Kurt and I stood in a hallway in the mansion of Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, right outside the door of Nightcrawler's new room. I knew that Wolverine and Cyclops had just exited the Professor's room, after having talked about Jean. I knew that Scott was going to look miserable, and I assumed that Logan did too, but he was a tiny bit better at hiding it. "It's so sad," Kurt whispered to me. "I feel like I will miss Jean a lot, even though I haven't known her for very long."
I sighed. "Yes, it is sad. Jean was a brilliant person and such a kea member of the team. I wish we had gotten to know her better." I paused, and a strange feeling came over me. I tried to remember what was going to happen to Kurt next, but nothing really clear came to me. I could feel it ending. I realized that the time had come.
"Kurt," I said, breaking the news to him. "I have to leave you now. The time has come for me to go." He looked even sadder by this news.
"Why do you have to go?" he asked.
"Because I can't help you anymore. That's why I came to you in the first place, to guide you because I knew what was going to happen. Now, I don't know what's going to happen to you any more, so I must go. This chapter of the story has ended."
"Did you know that Jean was going to...?" Kurt couldn't finish his question, but I knew what he meant.
"Yes, I did," I replied sadly. "And no, before you ask, there was nothing I could do to stop it. I really wanted to, though. Believe me, I did. But I honestly couldn't." Kurt was silent.
"Danke Karen, for helping me," he whispered at last.
"You're very welcome, Kurt," I said, offering him a small smile. "It's been my pleasure." Then to my surprise, he gave me a friendly hug. "Take care of yourself, you elf," I smiled back tears, and we pulled apart. "I'll never froget you. Good bye," I said as I turned to go.
"And I will never froget you, either," Kurt promised me. "Auf Wiedersehen."
"Oh, and one last thing, Nightcrawler," I paused and turned to face him again. I smiled. "I have faith that there is a very strong chance that we'll meet again some day. I don't know when exactly, but if I can, I'll definitely be back."
Kurt grinned, showing his fang-like teeth. "I look forward to your return," he said. He gave a little bow and flicked his tail.
"See ya." I smiled again, even wider this time, and with a blink of Nightcrawler's golden eyes, I vanished.
EPILOGUE
On my way home, I decided to take a short detour over Northern Alberta, Canada and the now greatly expanded Alkali Lake. I glided over the thick ocean of pine trees and what I could only call 'Wolverine Country.' I swooped down low over the ruined dam and the area where the water had burst free. I closed my eyes, and envisioned the spot where Jean had let go of the jet and the giant wall of water that had been bearing down on her. I could feel myself being directed to that exact spot over the lake. When I opened my eyes again, I was directly over the area where Jean had stood.
I hovered there, scanning the cold water, searching for a sign that I sincerely hoped I would be able to see. Suddenly, there! I spotted it. Deep in the frigid lake was a long, faint, ghostly fire. The red and orange of the flames were melting in with the cold gray-blue of the lake. It looked almost like the wings of a phoenix, trapped in her complete opposite element, trying with all her strength and soul to escape. I smiled as my own soul became filled with hope and anticipation at the sight.
"That phoenix isn't going to stay trapped down there in that lake forever," I thought as I drifted up and away into the clear Canadian sky, looking forward to the day when she would finally escape.
.....................
AN/ There are many people I would like to thank. Most of them don't realize that they've helped me, but without them, this fic would not have been possible. Chris Claremont for writing the novelisation, Bryan Singer for directing X2, Alan Coming for performing Nightcrawler so wonderfully, Stan Lee for creating the X-Men in the first place, and all of my reviewers for giving me support and encouragement. THANK YOU!
Oh, and one last thing. I would like to dedicate this fic to my best friend Kyrie. Thanks Kizz for being such a good friend to me. And remember, (and this goes for everyone out there) you are special. You are wonderful and unique. Someone loves you with all their heart and soul. Never let anyone tell you different.
I sighed. "Yes, it is sad. Jean was a brilliant person and such a kea member of the team. I wish we had gotten to know her better." I paused, and a strange feeling came over me. I tried to remember what was going to happen to Kurt next, but nothing really clear came to me. I could feel it ending. I realized that the time had come.
"Kurt," I said, breaking the news to him. "I have to leave you now. The time has come for me to go." He looked even sadder by this news.
"Why do you have to go?" he asked.
"Because I can't help you anymore. That's why I came to you in the first place, to guide you because I knew what was going to happen. Now, I don't know what's going to happen to you any more, so I must go. This chapter of the story has ended."
"Did you know that Jean was going to...?" Kurt couldn't finish his question, but I knew what he meant.
"Yes, I did," I replied sadly. "And no, before you ask, there was nothing I could do to stop it. I really wanted to, though. Believe me, I did. But I honestly couldn't." Kurt was silent.
"Danke Karen, for helping me," he whispered at last.
"You're very welcome, Kurt," I said, offering him a small smile. "It's been my pleasure." Then to my surprise, he gave me a friendly hug. "Take care of yourself, you elf," I smiled back tears, and we pulled apart. "I'll never froget you. Good bye," I said as I turned to go.
"And I will never froget you, either," Kurt promised me. "Auf Wiedersehen."
"Oh, and one last thing, Nightcrawler," I paused and turned to face him again. I smiled. "I have faith that there is a very strong chance that we'll meet again some day. I don't know when exactly, but if I can, I'll definitely be back."
Kurt grinned, showing his fang-like teeth. "I look forward to your return," he said. He gave a little bow and flicked his tail.
"See ya." I smiled again, even wider this time, and with a blink of Nightcrawler's golden eyes, I vanished.
EPILOGUE
On my way home, I decided to take a short detour over Northern Alberta, Canada and the now greatly expanded Alkali Lake. I glided over the thick ocean of pine trees and what I could only call 'Wolverine Country.' I swooped down low over the ruined dam and the area where the water had burst free. I closed my eyes, and envisioned the spot where Jean had let go of the jet and the giant wall of water that had been bearing down on her. I could feel myself being directed to that exact spot over the lake. When I opened my eyes again, I was directly over the area where Jean had stood.
I hovered there, scanning the cold water, searching for a sign that I sincerely hoped I would be able to see. Suddenly, there! I spotted it. Deep in the frigid lake was a long, faint, ghostly fire. The red and orange of the flames were melting in with the cold gray-blue of the lake. It looked almost like the wings of a phoenix, trapped in her complete opposite element, trying with all her strength and soul to escape. I smiled as my own soul became filled with hope and anticipation at the sight.
"That phoenix isn't going to stay trapped down there in that lake forever," I thought as I drifted up and away into the clear Canadian sky, looking forward to the day when she would finally escape.
.....................
AN/ There are many people I would like to thank. Most of them don't realize that they've helped me, but without them, this fic would not have been possible. Chris Claremont for writing the novelisation, Bryan Singer for directing X2, Alan Coming for performing Nightcrawler so wonderfully, Stan Lee for creating the X-Men in the first place, and all of my reviewers for giving me support and encouragement. THANK YOU!
Oh, and one last thing. I would like to dedicate this fic to my best friend Kyrie. Thanks Kizz for being such a good friend to me. And remember, (and this goes for everyone out there) you are special. You are wonderful and unique. Someone loves you with all their heart and soul. Never let anyone tell you different.