Everything's Constantly Changing Chapter 19: Life After Death, a x-men: evolution fanfic

FYI:

~Personal Thoughts~

ESP

%The Written Word%

[Flashback]

"Normal Conversation (Duh)"

* Com Link or Telephone *

*Sound Effects (usually just Kurt's bamfing)

{Background noise--music, crowds, etc.}

CANNONBALL

"Can you believe these teachers? They've all gone nuts. It's only lunch, and I've probably got four hours worth of homework for tonight."

"It wouldn't be so bad if we didn't procrastinate so much." I barely looked up from my food as I talked with Bobby and Ray.

"We could always get lucky and have an early dismissal." I glanced up at Ray and shook my head silently.

"The only way that would happen is if there was no power or something…" Bobby caught onto Ray's drift and grinned. "Okay, sounds like a plan to me. Melted ice plus electricity times a fuse box equals no school. That's math I can understand."

"Hey Sam." I looked up to see Rose. She looked concerned as she pulled a seat up to our table and sat down. Bobby and Ray just stared at the senior girl gracing the mutant junior table. "Is Al sick?" Bobby practically spit his food out in shock and Ray knocked over his iced tea.

"No."

"Then where's she been for the past week? I thought you'd know, living with her and all." She was now watching Ray curiously as he tried to clean up his mess discretely and failed.

"She's not at the institute anymore." I had no clue what to tell her. I didn't believe she was really dead despite the fact that everyone else had given up looking. But she wasn't sick and I honestly didn't know the truth.

"She went back home?"

"Yeah. That's it…she's back home. Got real homesick. You know the deal." I looked to Bobby gratefully as Rose slowly nodded.

"I wish she'd have told me that. Well, I'll see you around." She stood up and left as I started breathing again. Without realizing it, I'd been holding my breath the whole time.

"Can you believe it? A senior girl…talked to us!" Ray was still in shock at what had just happened and didn't seem to care what the conversation had been about.

"Yeah…about Al." I stood up suddenly loosing my appetite.

Several weeks had passed and September was coming to a close. I was severely struggling in math and was at the moment trying to suffer through my homework but couldn't concentrate for Amara's music pumping through the walls.

{There's a thousand words that I could say to make you come home, yeah, Seems so long ago that you walked away and left me alone, And I remember what you said to me, you were acting so strange, And maybe I was too blind to see that you needed a change}

I stood up and pounded on the wall separating my room from hers that she shared with Tabitha. "Would you turn that 'N Suck crap off already!"

{Was it something I said to make you turn away, To make you walk out and leave me cold, If I could just find a way to make it so that you were right here, right now}

"Make me Guthrie!" I slammed my math book shut determined to do just so.

{I've been sitting here, Can't get you off my mind, I'm tryin' my best to be a man and be strong, I drove myself insane wishing I could touch your face, But the truth remains, you're, Gone, Girl you're gone, Baby you're gone, Girl you're gone, Baby girl you're gone, You're gone, You're…}

I stopped outside her door just short of pounding on it with my fist hanging in the air. I could feel my heart breaking all over again as I stood there listening to the stupid song.

{Now I don't wanna make excuses, baby, Won't change the fact that you're gone, But if there's something that I could do, won't you please let me know, The time is passing so slowly now, guess that's my life without you, And maybe I could change my everyday, but baby I don't want to}

My fist fell softly against the door as I felt my chest tighten at the pain of thinking about Al. "What?" Amara opened the door and glared at me.

{So I'll just hang around and find some things to do, To take my mind off missing you, And I know in my heart, you can't say that you don't love me too, Please say you do, yeah}

~She did say that she loved me, and now she's gone.~ "Could you please turn that down?" I looked down at her sadly as her demeanor changed.

"Okay." She seemed surprised that I wasn't yelling and screaming like Bobby woulda been. "You okay?"

{What will I do if I can't be with you, Tell me where will I turn to, baby who will I be, Now that we are apart, am I still in your heart? Baby why can't you see that I need you here with me?}

"Peachy." She looked slightly confused as she shrugged and turned to turn down the music. I left to go back to my hopeless case of math homework.

~She's gone. Just get over it and forget about her. Only problem is…I can't.~ I stared at the math book and sighed in defeat.

HYDRA

I opened my eyes and for awhile I thought I musta been dreaming. For God's sake I was seeing fish swimming past, of course I was dreaming.

"This is cute…" I choked on the words as water flooded into my mouth and I quickly shut my mouth. ~What the hell?~ I was standing on a large rock and all around me lay the ruins of the military base. Only problem was, I was underwater and wasn't struggling to breathe, so long as I kept my trap shut. I turned slowly to look around and jumped back as a fish swam past my face. ~Okay, slightly freaky.~

I kicked off the rock and swam to the surface. When I broke the surface, I treaded the water staring up at the night sky. ~How long have I been down there? Did they already come looking for me and give up?~ I felt tears threatening to spill and blinked 'em back determinably. I swam to the closest shore and collapsed onto it as I closed my eyes and welcomed the darkness. ~I'll figure out how to get back after just a quick nap…~

PSYLOCKE

"I'm like beginning to think you're like cursed or something." I looked up at Kitty who was standing in the doorway to my room. One third of it was now taking on a stale appearance and showing the lack of life. It was funny, a while back it had been Rogue's part that looked unlived, and now the girl had returned, changed, but was back none the less. Now Allison was gone and her side of the room was taking on a similar appearance to the one that Rogue's had had.

"I'm beginning to wonder that as well, luv." I sighed as I set down my book and paced about slightly. I glanced at Al's selection thinking maybe I'd find something slightly more interesting there. I think my jaw dropped at the collection of hardbacks. ~Don't tell me she's actually read War and Peace. That's too much.~ "I just keep thinking she'll be back. Rogue did." I remembered how Sam had come in a few days after it had happened and had asked to borrow Insomnia from her set. Now I hardly saw him without it as he struggled to get through the huge book.

"Yeah, like, we can always hope. But it's been a month…" I sighed as I replaced the enormous book back onto her book shelf. She was the stubborn type. I could just imagine someone once telling her that War and Peace was an impossible read and she'd probably done it just to prove them wrong.

"What happened to the optimistic Kitty Cat?"

"I guess I've seen people get hurt so many times that I'm like beginning to believe that even though we're X-Men that we're like not invulnerable or immortal."

"Yes, that's true. But we stick together." I closed my eyes trying to remember why we'd ever quit searching. Sam had insisted that we go back and eventually we had after the dam had completely given way and the area had stopped changing with the rushing water. However, the professor himself seemed doubtful that she'd been able to survive. None of us knew what he'd told Sam via ESP but we all knew it had upset him greatly. "I think I'm going to check the area once more. I haven't anything to do anyway."

"Lucky bum, I've like got school to go to."

"It's your last year, luv. Enjoy it."

I'd convinced Logan to take me back to the dam sight for one last check. He grumbled that by now someone, anyone would have found her if she was still alive. As we stepped off the Velocity I looked about and opened my mind up, hoping to sense someone's thoughts. Nothing came to me though but Logan was already stalking towards the water's edge. "Do you smell something?"

"I don't know. Maybe." I quickly followed him as he pushed through the brush and as we finally broke through to the edge I gasped.

Lying face down half in the water and half out was Allison. I rushed down to her side and carefully turned her over. "Bets…five more minutes…I'm too tired for the Danger Room…" She spoke softly in her sleep as she continued to roll over on to her side using her hands for a pillow. There was a striking blue streak of hair that fell over her face.

"A month later, and the kid's sleeping." Logan rolled his eyes as he lifted her up and carried her back to the Velocity. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked groggy.

"I can walk you know." Logan looked shocked that she was speaking coherently and she squirmed out of his arms and landed on her feet. "It's about time you guys came for me. What took you so long?" She placed her hands on her hips as if we'd left her on purpose a month ago.

"Luv, it's been a month. Where have you been?"

Her demeanor changed as she slumped slightly in shock. "A month…that's not funny." She looked at Logan hoping he'd tell her it was just a joke but he only nodded solemnly. "That's not possible…I…I was underwater for a month?" She stared past us to the crystal blue waters of the lake that had formed. "We have to go back."

"Yes, your mother will be really glad to hear from you."

"Yeah, Mom…" She looked far off as she continued to stare into space. I could just pick up what she was thinking. …and Sam.

I felt the corner of my mouth twitch up into a smile. ~Kitty's going to flip.~ "Let's get you home, luv." She snapped back to and smiled as she tucked the blue streak back behind an ear.

"Can I have a huge glass of sweet tea?"

"NO!" Logan and I said it that same time causing her to step back slightly and laugh.

HYDRA

As I stepped of the Velocity to reenter the institute I suddenly became anxious. ~What if he hates me now? What if ev'ryone hates me for doing that and not saying goodbye or anything? More importantly what if Sam's gone and gotten a girlfriend in the meantime? I've been stupid enough to screw things up before.~ "It's okay, luv." Betsy placed a comforting hand on my shoulder as she led me to the med lab. Of course I had to get a check up from Doc McCoy. I wasn't happy about it, I felt fine.

He eventually let me go and I was allowed to change into some casual clothes and go back to the upstairs part of the mansion. When I'd looked in the mirror I was shocked to see the blue streak that now hung at the side of my face. I pulled it back into my ponytail with a frown.

I walked around slowly not anxious to go into a room as crowded as the living room quite yet. As I paced up and down the hall considering if I should just go in and get it over with Kitty came phasing out. "Like oh my God, Allison!"

"Hey girl." She jumped me and gave me a bone-crushing hug, which I meekly returned. "It's good to see you too."

"Where have you been?"
"Would you believe the bottom of a lake?"

"You're like totally pulling my leg!" I shook my head and she hugged me again.

"I'm just like so glad you're okay."

"Me too." She grabbed my arm and dragged me through the door and into the living room where nearly ev'ryone was working on homework. "Hi." Ev'ryone stopped what they were doing and stared at me making me feel slightly self-conscious.

The girls all jumped to their feet and rushed up to make sure I was real. "Wow, you're still in one piece."

"What happened?"

"Are you okay?"

"What'd you do with your hair? It looks cool."

It was Amara's words that made my head stop spinning for a minute. "Sam's been worried sick." My eyes dropped at the thought of Sam. ~I tried protecting him and prolly hurt him more instead.~

"Hey girl." Bobby came walking over with the rest of the guys minus Sam.

"Hey guys."

"You know the football team sucks. Hasn't gotten a field goal in a month." I smiled at Ray's sarcasm as I tried to free myself from the suffocating crowd.

"I…I could use some sleep." Ev'ryone seemed to understand as they let me go. I ran up the stairs two at a time as I headed for the dorm rooms.

CANNONBALL

I just didn't have it in me to spend time downstairs with everyone else any more. It was sickening to watch the constant flirting between Bobby and Jubilee and even Ray and Amara were getting on my last nerve. I was about to give up and go downstairs to ask Bobby for help with math when there was a knock on the door.

"I heard you needed a math tutor." I gritted my teeth as I turned in my seat.

"I don't need…Al?" She grinned from the doorway.

"Well, if you don't need me…" She went to turn away as I jumped to my feet.

"Where the hell have you been?!?!" She stopped still smiling as I took in her appearance. She looked exactly like she always did except for there was now a bright blue streak running through her hair. I grabbed her by the shoulders unsure as to whether or not I was dreaming.

"Would you believe I've been sleeping at the bottom of a lake for a month?"

"You were getting your beauty sleep while I was worried sick?"

"I'm sorry, Sam. If I woulda known…" She threw her arms around my neck and started sobbing into my shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

I patted her back awkwardly still in shock that she really was alive. "We all thought you were dead."

She leaned back tears glistening in her eyes. "Even you?"

"I didn't want to believe it, but the professor told me what you thought as it happened…and…"

"I meant it." She leaned back into my shoulder as she hugged me. "I do love you and that's scaring the crap outta me right now." I led her to the edge of my bed and forced her to sit down. I stood awkwardly for a moment then sat down next to her keeping a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm glad you're back. You've seriously gotta quit this hero business." She pulled back slightly as her eyes paled into blue from their bright green.

"I wasn't trying to be a hero…I…I just couldn't stand around and see you guys get hurt. It's the same way as back at that cave, Sam. I just couldn't stand around and do nothing anymore."

"But that was different. At the cave, the worst that coulda happened was you got hurt, and you did. Back there at the dam, you coulda died. You didn't think about how everyone else would feel if you were gone."

"I know…I was…I could only think about how much…how much it would hurt me if something happened to you." I refused to let myself get broken down at the moment. I knew that she was already cracking and that I needed to get some things said before I too broke down.

"Your mom. I thought she was going to die on the spot. All the people who love you were…they were heart broken, Al. None of them knew what to do."

"Including you?"

"Yeah, including me. I thought you were gone and all I could do was kick myself for not stopping you. For not doing something." A single tear fell down her cheek and I reached up and brushed it away. "Don't cry. You've almost got me bawling too."

She choked back a sob as she leaned back into my shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. You're back, and everything's gonna be okay now." I bit my bottom lip in an attempt to not say something stupid. I was just so glad she was safe and I didn't have a clue what to do now that she was back.

She leaned her head onto my shoulder and sat there sobbing. I brushed back the hair in her face as I wrapped an arm around her shoulders giving them a gentle squeeze. Instead of pulling my hand back, I let it rest on her damp cheek. She lifted her own hand up and held mine for a moment before pulling it down. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

I barely heard what she was saying I was too much in shock staring at her hand in mine. It seemed small and fragile which was hard to believe coming from her. Her sobbing slowed to a stop and she pulled her hand away to brush away the remaining tears. All I could do was stare at the spot where her hand had once been.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

The song is 'Gone' by *N Sync.

Pomegranate Queen: I'm kinda taking a break from Romy. God, I've run dry on things to write in that area right now. This story is and pretty much soley about the trials and tribulations of Allison. But I'm seriously trying to cope with my Romy writer's block and it's just not working.

Qwerty: Find your answers, bud? Hope so. This chapter kinda saves the day, brings new life to the story.

Nie Starwhistler: Yeah! You do have a vocabulary. I didn't doubt you for a second, bud. See, no dead Allison. She's alright and in one piece!