NachtcGleiskette – You have a Blackberry? I can't even tell you how jealous I am! sigh Thanks for taking time to read and review!
GarbrielsDoubt – There you are! Thanks for the thoughtful review. To answer your question - In the last story the first chapter falls into place between chapter 19 and 20. What will I reveal? Hopefully just enough to get you to come back and read some more! ;-) And, don't worry about plot bunny suicides. Plot bunnies are sometimes the most entertaining thing out here to read!
Writer's note -
This will be the last chapter in this short story. I have discovered two things about writing short stories – 1) They are a lot harder to write than I thought and 2) I am no good at writing them.
So, with those two thoughts in mind – first, I tip my hat to all you short story and one-shot writers out there. I haven't given you all nearly the respect you deserve! And, second, I am just going to plunge ahead with my next storyline. Thanks for all the positive feedback and encouragement!!
Stephan, Joe and Kurt sat in silence on the terrace patio overlooking the fountain. An uneasy stillness settled around them.
Stephan had stayed behind while the others had gone up to see Rachel. He had stayed under the pretense of flirting with the beautiful Ororo. But, in truth, he was on a fact finding mission. As soon as they were out of sight, his conversation turned from bantering to interrogation.
He grinned at the challenge of getting information out of this beautiful woman. If he'd had more time here, he would certainly have enjoyed getting to know her better – in all the ways she'd allow. But, he had a caravan that was falling apart every second he was away. And, she didn't seem the type to be swayed easily. Perhaps it was just as well he didn't stay in one place too long. Stephan did not especially care for being in a situation where he wanted something he couldn't have.
He had found out enough to know that any ill Kurt had done to Rachel or anyone else laid squarely on the shoulders of one William Stryker. He shared what he knew with Joe, at Kurt's defense. The three sat in silence, each staring at a different part of elegant tile floor.
Finally, Joe cleared his throat and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I guess I should apologize for the way I acted back there..." But, Rachel was all he had in this world. More than anyone realized. "It just...when I saw my baby girl laying there like that..." He clenched his hands together hoping his first image of her in that bed would fade with time.
Kurt shook his head and waved the apology away. "There is no need to apologize. I would have done the same thing in your place." He had no nieces or nephews. He gave Stephan a wry look – at least none he knew about. But it wasn't too hard to put himself in Joe's place.
Just then, Stephan's cell rang. Looking at it, he announced. "Well, I'm going to have to get going." He stood up to go find Lumi and Jemaine. The threesome made their way back up to the bedroom Rachel was resting in. After knocking they came in. Stephan was almost able to hide his shock at Rachel's battered appearance.
"Leaving so soon?" Lumi smiled. Stephan was an Autumn leaf caught on a breeze. Always moving, never still. Afraid of landing anywhere for too long.
The handsome gypsy nodded. "My people are almost here. I just wanted to say bye before I headed out."
Jemaine gave a little grin as she gazed at her brother. "Stephan." She called, "Come here a moment." He furrowed his thick eyebrows and went to her. She took his hand in hers and laid it over Rachel's belly. "I don't think she'll mind..."
"Oh my God." He chuckled. "I think he's trying to fight his way out!" He laughed at the intensity of the movement against his palm. It was the first time he'd ever gotten to feel the baby move.
"She..." Kurt corrected him with a smile of his own. "It's a girl." For a moment, Kurt lost himself in the rare and fleeting sight before him. All his family in one place at one time.
Stephan leaned down and kissed Rachel on top of the head with brotherly affection. "Take care of this crew till I come back for the christening." he whispered to her as she lay quiet and still.
With a grin, he motioned to his brother as he head towards the door. "A girl, huh...you know-"
Kurt cut him off. "Let me guess...Stephanie is a good name for a girl?"
Stephan bowed out with a flourish that reminded Kurt of his own on-stage persona. "I always knew you got the brains in the family." He winked and was gone. Out the door and out of their lives as quickly as he had entered it.
Rachel eyelashes fluttered as she began to wake up. She felt a soft bed under her and her head buried in a deep pillow that smelled fresh and clean. She made a contented sound and stretched her long legs deeper into the sheets. But, as consciousness fell on her, she raised her head slightly, a confused look crossing her features. Instinctively, her hand fell to her abdomen, breathing a sigh of relief as her ever playful daughter rubbed back against her hand. Sitting up, she winced as every part of her screamed in protest. The last thing she remembered? She remembered snow. She remembered desperation and fear and pain...so much pain. She remembered falling and the smell of brimstone. She remembered Kurt's eyes.
Where was she now? She looked around her comfortable surroundings. The dark mahogany of the bed stood in stark contrast to the snow white sheets and comforter on the bed. To her right she saw a huge window, opened the darkening sky, the undeniable scents and sounds of a spring evening floating inside. Her disjointed thoughts turned to terror as she remembered Ben coming for her, dragging her away. Was this place a beautiful cage of his creation?? Then, she turned to her left and found a sight that made her instantly calmed her and warmed her to her very core.
Kurt was sound asleep. His head was laid on his folded arms beside her at the head of the bed. She smiled as she reached a gentle hand out to him.
He started awake as he felt someone touch his hair. He had not intended to fall asleep, but after everyone else was shown to their rooms, and everything quieted down, the fact that he had been awake for days started wearing him into slumber.
He pulled his chair closer and leaned towards Rachel, taking her right hand carefully. "Guten Abend, Liebe." He whispered with a great smile, grateful to see her finally awake. "How are you feeling?"
"Where are we?" She whispered, her voice still a little hoarse. She was afraid to let go of him. Afraid this place would melt away and she'd be back in her cold, dank, tiny cell. "What happened?"
"Its over, Rachel." Blue smile reassuringly. "You're safe now." He rubbed her shoulder gently. He went on to explain where they were and that Lumi, Joe, and Jemaine were all nearby if she felt up to visitors. She shook her head. Right now, she only wanted him. The rest of the world could wait.
Lumi and Joe sat in the kitchen staring at the steam rising from their mugs of coffee. Lumi's eyes followed the wafting curls up to the ceiling. "She's awake." She smiled as she felt her niece's confused mind settle down. She sat a restraining hand on Joe as he rose to go Rachel. "Not yet, Joseph." She smiled and waved him back to his seat. "She and Kurt need some time alone first..." She worried, so much evil had ridden them right to the gates of Hell. Even she wasn't sure if they were strong enough to mend back together.
Discontent, Joe sat back down. More than anything he wanted to take Rachel home to Georgia and take care of her the way he had when she was a lost little girl grieving over a dead mother and a father who abandoned her in his own anger and grief. But he knew Rachel wouldn't leave without Kurt and he would fast become comfortable here, among others of his own kind. But he now worried that his beloved Rachel would find herself an outcast in this place, the only human among mutants.
"Joseph..." Lumi's voice brought him back to the present and her eyes bore into him in an uncomfortable way. He felt as if he could have no secrets with her. "Don't you think you should tell her?"
"No." He answered flatly. He didn't even try to pretend he didn't know what she was talking about.
Lumi's expression was one of undeniable disapproval. "She deserves the truth, Joe."
Joe looked down at the mug in his hand and took a drink of the bitter brew that was still too hot. "No. She deserves better than the truth."
"Your hair has gotten long." Rachel reached over to run her fingers through his thick ebony curls. She had forgotten how soft it was. She let her fingers drift over his velvety temple.
"Ja..." Kurt laughed, embarrassed, ruffing the back of his hair that now waved over his forehead and elf like ears, instead of the close cropped curls he had always kept. "I should probably get a hair cut."
Rachel smiled. "No. It looks good like that." she brushed a lock away from his brow. "I like it." she whispered in compliment.
They sat in silence for several awkward minutes. Kurt thumbed to the sofa across the room. "I can sleep here on the sofa if...if you'd like. If you don't want to sleep alone..." he offered. He had asked for a room separate from hers in case she wasn't able to let him back into her bed. He wanted so much to feel her against him again, but she might not be ready to give him that yet.
She had been through so much; he didn't want to push her.
Rachel looked around him and stared at the sofa. It seemed to be a million miles away. She bowed her head. "If you want..." she nodded. She desperately wanted to lay her head in the hollow of his shoulder and let his touch remind her that no matter what they had been through; they had survived it. They won. But, he might not be ready to give her that yet.
He had been through so much; she didn't want to push him.
After another few awkward moments, Kurt got up. "I suppose I should go find a pillow and a blanket, then."
Both misread disappointment for discomfort.
He stopped short at the sight of her twisting her bare left ring finger, distractedly.
"They took my ring." she whispered when she followed his gaze to her hand. Her wedding ring. It was the first of many things they had taken from her. "I'm sorry." A tear threatened as she looked at him.
Kurt smiled. This was something he could fix. This was something he could make better. He fished around in his shirt pocket. His smile grew into a delightful grin as he sat down on the bed beside her, put his hands behind his back briefly, then presented them again each one clasped tightly. "Pick a hand."
Knowing him better than that, Rachel smirked and reached around his back, taking hold of his tail. She thought she felt him shiver slightly as she glided it through her fingers, stopping at the tightly coiled tip. "Drop it, Blue." She demanded in mock sternness.
With a chuckle, he surrendered. A glimmer fell into her waiting palm. She stared at it, stunned. It was a plain gold band. There had to be millions just like it floating all around the world. But Rachel recognized it as hers immediately and joyful tears fell down her face. Without care for the pain it was bound to cause her, she threw her left arm around Kurt and pulled him close, laughing and crying.
"How did you find it??" She managed through her her tears. "I thought it was gone forever."
Kurt closed his eyes and returned her embrace, relishing the feel of her embrace again. "I've been keeping it safe for you." He whispered in her ear, leaving a small kiss there.
Taking the ring from her hand, he slid the symbol back on her waiting finger. She absolutely beamed with joy and slid her left hand up to caress his cheek. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. She turn her head up to meet his eyes. He saw in her eyes the same intense love he'd come to expect and depend on. It was a look he was afraid he might never see again after all they had been through.
Very gently, he lowered his lips to hers and brushed against them, trying to be so careful not to cause her more pain. He felt her melt under him return his kiss as enthusiastically as her sore body would allow. Kurt let his mouth wander to her relatively unmarred neck. His pulse quickened as she exposed her throat to him and felt her lacing her hand in his hair, urging him closer.
It had been so long...
"Don't you two ever give it a rest?!" With a start the couple turned to the doorway to see Jemaine standing there with her hands on her hips. "My God! Finish having the first one before you start working on a second one, why don't you..." Her grin belied her scolding.
Rachel gave an embarrassed laugh, released Kurt's hair and laid a hand on her very round belly. "At this point, you're probably right." She agreed.
Kurt was glad his indigo fur hid his crimson embarrassment, but he couldn't help teasing his sister. "What if we want twins?" He grinned wickedly. He had grown up trading barbs with her – this was nothing new.
Jemaine put her hand up to stop Kurt from elaborating. "That is just so wrong..." She said in disgusted amusement.
She sat on the other side of Rachel. "So, how are you feeling?" She clasped her hands around her sister in laws.
"Better." She assured her. She stifled a yawn.
Jemaine knew how to take a hint. "Well, I'm just off to see what kind of mischief I can get into. You two – behave yourselves." She warned with a pointed finger. After giving her furry brother a kiss and Rachel a gentle hug, she disappeared out the door, shutting it behind her.
"Twins, huh?" Rachel shook her head, chuckling. "That's really tacky." But she couldn't help her chuckle turning into a giggle as Kurt shrugged as if he had no idea what the problem was. Her laughter stopped and her smile faded as her gaze drifted back to the sofa.
She didn't have any right to ask him...but she couldn't bear the thought of being seperated from him again. She spent so much time without him already. With quiet urgency, she took his arm. "Please..."
Kurt knitted his eyebrows at her with concern. "Please?" He repeated. "What do you need, Liebe?" He put his hand over hers.
She gathered up her courage and put her pride aside. "Please don't sleep over there." Her lips quivered just a little. "Please just...stay here – with me." She eyed her covers. "I've spent so much time alone...without you..." Suddenly, her whole body began to shake as the floodgates of emotions began to open. "Oh God, Kurt...I thought they'd killed you. When I saw you..I thought-" Painful sobs escaped her as she covered her face. "I know...you let them...because of m-me...of-of us..." Her words were the pain in her soul trying to escape. "They said you p-play nice..." Her tears were interrupted by a bout of coughs that made her ribs feel like they were breaking all over again. "I'm sorry..." she rasped against his chest.
'Play nice.' Even now, he clenched his jaw against those words. That was the taunt used when he was forced to do something particularly painful, degrading, or...unpleasant. The or else part of that taunt was that if Kurt didn't 'play nice', they'd go visit his pretty, mutant-lover wife and see if she wanted to play. With lewd grins and crude gestures, they made it clear they'd all love a turn at her – pregnant or not. He held her tighter and prayed he would never be that helpless again. He wanted to know if any of the guards had ever actually made good on their threats. If any of them had violated her. But, he couldn't. Not right now, it hurt too much. Right now, he just wanted to hold her and enjoy the small victory of being here together at all. The rest could wait.
"Shhh...please...don't cry. That is over. Everything will be all right now." Kurt held her, "We will talk, I promise. But, not now. Not tonight." He murmured little comforts to her as she settled down and after a time, she had fell back to sleep. He'd intended to get up and go downstairs, get something to eat and talk with Lumi and Joe. But, just a few moments later, his head was on the pillow next to hers, both of them sound asleep holding each other.
Lumi gave an approving nod as she opened the door to check in on them. Kurt stirred slightly, but never woke, instead his drowsy tail slid over his daughter and Rachel pulled him a little closer. There was still much pain and guilt between them. But, maybe, just maybe they were going to be all right after all. She said a hopeful little prayer as she turned off the light.