hElo! It's not over yet. Thank you summers2004 n Darlin for your reviews!

Over the rainbow

Ooo.

Death's gut looked awfully nice. She even felt fond of it.

Finally. She wanted to let out her arms and spiral forever in this empty whiteness, float back and forth, and bound along invisible stepping stones on the stream of immortality. She missed this place. So open, so wide, and nothing to frighten her. She fell backward, and rested on the bosom of a strange nothingness that carried her here and there.

Nothing, absolutely nothing. Nothing but freedom for her, at last.

Suddenly she saw the whiteness coming to life around her. It became hued with green, then a little pink, and soon she found herself standing in a very familiar garden. She'd seen this place not too long ago, having left her spasming body on the operating table and floated up, up, and up, and even when she thought she was already enough up she still wasn't sure if she was still going up or not. She had felt so light, as she did now, only wanting to go higher and higher. Free. Finally free.

The last time she came here, she had had to leave, but now she wouldn't. She was going to stay here forever. She walked towards the tiny fountain with the naked cupid spouting water, and stood still looking around as she burrowed her toes in between the moist dew-drizzled grass.

Looking around, the place looked strangely untouched. Where were her parents? How unwelcoming this after life was.

Suddenly, she heard soft voice calling from a distance. She turned around, and a purpled-haired lady in purple spandex cocked her head and smiled at her.

"Why hello! What a pleasant surprise!"

Psylocke leaned forward and grabbed Ororo, wrapping her arms around her and embracing her tightly. Ororo gladly returned the embraced, both having missed the other far too dearly.

Psylocke pulled away and smiled at her.

"What happened? I don't often get visitors."

"We had some trouble with Vargas," Ororo said in a matter of fact manner, caring for nothing else but her current bliss and tranquil afterlife.

"Only you..?"

"Why, are you dissatisfied with me?" Ororo asked, looking at Psylocke from the corner of her eye and smiling.

"Haha! No, one's far more than enough! Especially you dear."

Psylocke reached for Ororo's hand, and both walked silently around the large garden that glittered in the tender ethereal light. Their hair gently billowed in the gentle heavenly breeze they couldn't feel.

"What has happened to you, Elizabeth? The last we saw of you, you were pulled back through some portal."

"Yeah, I'm not so sure myself what happened," Psylocke commented as her brow slightly furrowed. "but it's hard to worry here, you know?"

"So, this is heaven?"

"Not so sure myself, I'm beginning to think it's an interlude of sorts."

"I guess that would be right, the last time I came was only for a passing visit, not a stay. Where is the real thing?"

"I don't really know myself, I don't even think I'm dead. Shouldn't you know? Where were you headed?"

"I suppose I've lingered too long here, waiting for something."

"What?" Psylocke asked, looking around and wondering what Ororo was trying to find in the now empty surroundings again.

"Last I came I saw my parents…"

"Maybe they're waiting for you some where up there. Or maybe you weren't really supposed to be here…" Psylocke smiled wryly, knowing Ororo's stubborn streak could shove her even into the fringes of heaven. "But don't be floating anywhere yet, tell me, how's everyone?"

"Well we all miss you so very much," Ororo said, turning to look Psylocke in the eye, showing her how deeply she really missed her. She cherished this moment so dearly.

"That's really nice," Psylocke said as she smiled, turning her head to look up and around for a sign of something they might be headed to. "How's Neal? I do miss Neal…"

Ororo looked down, smiling to herself.

"What? Ororo? No…"

"Hey! Who said you could read minds in the afterlife!"

"My greatness transcends all," Psylocke replied, raising her eyebrows and bowing in mock self-pride. Ororo retaliated by having a little cloud float by, and trickle on to Psylocke's purple tresses.

"Oh will you look at that…" Ororo said innocently.

Psylocke dove out from under the miniature rain cloud and ran to Ororo's other side, playfully nudging her side.

"Well I'm very happy for you both, do take care of him ok?"

"It is going to be hard from here…."

"Well we can always visit him in his dreams."

Both ladies smiled, as they continued to walk on nothing, through a nothing that appeared to go on forever, locked tightly in each other's arms and giggling.

They chatted for hours on end, about the group, about the Professor, new goings on at the Institute, their fateful deaths, Ororo's flowers, talking as they continued to hold each other's hand, never wanting to part again. Ororo held Psylocke tightly, not wanting to return to the trials of humanity and the living, only wanting to stay forever in this calm, gentle breeze they couldn't feel, the light that shone brightly and warmed them and the smell of fields and forests and freshly bloomed flowers, when all they could see around them was still endless white of nothingness.

"Look! I think there is something ahead."

"I don't see anything…"

"There! It's a little faint…"

"Ororo, why are you translucent…?" Psylocke put her hand on the other side of Ororo, but she could see her own hand clearly. She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"You going?"

"I'm not sure myself…"

Ororo found herself drawn to the light she had seen, coming closer and closer to its brightness. She could almost see something more, but it was hard to tell, and she squinted her eyes, still walking alone towards the light.

"THREE!!!!!"

Death retched.

And suddenly the image came flying full-force into her view, and she saw it was a violet-white fluorescent lamp.

Like stupid suicidal moths.

Ha, she laughed to herself, in a tad of bitter irony. Failed, again? It seemed her day of sweet liberation might be a long time coming.