Anyway, YES to those who think I DON"T watch X-Men: Evolution. I LOVE that show and have been grabbing info every time it's on. AND I own the Movie, my first DVD I might add, as well enjoy watching Mutant X. I've decided, for those interested in what characters may appear, to interact with both the original series and the Evolution series. Well, at least as much as will allow. I know there are some drastic differences, especially when referring to the movie as well.

Disclaimer: Don't own Labyrinth, X-Men, yada yada. Any unknowns, well, you know. Cha!

SFS

It's Only Forever

Chapter Five

He stood on a darkened plain, a sky above him filled with millions of bright strangely lit stars and even stranger rainbow colors floating around the sky like aurora borealis. Looking around he saw nothing at first, only an endless plain.

This image had appeared the moment Xavier had touched Sarah's mind, his fingers lightly resting on her temples, much like Trevor had. It felt guarded, as if still trying to recover from a recent wound. Perhaps this is what this environment represented. As he turned again, he was surprised to suddenly see a woman not far from him. She was tall, long tawny hair to her ankles resting at her sides, and a sleeveless silver gown, narrow and tight right to her chin. Her mouth was even silver as her eyes were a strange color green, eyebrows arched and her pointed ears poking out from within her tresses. She stood in front of a massive ivory door with intricate carvings of fae ladies on each side, no wall around it.

"Hello Charles." Her voice was soft yet like waves coming in from a storm. " I have been expecting you."

"Do I know you?"

"No, not quite. But you are connected to this place through your touch with Sarah," she gestured around her, "As you can see, it is a troubles place. Not what I would have wished to show.""

"Forgive me," Xavier spoke, "But who might you be?"

She chuckled, the tiny sound of bells sounding somewhere, "I am the guardian of this place, Protector of the mind and yet…also a part of every memory Sarah holds within her. I am to guide you. It is safer this way." She tilted her head, "You are not like the other. He was, to say the least, a little unprepared for me. I fear I might have hurt him but I had no choice. Sarah was in pain."

Charles waved his hand, "No, he is well. Stunned but all right. Might I ask how it is you caused it? He spoke of a feeling of not being able to leave and that it cause Sarah more pain."

The lady crossed her arms, looking away, "I do not know why but even as I was making him leave, a sense within me would not let go. Something in Sarah's mind that either recognized his thoughts or became desperate for a certain touch." She smiled, "The mind can be a mysterious thing."

"I know that all to well," chuckled Charles. He looked at the door behind her. "Might I ask where that leads? I see no walls yet there stands a door."

The lady frowned, "No. That I may not open. It is a forbidden place, something kept so deep within Sarah's mind that I might not even go there. I had by chance once ventured there but it grew too dangerous. The environment there…it is a strange place. It would drive you mad, I fear. That boy, he tried to open it, not heeding my warning and I'm afraid it did him no good. But something did happen after I had him expelled. Come." She gestured for him to follow and they stood before the door, a silver handle glimmering. "Do you see? Can you not hear it?"

Charles stood very still and focused to sounds around him and the door. Then he started, "A high pitched sound, like a whistling wind. And the door, it is cracked open. But why?"

"The boy, called Trevor. When he tried to open it, this place did shake and scream and I was forced to, well, you know the rest. But it was after he left that I discovered this. I cannot close it and I fear it might grow worse. It seems to be causing something, sometimes images escape and I find myself and this place altered somewhat."

As if to verify it, a slip of light shot from the crack. Charles watched it dissipate in the sky, seeing it sparkle a little differently. He looked at the lady again and saw that her hair was now streaked with silver. She nodded, "I do not understand it but I feel something new has been given to my being as if another memory were released to this place."

"Tell me, is Sarah aware of this plain, of you?"

"No. Like all minds, no one can really go within and see how it might be. For another it may be entirely different. Your mind for example is quite different. I see something very different from what might be considered normal. But come, I would show you something else. I know, you wish to know something, do you not?"

"Yes. You must know of her current position." She nodded as he continued, "What I wish to find out is what happened to her, what caused her to lose her memory. Was it done by herself…or by other means?"

"You mean surgically altered. I can sense you know another who has experience pain as well. How sad that is that humans would do this to another of their own kind." She sighed, lowering her head, eyes closed, "What happened is what lies beyond that door. You see this door is what you might call her 'amnesia'. Whatever caused it is hidden there. You know the term of how severe memories are suppressed. I believe this is something Sarah built herself. Yet, I don't believe she did it by herself."

Her head lifted, her eyes still closed, "her words cannot leave her mouth yet they have a few times. It was these times that that door shook with such trembling. But it did not let her speak. Something else causes her speech to stop."

Her eyes opened and they seemed to ripple like water before they returned to normal, "You will need to meet her to know why. Perhaps she might explain these…'powers', you call them?"

The woman looked to her left as did Charles and saw Sarah. She sat on a bed, arms around her legs with a crystal box all around her. Charles was surprised, "Sarah?"

'Sarah' looked up quickly, "Mr. Xavier. How…how can I see you?"

Charles looked at the lady. "Remember. She cannot see me and therefore sees not what is around her. The human mind see gray and darkness when they sleep, yet dreams. Think of it as a thick gray fog put between them and their dreams."

He nodded, looking at Sarah, "You speak freely here."

Sarah looked at a stuffed bear she was holding, "I only speak like I have been to you. Only I can see you in my mind. It feels like my mouth is moving but I know I'm up there," she looked up, "Laying down, thinking of nothing." She glanced at him again, "You do not cause pain to me like Trevor did."

"He is learning. Sarah, why is it you are in this 'box'?"

She shrugged, "I don't know why but when ever I close my eyes, I see myself like this, always stuck in a box. Trapped." She shivered, hugging the bear. "I feel safe too though. Like I can't get out but that its better here then anywhere else." She looked at the bear, "You know, I don't know why I seem to think of this bear so much. Or this bed. They were both at my home but I don't remember them. Why should a bear be so important?"

"It may be a key to your past. Sarah, I believe I know why you do not speak or why you cannot. This box, you need to leave it, explore your mind, discover deep within what it is that caused you to hide like this."

She shook her head violently, "No. Much safer here. It's too strange, to dangerous to leave."

Charles sighed, "Then you may never know. It may be a block but I feel that you have been brought to this by something far beyond my knowledge. More then I can understand. I'm sorry."

She nodded, "It's all right. So, what about my 'problem'? What is to be done about that? Has this something to do with it?"

"No," Charles spoke softly, glancing back at the ivory door, "I don't believe it does."

When he looked back, Sarah was gone. The lady gestured for him to turn around and he saw a small door of soft oak, then another of glass and another, and another. Many doors appeared, causing Charles to look quizzically at the lady.

"These are place that hold her memory, or at least those which she holds now, that remembers. But they are of only time since she first woke up again. They also contain dreams that she has, feelings, smells, and so on. One of them might contain your answers. This one," she gestured to a door made of roses, "It is a recurring dream she does not understand. Take a look."

Nodding, Charles touched the door and it opened. Within he saw a bright room, music playing yet no people. Everything seems white or soft looking, crystal here and there. He could hear laughter yet no people.

"How very odd." The image shifted and it seemed as if he looked upon a giant portrait, one filled with stairs going everywhere with faceless people standing here an there, not moving.

"I recognize this. From a artwork called the 'Echer Room'. Why might she think of this?"

"I know not but each time I have looked, this has changed. At one point there was no music in that white room, nor the sounds of people. But this one, it changes very little. But watch what it does."

Charles did and as he watched he could see the people one by one disappear until only one stood. The faceless one seemed to look in his direction and it actually moved its hand as if to gesture to come.

"Should I…"

"No, that is for Sarah to do. You would only be led to that Ivory door again. " As she spoke the image vanished and the rose door as well.

"Sarah has been in these doors. She feels they are the only ones safe to go. But she does it through me more often it seems. I wonder if I may be someone she knew? I don't understand my existence very well, only that I meant to be as I am."

With a wave, the doors vanished but one. This one sparked from time to time.

"I believe that is your cause for her abilities. It appeared when the Ivory Door cracked. It grows larger these days. It may yet rival the Ivory Door. What leaves the door come to this spark and grows, adding more and more to it. You are right to wish to contain it. I would hurry. It must not grow larger then the Ivory Door. It might have grave effects."

Charles nodded, "Agreed. I must begin at once. From what I've seen, It will be a difficult task."

"But a well worth effort," She smiled, "It has been nice to meet you and I am glad I need not expel you as harshly as Trevor. You control your thoughts well and it will not conflict with Sarah."

"Tell me, out of curiosity, how was he…"

"I do not believe you would wish to know. It involved much power and cost me something in return." He noticed for the first time that one of her hands had a burn scar on it."

"Oh do you need…"

"No, nothing can be done. When Sarah's mind is wounded, so am I. It is a way to deal with the scars then to seek them and heal. I will be fine." She made a gesture and a blue mist appeared, "It is time. Be well Charles."

And suddenly he was looking up from touching Sarah's mind, back in his restriction of the wheel chair. Jean sat near by as did Trevor. "Well?"

"An unusual case but I understand it. Don't try to have me explain it. I barely did."

"So, her powers…"

"In a way, inflicted upon her by something or someone. But something remains. I believe they were mostly there to begin with. An unknown source tapped into by accident as a way to cope or rid herself of the pain she feels. Most interesting."

Trevor leaned forward, "What can we do for her?"

"Teach her, help her focus. It is the only option. If she doesn't learn to control it, she will die."

~~~

Sorry to not write more but I'm wiped after writing the second chapter for my new fanfic. Literally, I think I'm getting ill. My head hurts. Hope this is all worth it. Cha!

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