Ok, thought that I wouldn't leave it as long as last time in case all my readers came after me with torches and pitch forks. Have been suddenly inspired to continue and maybe even…gasp…shock…horror…finish it? I have been writing this story forever, I know, so I'm hoping to finish this, (nobody panic, sequels are possible).
There's still loads I could do with this so I'll probably want to continue but I want to wrap this one first.
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Pyro lay flat on his back. He was thinking while at the same time trying very hard not to think. He knew what was going to happen. He knew what he was going to have to do. Part of him hated her for forcing him into this position. The other half loved her. Loved her more than he had ever thought it was possible to love someone. He turned onto his side to look at her. She was sleeping on her front. She faced him and her hair was spread out across her back. He lifted a hand and stroked it down her back. It hurt him so much that she couldn't side with him. But at the same time, he adored that about her.
She still hoped for the best. She still believed that everything could work out okay if she just had enough faith and kept trying. He wanted to believe that too, but he just couldn't. He was being completely truthful when he said that he believed peaceful coexistence to be impossible. Pyro saw things the way Magneto did.
He smiled as she sided and opened her eyes to stare up at him, "Hey."
She yawned sleepily, "Hey."
"Athena I think that we should talk."
She opened her eyes more fully, "You do?"
He knew that he didn't have to explain what he wanted to talk about. "I can't tell you that I see things from your point of view, you know that don't you?"
Her eyes filled with tears, "I was hoping that wasn't going to be true."
He reached out to touch her arm, "Athena, I can not lie to you. I can't tell you that I agree. What would be the point you would know I was lying."
She nodded as the tears streamed down her face, "I know." She paused, Pyro could see her shoulders shaking slightly. He fought the urge to take her into his arms and kiss her until she stopped crying, stopped thinking about anything but him. But he did stop himself, he had to get through this.
"Athena, I'm not going to change your mind, I'm not even going to try. I'm asking you not to try and change mine either."
She nodded again taking his hand in hers, "I wont. What would be the point?"
Pyro paused, "So…now you know, I need to ask you something."
She looked at him, "Okay." He took a deep breath and swallowed, trying to force the words out. They didn't want to come, "Pyro?"
He met her eyes, "Now that we've accepted that…will you just ignore it? Come away with me? Forget about all this and just go?"
Her eyes widened in shock, her saw the play of emotions across her face, until she settled on one. She didn't speak. Pyro wrapped his arms around her and pulled her across his lap. Her arms went about his shoulders as she cried, "Is that a yes?"
She nodded against his shoulder, "Yes. Yes, definitely yes."
Magneto watched from the doorway.
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"Show me yours first."
Bobby shook his head, "Not a chance. You show me yours."
"Nope, you've got to show first. Come on I'm the one having the baby."
Bobby grinned at her, "I refuse to let that become an excuse for you to get away with anything you want you know."
Rogue grinned back, lifted up the hem of her shirt and said loudly, "Baby girl, daddy's being mean to mommy."
Despite himself he laughed, "Don't drag the children into this."
"Children plural? No way. One is absolutely plenty for now."
Bobby put his list of baby names down on the table and ignored Rogue's staring at it. He crawled towards her, "Well, what do you say we start practising for the new one?"
Rogue giggled and kissed him.
xxx
Athena bounced all day. Every time she took a step, she wanted to yell. The whole place looked different knowing that she was going to leave it soon. Every time she caught a glimpse of Pyro, she grinned to herself. He loved her and he was prepared to sacrifice what he'd worked for, for her.
She had arranged to meet him on their balcony at seven. At six thirty, she climbed to the top and sat dangling her legs over the side. She watched the mutants below. She felt bad that she wasn't going to stay to help them, but she knew that many of them were dedicated to their cause.
Arms encircling her from behind surprised her. She turned her head and smiled to see Pyro, "Hey, I've missed you today."
She stood up and kissed him. Then she froze. Something was not right. She pulled away and looked into the eyes of the man she loved, "Pyro? What's..?" Before she could say anything else she caught sight of gold flashed in his eyes…what was going on?
"Pyro…what's happened?" She was trying to focus on his eyes but movement caught her eye. She glanced down at Pyro's feet in surprise. By the time she'd returned her stare to his, it was no longer there. Mystique's face glared into hers. The older woman slammed both hands into Athena's chest. Athena tried to balance herself by putting her foot back but the balcony ended.
For one horrible second as Pyro looked up he saw Athena trying to grab at something with her hands, anything. She toppled backwards and fell.
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Pyro was running towards her and he realised that someone in the crowd was screaming. A second later it dawned on him that the person screaming was him. He tried to push his way through the people who were just looking up at that moment, trying o get to her. Before he could, he saw her…and heard a sickening thud.
He shoved everyone out of the way, as he ran he knocked several to the floor. Someone was knelt by her, touching her hand. NO! Leave her alone. Get away from her. He pushed their hand away and looked down her.
Her eyes were opened and she was shuddering, "Athena! Athena!" she coughed and blood stained her lips, "Oh god, Athena" Please don't…please. Please don't let her die. He didn't know whom he was praying to. She looked at him, "Athena? I'm here. I'm here. What happened?"
Her eyes looked back up at the balcony. He followed her stare and saw a man, maybe twenty running along the railing. For a moment, he almost gave chase, but he looked down again and saw her frowning and moving her head almost imperceptibly. No. No what?"
"Athena?" He took her hand in his and felt tears roll down his face when he realised it was cold, "Athena, I love you. I love you more than anything."
She smiled at him, she coughed again as she tried to speak and blood trickled from her mouth, "Shh, don't try to speak. I know. I know. I just…I need you to know. I love you. God I love you. I've never loved anyone else."
She smiled at him and he felt her gripping his hand.
Then her grip went slack. "Athena? Athena?"
He heard someone in the crowd crying but his eyes had dried. He couldn't cry. He lifted her body into his lap and held her. It was okay. They were leaving. They were going to leave all of this. They were going to be fine. He rocked backwards and forwards holding her tight. By the time he was taken to his room he didn't realise he was being moved.
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"We are not naming our daughter Arabella."
Bobby glared, "I happen to think it's a beautiful name."
Rogue giggled, "Don't even think about it."
His glare broke and he smiled, "Well it's better than Marietta."
Rogue stuck her tongue out, "That wasn't my first choice."
They had decided to forego the list process. It was getting them nowhere. They had been debating for hours. It was four in the morning and they were giving each other one name at a time. "Okay, so what was your first choice."
"I'm not telling you. You'll laugh at me."
She heard a giggling from the sofa. Logan and another student were sat watching the television/listening to the couple argue."
"He's laughed at every other name you've come up with why not this one too?"
"Because I like this one."
The boy sat next to Logan blinked and the program on the screen changed. Rogue looked sulkily from Logan to Bobby, "Oh all right, but laugh if you dare. Imogen."
Bobby paused, "Actually, I quite like that one. Imogen, yeah."
Rogue raised her eyebrows in surprise, you mean we actually agree on a name?"
Bobby put an arm about her shoulders and she snuggled into his side. "Yes I believe we do. Though her middle name's Arabella of course."
She looked up at him and saw that he was laughing at her, "You're mean."
Logan laughed as well, "God, I am so glad that I never had children."
Rogue smiled evilly, "That reminds me. Logan would you consider being Imogen's godfather?"
Logan choked on his beer.
xxx