Disclaimer: I do not own any of the X-Men movie characters.
Title: Unforgivable Sinners
By: Cmdr. Gabe E.
Note: This fanfiction occurs entirely in the X-Men movie-verse . Characters' unspoken thoughts are enclosed in .
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Hmmm...so far, no one has really guessed what happened in their pasts =D! (which is good, of course. We need to keep the suspense and mystery going. Lol!). And just to answer one of the questions in the reviews, Yuriko didn't 'cheat' on 'whoever' (aaah! kind of a spoiler, eh? ;))! Aaah...you'll all see once she regains her memories ;)! As for now, here's chapter 46 =D!
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Chapter 46: Back to reality
"Thank God you're awake!" He said with a relieved tone in his voice. "I...I was really worried about you." There was concern in his eyes as he looked at her.
She looked at him, and then she breathed in and slowly closed her eyes. She could feel herself calming down now. She gently shifted her head against the pillow and surrendered to the comfort and softness of the bed's cushion against her back. Then she remembered her vision. She remembered how real it felt...how vivid it was. She could still see its images lingering in her head, reminding her of every detail.
That vision was able to prove something to her. It was able to prove that she and Logan were truly once in love. That in the past, they really were together, not just as friends, or as teammates, but as lovers. She could still remember the way he kissed her. She could still recall the way his lips pressed against hers, and the feeling of his strong arms around her waist and the way his eyes stared into her eyes, and how he held her so close. He really did love her. There was love there and she didn't doubt it.
Then she remembered the younger Stryker. She remembered how he looked at her and how he laughed with her and how he pinned her down on the floor. She remembered his face and his smile and his body. In her mind, she could still see how he stared into her eyes when she pinned him down...and how she moved closer to him to...to what? What was she about to do in the vision right when it ended?
"Yuriko?" Stryker whispered as he gently placed his hand over her arm. She looked so peaceful, just lying there with her eyes closed. She looked so relaxed and content.
She opened her eyes and slowly sat up on the bed. Then she looked at him, her eyes staring deeply into his. She couldn't shake the feeling that she and Stryker also had some kind of relationship in the past. She knew they were friends, but she felt as if they had something more. In her recent vision, she looked at him as if he was someone she could have cared for...someone she could have have, but never did. What happened? What happened between her and Logan? What happened between her and Stryker? What tore the three of them apart?
The more she looked at Stryker, the more she wanted to discover the answers to those questions. She still couldn't understand how they became who they were now. Why did their lives end up like that? If Stryker truly did care for her in the past, then why did he enslave her? Why did he torture her and hurt her the way he did? What caused him to turn out that way? And Logan...if he really did love her, then why did he leave? Why did he leave her behind? What happened to the love they once had?
"I was really worried, you know." He said softly as he looked at her. "For a while there I thought I was going to lose you. I don't know why I felt that way, but...but I just did."
Yuriko furrowed her eyebrows. "Why? What happened to me?" She asked curiously. The only thing she could remember was her vision. When it started to play in her head, it was the only thing she could see and feel. She couldn't even feel her own body. It was like her vision deadened all of her physical senses and lulled her into a dream-like state.
"The last thing I remember was me, talking to you." She said. "We were standing over there..." She looked at the middle of the room where they were standing right before she had her vision. "And then...and then after that...I...I really can't remember. The next thing I know, I was up here on the bed. And you..." Then she paused and stared at him. "...and you were here, sitting by my side, the way you are now."
A gentle smile curled up Stryker's lips as he looked back at her. From the way she was looking at him, Yuriko seemed happy that he was there by her side when she woke up. Then his eyes wandered at the floor. Was she really? Was she really happy that he was there? Or was it just an illusion that he had created to trick himself into believing that she was? Perhaps Yuriko was only forcing herself to act that way towards him because she felt compelled to...because he begged for her to talk to him...because he begged for her company. Maybe she felt more pity for him than friendly compassion.
Yuriko stared at his face and saw the distant look in his eyes. Something was wrong. Though his body was there, his mind seemed to be somewhere else. He looked like he was drowning in his own thoughts. Something seemed to be bothering him, but what? Shouldn't he be happy that she liked his company?
She slowly reached out and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. His head suddenly perked up and he looked at her, as if her touch had snapped him out of his trance.
"William?" She asked, looking into his eyes. "What happened to me? You...you did see what happened to me, right?"
He forced a smile upon his lips and nodded. "Yes. I did. I saw everything." Then he breathed out and looked at the space in the middle of the room. "You were right. We were standing over there." He motioned his hand towards the area. "We just, uh, got back from under my bed. And we were talking like normal..." Then he looked at her. "We were talking like this. And then you, uh, adjusted the glasses on my face..."
Yuriko slowly moved herself closer to him on the bed. And then she brought her face closer to him, her eyes looking deeply into his. For her, it was like staring into the eyes of the past...Staring into the eyes of the young Stryker who had pinned her down and laughed with her. "Like this?" She asked, as she pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as she had done earlier.
Stryker looked back into her eyes and felt himself drowning in her gaze. He felt like a fish, hooked by Yuriko's stare, and now he was being drawn in like a fine catch. "Yes. Just like that." He said in a faint whisper. He couldn't even find the energy to talk. He just wanted to stare into her eyes and look at her face. It was as if the only thing in the world was him and her. Just him and her.
He continued to stare at her. The moment seemed to last forever as they sat there, saying nothing to each other...though their eyes said so much more. Then he slowly moved his face closer to hers. He was quite surprised that she didn't move away. She didn't even flinch. Why didn't she? Why was she looking at him like that? Did she want something from him? But he didn't want to think of anything right now. He just wanted to kiss her.
Then his eyes suddenly opened wide when he realized what he was about to do. He quickly pulled away from Yuriko and stood up from the bed. He had to pull himself together. What was he even thinking? Kissing her would only jeopardize the friendship they had now. In fact, he shouldn't have even thought of kissing her in the first place.
First of all, he had no right to kiss her. Second, he wasn't even sure if she really liked him as a friend. And third, he didn't deserve her. She was a beautiful, strong-willed young woman who still had so much to live for. He, on the other hand, was an old, battered man who had a haunting past and a darker future that he won't be able to stop.
She was definitely too good for the likes of him. And he had no right to ruin her perfect life by forcing himself on her. It would just be better if he got back to the present matter at hand and act as if he didn't almost kiss her. But the fact remained...he almost did.
He straightened himself and clasped his hands together as he looked at her. She was still seated on the bed, looking up at him with those black, almond shaped eyes. He found it quite odd that she didn't ask why he suddenly pulled away from her. But he was glad that she didn't, for he wouldn't know what answer to give her anyway.
"So, uh...After you did that..." He raised his eyebrows and pointed at his glasses. "Your eyes...they suddenly opened wide. It's like you saw a ghost. Then you stepped away from me, and you just stood here." He stepped towards the area where Yuriko had frozen in place. "And, even if your eyes were open, it was like you couldn't see anything. You couldn't even see me. You looked like you were looking through me. I called your name, but you didn't respond. You didn't even move."
He could still remember the look on Yuriko's face when it happened. She looked so empty, like a lifeless mannequin, staring into nothingness. He couldn't help but feel worried again as he remembered it all. "Then you suddenly collapsed on the floor. I...I really didn't know what to do." He added. "I thought of looking for Ororo, or anyone for that matter, but..." Then he breathed in and looked at her, his eyes filled with concern. "...But I couldn't leave you. I didn't want to leave you alone."
He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "So I, uh, carried you to the bed....to your bed. And I sat by your side, where you found me."
Yuriko furrowed her eyebrows. "How long was I out?" She asked curiously. She wasn't even aware that she fainted until he told her. She didn't even feel it when her body hit the floor and when he carried her to the bed.
"I'm really not sure." He said with a shrug. "Probably half an hour...but I really didn't keep track of the time, so, uh...I really don't know. But if you want, I could check the time real quick. There's a clock down the hallway..." He said as he pointed at the door. "...I could see what time it is if you want."
Yuriko was surprised to hear that she was out for thirty minutes, when her vision only seemed to breeze through her mind like a two-minute dream. It happened so fast like a one-night love affair that left her breathless and yearning for more. And yet, even if it had come and gone, she could still feel it playing at the back of her mind.
Whenever she closed her eyes, she could still see every detail, feel every touch, and relive every moment. Perhaps it wasn't her vision that kept her unconscious for half an hour...maybe it was her desire to hold on to that vision, to linger in its innocent embrace.
She looked up at Stryker and saw him with his eyebrows raised, still waiting for her response about the time. "No. It's...It's all right." She said with a smile.
She really didn't want to know what time it was already. Knowing the time would only make her realize how close she was from unearthing the past she so desired and feared.
Desire and fear...two of the most prominent emotions that a person could feel. She desired her past, and she feared it. She feared it because she knew that it might taint the way she looked at her perfect present and her future with Logan. But she desired it because she wanted to know who she really was and who she used to be. She wanted to rediscover the part of her that had been locked away for more than fourteen years.
And out of those two emotions, it was her desire that prevailed...her desire and need to rediscover herself. That was why she decided to go through with the procedure tomorrow. And that decision was final. No regrets. No second thoughts. But as for now, now while everything was still locked away in her very own pandora's box, she just wanted to make the night last for as long as she could. Why? Because like Stryker, tonight was also her last night as her current self.
Yuriko gently pushed herself off the bed, in an attempt to stand up, but as soon as her feet touched the floor, she suddenly felt her head swirling. She looked around her and everything seemed so blurry, as if the entire room was spinning. A sickly groan escaped from her lips and she placed a hand on her forehead, then she fell forward as her dizziness sucked the energy from her body.
Stryker's eyes opened wide with fear as he saw Yuriko about to keel over. He immediately ran in front of her and caught her in his arms. He felt her solid weight against his body as he wrapped his arms around her. She was definitely heavier than she looked, but that was probably due to the adamantium in her skeleton. He held her close to him, trying to keep her on her feet. He could feel her hands clutching his chest, while her head pressed against it as she half-consciously leaned against him for support.
"Hey, are you okay?" He asked softly as he looked down at her. "Yuriko?" He could still feel her leaning against him. He knew that she was still somewhat conscious because her legs were still keeping her up and her hands were still clutching his shirt.
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Title: Unforgivable Sinners
By: Cmdr. Gabe E.
Note: This fanfiction occurs entirely in the X-Men movie-verse . Characters' unspoken thoughts are enclosed in .
= = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Hmmm...so far, no one has really guessed what happened in their pasts =D! (which is good, of course. We need to keep the suspense and mystery going. Lol!). And just to answer one of the questions in the reviews, Yuriko didn't 'cheat' on 'whoever' (aaah! kind of a spoiler, eh? ;))! Aaah...you'll all see once she regains her memories ;)! As for now, here's chapter 46 =D!
= = = = == = = = = = = = =
Chapter 46: Back to reality
"Thank God you're awake!" He said with a relieved tone in his voice. "I...I was really worried about you." There was concern in his eyes as he looked at her.
She looked at him, and then she breathed in and slowly closed her eyes. She could feel herself calming down now. She gently shifted her head against the pillow and surrendered to the comfort and softness of the bed's cushion against her back. Then she remembered her vision. She remembered how real it felt...how vivid it was. She could still see its images lingering in her head, reminding her of every detail.
That vision was able to prove something to her. It was able to prove that she and Logan were truly once in love. That in the past, they really were together, not just as friends, or as teammates, but as lovers. She could still remember the way he kissed her. She could still recall the way his lips pressed against hers, and the feeling of his strong arms around her waist and the way his eyes stared into her eyes, and how he held her so close. He really did love her. There was love there and she didn't doubt it.
Then she remembered the younger Stryker. She remembered how he looked at her and how he laughed with her and how he pinned her down on the floor. She remembered his face and his smile and his body. In her mind, she could still see how he stared into her eyes when she pinned him down...and how she moved closer to him to...to what? What was she about to do in the vision right when it ended?
"Yuriko?" Stryker whispered as he gently placed his hand over her arm. She looked so peaceful, just lying there with her eyes closed. She looked so relaxed and content.
She opened her eyes and slowly sat up on the bed. Then she looked at him, her eyes staring deeply into his. She couldn't shake the feeling that she and Stryker also had some kind of relationship in the past. She knew they were friends, but she felt as if they had something more. In her recent vision, she looked at him as if he was someone she could have cared for...someone she could have have, but never did. What happened? What happened between her and Logan? What happened between her and Stryker? What tore the three of them apart?
The more she looked at Stryker, the more she wanted to discover the answers to those questions. She still couldn't understand how they became who they were now. Why did their lives end up like that? If Stryker truly did care for her in the past, then why did he enslave her? Why did he torture her and hurt her the way he did? What caused him to turn out that way? And Logan...if he really did love her, then why did he leave? Why did he leave her behind? What happened to the love they once had?
"I was really worried, you know." He said softly as he looked at her. "For a while there I thought I was going to lose you. I don't know why I felt that way, but...but I just did."
Yuriko furrowed her eyebrows. "Why? What happened to me?" She asked curiously. The only thing she could remember was her vision. When it started to play in her head, it was the only thing she could see and feel. She couldn't even feel her own body. It was like her vision deadened all of her physical senses and lulled her into a dream-like state.
"The last thing I remember was me, talking to you." She said. "We were standing over there..." She looked at the middle of the room where they were standing right before she had her vision. "And then...and then after that...I...I really can't remember. The next thing I know, I was up here on the bed. And you..." Then she paused and stared at him. "...and you were here, sitting by my side, the way you are now."
A gentle smile curled up Stryker's lips as he looked back at her. From the way she was looking at him, Yuriko seemed happy that he was there by her side when she woke up. Then his eyes wandered at the floor. Was she really? Was she really happy that he was there? Or was it just an illusion that he had created to trick himself into believing that she was? Perhaps Yuriko was only forcing herself to act that way towards him because she felt compelled to...because he begged for her to talk to him...because he begged for her company. Maybe she felt more pity for him than friendly compassion.
Yuriko stared at his face and saw the distant look in his eyes. Something was wrong. Though his body was there, his mind seemed to be somewhere else. He looked like he was drowning in his own thoughts. Something seemed to be bothering him, but what? Shouldn't he be happy that she liked his company?
She slowly reached out and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. His head suddenly perked up and he looked at her, as if her touch had snapped him out of his trance.
"William?" She asked, looking into his eyes. "What happened to me? You...you did see what happened to me, right?"
He forced a smile upon his lips and nodded. "Yes. I did. I saw everything." Then he breathed out and looked at the space in the middle of the room. "You were right. We were standing over there." He motioned his hand towards the area. "We just, uh, got back from under my bed. And we were talking like normal..." Then he looked at her. "We were talking like this. And then you, uh, adjusted the glasses on my face..."
Yuriko slowly moved herself closer to him on the bed. And then she brought her face closer to him, her eyes looking deeply into his. For her, it was like staring into the eyes of the past...Staring into the eyes of the young Stryker who had pinned her down and laughed with her. "Like this?" She asked, as she pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as she had done earlier.
Stryker looked back into her eyes and felt himself drowning in her gaze. He felt like a fish, hooked by Yuriko's stare, and now he was being drawn in like a fine catch. "Yes. Just like that." He said in a faint whisper. He couldn't even find the energy to talk. He just wanted to stare into her eyes and look at her face. It was as if the only thing in the world was him and her. Just him and her.
He continued to stare at her. The moment seemed to last forever as they sat there, saying nothing to each other...though their eyes said so much more. Then he slowly moved his face closer to hers. He was quite surprised that she didn't move away. She didn't even flinch. Why didn't she? Why was she looking at him like that? Did she want something from him? But he didn't want to think of anything right now. He just wanted to kiss her.
Then his eyes suddenly opened wide when he realized what he was about to do. He quickly pulled away from Yuriko and stood up from the bed. He had to pull himself together. What was he even thinking? Kissing her would only jeopardize the friendship they had now. In fact, he shouldn't have even thought of kissing her in the first place.
First of all, he had no right to kiss her. Second, he wasn't even sure if she really liked him as a friend. And third, he didn't deserve her. She was a beautiful, strong-willed young woman who still had so much to live for. He, on the other hand, was an old, battered man who had a haunting past and a darker future that he won't be able to stop.
She was definitely too good for the likes of him. And he had no right to ruin her perfect life by forcing himself on her. It would just be better if he got back to the present matter at hand and act as if he didn't almost kiss her. But the fact remained...he almost did.
He straightened himself and clasped his hands together as he looked at her. She was still seated on the bed, looking up at him with those black, almond shaped eyes. He found it quite odd that she didn't ask why he suddenly pulled away from her. But he was glad that she didn't, for he wouldn't know what answer to give her anyway.
"So, uh...After you did that..." He raised his eyebrows and pointed at his glasses. "Your eyes...they suddenly opened wide. It's like you saw a ghost. Then you stepped away from me, and you just stood here." He stepped towards the area where Yuriko had frozen in place. "And, even if your eyes were open, it was like you couldn't see anything. You couldn't even see me. You looked like you were looking through me. I called your name, but you didn't respond. You didn't even move."
He could still remember the look on Yuriko's face when it happened. She looked so empty, like a lifeless mannequin, staring into nothingness. He couldn't help but feel worried again as he remembered it all. "Then you suddenly collapsed on the floor. I...I really didn't know what to do." He added. "I thought of looking for Ororo, or anyone for that matter, but..." Then he breathed in and looked at her, his eyes filled with concern. "...But I couldn't leave you. I didn't want to leave you alone."
He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "So I, uh, carried you to the bed....to your bed. And I sat by your side, where you found me."
Yuriko furrowed her eyebrows. "How long was I out?" She asked curiously. She wasn't even aware that she fainted until he told her. She didn't even feel it when her body hit the floor and when he carried her to the bed.
"I'm really not sure." He said with a shrug. "Probably half an hour...but I really didn't keep track of the time, so, uh...I really don't know. But if you want, I could check the time real quick. There's a clock down the hallway..." He said as he pointed at the door. "...I could see what time it is if you want."
Yuriko was surprised to hear that she was out for thirty minutes, when her vision only seemed to breeze through her mind like a two-minute dream. It happened so fast like a one-night love affair that left her breathless and yearning for more. And yet, even if it had come and gone, she could still feel it playing at the back of her mind.
Whenever she closed her eyes, she could still see every detail, feel every touch, and relive every moment. Perhaps it wasn't her vision that kept her unconscious for half an hour...maybe it was her desire to hold on to that vision, to linger in its innocent embrace.
She looked up at Stryker and saw him with his eyebrows raised, still waiting for her response about the time. "No. It's...It's all right." She said with a smile.
She really didn't want to know what time it was already. Knowing the time would only make her realize how close she was from unearthing the past she so desired and feared.
Desire and fear...two of the most prominent emotions that a person could feel. She desired her past, and she feared it. She feared it because she knew that it might taint the way she looked at her perfect present and her future with Logan. But she desired it because she wanted to know who she really was and who she used to be. She wanted to rediscover the part of her that had been locked away for more than fourteen years.
And out of those two emotions, it was her desire that prevailed...her desire and need to rediscover herself. That was why she decided to go through with the procedure tomorrow. And that decision was final. No regrets. No second thoughts. But as for now, now while everything was still locked away in her very own pandora's box, she just wanted to make the night last for as long as she could. Why? Because like Stryker, tonight was also her last night as her current self.
Yuriko gently pushed herself off the bed, in an attempt to stand up, but as soon as her feet touched the floor, she suddenly felt her head swirling. She looked around her and everything seemed so blurry, as if the entire room was spinning. A sickly groan escaped from her lips and she placed a hand on her forehead, then she fell forward as her dizziness sucked the energy from her body.
Stryker's eyes opened wide with fear as he saw Yuriko about to keel over. He immediately ran in front of her and caught her in his arms. He felt her solid weight against his body as he wrapped his arms around her. She was definitely heavier than she looked, but that was probably due to the adamantium in her skeleton. He held her close to him, trying to keep her on her feet. He could feel her hands clutching his chest, while her head pressed against it as she half-consciously leaned against him for support.
"Hey, are you okay?" He asked softly as he looked down at her. "Yuriko?" He could still feel her leaning against him. He knew that she was still somewhat conscious because her legs were still keeping her up and her hands were still clutching his shirt.
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