Anyone who thinks sunshine is happiness has never danced in the rain.
--Unknown

Radical-Seto: Thank-you! I don't know if I did as good on this chapter though.

HoneyBug17: Yes it is. But don't worry, I'm working up some good ideas for a Halloween fic.

Rogue77: Hmmm…Sorry, no pain, but a couple sarcastic comments.

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Doggy was running himself silly on the lawn with the twins. Julian was hopping around in the forest talking to animals.

And myself? Deep in thought as usual.

The other institute kids, their friends, my friends, thought I was a hero. They just were sad they didn't get to punch out Chrissy themselves. Spike told me later that I had fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams. My parents were upset, but chalked it up to the fact that I had gone through a crazy stage.  Donnie looked down his nose at me but stayed out of my swinging range.

And Chrissy. Poor thing, not all the makeup in the world will cover the lump on her chin. Not that she lacked in trying.

The other institute kids tended to give me a wide berth, even though Julian had blatantly hopped up to meet them.  They thought he was cute. Kurt was already trying to teach him acrobatics. Kitty was trying to teach him how to cook, but he was saved by the sudden fire that popped out of the stove. For no reason at all, as Kitty complained.

I sit alone now, watching Julian and my canine companions as they played. Somehow I feel as if it would be wrong to join them. There was something needed to be done first.

The sunspider, yet again wandering the school, was sitting in the glass bowl of my light fixture.  Which was why I didn't turn my lights on. That, and several bats were hanging around in my room.  Herman was sitting on my shoulder, contemplating whether or not he should attempt to steal breakfast from us tomorrow morning.  It wasn't as if he could eat much anyway.

My eyes wander about this room, so new yet so familiar.  The books, the music, the knick knacks that have absolutely no purpose. And even though I feel as if I'm trespassing in someone's special haven, I know that it is mine.

This is my home.

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I watched as Julian looked about in wonder at the room the Professor gave him.  He must have thought it was huge, even though it was much smaller than mine.

"Mommy?"  Julian asked, troubled.

"Hmm?"

"What if I get scared?"

"You can come sleep with me. You know where the room is."

He nodded happily. He was at that age where kids want their own room, but don't want to be away from their mothers.  And he was easily pleased.

Made my life much easier.  But I was a bit worried about what Mr. McCoy had said.

Julian, though he was a mutant, also retained some of the animal growth tendencies that had come from the animals he had been made from.

Julian would grow mentally and physically faster than other children.  Like the Tiger, that only took about two to three years to get full grown, he would grow at an accelerated rate.  But unknown was if his lifespan would be shortened because of it.

I glanced over at him. He was wearing short with a hole for his tail and a T-shirt of Jamie's, which was just a little too big for him.  He was also jumping on the bed, doing flips that Kurt had taught him.

"You hit your head on the ceiling and it's going to be your fault," I said, unable to keep the amusement out of my voice.

He looked at me innocently, then grinned happily.

He was happy now. That's all that mattered.

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It was raining.  Not a light drizzle, but not a screaming torrent either. Which was probably why Julian wasn't in my room. I would have expected him to come sleep next to me, because it was his first night in the institute, but he thought it was great fun to have his own room.

I got up from the bed silently, so I didn't wake up Doggy. The twins were sleeping in Julian's room.

The window was open to allow any animal that decided to sleep in my room able to get in.  So far a small group of snoozing cats, a small bunch of dozing cats and a couple of sleeping squirrels.  But as it was raining, probably more would arrive.  I got on the windowsill and closed my eyes, and then I jumped.

I hit the wet grass and rolled. I got up and patted myself off, no worse for wear.  I walked into the woods.  I had no shoes on, but they weren't really needed. I know this place so very well.

I kept walking until I came to a sort of clearing.  Trees opened up in a special sort of field, the tree tops open to let in a healing rain.

I danced.

It was an old dance, meant for two people.  But it was the dance.

I felt a feeling of disconnection in my mind, but I kept dancing.  And soon, I was not alone.

No one could see them. But I could. They danced in the rain, like the children they had been so long ago.  I left them be, for it was their dance, not mine.

Run
Running all the time
Running to the future
With you right by my side

 Danny's blue eyes shone with a sad fire, but it was gentle, like she knew that it would not have to endure sadness any longer.

Me
I'm the one you chose
Out of all the people
You wanted me the most
I'm so sorry that I'm falling
Help me up lets keep on running
Don't let me fall out of love

Running, running
As fast as we can
I really hope you make it
(Do you think we'll make it?)
We're running
Keep holding my hand
It's so we don't get separated

Dahk's green eyes, which had shown so much malice before, had dulled. She was waiting as well for this end.

Be
Be the one I need
Be the one I trust most
Don't stop inspiring me
Sometimes it's hard to keep on running
We work so much to keep it going
Don't make me want to give up

Running, running
As fast as we can
I really hope you make it
(Do you think we'll make it?)
We're running
Keep holding my hand
It's so we don't get separated

The dance grew to a close, and in the last few moments, they held each other's hands, laughing like they had been when they were children.

Running, running
As fast as we can
I really hope you make it
(Do you think we'll make it?)
We're running
Keep holding my hand
It's so we don't get separated

The dance finished, the phantoms turned into beautiful green energy, and any distinct form they had disappeared. They fragmented and fell to the ground, which glowed with the power they had possessed.  I waved at no one.  They would sleep now, dead in the sense of the word. They had made it.


(The future)

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I am alone now. This life is totally mine.

My family is mine.  It does not belong to half of me. Neither do my friends. And now there is no sweet and gentle Danny or raging Dahk. I am both.

I am Danny.

Codename: Dahk.

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This dance is finished. The Players may go home.

A/N:  Hmmm…That song was really good when I heard it, I hope I did okay. I thought it fitted.  Just so everybody knows, No Doubt's Running isn't mine.

This story is finished. Don't worry, I'll have another fic with her and Doggy in it sometime.

Doggy is taking reviews! Juju has decided he'd rather be in my other fic fulltime anyway.