LIFELINES
by AngelStern
DISCLAIMER: Hey, all the characters in this here fanfic are property of Marvel Comics. I have absolutely no permission to use them, yet I persist in it anyway. I am making NO money. Your praise and adoration is payment enough.
Dreaming. Earth stretched out below her, the wind pushing green locks away from her face. Below her people shrink to the size of ants but she can still recall the tiniest features of each face. The people she loves, getting farther and farther away. Then, because it is a dream, they all start humming "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morrisette.
Lorna wakes with a start, struggling through layers of conciousness as the cell phone next to her bed continues it's polymelodic rant.
"I really need to change that," she mutters before cutting the sound off with a flick of her wrist.
"Hello?"
"HelloLornaIdidn'twakeyoudidI?WhattimeisitthereanywayohwellsametimeIsuppos
eitishereshouldn'tyoubeupalreadydon'tyouhavexstufftodosurprisedthatAlexallowsyoutol
oungearoundinbedallday..."
"Um...Pietro?"
"Yes?"
"Was any of that important?"
"Hello, I suppose."
"Hello. And no, you didn't wake me. The phone did."
"Good to see that your dry wit is still intact."
"I didn't know it was in jeopardy."
"No? Well after everything with...with..."
"Dad?"
"Hunh."
"Ooooh, Pietro, I can just hear you shudder. Is that why you called?"
"To send myself into convulsive fits?"
"To talk about Dad."
"Hunh."
"Again. This could be fun. It's like in 'The Lion King'"
"What?"
"Y'know...Mufassa!"
"..."
"There are these hyenas and... never mind. So if you didn't call to talk about D.. YouKnowWho, why did you call?"
"Do I have to have a reason?"
"Um...no. But it usually helps if one wants to have a conversation. A direction at least. Might be good."
"IwantedtoinviteyoutoLuna'sbirthdayparty."
"It's so cute when you're nervous. Want to run that one by me again?"
"Ahem. I. Wanted. To. Invite. Yoooou. To. Luna's. Birthday. Party."
"..."
"Lorna? Heavy silence not helping with the nervous thing."
"Pietro...I...I don't know what to say. I just..."
"Just realized you had a niece?"
"Yeah."
"..."
"Cool."
"So?"
"Hang on a second, Speedy. I'm having a life altering moment here."
"Are you going to cry?"
"Don't ask that! If anything makes a girl cry it's being asked if she's going to cry!"
"Well, I guess that would be all right. This time."
"Gee. Thanks."
"I know. I've been told I'm all heart."
"Yes."
"You're kidding..."
"Yes I'll go."
"Oh... That's...really..."
"Are you going to cry?"
"Lorna."
"It's ok, Pietro. Crying is the new macho. I read it in Cosmo."
"Can you be serious for five minutes?"
"That'd be a bit dangerous, don't you think? Considering...everything."
"..."
"Yup. That's what I thought."
"Lorna, I want to apologize for not calling sooner. After the funeral I just..."
"It's all right. You were busy, I've been crazy. Things don't have to change just because we found out we're related."
"I want them to."
"... me too."
"You don't have to go through all this alone."
"I don't have to drag you into it either."
"Get away from there, Lorna. Tell Summers to shove it and come stay with us."
"That's what he told me."
"To come stay with us?"
"No...to shove...never mind. It's a lovely offer, Pietro."
"I mean it."
"When's the party?"
"Saturday. Don't change the subject."
"I always wanted a big brother to boss me around."
"You always wanted a big brother so you could date his friends."
"That too. Got any cute ones?"
"Well..."
"It was a joke, Pietro."
"Ah. And here ends our interlude of gravity."
"Nothing lasts forever except..."
"...cockroaches and Twinkies."
"Don't forget Mayo jars."
"Heh. You ever..."
"No. You?"
"No."
"That's too bad. They were good times."
"'The best of times...'"
"Aw geeze, are you going to cry again, Pietro?"
"I think you missed your calling."
"Counseling?"
"No. Stand up."
"I can't wait to meet Luna."
"I can't wait for you to meet her either. I just wish it could have been sooner..."
"Hey, it's not so bad. At least it's not her wedding you're inviting me to."
"So much lost time..."
"Yeah."
"If only..."
"We'll get it back, Pietro. We will."
"So you're moving in then?"
"Ha Ha."
"You know that I'm not good with long distance relationships."
"I can't run away every time something doesn't go my way, Pietro. I'm not as fast as you."
"How is Alex?"
"Hunh."
"Was that a shudder?"
"No. It was last night's dinner making a reappearance."
"That good?"
"Delightful. Isn't it every girl's dream to work for the guy who dumps her at the altar?"
"You dumped him first, don't forget that."
"...thank you, Pietro."
"He's not good enough for my sister anyway."
"Uh oh."
"What uh oh?"
"I've heard about you and your sister's boyfriends..."
"Should you be worried?"
"No I'm not seeing anyone right now thanks for asking."
"Good."
"Pietro!"
"Relationships are overrated anyway."
"Can I tell Crystal you said that?"
"No."
"Seriously..."
"Good heavens."
"...I'm thinking that a relationship isn't what I need right now."
"I couldn't agree more."
"I need to get...well..."
"So you're moving in then."
"Wow, you're about as stubborn as..."
"Don't even say it."
"So you know."
"Know what?"
"That you can be just like Him."
"Arrrgghh!"
"Does this mean I'm uninvited?"
"No."
"Good."
"Good."
"Fine."
"Done pouting?"
"Yes."
"Could have fooled me."
"..."
"Look, I'll come Saturday..."
"And Sunday."
"...and Sunday and we'll see how that goes. I seem to remember that I'm not Crystal's favorite person."
"It's different now."
"Why?
"You're my sister."
"And then...I was...what, Pietro?"
"...um...my...teammate."
"Pietro?"
"Yes?"
"Did you have a crush on me?"
"So Saturday then."
"Oooooohhhhh..."
"Party starts at one."
"That's soooo..."
"We'll see you then."
click
"...cute..."