Not Myself
By Princess Alexandria
The drive back was a little tense for Christy as she stared out the side window. The party was still going on, but her fake illness resulted in sympathy from Jacob and Sarah and a clean exit.
"You can't get attached." Mystique's voice was her own and Christy glanced over to see she'd shifted back as well. Why no one ever seemed to notice the pretty blue mutant driving was beyond her. "Jacob, Sarah… they all are going down."
Christy sighed. "I know."
"I hope so." Mystique didn't sound convinced. "Spies pretend to make friends to get close enough to betray them. As long as you don't get attached it works." Christy just stared back out the window. That sounded horrible and horribly lonely for a spy. The silence returned, and Christy tried to listen for Shortpack typing away. She couldn't hear anything. "You did good grasshopper." Mystique's voice was soft but still teasing and Christy could see the hint of a smile on the blue woman's lips. "You managed to infiltrate the ladies group and learn all about the secret bathroom décor."
Christy shook her head just a little before giving Mystique a small smile. "I also learned that if I needed a place to be when my fiancée starts to attend those Friday meetings that run almost all night at Liam's house in Fircrest I could join them for a movie and potluck night."
"Liam's house." Mystique said it slowly, and Christy knew that this was good information. She'd suspected it might be useful.
"Apparently Liam has a large basement and the boys play poker all night, but April thinks that they might be drinking because her boyfriend came home rather bruised last time he went. At least he isn't loosing a lot of money. He usually comes out even." Christy suspected these were the men that captured the mutants, the ones that Rob would be joining soon.
"Not bad baby spy." Mystique gave her a smirk. "But I was already invited to that party, so I'm one up on you."
"oh." Christy had hoped that was something new.
"You did good though. You had to work the conversation to get that didn't you?" Christy just nodded her response, since Mystique was looking at her. The truck had pulled into a parking lot. "I have to set up the booster station Forge sent for those bugs." Mystique explained as she got out of the truck and grabbed something off of the backseat floor.
"Yes Shortpack, I'll make sure it's up high." Christy could hear the one sided conversation for a moment, but Mystique walked into the dark side of the closed store and Christy waited. The shadow on the roof had her staring as she wondered how Mystique managed to get up there. Less than five minutes later they were on their way again.
They stopped one more time to set up another booster before they got to the house. Shortpack should be able to monitor the bugs from the house this way.
………..
Mystique barely glanced at Shortpack working on his computer as she passed him on her way to the kitchen. Christy hadn't been bad at all. Her form held and she was able to fit in and try and get information out of people. She'd probably make a decent spy if that was what Christy really wanted. Mystique continued to train the woman as if Christy did want this, but it was clear that Christy wasn't considering future missions in the same way Mystique did. Even without Charles pulling her strings, Mystique would still work. Christy most likely wouldn't.
At least training her was fun, but Mystique wouldn't have minded a more long term apprentice. One that would help out the cause, and improve life for mutants in a more forceful way than Charles would approve.
She leaned against the doorway and watched Shortpack work. "She's not bad."
"No, seems to have potential." He sounded distracted as he set up his computer to do something or other. "She covers up your mistakes pretty well. I could see her doing pretty good." Mystique just stuck her tongue out at him in response.
After a moment of quiet she spoke again. "Any chance you could keep that under your hat for a while?" She finally brought up the fact that Shortpack would be reporting on Christy's progress. He looked up at her, a surprised expression on his face. "Christy's doing this for her kids, and if she starts a life like this…" She'd never see them.
"He sent us here to train her." He spoke hesitantly.
"To become a spy, but if she doesn't want to work for him will he blackmail her too?"
He looked a bit stunned. "He doesn't do that…" His words trailed off as he stared at her disbelieving face. He had and they both knew it. Mystique wouldn't be here otherwise. "to regular people." He finished lamely.
"Just consider it." She could hear the shower downstairs being turned off and wanted to go talk with Christy about a new phase of her training before bed. "She's not really the type to like what we do. Not long term."
"I noticed." He walked to the edge of the table and sat down. "I can't lie to the Professor Mystique, but I can tell him she isn't right for this." Mystique just gave him a small glare. Lying would be a valuable skill, but no she got teamed up with a boyscout.
………..
Annie felt like kicking the stack of books off her bed, but it wouldn't be violent enough to be satisfying. "I hate this."
"I told you that I could help." Sophie turned away from watching Saturday morning cartoons on the small t.v. that Jessi had. Sophie had been waiting for Annie to give up for an hour and Annie hadn't wanted to. Ms. Frost's insinuation that she'd cheat upset her and she wanted to do this without any help, but she couldn't type, couldn't write, she could barely turn the pages. Annie tried taking a few deep breaths to try and get rid of her frustration. "I'd be happy to do it." Sophie's voice got softer. "Just tell me what you want me to write and I'll take your notes."
Annie made a face like she'd eaten something sour as she pulled the first book to her. "We're looking into how several movies follow the plot of Romeo and Juliet." She hadn't wanted to let Phoebe do all the work on their joint project, so she hadn't let that girl study with her. Jessi had been kicked out to spend time with Jon. Erik had fled after Annie had told him she was fine, in spite of being humiliated that Jessi had to help dress her. Her glare might have had something to do with it. Sophie, however, wasn't as easily gotten rid of.
"Movies, wish I'd done that with my paper." Sophie muttered while pulling out a pad of paper. "Phoebe got the good partner." Sophie smiled at her. "Don't tell Esme that though."
With a deep breath Annie started to read the quotes she wanted in their paper and Sophie quietly wrote everything she said down. When she started to mention movies that she thought fell into heavily inspired by Shakespeare's most famous play Sophie added a few. Apparently Phoebe was adding her opinion through her sister as well. They set up a movie night, strictly for homework purposes, and Phoebe got a ride into town to rent them, all without Annie having to call her. Telepathy could be pretty cool.
"If you let Phoebe or me read you while you watch the movie we can take your notes." Sophie spoke softly as they started to get ready for lunch, another hurdle Annie wasn't looking forward to.
"I can remember what I want." She waited for Sophie to open the door for her and once again cursed her helplessness. Dr. McCoy would hopefully be taking these bandages off soon. "And I'll tell you after." Her statement was more of a question. Working with Sophie wasn't that bad.
"And maybe you could go tell Dr. McCoy that your pain medicine isn't strong enough after lunch."
"Okay." Annie stepped in the hall. "Can we eat lunch here?" She didn't want other students to see her unable to feed herself. She'd hear about it for months, she was sure. "Just us?"
"My sisters can spare me." Sophie reached out and straightened Annie's shirt collar. "I really don't mind." She spoke more softly. "I figure I owe you, so helping you out… it's fair."
………..
Christy muttered to herself as she found yet another article. "I'm not sure how far to take this class." Emma hadn't given her limits for what she should teach the older students. Christy felt like teaching them more than other schools would. It was something she knew she would have trouble getting past the Professor, and definitely hard to get past some parents. This shouldn't be just a birth control class. It needed to be more, and take in different sexualities. Was this the right age group for that?
Sometimes Christy really missed being the law. If she were in charge she could teach whatever she deemed important and people wouldn't dare cross her on it. She'd be able to tell angry parents that it was their children's lives and they had no right to limit it for them. As is she was being pulled over the coals at work for an innocent paper about pornography. Mystique had unknowingly given Christy a hint of what she'd probably be facing as the new Sexual Education teacher at Xavier's, and that was only if she could get the job.
A brief memory of Jon coming to ask her questions made her sit up straighter. It would be a battle, with the other teachers, with parents, but it was important and Christy was willing to fight it. She sighed as she wrote down another topic she'd like to cover in the class and imagined the battle it would take with Charles to keep that in the curriculum.
The footsteps down the stairs were soft. "What are you up to?" Mystique said before even coming in the door. "Reading more internet porn?"
Christy felt a hint of a blush that she didn't acknowledge as Mystique looked over her shoulder to see the transsexual on the screen. "I'm working."
"You know, if you want to be a man, I could teach you." Mystique smirked at her and Christy just sighed. "You don't have to spend money on that, because you can be anything you want." This was exactly what she'd expected Mystique to say. "How well endowed a man did you want to be? What do you think lovergirl can take?"
"Mystique." Christy glared over at her friend and tried to keep her mind from envisioning the answer. She didn't want to think about that.
Mystique's leering grin worried Christy, and when Mystique opened her mouth it took a lot to not cringe. "Like you never wondered what it would be like as a man. Your woman is bisexual isn't she? She wouldn't mind a piece of your hard man meat…"
"Stop it!" Christy's blush was a nice deep red. She could feel it and focused on it to see if she could force it to not be there. Technically she shouldn't be able to blush, since she lacked the blood needed, but mutations were weird like that.
"I was thinking, since she used to parade around in that outfit, she's probably really experienced." Mystique didn't even try to slow down. "So you don't need a virgin popper for her, you can go right to the DAMN what an impressive boy size."
"Jesus." Christy glared at Mystique. This type of teasing was beyond the norm and Christy didn't care for her lover being pulled into it. Her voice held a note of her anger. "Just because you're the longest running ride at the amusement park doesn't mean everyone has their legs spread at a moments notice. That's strictly a Mystique thing. Other people are more selective."
"Rrrr" Mystique held out a claw like hand. "Teacher's got claws."
"I don't appreciate it when you talk about MY lover like that." Christy didn't give this up that quickly. "It's disrespectful and crude." Her eyes glared at the woman in front of her. "I love her, and I don't appreciate hearing something like that."
Mystique held out her hands in front of her, "Whoa.. whoa… I didn't realize this was a touchy subject. I'm sorry." Christy struggled with her anger as Mystique obviously did feel sorry. It wouldn't do to continue to yell at her now, but Christy wanted to. The tense silence was hardly any more comfortable than the argument had been. "Bisexual's don't NEED both." Mystique spoke more softly. "Don't necessarily even want both if they found someone they love, but shapeshifters are the only ones that CAN give someone both."
"I know that." Christy's voice was still tense and clipped.
"Think about it." Mystique stared her in the eye. "Because you aren't usually so high strung about what I say, so something here bothered you. Figure it out and conquer it." Mystique turned to leave as Christy felt herself calming as she thought about it. "Oh, and if you ever call me a whore again, even as creatively as you just did, I'll kick you through the garage door. Depending on my mood I might slam your head into the driveway while I'm at it."
Once Mystique left Christy slumped back in her chair and released a heavy sigh. That didn't go well. It wasn't like her and Mystique was right about it.
Christy didn't want to ask Mystique if she'd been taking advantage of their lessons to make out with Christy, but it had her up late wondering if it was something she should forgive herself for. If she'd abused Emma's trust in that way for enjoying the kisses Mystique gave her and telling herself it was just work. What if it wasn't work at all?
If Mystique hadn't pulled Emma into her teasing it wouldn't have been any worse than either of them had done before.
………..
Shortpack looked up when he heard Mystique back so soon after going down and the glare on her face as she climbed those stairs was a clear indicator that the invitation to go dancing didn't go as well as she'd hoped. "Everything okay?" He called out to her. Being completely ignored was enough of an answer. "Honeymoons over." He muttered more quietly as he moved back to his computer to finish emailing his friend.
Like clockwork not even five minutes later Mystique stood in front of him in a borrowed form. "I'm going out."
"And if we need you?" He shook his head. This never worked, but he had to try and keep her from being out of contact. As minor as Mystique considered this mission, it was a mission and they needed to be alert.
"You've got junior spy down there, you should be fine."
"Want my car?" Christy's voice surprised Shortpack, but he looked over at the stairs and could see her halfway up. "It's got a better stereo." Her voice was a bit softer and he watched her stare at Mystique, a clear apology for something in her expression. The keys flew through the air and Mystique caught them. "Have fun." Mystique just stared at Christy for a moment.
"Do you want to go dancing?"
"I have to get this work done." Christy gave Mystique a small smile. "And I'll cramp your style. Go break some hearts." He felt at a loss, not knowing what was really going on here.
"You're always working. You need to have fun once in a while."
"I've got three jobs right now. Of course I'm working all the time." Christy sighed and Shortpack tried to think what she was talking about.
"Okay." Mystique held up the keys. "Thanks for the ride." It sounded blatantly suggestive again. Things were back to normal between those two.
Once the door closed behind Mystique he spoke. "Three jobs?"
Christy moved to sit at the dining room table. "My main job, spy trainee, and trying to put together the class I want to teach." She sat back in the chair, not really looking at him. "My training is making it hard for me to do the research and I have to have my proposed curriculum to Emma by the beginning of June so we can try to figure out how to sell it to the others."
She didn't even seem to see how her becoming a teacher again would put all the training she was going through to waste. She didn't even seem to care. He knew not everyone loved excitement like he did, but it still seemed odd. "I have a few extra hours in the day if you need help finding resources." He couldn't help but feel a little guilty that it was their spy training that made it hard for her to prepare for the job she really wanted.
Her smile made him blush. "Thank you."
"Get me the topics and I'll help." For someone trained as a handler, finding this type of information should be easy.
"And maybe you could help me come up with some ideas for the male students?" Christy leaned forward, obviously excited about her work. "I don't have a male perspective on the lesson plans." Okay, a bit more awkward. He was hardly a typical male. He was too small to be with a woman in any sexual way, even though he had the same urges as any other man.
"I'll see what I can do." He smiled at her. He wasn't going to admit how lost he was.
………..
Mystique moved around the dancefloor clad in a model hot feminine form. She felt like easing this ache, so she didn't look away when she caught the redhead's eye. Lesbian night was sure good hunting at the club. This was a hot woman, and only one of several.
It didn't take long to dance over to her and Mystique pulled her tight to Mystique's body while nearly kissing her. "Car, hotel, back of the club."
"What?" The redhead's voice was pleasant.
"Where do you want me to do you? My car, a hotel room, or in the back?" Christy may think Mystique had poor pick up lines, but then Mystique went after a different type of woman than Christy did. Christy was after love and forever, and Mystique just wanted something for right now. She'd had and lost her forever, Irene.
"My apartment is three blocks away." The redhead gave Mystique a fake shy smile. "I can't believe I'm doing this." Mystique didn't bother to let this woman know that she'd seen her around while out with Christy and knew this was the redhead's method of operation.
"Lead the way beautiful." Mystique smiled and let herself be dragged off while giving the other women around a rakish grin that announced she was lucky. That blonde over there had already been shot down by this redhead. Luckily Mystique could tell what Red's eyes seemed to travel too, and she was sure to pick a form she'd like.
………..
Christy froze in panic when she heard something loud enough to pull her from sleep. She had taken a while to finally fall asleep, noticing little noises she didn't when another adult, well one that could fight, was in the house. She hadn't realized how much having Mystique around relaxed her until the woman chose to spend the night away.
The noise repeated itself in a loud knocking. Christy sighed and glanced at the clock as she rolled out of bed. Six am. Well looks like Mystique managed to drag herself home and forgot the house key. This was inconsiderate. The metamorph could have easily broken in, so that Christy could sleep. Christy shifted into pajamas again. She went to bed with them, but once she fell asleep they always disappeared.
"Couldn't you have at least tried to…" She scolded as she was opening the door, but the words stopped suddenly when she saw a man there. She went quiet as she took in his tired appearance and stance, thinking it probably wasn't her partner. "Hi?"
"I was told to deliver this here." He handed an envelope over. Christy took it slowly while thinking it was six am on a Sunday. No one did delivers then. "That woman that sends these out… she's special." He spoke more softly. "Would do best to listen."
"What are you talking about?" She stared at the flowery address and wondered why it wasn't mailed. It had her full address.
"She doesn't send as much as she used to, but I do the delivers for the west coast." He gave her a smile. "Whole network of us, Jimmy said we should name ourselves Destiny's children… ya know like that singing group." His aside made her eyes widen and she woke up just a bit more. "But anyway, she warns people of stuff. Saved my brothers life when she told me where he was once, so you better read that quick and pay attention."
…………
"Shortpack!" Christy's loud voice made his heart pound. "Get dressed, we have to move out!" She sounded spooked, so he quickly hopped out of bed and started to get dressed. Luckily his pants were on before she barged into his room. "Mystique's in trouble."
"What?" He pulled his shirt over his head. "She called?" Mystique rarely called for backup. It must really be bad.
Once he was dressed he looked at her and the woman's eyes were more focus and a bit scarier than he'd ever seen her. "I got it from a reliable source." His eyes traveled down to the paper she held gripped in her hand and then back at her. She was too new to have sources yet, but looking at her battle ready attitude he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.
"We don't even know where she is."
"That's why I'm bringing you. I need a telepath."
He stepped into her hand. "I'm a short range telepath. I can't scan a city and find her."
……….
Mystique felt the lazy relaxed feeling still coursing through her body and smiled. It had been far too long, and that little redhead was passionate. She rolled over on to her side and stared down at the woman in the bed beside her and wondered about waking her up for a little more before leaving. It could be a while again before Mystique had time off in an area that was suitable for a little fun. "Hey." Her voice was soft as she made up her mind. A quick thought to her appearance fixed her form's black hair to be more attractive and less wild with sleep. "Beautiful." Green eyes opened to stare at her and a wicked smile crossed lips. "Sybil," Mystique leaned down to kiss her. "I can think of something more fun than sleep."
"Oh really?" Sybil's flirtatious smile made it clear that Mystique would at least get one more before heading back.
………….
Demise,
I know getting a letter from a woman long gone is probably confusing, but Mystique was my life and I did what I could to protect her even after my death. I'm a precog and I was her wife for over thirty years. I tell you this in hopes that you understand what I am about to write is true and not an elaborate lie from someone else. Normally I'd spend more time explaining myself to someone new, but somehow with you I think this will be enough, oh traveler of death. I am Irene Adler, but my mutant name was Destiny, and I saw your arrival in our world during a vision last night, to you it would be years ago.
My Mystique is so lost, but if you don't act now she will be permanently lost far too soon. The woman she found to try and satisfy her loneliness last night is dangerous. Sybil is her name, and as soon as Mystique tries to leave her the young woman will become violent. Mystique will be caught in her web as so many others have been if you aren't there to stop Sybil. She has the power to reach into a woman and stop their body from being able to move. She disrupts the nervous system to such an extent that many die from it immediately, but some linger for a while to be tortured for abandoning her. Once she has someone in her power there is only one way for it to end, and that is death. I am sending Death to fight Death, and I pray you aren't too late.
Mystique left your car outside of the club you two frequent because Sybil lived not too far away. I tried to get more detail on where she is, but all I could do to narrow it down are red bricks and the smell of fresh baking bread. I wish I could give you more.
Destiny
Christy read the letter again as she waited for Shortpack to go to the bathroom. Part of her wanted to tell him there wasn't time, but she needed him able to focus. Destiny. If Christy didn't already know of that woman she still would have followed this lead, just on the chance that Mystique was in danger. No one in this world told her about Destiny and she didn't know if Shortpack knew about her, so she folded the letter up and put it in her pocket so she wouldn't have to explain something she shouldn't know. The comment about traveler of death was also something she didn't want Shortpack asking about. No one but an Xman or Mystique would know about that, so it was enough proof to Christy. Mystique needed her.
She wasn't used to the truck but she pulled out quickly. Time wasn't on her side and the drive normally took an hour. Even this early on a weekend it would take valuable time. Christy used to travel this freeway to go to college, so she knew of some of the speedtraps, and that was the only places she did the speed limit. She couldn't take time to be pulled over now. The cursed that fact that the old truck couldn't do faster as she got to Fife and felt like she should already be in Seattle.
……….
Shortpack stared at her wishing he could read her mind. Her eyes darted across the freeway like a predator and the truck moved around more slower moving vehicles with an almost violent intent. Her jaw was clenched and her back straight. She didn't talk and she looked a little pale. Something really scared her, but she wouldn't tell him about her source. With her giving off such unwelcoming vibes he didn't push it. She was in her Chris form, as Mystique called it. Her hair short and spiky, and her outfit all leather this time. The chains clanked softly with the movement of the truck. It was the only noise she made.
Who would have thought Shortpack would find an operative that made him more nervous than Mystique?
The silence was getting to him. "Can we turn on the stereo?" He finally asked. "If you aren't going to talk to me."
"I can't be too late." Her voice was a bit alarming. It sounded like she was reliving a nightmare and she wasn't talking to him. That was pretty clear. "I can't leave her in the field." It was clear she was worried, even if he didn't understand what she was saying.
"We'll make it. Between the two of us, we can do this." She finally looked over at him. "She'll be okay."
"She picked up a woman last night that's actually a crazy mutant with abandonment issues." Christy was finally telling him the situation. "If we don't get to her before she tries to leave that woman will kill her." Shortpack lost his reassuring smile. The few times he'd known about Mystique's going out she usually came home early. She said she wasn't interested in the morning after scene.
"It takes a lot to get the drop on her." Mystique had fought worse than an insane lover.
"My source is a precog. If I'm too late, she'll die." Christy's voice was determined as he felt the truck swerve around another vehicle. He couldn't really see any of the driving from the passenger seat, but he got the impression he wouldn't want to. Christy had a precognitive as source? It made him more nervous as he realized they really couldn't count on Mystique taking care of it herself. The stereo drew his attention that talking was over. Christy stared at the road like it was her opponent in a battle. He didn't try to talk to her again as he waited for when she'd need him.
………….
Christy got to the club and could see her car in the parking lot. "How far can you read?" She asked Shortpack as she looked around for red bricks or probably a bakery. There wasn't anything here.
"I'll get started but she's hard to read if she isn't wanting me to. She can shut me out during missions really easily." Christy took a deep breath. So unless Mystique was in danger she might not let Shortpack in, and if she was in danger it would already be too late. They couldn't wait for him. She pulled back out of the parking lot.
"You keep working." She told him as she drove slowly down the streets, ignoring the people that were irritated by her being in the way. She searched for a bakery and she stared up into several building with red brick. It ruined her ability to find it that way. Fuck, why couldn't Destiny give her more to go on? It was her lover after all.
"If she'd just stay in contact things like this wouldn't happen." Shortpack muttered and Christy didn't bother to agree as she tried to figure out what turn to take. If someone were going to walk to an apartment or hotel instead of taking the car it would be just a few blocks. Mystique was close. She turned at the next light, feeling she was getting too far for that walking distance, and moved to go down the next street towards the club again.
………..
Mystique stepped out of the shower and found that her clothes were gone. She could have easily made new clothes, but she never told Sybil she was a mutant. If this was supposed to be a cute little game she wasn't amused. She'd had to finally tell Sybil she was showering a bit forcefully when the redhead tried to keep her in bed and now the woman was hiding her clothes. Mystique grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body as she moved to the door. "Sybil. I need my clothes." She called out.
"No you don't." Sybil moved out of the bedroom and into the hall to talk. "I was thinking we could spend the entire day in bed." Sybil gave her a flirtatious look but it sounded a lot like an threat. Fun was fun, but this was over. Mystique glared at her and let her body reform clothes and shifted into her true form right in front of her. She'd kept the keys to Christy's car in an internal pouch, luckily. Sybil could keep the damned clothes she stole. If Sybil had a problem knowing she'd been with a mutant too damn bad. She was a good lay, but not worth this headache.
"I need to go." Mystique tossed the towel to the ground and watched Sybil's wide eyes as she took in Mystique's true form. She fully expected to not hear anymore arguments about her leaving at that point. She even steeled herself for the normal invitation to never come back.
"No." The voice behind her was angry.
Mystique The mental voice that interrupted her thoughts was a shock. Shortpack was supposed to be nearby. Mystique watch out, that woman is danger…"
Pain filled her senses as she actually felt something sink into her body from behind. Mystique barely managed to turn enough to see Sybil's eyes glowing red.
"Leave me… you'll never leave me." Sybil growled out and Mystique tried to move, to hit the woman and knock her away, but her body didn't respond. Sybil stepped away and Mystique fell limply to the ground.
………..
"Here!" Shortpack yelled out as the shock of losing contact made him realize Mystique needed them now. Christy barely took the time to slam the truck into park and grabbed him a little too tightly in her fist. Being able to feel Christy's tension in the grip he started to worry about her accidentally killing him. "Put me on your shoulder." He yelled as loud as he could and was relieved when she did move him. He gripped her hair tightly in his hands and could see what was going on.
Christy couldn't know where in the building Mystique was. Shortpack had a tag on Mystique and while she wasn't able to send thoughts he could get a sense of direction from her. "Up." He told Christy as soon as she stormed into the building. He couldn't tell how far up. "Take the stairs." He barely got that order out and Christy was darting to the door with the stairs sign over it. His eyes widened as he felt the speed of the air passing by. Christy was practically flying up the steps, taking entire flights in what seemed like twice as fast as Mystique did when she was being chased. He worked faster to keep the connection to Mystique and feel the direction. When he felt it level out he spoke. "This door."
Christy almost slammed the door open. He spoke faster. "Quiet, we're sneaking in." Her hand darted out to keep it from slamming against the wall. He was beginning to really feel like her handler. She paid more attention to him than Mystique did. She waited for him to pick up direction again. "Left." In this manner they navigated the halls until he found the door they needed. He was panting from the effort to hold on to her but Christy was like a statue. She wasn't even breathing. "In there. Mystique can't move." He finally took the time to let Christy know how bad it was. He felt her flinch. "Set me down by her." He needed to check on Mystique and see why she couldn't respond, and he didn't want to be pulled into the fight.
…………
Christy felt for death, she had to know if it happened, and while she could feel it out in the city, it wasn't in front of her. It wasn't close. She knocked on the door. It was her brief try and subtle, but when no one answered in a couple seconds she gave up and grimaced as she pulled her foot back and slammed it into the door. It gave and Christy could hear cracking wood and a startled scream as it slammed into the ground. Her eyes took in the woman, redhead, naked and standing over Mystique.
Her voice was cold and her eyes glared as she made her way in. The redhead, Sybil, took a few steps back, but then her eyes started to glow red. Christy let an evil smile come to her lips as she grabbed Shortpack off her shoulder and set him on the couch. "Fix her." Mystique was shaking a little, spasms that didn't look pleasant.
"No, she's mine." Sybil sounded desperate. "Who are you?"
"Her lover." Christy decided the best way to deal with the insane woman was to make her careless. "You were just a fuck, nothing more." It worked. The screech that woman let loose sounded like a wounded animal. So much for keeping the neighbors out of this. Sybil launched at Christy and Christy had to dodge her before those glowing hands touched her.
"Her heart is going crazy." Shortpack yelled out his information as soon as he got near Mystique and Christy moved into a battle ready stance as she stared at the woman that tried to kill her friend. "She needs help now!" Shortpack sounded panicked. Destiny's words came to her. She was sending Death to fight Death, that once it started the only way to end it was death.
When Sybil lunged at her Christy didn't dodge again. She shifted her hand like Mystique had taught her and ignored the heat she felt from a hand that shoved itself inside of her somehow. Sybil's eyes widened and before Christy could cut her throat a painful scream echoed off the walls. Christy stared at the blackening arm that was reaching into her chest and watched the arm shrivel up past the elbow. In just seconds Sybil's form was blackened and then it fell, like a burnt corpse to the ground, her hand falling out of Christy's chest on it's own after the rest of the body cracked on the floor. "Well, that's up there on the more disgusting things I've seen." She muttered as she turned around to rush to Mystique's side.
"Oh Damn." Shortpack stared at Sybil's remains and then to Christy but she was kneeling beside a weak, but no longer spasming Mystique. Christy reached out to touch a pulse point on Mystique's neck. It was fast, but not dangerous seeming. It reminded Christy to restart her own heart.
When Mystique stared up at her Christy spoke softly. "How are you feeling?"
"Like a truck hit me." Mystique sat up shakily and Christy could tell when she saw Sybil. Those yellow eyes traveled back to Christy.
"She tried to get me, but I guess she hasn't seen something like me before."
Shortpack spoke reminding Christy that he was there. "She was pissed and tried to hit you with everything she had. She meant to do that to you, but it backfired."
Movement in the doorway showed a neighbor staring in the doorway in shock. Christy grabbed Shortpack and put him back in her hair while she reached down and picked up Mystique. They needed to get out of here before the police came. "She tried to kill my friend." She muttered to the man trying to get out of her way fast. "Tell the police she's a serial killer." He stared down at the blue woman in her arms like he wondered if it was her, Christy, or Sybil that was the serial killer. "Just tell them." There had to be evidence in the place.
Christy moved down the stairs again, but carefully. She didn't want to slip with Mystique in her arms. "Next time you want a little something, I think I'll show you were the sex toy store is." She gave Mystique a small smile as they exited the stairwell.
"I don't normally have such a problem getting rid of them." Mystique finally spoke. Her voice was weak. "What are you doing here?"
"You needed backup." Christy glanced at the door to the street. "You able to walk? Shift?" The truck never had anything to identify them in it and it would be best to ditch it now.
A few minutes later Terry and Rob walked out, he was leaning on her in what looked like an affectionate way and Shortpack was hidden in Terry's hair. Rob glanced at the truck causing a backup on the street without saying anything. They turned towards the club and walked at a leisurely pace. The police cars moved past them in a mad rush to the apartment building.
………..
Mystique looked over at the woman helping her walk so easily even though Mystique was barely strong enough to stand, no one would be able to tell from the strain Christy didn't show. It didn't escape her notice that carrying her didn't slow Christy down a bit earlier either.
How did she know Mystique would need her? Even in pain and from her spot on the ground Mystique didn't miss the way Christy stormed into that apartment exuding power and her quiet anger. Christy had known Mystique was in trouble. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but why did you and Tonto over there come riding to the rescue Lone Ranger?"
Christy's step hesitated just a moment and Mystique caught the glance Christy gave toward the shoulder Shortpack was on, but her message to wait was ignored by the boy. Shortpack answered. "Christy's precog friend said you were in danger."
Mystique's eyes widened and she stared at Christy, silently urging her to finish the story. Christy's eyes were sad, sympathetic. "I got a letter." Mystique closed her eyes as the pain hit her. Irene. Irene arranged for Christy to get a letter before she died to have Christy protect her from a one night stand. The loneliness and loss of her love made her heart ache as she went quiet and let Christy lead her to the car.
When they got to the car Mystique opened the back seat. She was weak, aching, and wanted some privacy. Christy, bless her heart, didn't ask why she was laying down in the back. Christy just went to the trunk and came back to put a blanket over her. It was scratchy, but Mystique didn't complain. Mystique felt the paper being pressed into her hand and gripped it and Christy's hand tightly for a moment. The soft way Christy looked at her made Mystique almost expect a kiss on the forehead before being tucked in.
"Get some rest. I'll drive better so you can." Christy gave her a small smile and Mystique felt like a child being pampered by a parent. It was strange since at that moment she actually felt her very advanced age. Since no one could see her she let her body shift back to her own and got comfortable while staring at the folded paper.
The soft voice from the driver's side was addressed to Shortpack. "She's exhausted. Let's leave her alone for now."
After a while a whispering conversation started in the front seats. They probably thought she was asleep, or were willing to pretend for her sake. "Thanks Shortpack. I never would have found her without you."
"Like I'm going to let any crazy woman kill my operative." He sounded a bit smug, but Mystique knew it was a nightmare of his. He'd lost the last spy he had working for him and he hadn't really recovered from that.
"Still, thanks." Christy spoke so softly. Mystique just stared at the letter in her hand without opening it. Irene had addressed it to her, but she needed real privacy to read it.
"I can't believe she died like that." He sounded stunned. "It's like you reversed her powers."
"Most likely she sent her power out to kill something, but she was the only living thing nearby." Christy's slight irritation wasn't hard to catch. The conversation was a nice distraction from finally having a letter from Irene again. Mystique listened in while continuing to stare at the lovely handwriting on the envelope.
"How were you going to stop her if she didn't die to end her powers?"
"I was going to kill her." It was delivered so matter of factly. Mystique felt a hint of a smile as she glanced over at Christy. That woman would have too.
Christy managed to surprise Shortpack with that one. He didn't know how very practical Christy was about life and death. Talking slowed down and the soft sounds of the stereo filled the car.
Irene, she thought as if she were talking to her lover, I miss you so much. When Irene was younger she was the type of woman to defy expectations of that time and storm into a room to save her, and now Irene found an avatar of sorts in Christy to save her one last time. Mystique could almost see Irene in her mind as the memory of the fire in the warehouse hit her and how her Irene, hardly a warrior, and rushed in to untie her and helped her limp out before the roof caved in. Irene, why did you ever leave me? She thought out in a bit of despair.
………..
Christy pulled into the driveway, wishing she could park in the garage. She couldn't tell if Mystique was awake or not, but she knew that the woman most likely wouldn't feel like talking. Keeping her voice soft she spoke to Shortpack. "This is hard enough on her, she doesn't need a lecture." She could see he was irritated at Mystique picking the wrong woman and having to run to the rescue now. "And I really don't think the Professor needs to hear about this."
"But I'm supposed to report…"
"On her work. This was personal." Christy stared at him, pulling out the authority she used to carry all the time. "Unless she wants to talk about it, this never happened." She didn't wait to see if he agreed, she reached over and picked him up. "I'll come back for her and put her downstairs, near me." She still felt a bit shaken, not that she let her voice show that. She'd just feel better if Mystique was nearby today. Hopefully the metamorph didn't feel like leaving to be alone today.
Once she got back to the car and opened the back door to try and wake Mystique up. She would have preferred to carry her, but she couldn't get Mystique out of the backseat easily and she knew it. Her debate about waking the woman up ended when Mystique spoke. "How close did you want me?" The insinuation from the back seat was weak, but it let Christy know Mystique was awake.
Christy's jaw clenched as she debated about that. "If you need privacy downstairs has more." She glanced at the letter and was surprised it wasn't opened yet. "I'll leave you alone if you want." She stared into yellow eyes and spoke softer. "I was worried I'd be late." She could feel some tears gathering in her eyes.
Ignoring the fact that someone might be able to see her Mystique sat up and brushed her fingers over Christy's cheek. "It was a grand last minute rescue." She smiled softly and Christy leaned forward and hugged Mystique to her.
"I love you." Christy whispered and pulled back to look at a slightly surprised Mystique. "You're my friend and I love you. This time, I won't make the mistake of never telling someone I care about them." Mark had died never hearing it, and Mystique had come close to doing the same. After giving her friend a weak smile she moved back from the hug. "Touchy feely moment over, and your cleared for death. I've taken care of my unfinished business." This was getting uncomfortably emotional, and it wasn't something she did with Mystique.
"Good, it was getting a little too sweet in here, much more talk of your undying love and I would have offed myself." Mystique smiled at her, but Christy could tell the smile was real, and a bit tender.
"If you'd just learned to off yourself." Christy wiggled her eyebrows. "We wouldn't have been in this mess."
"Off, not get off." Mystique shook her head. "It's a different thing."
"Tell me char broil girl was at least good in the sack." Christy teased while rubbing where that woman touched her. She felt dirty knowing that blackened hand had been inside of her.
Mystique shook her head in mock disappointment. "Until I tried to leave she was a goddess between the sheets. Shame about the insanity." The hand that reached out to touch her chest where Christy had been rubbing was a surprise. Mystique spoke more sincerely, "Did she hurt you?" while touching Christy softly, almost petting her.
Christy sighed. "No, its just… she was inside of me, and not in a good way. I still feel a little disgusted." She'd actually counted the woman's fingers to make sure one wasn't still stuck inside before leaving. That was a gross thought.
"I'm a little disgusted too, and she did it the good way with me." Mystique actually gave Christy an honest response. "Destiny…" The letter was held up again. Christy heard the beginning of an explanation on Mystique's lips.
"Is your heart." Christy supplied when silence went on too long. Mystique just nodded and shifted to get out of the car. People would see Robbie going into the house. "If you need me, you know where to find me."
"In front of a computer." Mystique teased just a little and Christy felt a bit better. Hearing from a dead lover would be hard, but Mystique wasn't as messed up as Christy suspected she'd be.
"You know me and my porn." Christy joked as she opened the door for Mystique.
………..
It was an hour later that Mystique finally closed her bedroom door to read the letter. She'd joked with Shortpack to reassure him she was fine, and so that he wouldn't talk to be there for her. She'd taken a long and hot shower after she heard Christy end hers in the bathroom below. She'd stalled enough. She felt her eyes tear up with just the first three words.
Raven, my beloved,
There is so much that I want to tell you, but I only have so much time to write. We are going to be leaving soon, and I won't be returning to you. I'm so sorry my love, but I chose to save you rather than myself. You have so many more years left in you and I was already loosing my health. I had cancer and I was going to die. If I could have stayed with you I would have and it hurts more than I can say… to say goodbye.
I will say that I never regretted choosing you, loving you. In all our time together, even the time apart, I felt so incredibly loved. You took on my mission, suffered for it, all for me. Thank you seems so inadequate, but know that I appreciate you more every day. You are my heart, my soul, and I wish you all the love in the world.
I've seen visions of you alone and I've despaired at the pain I can see you've felt. If I could have spared you that I would have, and even now I try to think of another way, but I'm sure that I will end up dying tomorrow. It has been a few years now for you, and I sense that you still refuse to love anyone else. I see visions of you moving from bed to bed and never giving even a portion of your heart to anyone. That is not what I wanted for you. It's time to come out of mourning my love, time to move on and let yourself care.
I would have sent you this letter sooner if I thought it would get through to you that I wanted you to live, but until this point I doubted you'd hear me. I also knew hearing from me again would reopen your wounds, and I'm sorry, but this lifestyle you've developed could have killed you today, and if you don't stop it may kill you someday. You are a glorious warrior and you deserve a more honorable death than in some woman's apartment over such trivial things as a one night stand.
You've made a friend in Christy, the traveler of death. I see this now, and it gives me hope. I've seen visions of her for two nights now, and it gives me hope that you are reachable now. I know you rarely trust, as a good spy you said it was a luxury you could never afford, but if you were to trust someone, Demise would be a good choice. I've seen her work to try and free you from Xavier's grasp, have even drawn the young woman into my diaries telling that man that if you got hurt on his missions she would go after him. I saw her rushing to get to you in time and I see her crying in her bed at this moment while you read my letter because she almost lost you and she's already lost so much. Don't betray her, don't underestimate her, and don't let her go. Maybe with her help you will find the strength to go out and find love. I want you to have that, and I wouldn't care who gave that to you as long as you were happy.
This is the last letter from me you'll ever receive. The woman I hired to take care of my affairs in the world is only going to be working for me a little longer before her life pulls her in a new direction. She's been incredibly loyal to my instructions and deserves her own happiness now. I hope that she finds it.
I hope you find it. To love another doesn't mean our love is diminished. Nothing on earth could do that.
Your Destiny
P.S. When time comes, remember that you fight fire with water, and that she may be a survivor, but in this, time is not on her side. You must move quickly and appeal to her love to remove her shields.
It took a while to read the letter, and Mystique reread it a few times, taking in the explanation she'd been denied for years and hating that Irene had gone through that alone. She also noticed the cryptic note at the end and smiled sadly. Irene always told you what you needed to know, but it didn't make sense until you needed to know it.
………..
Christy sighed as she finally sat at her computer to work. It was still before noon and she felt like she'd done two days already since waking up at six. She was barely into searching for more resources when she heard footsteps on the stairs. Mystique came in balancing two plates and two glasses. "It's lunch time and I figured you'd forget." Mystique set one plate and glass down on the desk and moved to the other chair.
"Thanks." Christy found her eyes taking in the weary form of her friend and decided that Mystique was down here because she needed to be. Christy took a bite of lunch. "It's good."
"Well, good." Mystique pushed her lunch about on her plate for a moment. "Thank you." It was delivered sincerely and yellow eyes moved from the plate to stare at her. "I won't forget that when I needed you, you came running."
"We're partners." Christy smiled. Of course she'd run to help her, and it was sad that Mystique didn't expect that of her partners. "We're friends."
"Yes, we are."
Christy tilted her head and studied Mystique. "Are you okay?"
"Destiny gave you a letter." Mystique set her plate on the desk and seemed to shrink into herself a little. "Did she tell you she was my wife, my love, for years?"
"Yes." Christy spoke softly and waited.
"She was such a beautiful woman when I met her. Her hair actually seemed to glow in the sunlight. I was pretending to be a man and there was this woman challenging another man's opinion about a woman's place being in the home. It wasn't very common then." Mystique was talking to her and Christy gave her friend all of her attention, ignoring her own meal and doing her best to not show her sympathy too much in her expression. "She stared at me just a moment, even though she couldn't see, she was blind, I felt like she'd seen right through me. It turned out she had." Slowly during the story Christy moved closer. She had never heard how those two had gotten together and it was romantic, loving, and so obvious how much Mystique was still in love with Irene.
When the story was over and lunch was gone Mystique got up and left the room. Christy stayed downstairs, taking the hint that it was more sharing that Mystique was comfortable with. It had actually surprised her that Mystique had made the effort.