Don't be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before we can meet again. And meeting, after certain moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends. -- Anonymous
Radical-Seto: Thanks, I really liked how she turned out.
Rogue77: *eating cookies* Hmm…Your question will be added next chapter, me thinks.
torque: Truly, her name isn't Dahk, but more on that next chapter.
HoneyBug17: Heh, that was the effect I was going for.
Flamingo1: Well, I think that's part of her charm really…sort of…
Laureate: Danny is my favorite character that I've ever made (minus a certain thieving muse) and I can never go long without writing a story with her in it.
Asteria: Thank You! Just hearing that you like my story makes my day!
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She walked out of the building, different, yet still the same. She moved slowly, as if something impeded her, as if she was exhausted from a long ordeal.
Arcane leaped forward and caught her when she stumbled and fell. Wolverine had been preoccupied by picking Jared off of the strange, monstrous dog and its brother that had stood before them.
Blood ran through his fingers. He gently turned her to see the blood dripping from a bullet hole in her back. She had not moved, lying still in his arms.
"Danny."
She opened her eyes fractionally, blue with a hint of dull green. Even as he watched, the green was fading.
"Danny, are you all right?"
"I've just been shot you idiot."
He stared at her for a moment, surprised. The only time she ever insulted him was after she had gotten thrown around by a hunter robot.
"Must be okay if she can insult you." Wolverine said. Jared was asleep in his arms, but Wolverine didn't look too comfortable.
"Momma!" They looked up at a tree leaning over the fence. There sat a little kangaroo like thing in an oversized shirt.
"Is that a wombat?" Wolverine growled.
"Wombats don't talk." Arcane reminded him gently, for fear of getting on the surly Canadian's bad side.
"Don't make fun of Julian. He's my baby." Danny muttered almost incoherently as she slipped into unconsciousness.
Arcane and Wolverine glanced at each other.
"Baby?"
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Hours later, many hours later, Hank McCoy finished sewing the wounds Danny had. Her back had begun to look like a soldier that had been in many battles. It was heartbreaking. She was too young to be some hardened warrior.
He walked out of the room, leaving Danny asleep on the recuperating table.
"What goes around comes around, I suppose." He mused. After all, the last time he saw her she had been comatose, and now she was the same.
"Hank."
Hank looked around to see Wolverine standing against the wall, out of uniform.
"Yes?"
"How is she?"
"She'll survive, but the physical transformation is incredible. I have to run some tests, but I think that a chemical imbalance in her system has changed her somehow. Professor Xavier said that he wished to look into her psyche when I was finished. Would you tell him while I go run these tests?"
"Yeah." The Canadian walked off.
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Professor Xavier wheeled into the recuperating room. Several hours had passed since Hank had given his report on her condition. Logan had rushed into the institute with her in his arms, bellowing for Hank. Logan had said later that Arcane had been there, but Arcane had disappeared before he got a lock on him. Doggy, Hezibah, and two strange dogs brought in Jared and a little mutant that Logan had referred to as Julian. The mutant was with the new recruits and Jared was returned to his parents, who were in hysterics about Danny, and probably would be until she woke up.
Charles placed a hand on her temple and his other hand on his own temple. He searched for the girl but was met by a strange psyche, totally unlike the one Danny had, yet eerily familiar.
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This is where I reside.
I sense him here. In my mind. He comes closer, and I seek to guard my secrets. I know I shouldn't fear him, because he's the Professor. He taught me…us? Them? He taught things.
"Danny."
He says my name, seeking me out. I don't move toward him, but I won't run either.
"Danny."
He's getting closer now, and the landscape begins to blur. Indeed, it is becoming a landscape, all I knew before was black.
"Danny."
He is here.
"Danny." He places a hand on my shoulder. He is behind me. I slowly turn, raising my head to look at him.
Professor Xavier was standing. He was standing up and I had to look up to meet his gaze.
The landscape looked like another world. The moon was blue, the ground was red.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"We are in your mind, but I have changed the world to suit you. You are feeling alien."
"How very poetic. But I am not alien. I was alive long before Danny was. Well," I said ruefully, "At that age it seems like forever."
"What do you mean?" He asked concernedly. I had the sudden urge to scream at him, to make him leave, but it was silly.
"They came from me. They were split personalities. They've died, and now I've returned." I shot out shortly, not meaning too. But I was uncomfortable with him here. How long had it been since I regained my mind? Not long. And now it was being invaded. By a friend, yes, but still invaded.
"They? There was another?"
"Yes. Can you leave?" I said bluntly.
"You are uncomfortable with me here?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You're HERE! You are in my head! What business do you have messing around in my head? It's MINE!"
He looked at me shocked. I felt a sudden amount of chagrin and blatant embarrassment. I put my head in my hands, trying to calm my xenophobic emotion.
"You are upset."
I didn't answer.
"You are Danny. I can see it. But you are something totally different than what she was. You are a whole person. I always sensed she wasn't."
"That's nice."
"Do you want to come back?"
"What?" I looked up from my hands.
"Your parents are worried. And there is the matter of Julian. Judging by Mr. McCoy's report, waking up now should be alright for you."
"I guess so."
"I won't bring you back until you're ready."
"I'm ready."
He held out his hand. I took it, and we walked toward the end of the landscape.
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The ceiling was blurred at first, then it cleared up. I looked around. I was in my pajamas…yes, my pajamas. Professor Xavier shook his head a little beside me. He looked tired. I felt ashamed.
"I'm sorry."
"No, no you had every right to reprimand me. But I was trying to help. But I won't enter your mind until you are comfortable with my presence.
"Alright."
I got up. My back lanced with pain but I ignored it. I slid off the table and followed the Professor out to where the others were.
The room we walked into, the study, was empty except for my family, which actually made it pretty crowded. Even Julian was there, sitting apart from the others. The munchkins…yes…my munchkins with Jared ran towards me screeching happily that I was awake.
"Anee!"
"You're awake!"
"What took you so long?"
I looked at them. They acted as if nothing had changed, and yet, seeing them seemed so new.
"I was sleepy." I said with a smile tugging at my lips.
They hugged me around the legs. I caressed a couple heads, then they were peeled away by my parents. My mother hugged me carefully, keeping away from my wound. Father released me from her and hugged me a little harder. Spike was even less careful and scooped me up in a bear hug. Uncle Robbie elbowed him in the ribs so he could hug me too, much to the distaste of Chrissy. Donnie was next, with a sort of fakey hug that wandered the line of seriousness and pretence. Chrissy was next, hugging me in the same way, but whispering in my ear, " You have to tell me all about it and tell me where you got your adorable little mutant pet. Are you cured now?"
"Let's play a game." I announced. " Everyone younger than me has to close their eyes."
The little ones closed their eyes. Chrissy opened her mouth and tried to ask what the game was, but was cut off by the fact that I slammed a fist into her jaw.
"That was fun." I said as I waded through the crowd and scooped up Julian, even though my back hurt, and walked out of the room with my shocked parents looking at the sobbing Chrissy.
"That's gonna leave a bruise," I informed Julian as I walked away to find my canine companions.
Wolverine was in the hallway when I walked out.
"Can you drive me and Hezibah to the airport when I find her?" I asked him. "Today's probably the last day. I saw it on the calendar."
He looked surprised, but nodded. I kept walking. Julian, in his little boxer shorts with Batman on them, looked around constantly at the scenery.
The canines were in the rec room. They fell in silently behind me as I walked out to the front yard. Today was most obviously a weekend. None of the mutants were up. And those that had been were probably too tired to get away from their posts of taking care of Julian.
Wolverine stood in front of the X-van. I padded forward and got in. The canines jumped in behind me. I was still in my pajamas. Julian was sucking his fore claw and sitting next to me.
The drive was uneventful, and the airport was there much too soon.
I don't know why Mr. Logan humored me thus. Maybe he had read the article, or he thought I had too much done to me to put up with the slack. Or he thought I went crazy.
I got out and walked through the terminal. Mr. Logan stayed behind, watching the van, grumbling about valets.
I kept moving, and the crowd parted like the plague. My four companions stood at either side of me, keeping other people well away.
After about and hours worth of wandering and constant shifting of Julian, finally putting him on Doggy's back, we found the gate. Several people in khakis had drawn a crowd, with hyenas on leashes. A man was explaining to people how they planned to release them into the wild.
"Hey." I tried.
The man kept talking, but I was getting odd looks.
"Hey!"
The man ignored me. Hezibah walked forward and ripped the seat of his pants out.
"YOW!" He turned around to yell, but backpedaled when he saw her. After all, she was a little under twice as large as the others.
"Do you have room for one more?"
The khakis jumped forward, but Hezibah growled and they backed off. I leaned forward and patted her.
"She doesn't need a leash. She just wants to go with you."
A lady khaki strode up and held her hand out to Hezibah. She sniffed the lady's hand delicately. Then she looked over at me, satisfied.
I gently cupped her muzzle in my hand.
Goodbye. No tears are needed. Our paths lay intertwined for a short time. And perhaps they will cross again. But we both need to grow. And I cannot do that here.
(I know. Maybe one day I'll visit, if you want.)
That would please me greatly. Hezibah loves you.
(I love you too.) I let her go. She moved to Doggy and Julian, then to the twins. She bid them farewell, and walked over to the lady. She looked at me.
"I'm Doctor Errison."
"I'm Danny." She nodded and had the others load the hyenas, taking special care to guide Hezibah herself.
I walked to the window and watched the plane rev up and take off, flying like an eagle from the strip.
"Goodbye."
A single tear, tinted with green, slipped from my eye as I turned to leave.
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Next time: Resting forever
Juju takes the reviews my friends, and make no comment about rubbing his head, for the next chapter is a solemn one.