Chapter Eleven: Reality and Fiction

Lucas dove and rolled. The plasma bursts were coming in a steady stream. Obviously this girls anger and madness were funneling through her powers.

The explosive plasma stopped.

"You can't pass in to a universe that an alternate you already inhabits!" He called out. "It's got something to do with bad math." She didn't answer. "You can cancel each other out or displace each other." Still, silence.

"I can help you get to another world safely." He called from behind a rock. Or you could stay with me. . .

He shook his head to clear it. "Lee? Are you out there?"

"You'reobviouslythepersonificationofmyownfearoffailure. . ." Jubilee jabbered to herself as she leapt in to sight. "TryingtopreventmefromreclaimingthelifeIdontfeelIdeservebecasueIoutlivedallmyfriends. . ." She continued. "Nicepantsthoughforafigment." And she let loose a blast that would have devastated him had it not been for his inherited telekinetic abilities.

"Butwhywontyoudieorvanishorgobacktowhereveritisyoucamefromlikealltheothersdid?" She jabbered on to herself and shifted her attack to the Earth around him instead, threatening to drop him in a hole and let the mountain fall in on him.

"BECAUSE I'M REAL!" He leapt, dove, and rolled. He pounced her and pinned her hands to the ground over her head.

"HelookslikeWolverineyummy." She said to herself. "Toobadhe'snotreal." She shook her head, pointed at him with her fingertips alone, and let loose with a blast that knocked him flat on his back and sent him sliding.

"Toobadsosadmadememad." She intoned., walking angrily after him. She hefted her hands, cupped the palms together and leveled them at him. "Whycan'tIeverhallucinateaworkingtvwithcable?" She let loose the blast.

Lucas keyed his wrist trigger for transport. His t.k. shield held around him and diverted her blast. "Don't try crossing the barrier without me. I'll be back." He vanished and her power flared wide through where he had been standing before he disappeared.

"Oradog." She wondered sadly and wandered away, absently kicking at stones.

The Next Day on The Keepers Station:

Tell me something Lucas." Emma smiled affectionately.

"If I can." He agreed, preparing the machine for his departure.

"What would you think about making this little arrangement permanent?" She was really sizing him up. "All those other Keepers had to do this alone. And it's really not necessary. The station is large enough to be self sufficient for a whole staff if you wanted."

"What's this really about Em?" He smiled and saw right through her.

She let out a sigh and an exasperated breath. "Maybe just until I'm sure if I want to use my chip or not."

"Second thoughts?" He cocked his head curiously.

"More like recent growth." She admitted almost ashamed.

And Lucas was sobered. He stopped keying in co-ordinates and eyed her as though he were seeing her for the first time. Finally her let out a slow breath and spoke.

"I can't argue with that." He said plainly. "It's a valid point to consider." He nodded twice. "All right." He said finally "Until further notice then."

She smiled and he could feel her relief but something still nagged at her "So long as, I just wanted. . ." She bit her lip. "I'm just not ready for anything more than business right now."

"Friends Emma. You mean friends." He smiled at her coyly. "And that's fine."

"Thank you." She said quickly and she whipped around, out of the room before he could change his mind.

"Just don't go attacking me in my bed when you're half naked and we won't have a problem." He said absently to himself as he returned to the co-ordinate console. "I can only pretend to be asleep for so long." He muttered.

And then he chuckled, at himself and despite himself.

He crossed the room and found Emma standing close by, just outside the room. For a moment he thought she had heard him, but if she had, she covered it well.

"When I get back I want to try to approach her again."

"She almost toasted you last time." Emma smiled. "Is that what you're in to?"

He smiled. "She's quit trying to break the dimensional barrier though. She knows now, I'm not a delusion or a hallucination." He seemed suddenly very sympathetic. "She was alone a long time. It can make you a little crazy. My time here on the station got me talking to myself. On a dead world I might just want to shoot all my delusions too."

He sighed.

"I set the computer to fire if she tries it again before I get back." He admitted. Emma was taken aback. "Just because I wasn't going to be here."

Emma nodded her understanding.

"But as soon as I get back, I'm going to try again."

"You're sweet on her." Emma smiled. "I should have known you'd like the rough stuff."

Lucas shrugged, smiled, blushed slightly, and keyed his wrist trigger, vanishing in a sparkle of light.

Emma immediately let out a deep breath and sat down. He was awake!