Disclaimer: All Marvel characters belong to Marvel. All non-Marvel characters belong to the authors of this story. The lyrics to "Dance with Me" are used in this chapter, and they belong to Debelah Morgan. No money is being made off of this story.
Xavier gripped the sides of his hoverchair, the knuckles of his hands showing white. He moved the hoverchair closer to where Cara stood, and took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself.
"Where is she, Cara?" he asked, with as much patience as he could muster.
"I... I don't know, Professor..." Cara replied, shocked at the question. How could she possibly know where her friend was? How could any of them know?
Xavier's hand shot out, grabbing Cara's arm in a vice-like grip.
"You do know, Cara. I can feel it. Somewhere inside your memory is the answer we're looking for. What is it, Cara?" Xavier asked Cara, his voice and gaze intense.
Cara's face was pale, her worried red eyes fixated on the Professor's grim face.
"Xavier..." Jamar warned in an angry voice. He looked ready to attack if Xavier didn't unhand his wife.
Xavier glanced at Jamar, then slowly released his grip on Cara's arm. He forcibly gained control over himself, then turned to address Cara once more.
"I apologize for my behavior, Cara. I did not mean to scare you," he said softly. "I only wish to find Amanda... and I do believe you have the answer..."
Cara massaged her sore arm, her eyes nervously darting between Xavier and her friends. Was it possible that she had the answer to their dilemma? She didn't know. Just then, a spark of memory ignited within her brain. Then suddenly, she felt she knew.
"Amanda is in a place where thought is the reality, and the physical is merely an illusion." she said quietly.
Rainfall
Amanda was no longer sure what she believed. Everything she ever knew was in question. Should she believe the voice, or follow her heart? She knew that this decision was critical. If she chose unwisely......
/What does this all mean?/ She asked.
~I do not understand...~ the voice questioned.
/If this is a dream, then why am I having it?/
~Why do any of us dream?~
/We usually dream so that we can aspire to the dream./
~Did you not see what you wanted in this dream?~
/Yes, I want friends and family. I want love in my life. I do not want to be left cold and hollow./
~Then you have learned all you can from your dream. It is time to go home.~
/But if I am wrong, I give up all I want./
~It is not real.~
/That is for me to decide./
A.C.
Sammi heard the racket around her as she came out of her meditation. She opened her eyes and locked sight with Cara. //We need to get everyone connected. We need to send out our love and help to Amanda as one. That is the only way it will work.// Sammi sent telepathically to everyone.
"What are you talking about, Darlin'?" Logan asked as he moved over to her side as Sammi started to stand.
"Amanda, needs help. She needs our help to know which path she has to take. And the only way we can help is to be a collective mind." Sammi said as she surveyed the group. She saw the dawning of what she was talking about cross over their faces.
"Collectively is the only way we can help, and to do that we need all of the telepaths to link minds and branch out to the others." Sammi said.
Jonas came up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure you're up to it?"
"We have to be. We all have to be for Amanda's sake." Sammi said, looking around at everyone. They were her family. Her friends. Her life.
Jubilee_79
Ymela, gazing into the fire's depth, realizes that there is something that is happening of great importance. Leaving her vigil, she goes to dig Hank and Hope out of the laboratory. They had been there for some time since the loss of Amanda. Ymela thought it had been a very unusual thing for Hank and Hope to spend their honeymoon locked up in the laboratory, but to each their own.
"Hope, Hank, the others need you desperately. It has something to do with Amanda. It appears that Amanda is not truly dead, but lost. Go quickly to them." she calls at the door.
Hope opens the door very quickly, she and Hank staring at Ymela in disbelief.
"She's not dead???" They speak in unison.
"Hope, test your feelings... can't you feel it?"
Hope does as her mother asks, sending feelers out... "It...is... true, mother... why didn't I feel... " Hope goes into a dead faint, overcome by the sudden onslaught of emotions she had kept bottled up.
Hank catches her, before she hits the ground. He looks at Ymela. "I guess, Mother, it is time to go back. I didn't realize so much time has passed."
Ymela summons her faithful friend the bamf, which loves to do her bidding."Take Hank and Hope to where the others are." The bamf nods, grins, and does as she requests.
The bampf drops off Hank and Hope near where Sammi and the others are. Hope wakes up a bit bewildered, and then realizing where she was gives a quick hug to Sammi, Cara and the others, while Hank is surrounded by his other friends. Jubilee, seeing the ring on Hope's finger, chides Hank.
"You could have told us you were getting married."
"I'm sorry. After the battle, Hope needed healing... and I went with her to her mother's home where we were married. However, it looks like we are all needed."
Hope says to the others, "I'm sorry I left... but I'm here now to help if I can. Amanda needs to come home where she belongs."
Dreamweaver
Leilee slapped away her partner's hands for the 5th time. She was on the set for the video "Dance with me" by Debelah Morgan. She had to do the dance scene because Debelah had sprained her ankle. But if her partner didn't stop trying to grope her, she was going to walk off the set.
Sighing she looked at the director, silently begging him to do something. The director took pity on her and called for a 10 minute break.
Leilee sighed and walked off the set, rubbing her neck. It was about time. Her stomach was churning, because she was worried about her teammates. But, Sammi and Ryan had insisted she stay here; so, she was here, working her ass off instead.
She was staring off into space, when suddenly a hand wrapped around her mouth, yanking her into a darkened alcove. Spinning around, she saw her dance partner, Justin. Before she could say anything, he slammed her against the wall and mashed his mouth over hers, trying to shove his tongue down her throat.
She was about to lift her knee up when suddenly, the weight on her was gone. She opened her eyes to see that Remy had knocked out her dance partner with one punch. She looked up at him for a moment before flinging herself into his arms.
"I'm sorry, hon," she whispered into his chest.
Remy smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I know, cherie. I know."
Suddenly, a voice yelled, "All dancers on the set!"
Leilee's eyes widened. "Sh*t! How am I gonna explain this to him?!" Then, she turned to Remy. "Hey.....You remember the dance, right? The one you helped me choreograph?"
Remy nodded slowly. Then, his eyes widened and he shook his head. "Non. Non, petite...."
She grabbed his arm. "You should have thought of that BEFORE you punched out my partner!"
Remy sighed and allowed himself to be dragged towards the set.
Leilee and Remy placed their arms in the appropriate dance positions and waited for the music to begin.
Remy murmured through clenched teeth, "You owe me, petite."
Leilee smiled sweetly. "Don't worry. You'll get rewarded later."
Oh come and dance with me, my baby
Let's dance, till we go crazy
The night is young and so are we
Let's make love and dance the night away
Leilee smiled up into Remy. "Let's dance, Lover." They began to move to the music.
What I really wanna do
Is just dance with you
And feel your body tight
Show ya how to do it right
I can show you every move
I know just what to do
Each step we do is so fine
One dance and you'll be mine
So baby when we hit the floor
You'll be asking for more
Let's make love and dance the night away
Oh come and dance with me, my baby
Let's dance, till we go crazy
The night is young and so are we
Let's make love and dance the night away
By this point, all thought had faded away, and every move between the two was purely reflex.
Oh put your hand in mine
Promise I'll take my time
We'll dance from head to toe
I can dance fast or slow
Baby look into my eyes
Let the music hypnotize
Let our bodies synchronize
When we're dancing you'll be mine
So baby when we hit the floor
You'll be asking for more
Let's make love and dance the night away
Oh come and dance with me, my baby
Let's dance, till we go crazy
The night is young and so are we
Let's make love and dance the night away
Leilee pushed her body to the limit, making each move as sharp and clean as possible. Remy's strong arms supported her during every lift, dip and turn.
Oh when it comes to dancing
I know how to move
When it comes to passion
I know just what to do
I feel the music inside
I feel like I am alive
The tempo is right
Let's make love
Oh come and dance
Let's dance
The night
Let's make love and dance the night away
Oh come and dance with me, my baby
Let's dance, till we go crazy
The night is young and so are we
Let's make love and dance the night away
"CUT!" the director yelled, causing Leilee and Remy's heads to snap towards him. "That was GREAT! That's a wrap!"
Leilee smiled and applauded with the rest of the crew. Then, suddenly, she sagged against Remy. Remy scooped her up and fended off queries with the simple words, "She's pregnant." As the crew nodded and smiled, after assuring themselves that it was all ok, Remy carried her off to his car. Reaching into the glove compartment, he pulled out a pack of smelling salts and let it drift under her nose. As suddenly as she had fainted, she was yanked back into consciousness.
"I have to go."
Remy grabbed her arm. "Where, petite?"
Leilee looked at him. "It's Amanda. She's trapped, and she needs us. All of Vision X. I'm sorry, Remy, but I have to go!"
Remy yanked her back and kissed her once more before letting her go. "Be careful, mon amour."
Leilee smiled. "Promise. I love you," she whispered before opening a teleportation portal and stepping in to travel to Cara and the others.
As it closed, he whispered, "Moi aussi, petite. Moi aussi."
Leilee
"Combining and sending your love to Amanda won't be enough," Xavier said, looking at Sammi.
"What do you mean, Professor?" Sammi asked.
"For your love to reach Amanda, it will need an anchor, and a weight." he explained.
"An anchor and weight?" asked Cara.
The Professor thought for a minute before replying.
"Picture in your mind a rock climber, stranded on the face of a cliff. In fair weather conditions, a person standing on the top of the cliff could simply anchor one end of a rope to the top of the cliff, and drop the other end of the rope down to the rock climber. The rope, being anchored, would allow the climber safe passage to the top of the cliff.
Now, picture a rock climber, stranded on the face of a cliff, in the middle of a horrible storm. If an anchored rope by itself was dropped down toward them, the wind would blow the rope away out of reach. In the middle of a storm, some sort of weight must be attached to the other end of the rope, so the wind couldn't blow it away. Only then would the rope safely reach the stranded climber."
"Okay, let me see if I've got this straight." Cara said, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
"Amanda is the stranded rock climber. The cliff represents the Realm she is trapped in. The rescue rope represents our love... and the Storm represents the trials Amanda is going through. What are the weight and anchor?"
"For a rock climber to climb safely up the cliff, one end of the rope must be anchored to the top of the cliff." Sammi said to herself, thinking. She looked over at Cara.
"We are the Weight and the Anchor. Someone standing at one end of the rope, anchoring it to the cliff. Another person weighing it down, carrying the rope to the stranded person." She said, then explained, "To rescue Amanda, someone needs to be here, acting as an anchor. But someone will need to travel to the other Realm, carrying our love to her, acting as a weight so the love is not lost in the storm which surrounds Amanda. Isn't that right, Professor?"
"That is correct, Samantha," said the Professor.
"All right," said Cara, "that much I understand now. But HOW will we get our love into the next realm?"
"By opening a portal into the next realm, and sending it through." said Jamar.
"Hey everyone! Can anyone join in, or is this a closed set?" Leilee's voice broke in.
She was standing right behind Cara, having 'ported in just in time to hear what was being planned. Cara swung around, gave a joyous squeal at seeing her friend there, and grabbed her in a Cara-Special bear hug.
"Easy," Leilee laughed, "I just got back from a tough day on the set!"
"How's the 'you and Remy' thing?" Cara quietly asked, pulling back and looking at her friend with concern.
Leilee simply grinned to say they'd made up. Then she looked over at Sammi.
"So, what's the plan, fearless leader?" she asked Sammi.
"Alright, here's the plan." Sammi said, taking a deep breath as she got her thoughts in order.
"First, we need to open a portal into the other Realm. This can be accomplished by Jamar and myself. Second, The telepaths and empaths need to link their powers together, and branch out to the others... becoming a collective mind and heart, so to speak. They will work together to combine all our love for Amanda, and send it through the portal..." Sammi stopped speaking for a moment, while working out the next step in her mind.
"Third, someone will have to go through the portal along with our 'rescue rope', to make sure it reaches Amanda." Sammi finished.
"Okay, that much is clear. But who will go through the portal?" asked Leilee.
Xavier looked at the members of Vision-X and the X-Men. All seemed determined to go into the alternate realm to rescue Amanda. It was risky... although they had all faced danger before, had overcome odds which seemed impossible, Xavier couldn't allow them to take this risk. Not this time. This time, the risk would be his, and his alone.
"I will go." Xavier said, his face showing that he would not be waived from his decision.
Rainfall
Amanda was finding it more and more difficult to determine what was truth and what was a lie. She knew that the voice was not telling her the truth, but she did not know how much was a lie.
/What would happen to the others if I chose to take your advice?/she asked.
~But it is not..~
/I know, but what if it was real and I left them?/
~Even if this was real, my dear, your presence does not matter. In your fanasty, they think you're dead. They've moved on. It did not take them long, did it?~
/No, they would find me. They wouldn't have given up!/ exclaimed Amanda, knowing in her heart that her friends wold be looking for her.
~They have already assigned a new leader, one whom they liked and respected. You know they valued Sammi more. They did everything possible to find her and bring her back. They just left you to die..~ sneered the voice.
Amanda shook her head viciously in denial. She knew her friends would never abandon her. A tiny voice of doubt crept in. What if they did?
/If they really did as you say, then I know for a fact that this a dream. My friends would never abandon me. Prove it./
The voice remained silent. It knew that it would have her with just a little creative editing.
~Very well, my dear.~
A.C.
Amanda found herself back at Sinister's forteress. She could see the X-Men and Vision X gathered around Sammi. They seemed to be congratulating themselves on some type of victory.
/What's going on?/ asked Amanda.
~Watch.~ ordered the voice.
"Well done, everyone." stated Xavier.
"The best thing was that no one died. We're all together as a team." stated Cara.
"Well, no one important died." stated Jamar.
Everyone laughed at the joke. Everyone seemed to be happy. No one even seemed to care that she had died. They laughed at her death as if it was a joke.
/You're lying./ cried Amanda.
"Well, it's time we elect a real leader." stated Leilee.
"You mean someone who is confident." stated Jonas
"You mean someone who wouldn't boss us around like she is better than us."
"Right!" exclaimed Vision X.
"I nominate Sammi." stated Maggie.
"Yes." replied Vision X.
"Let's get out of this place. It's time we started living our lives again." stated Sammi.
/No!/ cried Amanda, /This is all a lie./
~Really, my dear, can you be so sure?~ asked the voice.
/No./ Amanda whispered, tears falling from her face.
A.C.