darkness was coming again.
A face entered her vision. A man with brown hair, a mustache and betrayed, sorrowful, hurting eyes. He had tears falling down the sides of his cheeks, and into the crevices of his nostrils. They bunched on the top of his lip, dripping from there and his chin as he whispered the woman's name over and over. Another voice surfaced slowly, it was weak and full of pain.
"Chris? Chris, shhh, don't cry. I'm here." a hand with blood on it raised to touch his cheek. It was thin and delicate from the fingers and down the wrist. Her voice was weak, too weak. His face turned in against her hand, kissing the fingers lightly.
"We're still together," the woman said with a creeping slowness. The dark was creeping faster, but which one of them would I claim first. "That's all that matters."
Suddenly she attempted movement again, flailing her arms, trying to get a look at the woman's face, as all she could see was the hand and the man's face. She was brought short by a pair of eyes barely open in a small face, less than a few moments old. They were purely white.
* * *
{Lee?}
{Can you hear me?}
{Lee, snap out of it please.}
{You're scaring me. You do know that right?}
{I'll swear off the cigarettes in the house, off everything completely, just please come back.}
{I'll make you Irish Cream cappuccino, get you into the Pentagon and buy you a new lab top. Any color you want..}
{Please, Lee. Please. You've never gone this far. Let me help you or take me with you. Remember? Hand in hand forever?}
{Al -- always.together..} a second voice answered on the astral plane like a fading whisper finally as Kylie's eye lids began to flutter, opening to the dark room, her words forming only the softest whisper of confusion. "Mother?"
"I kill you if you ever so much as think of doing that again," he said tenaciously as he hugged her close, and she could feel his fear of loosing her and helplessness that had flooded the room, like it was a tangible thing she could turn in her fingers. He wasn't sure if he'd let go anytime soon or loosen up till tears began to fall.
He gathered her up in his arms, sitting on the bed leaning against the wall where he had for hours now. He burn the world down for her. She was all that ever had or would matter to his life, or his heart, in the end. Tears were starting to run down her cheeks like a fountain had burst forth.
"Catherine..," Kylie barely let the word between her lips as she went sparatically into fits of sobbing against him, before she was yanking on a single dog chin around his neck, as he had no shirt on, only the jeans she was presently sitting on that were on him. "He called her Catherine."
"It's alright, Lee. You're safe. Let it out, little angel," he said holding her close, letting her cry into his shoulder and not noticing the mirror few which sped down his face, while stroking her hair softly, even though he had yet to understand completely. All he knew was HIS angel was in shock, and she was all that was. "We'll call Mr. Nate and tell him in the morning."
~*~*~*~
She moved slowly, adjusting her thin wire glasses before she picked up the second cup. They were warm against her skin, and took away from her momentary notice of how her purple jacket bunched into little wrinkles when she moved. Her mind was in different places than her body though, as it was going through the motions.
Job had been slow, an article here and there when she needed the cash, but nothing to test her metal at lately. All the freaks had gone off hibernating or were at a plot block.
Walking back into the hallway from the small vendor room and to another room, she took in the silent sleeping form in the chair. His head was leaned back against the wall and his face looked passive, while his body was tense, with an imprinted expression of very quiet pain. She doubted anyone else ever really noticed it. Sometimes only blood could see the most obvious things that stood out.
She kicked his foot, but not hard enough to seriously hurt him. He stirred and she nudged it again, not as hard but still with a kick, holding out a cup.
"Wanted Scotch," Pete grumbled taking the cup, as he sat up, and moved the trench coat that was around him.
"Your snoring bothered the nurse." She stately shot back, as she turned to look down the hallway peevishly from the door. "Doctors came back."
Romany looked back at him half a minute later. He was staring at his coffee; his hand around it loose. She loved her little brother to death, but sometimes he bewildered and confused to her no end. She had not even the foggiest idea what was going through his mind at the moment.
Their parents couldn't exactly be called role models for the perfect idols to act like. It wasn't a miracle either of them ended up the way they did. Mom was shot, Dad's got problems, and the children of the Wisdom family by default, or maybe even birth an' bloodlines got all the angst, problems and stress locked up inside of them tight.
Neither said a word to the other, and long minutes passed. Romany sank into a chair, her loose clothes making a slight crinkling noise. She took a few long sips of her coffee, while she thoughts about the past. Pete had gone off to make a name, maybe find some pride away from them all, and she'd done the new age, occult thing long enough.
Channeling was out, the whole Atlantean Priest gig died real fast, and was sickening and no fun to wake up after. He'd never let her live that down probably. Not that he'd turned out much better. Killing people for a price. Atleast she'd moved on to doing something sane, with a legal income.
"I called her."
"You-?" He sputtered swallowing the drink, which was still left in his mouth, answering where he been unwilling to answer earlier. "Don' you ever leave your nose ruddy well out of things?"
"It's been two weeks, Pete!" she exclaimed with a touch of acid in her voice as she got up again, her blue eyes concerned, even as she sounded angry. In a way she was. He had so much standing right in front of him.
A light breath came from beneath his teeth without a sound. Like he didn't know that! Days crawled by inchingly slow. Anytime he looked at a phone he had no idea what he'd say, and the one time he had called, the sound of the weather witch's voice was enough to drown the first thought, and the doctor saying his father had awoken making him go.
And the one time she'd answered the phone he hadn't known what to say in the least. An apology for starters was due to her, but wouldn't come. He wasn't sure he could lie and say things were going okay either, and he wasn't sure he could explain it all sanely without lying. So he hadn't.
"She's not like a book or a bottle. She's not going to just sit somewhere waiting for you to come back, and - you! - you have a responsibility now! Haven't you any idea what that means even?"
Kitty was pregnant and had a whole house to support her, but the ache inside him wanted her with him, or even him with her wherever that meant being, because here alone was hell. And no matter how close Romany sat or stayed, he was always alone. His father lay on a bed in there, less than feet away from him, coming and going in consciousness, never any better physically or conversationally. And then there was news the doctors told them yesterday.
Everything was choked up inside of him, but he'd be blasted if he'd get that way in a hospital, in front of Romany and a whole staff of who knows how bloody large number.
Romany frowned as she crushed the empty cup in her hand, watching her brother. He wouldn't say anything, wouldn't do anything. It was like beating a brick wall, and not even leaving a mark, or making it notice you were there. It simply stood.
"Hell. I was wrong. Maybe you don't deserve any of it," she swore; the rage inside her infuriated.
Pete moved suddenly, standing up and leaving the cup, still half filled with coffee, on the table. He pulled the trench coat, black as his own mood, close around him and headed towards the door silently.
"Where are you going?" Romany asked, her concern, dissolving most everything except her partially sharp tone.
"Where I bloody well belong," he barely grunted as he passed by their fathers' bed without even stopping to do anything, or even acknowledge any kind of goodbye.
Romany's teeth met inside her mouth, and she was only keeping herself from grinding them, over the fact her mind had things she shouldn't say outloud. He was being ignorant, belligerent. He was acting like a bleeding child and he had one he was ignoring!
"Send the boys at the Crown my regards."
She said, her voice laced with ice and hatred, it sounded so to her own ears, as she watched him walk towards the door. He seemed to hesitate in mid step, and she held her breath almost ready for the lash out, the one she would have deserved, but it never came. He just kept walking as if she hadn't said anything.
(Pryde/Wisdom) the Greatest Miracle of All 5/?
Disclaimer: Main ones are Marvel characters, some will be mine, too, so don't sue because *looking around her room* I am just a happy, but poor comic book store worker. I don't have the money for those prosecuting and if i do *smirk* you can't have it because i need it for more comics.
Feedback: Very much welcome. This is my first story the OTL so I'll welcome any kind of feedback good or bad, but flamers don't make me tie anyone down. I've over and done with that but I'm sure i can find something to stake you down with and some creatures to leave to play with you.
Adoration's, Praise and Acknowledgments: To Luba for dedication char wise and wanting more to the story. But first and foremost, to Winter Oak and Tangle Toy for pushing me to finish this piece, hint at the goings on of it, beg and prod me at points to get me going and writing. Love to you all, you're the BEST!
~*~*~
The Greatest Miracle of All, Part V: "Just Like the Kids Do It"
~*~*~
She stood silently, tearing apart the flower, more grace and confusion in that simple action of picking the petals and tossing them at the water, than she could have found in any words within the whole of her vocabulary. The petal landed on the water after serenely twirling in the wind, to cause mirad ripples on the calm water, so vastly different from her own mind.
Why were men so difficult and utterly confusing?
"He loves me."
Piotr Rasputina was a metal armored mutant and she was his Katya. The canvas came second after the X-Men, which seemed always to come first in their lives. He's had been shy and quiet, easy to confuse, overwhelm and embarrassed. She often wondered if being the more spontaneous and take charge person in the relationship was a power trip. She had thought she loved him, not that she didn't still, but it was more like a brother now, unlike the first pangs of puppy love. He'd simply opened up her heart, shown her -- in the end -- how much it could hurt.
I abhorred the pain.
"He loves me not."
Douglas Ramsey was a computer genius and a mutant with the talent to speak any and every language. He was a best friend and a New Mutant, also. He'd been energetic, funny, loud and balanced out the teenage side of her that had wanted to act like a teenager during her first years at the Mansion, with the X-Men and with Piotr. He'd had a large crush on her but Piotr stood in the way. She couldn't keep from worrying when he got out to fighting; his heart simply wasn't in it.
Mine is.
"He loves me."
Alistaire Stuart was brash, sarcastic, and smart. Smart and cute, he had that face of a man who never lost the college pretty boy look even once he'd sunk to hard work, and even while his hair receded. His smile was gentle and he was loyal to everyone he counted close and got involved with. Just him being around has broadened her with his situation. She liked him, and he couldn't take a moment away from hopelessly fawning over their teammate, Phoenix (II), AKA Rachel Summers.
Being the one left out blows.
"He loves me not."
Lord Alasdhair Kinross, Laird of the Kinross Domain, cousin of the Princess turned Queen, Lilibet, and she was his 'accushla'. In all her life after and before him, no one had trusted her, believed in her or loved her so completely in such a short time, so assuredly. So noble, yet he was comfortable, and he saw deep into people. Who would ever thought she'd fall so fast in love with a man in a skirt, and then also have him ask to be his lady?
I wish he were still here today.
"He loves me."
Peter Wisdom...Pete.scourge, rogue from Black Air, the mutant with fire knives from his fingers. Smart-ass, ice cold, drinker, flirt, smoker, swears, couldn't dress to save himself, cynical. handsome, loving and oh, so, stupidly, and adorably, stubborn. Danger was written on him like a bright neon blinking sign. He annoyed her so much, and she couldn't trust him worth a lick those first few times. Then suddenly in a burst of anger -- she WANTED him, and she almost blurted it out. Everything fell into place less than a week later and they were the newest, most exciting thing to hit Muir since 'sliced bread' as Rahne put it.
Turned and ran, when I got honest..
"He loves me not."
Rigby Fallon was a lot of them it seemed, almost too real. He seemed perfect. He was her age, like Doug. He was a bit shy, curious, and unswervingly loyal like Piotr and Alasdhair. He was involved with S.H.E.I.L.D adding for the danger Piotr and Alistaire had. He was unlike her boyfriend, Pete at that point. He was pretty, lively and wanted to empress.
He couldn't even handle the real me.
"He loves me."
Kitty tossed the white petal at the water angrily, and let out a huff from inside her lungs feeling like she hadn't been breathing the whole time she'd been out here in the Japanese Gardens behind Breakstone Lake thinking. Thinking only made the small hole she had thought to have rid her of hurt more.
Ohhhhh, suffer him to England! She wouldn't care!
"Hey, Kit? Ya still here wit' us, Sugah?"
She blinked phasing suddenly even while she denied her impulse to jump back at the hand in her face waving back and forth. Rogue clad in her tight green uniform togs, hovered a small bit off the ground, next to her on the path by the small tiny pond.
"'Ah believe we had a training session scheduled," the Southern Belle's voice sounded, and as she shook her beautiful shaggy brown hair from her shoulder's, crisp confidence to her voice which rested on confusion, and curiosity it seemed. At Kitty's eyes rounded and Rogue squinted a second thinking, and the opened her eyes all the way with a nod.
"Round 'bout thirty minutes ago in tha' Danger Room." Kitty's mouth moved to form a small o, and to start an apology, but she hadn't finished yet, and went on. "But 'ah can understand with ya condition an' all if yer refrainin'."
Suddenly her eyes went wide, at the surprisal of the Rogue knowing. She had only talked to Hank a few days ago and sure Logan and Ororo knew, but the whole house abuzz with her news already? No. Maybe. Well, they still had a resident telepath, and a another returning one soon.
"Tha' house isn't half as big as ever'one makes it out ta be."
"I'm fine, Rogue," Kitty said tightly, a bit defensively, holding the near destroyed flower by her side, as if to hide it from the woman with her body in the way. Her expression changed only seconds later to apologetic and annoyed with herself. She didn't want to start snapping at her friends. "I lost track of time. I'm ready whenever you are."
"Twenty minutes. Danger Room," Rogue said tentatively as if to make sure for a second without asking if she was okay.
She nodded, waving her off, with a smile that caused her to ache inside. " Have Logan or Remy bring a scraper, because they'll have to peel you off the floor once I'm through with you."
Kitty watched Rogue, laughing, take off towards the house across Breakstone Lake, she let a breath leave her mouth that sounded akin to relief. With so much building up inside, punching her way at an indestructible object might be the only thing that could help. It'd be training, exercise, and a release from the pent up frustration.
She pulled the flower in front of her look at it. One petal left on the now mauled small nature's beauty. She stared at it long and hard, before she threw it out and let the wind catch it, her eyes following the white petal till it and then stem landed in the water and caused ripples to mar the reflective perfection again. The petal.
One petal left.
One line left.
The dismal sky of gray that had hung over much of Salem City rumbled lightly and Kitty pushed her hands into her pockets, and started off towards the boathouse first, with a mumble of chastising to her.
"It doesn't mean anything. It's just a flower."
Four steps on, she had slowed and glanced over her shoulder as the small Kao pond. It was again mostly still, the only ripples now left caused by the gales of wind. The petal and stem were gone, sunk beneath the cool water, she guessed. Her eyes stayed there a few long seconds not allowing her to look away and the wind blew her hair, and bangs about her face, blowing straight through her body, straight through the silent, dark hole inside her.
Maybe he doesn't care at all.
~*~*~*~
"Aaaahhhhh!" a female voice cried out, her face drawn together cringing, as tears, beneath the hair, which had fallen over her face, began to leave her eyes and stream over her cheeks. The pain was excruciating, making her want to wretch and simply give up all together. What was there to hold on to?
"Me," a male voice answered softly, with an aching clarity, and she felt the arm around her tighten silently in the darkness. She sobbed into his chest as she felt like someone was clawing their way through her, from the inside out. What hurt most was her head. It felt like it was going to explode. Simply detonate.
"Kyyyy," the small hippie surfer girl mumbled into his arm, trying her best still to keep it from him, and to hang on to him with all her strength. The darkness was coming.
The girl scream her anguish suddenly, then fell silent and limp within the strong masculine arms which held her. The man closed his eyes in the darkness of the room and all that could be heard was the softest muffled prayer for the woman in his arms.
* * *
Colors, swirling, flashing, dominated all that was her vision. Faces came and went. She didn't know any of them. Some of them didn't even look human. Was that possible? What was happening? Where was the pulsing, throbbing sound she could hear on the edge of her mind? And why was it there?
Everything came to a halt, a blinding light meeting her eyes. She couldn't shield her face her arms felt too heavy, and so foreign to her. Like a limp noodle, she couldn't summon the strength to even move, as she screamed and ugly faces peered at her.
They were pale skinned, with what looked like rows of preened deep black feathers on their heads. The eyes were dark, and had what looked like thin black line tattoo's surrounding them in odd directions and design. The one that hovered over her closest, sneering at her in disgust drove a shiver down her spine, causing her to try to move even more. The eyes, a woman's eyes, so full of rage, hate and anger, were all she could catch other than a dark purple metallic headdress of metal.
"They're our children! You have NO right!"
A man was shouting with a deep gruff voice, one that threatened. The words, so full of anger, trembling with a wave a fear, came from somewhere near by, but her head felt to heavy to lift. She waves her hands just barely at the edge of her peripheral vision, and she saw they were small...like a baby's.
"I have every right. They are by right of the empire mine, as are you and your woman," another male voice broke into the first plea's confusing her hearing as she could see very little of what was going on. His voice was sarcastic
"They are so beautiful," the dark, evil woman's voice hissed sadistically and she felt something like a talon or claw rounding her cheek. Suddenly she felt a gasp go through her lungs like it too supreme effort, and howled as a shock of pain ran through her cheeks flushing them, surprising herself even with the loudness of her shrieking wail.
"Get AWAY from her, you bitch!" the first man bellowed again, and some sorta of struggled was all she could here. A shot sounded, but it didn't sound like a gun. It sounded like the laser gun from TV shows and movies, or maybe the "wump" nose the swords of Luke Skywalker and Vader made when fighting. The room fell tense and a thump, along with a scream broke the silence.
"CATHERINE!!!!!! I'll kill you D'Ken!" the man was struggling against other people, the sounds of it met her ears. She'd heard it before too many times in her life, no matter how she hated it.
"How the meek shall fall," the second mans voice laugh; was that the D'Ken, whatever or whoever it was?
"Go." the mans voice commanded and foot steps underlied the heavy breathing to the first man. He wasn't moving, but other people were. More than just the woman, and they were gone then.
"You can't escape, enjoy the few moments you have left."
Then suddenly the man was gone with a rolling laugh the echoed behind him, and she was being moved. Someone arms were around her entire body. Was that possible? She was still blubbering. She could hear but she couldn't stop herself. Everything was so confusing, and it was beginning to hurt gain. The darkness was coming again.
A face entered her vision. A man with brown hair, a mustache and betrayed, sorrowful, hurting eyes. He had tears falling down the sides of his cheeks, and into the crevices of his nostrils. They bunched on the top of his lip, dripping from there and his chin as he whispered the woman's name over and over. Another voice surfaced slowly, it was weak and full of pain.
"Chris? Chris, shhh, don't cry. I'm here." a hand with blood on it raised to touch his cheek. It was thin and delicate from the fingers and down the wrist. Her voice was weak, too weak. His face turned in against her hand, kissing the fingers lightly.
"We're still together," the woman said with a creeping slowness. The dark was creeping faster, but which one of them would I claim first. "That's all that matters."
Suddenly she attempted movement again, flailing her arms, trying to get a look at the woman's face, as all she could see was the hand and the man's face. She was brought short by a pair of eyes barely open in a small face, less than a few moments old. They were purely white.
* * *
{Lee?}
{Can you hear me?}
{Lee, snap out of it please.}
{You're scaring me. You do know that right?}
{I'll swear off the cigarettes in the house, off everything completely, just please come back.}
{I'll make you Irish Cream cappuccino, get you into the Pentagon and buy you a new lab top. Any color you want..}
{Please, Lee. Please. You've never gone this far. Let me help you or take me with you. Remember? Hand in hand forever?}
{Al -- always.together..} a second voice answered on the astral plane like a fading whisper finally as Kylie's eye lids began to flutter, opening to the dark room, her words forming only the softest whisper of confusion. "Mother?"
"I kill you if you ever so much as think of doing that again," he said tenaciously as he hugged her close, and she could feel his fear of loosing her and helplessness that had flooded the room, like it was a tangible thing she could turn in her fingers. He wasn't sure if he'd let go anytime soon or loosen up till tears began to fall.
He gathered her up in his arms, sitting on the bed leaning against the wall where he had for hours now. He burn the world down for her. She was all that ever had or would matter to his life, or his heart, in the end. Tears were starting to run down her cheeks like a fountain had burst forth.
"Catherine..," Kylie barely let the word between her lips as she went sparatically into fits of sobbing against him, before she was yanking on a single dog chin around his neck, as he had no shirt on, only the jeans she was presently sitting on that were on him. "He called her Catherine."
"It's alright, Lee. You're safe. Let it out, little angel," he said holding her close, letting her cry into his shoulder and not noticing the mirror few which sped down his face, while stroking her hair softly, even though he had yet to understand completely. All he knew was HIS angel was in shock, and she was all that was. "We'll call Mr. Nate and tell him in the morning."
~*~*~*~
She moved slowly, adjusting her thin wire glasses before she picked up the second cup. They were warm against her skin, and took away from her momentary notice of how her purple jacket bunched into little wrinkles when she moved. Her mind was in different places than her body though, as it was going through the motions.
Job had been slow, an article here and there when she needed the cash, but nothing to test her metal at lately. All the freaks had gone off hibernating or were at a plot block.
Walking back into the hallway from the small vendor room and to another room, she took in the silent sleeping form in the chair. His head was leaned back against the wall and his face looked passive, while his body was tense, with an imprinted expression of very quiet pain. She doubted anyone else ever really noticed it. Sometimes only blood could see the most obvious things that stood out.
She kicked his foot, but not hard enough to seriously hurt him. He stirred and she nudged it again, not as hard but still with a kick, holding out a cup.
"Wanted Scotch," Pete grumbled taking the cup, as he sat up, and moved the trench coat that was around him.
"Your snoring bothered the nurse." She stately shot back, as she turned to look down the hallway peevishly from the door. "Doctors came back."
Romany looked back at him half a minute later. He was staring at his coffee; his hand around it loose. She loved her little brother to death, but sometimes he bewildered and confused to her no end. She had not even the foggiest idea what was going through his mind at the moment.
Their parents couldn't exactly be called role models for the perfect idols to act like. It wasn't a miracle either of them ended up the way they did. Mom was shot, Dad's got problems, and the children of the Wisdom family by default, or maybe even birth an' bloodlines got all the angst, problems and stress locked up inside of them tight.
Neither said a word to the other, and long minutes passed. Romany sank into a chair, her loose clothes making a slight crinkling noise. She took a few long sips of her coffee, while she thoughts about the past. Pete had gone off to make a name, maybe find some pride away from them all, and she'd done the new age, occult thing long enough.
Channeling was out, the whole Atlantean Priest gig died real fast, and was sickening and no fun to wake up after. He'd never let her live that down probably. Not that he'd turned out much better. Killing people for a price. Atleast she'd moved on to doing something sane, with a legal income.
"I called her."
"You-?" He sputtered swallowing the drink, which was still left in his mouth, answering where he been unwilling to answer earlier. "Don' you ever leave your nose ruddy well out of things?"
"It's been two weeks, Pete!" she exclaimed with a touch of acid in her voice as she got up again, her blue eyes concerned, even as she sounded angry. In a way she was. He had so much standing right in front of him.
A light breath came from beneath his teeth without a sound. Like he didn't know that! Days crawled by inchingly slow. Anytime he looked at a phone he had no idea what he'd say, and the one time he had called, the sound of the weather witch's voice was enough to drown the first thought, and the doctor saying his father had awoken making him go.
And the one time she'd answered the phone he hadn't known what to say in the least. An apology for starters was due to her, but wouldn't come. He wasn't sure he could lie and say things were going okay either, and he wasn't sure he could explain it all sanely without lying. So he hadn't.
"She's not like a book or a bottle. She's not going to just sit somewhere waiting for you to come back, and - you! - you have a responsibility now! Haven't you any idea what that means even?"
Kitty was pregnant and had a whole house to support her, but the ache inside him wanted her with him, or even him with her wherever that meant being, because here alone was hell. And no matter how close Romany sat or stayed, he was always alone. His father lay on a bed in there, less than feet away from him, coming and going in consciousness, never any better physically or conversationally. And then there was news the doctors told them yesterday.
Everything was choked up inside of him, but he'd be blasted if he'd get that way in a hospital, in front of Romany and a whole staff of who knows how bloody large number.
Romany frowned as she crushed the empty cup in her hand, watching her brother. He wouldn't say anything, wouldn't do anything. It was like beating a brick wall, and not even leaving a mark, or making it notice you were there. It simply stood.
"Hell. I was wrong. Maybe you don't deserve any of it," she swore; the rage inside her infuriated.
Pete moved suddenly, standing up and leaving the cup, still half filled with coffee, on the table. He pulled the trench coat, black as his own mood, close around him and headed towards the door silently.
"Where are you going?" Romany asked, her concern, dissolving most everything except her partially sharp tone.
"Where I bloody well belong," he barely grunted as he passed by their fathers' bed without even stopping to do anything, or even acknowledge any kind of goodbye.
Romany's teeth met inside her mouth, and she was only keeping herself from grinding them, over the fact her mind had things she shouldn't say outloud. He was being ignorant, belligerent. He was acting like a bleeding child and he had one he was ignoring!
"Send the boys at the Crown my regards."
She said, her voice laced with ice and hatred, it sounded so to her own ears, as she watched him walk towards the door. He seemed to hesitate in mid step, and she held her breath almost ready for the lash out, the one she would have deserved, but it never came. He just kept walking as if she hadn't said anything.