500 Miles
Hellfire
By Princess Alexandria
Christy sat in front of the computer going through Raven's email with her. The younger woman had few personal emails even after having not checked it in two weeks. Raven dictated her responses to Christy on those that she did have and there was a sadness in her voice when Raven talked.
She almost hit delete on the junk email on the screen when she caught something off about it. The subject line was filled with the words A New Start At Life, and the message itself sounded like a travel agent sent it, but there was just something. Christy nibbled on her lower lip and read it again.
Chameleon Travels. For the woman that wants to start fresh, to just get away from your worries, call or drop by our offices in Manhattan. A special two in one Valentines offer, departing on February 10th. Take a secret vacation with the woman in you.
Christy shook her head a little and smirked at Mystique's playfulness. "Looks like we have our exit." Christy glanced at the calendar as she deleted the message, and all the other junk mail she could find. "Today." Working with a precognitive was certainly an experience. Apparently today there would be a time she wasn't being watched, a time she could get away. Raven was going to have to pack.
Christy grabbed a sandwich on her way back up to Raven's room. She ate it distractedly as she studied the space Raven had created. She remembered leaving her home with no more than she could carry years ago and moving into the city to try and find food. She'd left behind things she'd missed later, and she wanted to help make sure Raven didn't have regrets like that. Christy hadn't even taken a picture of her family, because at the time it was too painful.
Once she was done eating Christy tried to calm her mind and surrender. Raven reached out and caressed the dresser before Christy heard the heavy sigh. "Nothing that can't fit in the car." Raven opened the dresser drawers and pulled out various items; necklace here, a few clothes, her sketchbook and pencils. The luggage was slowly and carefully packed. The shirts they'd taken from Tessa were packed first, and then pants. "I can get more clothes." Raven spoke quietly as she put the teddy bear in the bag, and carefully packed the drawings she wanted to bring with her. A book went in, a few other odds and ends and when it was all done Christy was staring at two medium bags and a carry on. They didn't even know if they'd be flying, or driving. There was no clue what weather Raven would end up in.
Christy had control again and she sat back on the bed to wait. It was a half hour after they'd finished packing that she heard some yelling. Christy moved to the door to see Kitty and Piotr running down the hall. "Mission." Kitty explained quickly as she passed by.
"Good luck. Be safe." Christy called to the girl's back, before closing the door again to wait in the room a little longer. The loud sound of the jet taking off was her cue. Christy put the strap of the carry on over her shoulder, pulled some sunglasses on to hide their glowing eyes, and grabbed one bag in each hand. Move quickly and quietly to the exits, she thought with some sarcasm as she put one bag down just long enough to open the bedroom door. The Professor wouldn't be able to stop her if she moved fast. Raven's car keys were in her pocket.
"I've been here for years." Raven's voice was sad as Christy carefully navigated the stairs. "I'm going to miss them."
"Maybe you can write." Christy enhanced her hearing so that Xavier wouldn't be able to sneak up on her and she couldn't hear his chair anywhere. They were out the door and navigating the icy walkway towards the garage in no time.
Christy opened the trunk and set the bags inside. Before she could walk around to the side of the car her body stopped obeying her. "There is something I just have to do." Raven's voice was cold.
"We need to get out of here." Christy sent a slightly frantic thought back. Xavier might not be able to control them, but he was a telepath and he could control other people if he decided he wanted to stop them from leaving.
"It won't take long. I just want to leave a message." Raven walked further into the garage and Christy saw the workbench getting closer. The can of spray paint was cold and Raven started to shake it while making her way to an expensive looking car. "He shouldn't get away with this." Raven's teeth were clenched. "He just ruins lives and gets away with it. It isn't right." The lid made a popping sound as Raven took it off. The scent of the paint was thick in very little time, but Raven worked on, writing all over the shiny vehicle.
The hood was decorated with Raven's writing. "Traitor, Bastard, Leave me alone I never want to see you again." The trunk held more of Raven's anger. "I hope you die a miserable and lonely death… soon." Raven signed the windshield with round flowing letters that obscured any vision for a driver.
"Try to cover that up you bastard!" Raven yelled at the car. "He should die lonely, he did that to me. I've been miserable and lonely for years while he let people torture my lover." Raven opened the car door and sprayed the seats and dash with angry lines. "I could… kill him." Raven's arm shook and she tossed the can onto the driver's seat and slammed the door. "I hate that I feel like this. That his death is something I can actually taste."
"Do you want me to do it?" Christy asked softly. She'd march back into the mansion if Raven wanted her to.
"I can't…. I can't." Raven's fist slammed into his hood hard and pain traveled up her arm, making Christy worry about Raven hurting herself. "None of them would understand, they wouldn't believe me. I can't fight my friends, not for him. I'm not going to get locked up for him. He isn't worth it." Raven's voice cracked.
Christy heard the roar in her ears that signaled the transfer of control and she just stood there looking at the anger and pain written all over Xavier's car. "Let's go." Her voice was tired as she moved to Raven's car and got in. Many of the Xmen seemed to consider Xavier a father figure, which is probably what made his betrayal all the more hurtful for Raven.
They made one more stop at the first bank they came across and Christy couldn't help but think about the last world as they took out as much money as the bank would allow in one sitting. This was Xavier's money and he would supply more clothes and other things since it was his fault Raven couldn't just move out like regular people.
It took a while to get to Mystique's home. Irene was standing outside waiting for her, and another woman that had to be Mystique was with her. Christy stopped the car next to them when Mystique motioned for her to roll the window down. "Get out, grab your stuff and go inside. I have to ditch the car."
It was so businesslike that Christy knew it was important. She didn't argue, she just popped the trunk and grabbed the bags. She was barely done closing the trunk when the car started to drive away.
"The Professor has a tracer on your car, and we needed it away from our neighborhood before he realizes you're gone." Irene held out a hand and Christy handed her the lighter of the bags. Irene wasn't a young woman anymore, but Christy wouldn't insult her by refusing her help. "Come inside dear. You can help me make dinner."
…………………
Christy was quiet as she peeled potatoes. She could hear Irene behind her working on her own project, but Christy just stared at the potato in her hand and moved to remove another strip of skin from it. She wasn't sure what to talk about with this woman, and she was feeling a little lost herself. Raven wasn't the only one moving on soon, and it was weird. This world was more hellish than any other she'd visited, but it was the one she'd miss the most.
Could she take Raven with her?
"I can't go." Raven's soft voice interrupted Christy's thoughts and Christy stopped peeling the potato. "This is my world, and maybe some day she'll… I just can't go."
"I know. It was just a thought." Christy sighed. The sound of the pot being put in the sink had Christy looking up to see Irene filling it with water and not looking at her weird conversation with Raven. Not a lot of people had witnessed one of these. "I wish I could keep you." Christy started up her project again. "Irene, do you know where Raven's going?"
"My Raven's going to drop your car off somewhere it can get stolen before making her way back home, but your Raven is going to be visiting a few different parts of the world. She has some choices to make about where to go first."
Christy smiled just a little. "I know. I was a little surprised at her codename too. I went with Demise for mine, Mystique helped me pick it."
"So you are close to her. How is your Mystique?" Irene's movements stopped as the woman waited to hear, but she was still facing the sink. Christy could see some tension in Irene's shoulders.
"It's been years since her lover died." Christy set her potato down. "It took Mystique years to forgive her, she didn't know why Irene did it and from what I can tell Mystique just refused to love for a long time." Christy looked down at the counter to spare Irene from having to be watched and having to hide her reactions to this. "She went from bed to bed, meaningless fling to meaningless fling. She was alone until I found her." Christy still remembered the moment where Mystique realized that Christy really did care, that it wasn't just a partnership of necessity to complete a mission. "She works with me now, she does her own things, her own missions, but we also work together. I can't give her the love she deserves, but I give her what I can."
"So she's still alone?" Irene's voice was weak, pained. "Your Mystique didn't move on?"
"No, not yet." Christy felt the urge to go touch Irene, to try and comfort her, but she stayed where she was and let the older woman have her space. "You are apparently a hard act to follow. She hasn't found anyone worthy of the honor."
"Oh, well that's a shame." Irene's back tensed. "I'm going to go find my shawl, it's getting cold."
"Okay." Christy didn't believe for a moment that Irene was actually cold.
They were setting the table when the front door opened. "No wonder she expected dinner when she got home." Christy muttered, remembering a few times Mystique had said something about having to actually wait for dinner while Christy stayed at her house in the other world. Christy had thought Mystique was pretending to be a sexist pig, but it was actually something she expected. Irene could time it that way.
"It smells wonderful honey." Mystique stepped into the kitchen and Christy watched out of the corner of her eye as Mystique moved to wrap her arms around Irene in a gentle hug while Irene stirred something on the stove. It was beautiful to see love that had lasted so many years. Hopefully Christy and Emma would still have that kind of love years from now. Christy didn't let herself think about how she'd need to be able to get home to have that.
"You." Mystique looked at Christy without pulling her arms away from her lover. "will have to stay indoors for the next few days. We don't want Charlie to find you. It will be a few days until I can arrange to get you out of the city, I'm still working on your new identity. With Charlie's resources and the other enemies you've made, I want it to be pretty iron clad."
"Thank you." Christy felt the urge to hug Mystique for this, but she didn't let herself.
"You can take a walk in a couple days." Irene added while turning towards her. "A few hours to try and tie up that one loose end." Mystique looked a little puzzled, but Christy knew what Irene was talking about, even if she'd never told the blind woman about Tessa, apparently Irene knew.
"Okay." Christy would have to ask Raven if she wanted Christy to be there for her when she went, because Christy had enough power now to leave, but she didn't want to leave if she was needed.
Dinner was delicious and Christy made sure to tell Irene so. She did notice the slight smile Mystique had when she did, the pride. It was so cute.
"Wine?" Mystique glanced at her, "or beer?"
"Wine please." Emma had pretty much ruined her for beer, most wines as well. Loving a rich woman played havoc with her tastes.
The living room was very feminine in feel, it seemed to have Irene's stamp all over it. Christy had seen her Mystique's home and it wasn't nearly as neat and homey, but then spies aren't good about setting down roots are they? She'd needed Irene for that sense of home.
The room was warmly light with a fire and several candles. It had a date like quality, a certain comfortable soothing something.
"Did you want to still go by Raven?" Mystique had one arm around the back of the couch, actually around the back of Irene. "We need a few details for paperwork and if you wanted to switch your name now would be a good time."
"Um, you need to talk to her about this." Christy didn't want to make these decisions. Christy took a calming breath and called Raven.
"I… I still want to be Raven." Raven's voice was hesitant and nervous. "Can we do that, I mean will it be too easy to find me?"
"No, there are several Ravens in the room, let alone the world. You can keep it." Mystique smiled at her and winked.
"It is a lovely name after all." Irene's hand moved to rest on Mystique's thigh, a hint of teasing in her voice.
"A friend helped me pick it." Raven admitted and Irene's slight smile was knowing.
"We need to work out a history for you and you'll need to memorize it." Mystique's gaze was measuring. "This is like going undercover and not coming out."
"I understand that more than you'd think." Raven sighed. "It's not a problem. If… if I can talk someone into coming with me can you set her up?"
"A lover?" Mystique's voice rose a little in irritation. "I really should have known about that before now."
"Hush dear." Irene spoke so gently to Mystique. Clearly she knew something she wasn't sharing.
"I don't know if she'll go." Raven started to interrupt the silence. "But I need to ask her."
"Okay, you ask." The blue skinned spy seemed to take that in stride now. "But we need to work on you now. Charlie's a telepath and the Xmen get around. We'll need to change your look, your name, your job, history, and where you live."
Raven sighed. "I only have half a college degree, I'm passable on a computer but not secretary material. I draw."
"Well, comic book artists are a little too high profile. Whatever we pick you can't climb the ladder too high, stick out too much."
"I'm very good at barely being noticed. I've been an Xman for years and no one ever sees me, not even my team." Raven's voice was bitter. "I don't think it will be a problem."
"Sounds like someone's got issues." Mystique's voice was a little cold.
"I'm here because I've got issues. Why else do you think I have to beg my enemies to protect me all the time? You, Emma… What's next?" Christy tried to comfort and soothe Raven with warm feelings, hearing the anger that was masking her pain.
"Poor dear hasn't had a good day today." Irene spoke softly.
"More like I've had a crappy few years." Raven's head hung down. "I'm sorry, I know you two are helping me and I don't have anything to give you in return. You're helping me anyhow, and I don't even have to…" Raven's voice became a whisper, "I don't do I?"
"We won't make you pay for help with your body dear." Irene moved away from Mystique and did what Christy ached to do, she pulled Raven into a soft and comforting hug. There was no hint to Irene wanting to do more than comfort.
"I would have." Raven's voice cracked. "I can't stay here, I would have." Raven's body started to shake and Irene gently caressed her back as tears started to flow. "I can't believe I would have."
"Shh, it's okay child. It's okay."
Christy didn't push to control anything and let Irene comfort her double. Raven started to relax into the older woman's arms as Irene muttered soft soothing sounds.
Christy could only see what Raven looked at, but from the corner of Raven's eye Christy saw Mystique watching them with a pensive look on her face.
"I wish you'd told me you were worried about that." Christy thought gently as Raven started to get control of her tears, still Raven must see something in Irene she trusted to let her guard down like this. "I would never have come here if I thought they'd do that to you."
"Are you feeling better dear?" Irene asked and Raven's head nodded.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"
"Don't apologize." Irene gently forced Raven's chin up, making them look Irene in the face, the white eyes were unseeing and a little unsettling. "You don't ever have to apologize for that. What happened to you was horrible, and not your fault, either of you. You cry if you need to." It was Christy's eyes that watered a little at that, as Raven started to pull back from the emotional scene.
"Thank you." Christy gave Irene a weak smile. "It's easy to see how you caught Mystique now, you're pretty amazing." Christy's eyes were pleading and grateful at the same time. "Thank you for hugging her. I hate that I can't hold her." Christy whispered it, even though Raven had to hear it. There was no way to say anything and keep it from Raven.
"I take it Raven is no longer with us?" Mystique finally spoke up, but her voice was softer.
"Taking control is hard, she can't do it for long." Christy started to wipe the tears off of her face. "I'm more powerful, so I end up in charge naturally." She focused on the less emotional topic. "We have to work on it to switch leaders."
"Okay, well we can finish the detail work later." Mystique leaned back in her seat, but Irene was still closer to Christy, gently patting her shoulder, before moving to sit back.
"Perhaps we could pick all of this up later." Irene picked up her wine glass and turned towards the fire. "Why don't you and Raven go pamper yourselves dear? I set you up in the guest bedroom which is the first door to the right upstairs. It has a nice bathtub and a few candles are already in there."
If Christy weren't eager to get away and be with Raven it might have bothered her. Christy needed to see how Raven was but talking to her in front of other people wasn't private enough, and would look odd. Irene obviously wanted to talk to Mystique about Raven, but Christy just smiled and stood up with her wine glass in hand. "That sounds nice. Thank you."
"I'll see you for breakfast around nine. We don't wake up too early around here." Mystique smiled a little, "Oh and if you hear anything going bump in the night, whatever you do don't interrupt us."
"Oh please, like you'd keep it up long enough to wake anyone. I'd be surprised if your lover woke up." Christy grimaced as she glanced at said lover, "Sorry, habit."
"Do you always tease your Mystique like that?" Irene asked and Christy blushed.
"She knows I don't mean it." Christy felt she had to apologize for something that wasn't an issue in that world. It was how Christy dealt with Mystique's overflowing sexuality. "She knows I love her."
"I guess you do. It's good to know she has a friend like you." Irene's voice was serious and Christy looked into her face, seeing the rest of the conversation there. That Christy's Mystique wasn't as alone as Irene feared. "Goodnight dear."
Mystique was watching Christy leave, watching a little too closely and it made Christy feel like she was on stage.
…………………..
Christy didn't want to get in the older couples way, so after breakfast she slid back up to the guest room and pulled out paper. Raven still cared about some of the Xmen and wanted to give them at least a partial explanation. Christy wished she was writing the truth down as Raven dictated, but Charles would probably just make Raven's friends forget the details if she did that. At least this way the spirit of the message would stay with the others.
Jean's letter was first and it was surprising to see the level of emotion Raven showed for this woman. It made Christy remember the world where Jean was dead, which was a mistake, because Raven's words trailed off in horror. It took Raven a few minutes to start talking again and this time Christy tried to not let her mind wander.
She remembered Bobby from the first world, thankfully before she thought of the one on the world she was trying to get back to. Christy held onto that more pleasant image of Bobby helping rebuild a mansion tightly since it appeared that Raven was looking at Christy's thoughts to see another image of her friends.
Storm's letter was written and then Raven just went quiet. "I'm not writing a letter for Tessa. I'm gonna see her." The voice was so determined, like it was a huge task, and knowing how hard Raven had looked for her lover it was an accomplishment that she could.
"Maybe I'll write a letter." Christy thought about all the time she'd spent on the book for the young Emma and how the girl never even opened it. A letter could slip by Emma's reluctance to believe what Christy wrote. If she wrote it briefly Emma wouldn't even know what she had in her hands until she'd read it all.
The soft knock on the bedroom door surprised her. "Come in."
"Christy dear, you do realize you aren't a prisoner here don't you?" Irene spoke gently as she opened the door. "You are allowed in other rooms of the house."
"I didn't want to intrude." Christy saw from Irene's expression that wasn't going to work. "And its hard to talk with Raven when people are around.
"Well, do you two think you could take a break long enough to keep an old woman from having to eat lunch alone? Mystique had a mission she needed to take and won't be back until tomorrow."
"Sure." Christy set the pad of paper to the side and stood up. "I can fill in for the old shape shifter if you want." Christy smiled a little. "Newer model and all you know."
"Honey, she may be your teacher in your world, but she has in no way taught you all her tricks." Irene's voice was teasing and it made Christy blush to hear that tone from an old woman.
"Oh really?" Christy grinned a little. "She's been holding back on me?"
"No, its more that she's not holding back with me." Irene's eyebrows wiggled a little, raising above her dark glasses.
"Lucky girl." Christy moved towards Irene and the door. "So what's for lunch?"
"I was thinking sandwiches, so come make your own."
"And the honeymoon is over." Christy faked a sigh as she followed Irene down the hall. "I have to make my own food." Irene laughed.
It was after lunch when they were sitting by the fire drinking tea of all things.
"So why do you think your Emma and the one in this world are so different?" Irene asked before taking a sip.
"Well, Emma's students died." And Christy planned to write and warn her about that. "It devastated her. She loves kids."
"So if her students didn't die, she might have stayed with the Hellfire club?" It seemed like an innocent question but Christy froze, her cup halfway to her mouth. She remembered watching this Emma sleeping in bed and thinking about how that place was destroying her. "What do you think her life would have been like if her students didn't die?"
"My god." Christy's jaw dropped and she stared at Irene, realizing that Irene was guiding this discussion for a reason. "But she never recovered from the Hellions deaths. She is haunted by it."
"What do you think would happen to her if she stayed in that club?" Irene turned to face her. "Dear, you know the answer."
"That place would kill her." Christy set the cup down with disgust on her face. There was nothing wrong with the tea, but she felt sick with what she needed to do.
"I know its hard to let someone you care about suffer. I have had to do it countless times, because usually my power means I have to pick between two bad paths and I can only try to minimize the pain. I hurts every time I have to lie or withhold information from my lover to try and protect her, knowing she's going to get hurt and I'm just minimizing the damage; that even with all my foresight, I can't really protect her at all."
"Kids." Christy shook her head.
"And what would they grow up to be, with the Hellfire club having so much power over them?"
"Oh god." Christy stared down at the pattern on the area rug. How many times had she heard the sad pain in her lover's voice when the Hellions were brought up? "Is there another way?" One that let her save everyone.
"I don't see a third path."
The rest of the tea was consumed in silence. Christy stared at the empty cup when she finished it.
"I have some information about the places we can send Raven first." Irene broke the silence. "There will be a few moves before things settle down, but we could talk about it and maybe she could pick the first stop today if you aren't doing anything else."
Christy looked up at Irene, finally seeing what Mystique used to complain about. Mystique hated the burden Irene's powers put on both of them and now it made even more sense. "No, I'm not doing anything." But condemning Emma's children to death, nothing important, she thought with some painful sarcasm.
They spent the afternoon talking about the merits of California, New Orleans, Australia, and a few other places Irene had lived over the years. In spite of the pleasant conversation she still felt the weight of her inaction heavily.
……………………..
The door slammed opened and Christy was up and tossing her body over the back of the couch before the sound stopped. Her body tensed as she stood between the door and Irene.
"God Dammit." Mystique swore as she closed the door, but then she seemed to loose the angry growl as she looked at Christy. "You were on the couch." Mystique glanced past Christy to see Irene and then smiled for a moment. "Good to know." Mystique put a bag down on the table and walked carefully towards the stairs.
"Shot?" Christy was in motion again, her voice matter of fact.
"Yeah, and the door hitting it didn't feel too good."
"I'll get the first aid kit." Irene called out and Christy noticed the slow way Mystique was taking the stairs.
"I'll make sure the Amazingly Not Bulletproof Woman makes it up the stairs." Christy called out and moved to follow Mystique's grimacing and growly self up in case Mystique's body decided it would rather fall down. "Just the one or are you hurt anywhere else?" Her voice was softer.
"Just the one." Mystique spoke wearily. Christy inspected the exit wound and was glad to see it. She didn't relish the idea of trying to dig a bullet out, and Irene was maybe a little too blind to try. Christy reached out and touched the dark blue arm closest to her, a gentle caress. It earned her a wary look.
"Sorry," Christy's hand moved back to her side, as Mystique opened the bathroom door and stepped in. Irene was behind her and moving past Christy into the bathroom quickly. "Well, if you guys need me…" Her words trailed off. These two moved so well together it was clearly not the first time they'd done this, probably not even the twenty first.
"Christy." Mystique called out when Christy was a few feet down the hall. "Just a flesh wound, you don't have to worry about this messing up your escape."
"That's not what I was worried about Mysti." Christy called back and then kept moving toward the stairs. Well, it made sense for the lover to patch Mystique up, but maybe she could help by starting dinner and getting that I've been injured beer Mystique liked to have. It was probably the same here.
…………………..
Christy stood leaning against the wall waiting. After having stayed with Irene a few days it was strange to be walking around the city, since she was supposed to be keeping a low profile. A baseball cap was pulled down low over her face and a she wore layers of clothes to protect her from the cold February air.
The confident stride she saw coming her way tugged at her heart a little. Tessa looked perfect, as always, everything in its place, every strand of hair. Christy still wondered what that woman would look like arching beneath Christy's body, her hair wild across the pillow and her face a mask of pleasure. "My lover is going to kill me." Christy muttered with a heavy sigh, not fully believing it, but still falling in love with another woman was going to be a hurdle to overcome.
Christy started toward the door that Tessa entered. "She comes here once a week and just reads and has lunch alone." Raven added what she knew. Apparently Raven had done her research, or she'd been stalking this dark haired goddess.
"Ready?" Christy sent mentally and felt the rush of the switch in control before they reached the door. Raven opened it and went inside.
Raven stopped just in the door and watched Tessa being seated in a corner away from the window. Christy took in the nervousness in Raven's body and the way Raven's eyes caressed Tessa and Christy prayed that this worked out how Raven wanted it to.
"Ma'am, a table for one?" Someone spoke.
"No, no, I see my lunch date over there." Raven smiled and then took strides toward the table. Christy was proud of how confident Raven appeared, knowing it wasn't true. The sunglasses they had to wear made the restaurant seem darker, but it wasn't hard to see Tessa and that was the only direction Raven was interested in looking.
Tessa had a book on the table and looked up slowly. Christy didn't miss the widening eyes. "Can I sit with you Tessy?" Raven asked gently, hesitantly.
"Raven?"
"And company." Raven smiled just a little. "She's going to try and leave tomorrow." Raven's hand moved slowly to the other chair and when Tessa nodded Raven sat down.
"Are you okay?" Tessa glanced around the room briefly before giving such a concerned a loving look to Raven. It was far more opened than Tessa had ever been with Christy.
"Not really." Raven stared down at the table. "I quit Tessa, I can't work for that man. He's lucky I didn't kill him for sending you there."
Tessa's eyes told the story and Raven read it. That was off limits in public. "I found someone that can help me run. He wasn't going to let me go." Raven stared into Tessa's eyes. "Come with me."
"You're running from the Xmen?" Tessa sounded shocked, or as shocked as that woman let herself be.
"He's a horrible man and if I don't run now I'll never be free."
"Raven right now you need the support of people that care about you."
"I was hoping that would be you." Raven's hand crossed over the table and gently took Tessa's. "Please, I love you. I've loved you for years, and I've missed you every day. I've waited for you. We can build a life free of all of this."
"It isn't that simple Raven."
"It can be. You're there because of him, but he knows Tessa, he knows what's going on and he left you…" Christy struggled to maintain Raven's control. When they were emotional it was harder and Christy did everything she could to hold it together. Raven stopped talking and took a few deep breaths, trying to help Christy. This was more emotional than they'd tried to maintain before. "I've got it Christy. It's okay." Raven spoke to her even though they were in public. Raven's voice was less high strung.
Tessa's fingers caressed Raven's hand and when Raven looked back up Tessa was gently studying her. "You know you didn't do anything wrong right? You shouldn't run from the people that care about you."
"He cares so much he told us to never tell a soul what happened. He cares so much he's taken to mind wiping people and even though Sebastian sent me all those nice pictures of my time there he acts like I should just shake it off and get on with being his little soldier."
"Sebastian sent you pictures?" Tessa's voice was cold.
"I didn't think you knew about that." Raven sighed heavily. "Christy gave them to the Professor and screamed at him, but strange how none of the Xmen but the one that Christy left with have mentioned it."
"It could be that they don't want to intrude."
"No, Christy tried to tell someone about the… rapes… and the Professor didn't even wait until they'd finished talking before wiping Kitty's mind." Raven scowled. "It's not new to me. He's done that to me before. I told Bobby once that I was in love and he should stop trying to set me up. He pressured to know who it was and I told him your name. Next day he was still trying to set me up. He didn't remember." Raven's voice became pleading. "He doesn't deserve your loyalty. We can live anywhere, be anyone."
The waiter picked that moment to bring Tessa's drink, so conversation stopped at the table and after he left it stayed quiet. Raven just watched Tessa who seemed deep in thought.
"I can't just abandon my mission Raven." Tessa's voice was collected, in control, the one she used when she was the Mistress. Christy already knew this was going to hurt Raven and debated about taking over, but this was Raven's lover and Christy held back. "No one else could get this close to Sebastian and I'm in a position to do a lot of good."
"Sebastian's a bastard, but he isn't trying to destroy the world." Raven stared at Tessa. "It isn't like he's Magneto or anything."
"And that's why Christy tried to kill him, or was that you?"
"It was both of us, but I'm the one that missed." Raven's voice was cold.
"So now you're willing to kill?"
"For you, I'm willing to do anything." Oh, no, Christy thought as she heard that answer. Wrong answer, so very wrong answer. It may be the truth but it wasn't what Tessa wanted to hear. "I love you and if I have to kill that bastard to get you back I'll do it." Christy mentally sighed at the tough act Raven was pulling, knowing how hard killing really was on the woman. Raven was sounding too much like Demise and Tessa hadn't fallen in love with Demise.
"No, no." Tessa shook her head sadly. "I can't do this. I can't let you become this for us." Christy started to send warm emotions and love to her double, because she could see where it was going. "Raven, you don't need to kill anyone, because I'm not coming back. Go on with your life, find someone that can really love you, that can be there for you, because that isn't me."
Raven's pain proved too much for their control and Christy found herself sitting at the table in control of the body. "You manage to hurt her more than Selene did. Congratulations." Christy glared at the woman Raven had been living for. "This martyr hero act is only going to hurt the people you care about Tessa." Christy stood up. "Goodbye. I know you won't see me again, and I…" Christy stumbled over her anger and stared helplessly at Tessa. "Dammit, Tessa, how could you do this? Don't you know she's got a stash of your clothes she wears to feel loved, or that she had a wall of drawings of you?" Tears filled her eyes. "You don't have time to think about this and change your mind, she's running. She's already left the mansion and the Professor is going to chase her, to try and keep her quiet. If you want her you have to do it now, or you might never see her again."
"I have to stay." Tessa's emotionless mask was up. "And Raven needs support, she shouldn't run."
"I agree she needs it." Christy ignored the tears trailing down her face. "Which is why I believe she should run, because living a few months in her life, in that mansion, showed me she's alone there and she always will be as long as the Professor is afraid she'll talk."
When Tessa didn't respond Christy took a deep breath. "Goodbye Tessa, thank you for keeping us alive. Take care of yourself." She didn't know what else to say, they both still cared about Tessa, but this wasn't going to happen. She turned to stride out of the restaurant, grateful that the sunglasses hid some of her tears. God, poor Raven.
……………………..
Raven still hadn't talked by dinnertime. Christy stared at her plate and found herself pushing food around for a moment, before she forced herself to remember that she should eat while food was here. It wasn't like she felt comfortable going through Irene's fridge in the middle of the night.
"So I gather from your fascination with your plate that lovergirl isn't going with you." Mystique spoke, but although the words weren't kind the tone was. "Is there anyone else you feel the need to visit or can we start working on a new look?"
"Raven?" Christy thought to her double, interrupting the time to deal she'd been giving the woman.
"No, that's it. No one else." Raven sighed. "Stop eating Christy, I'm gonna get sick."
Christy fumbled with the fork for a moment before setting it down on the plate with a sigh. "Thank you for the dinner Irene." Christy spoke politely and gave a weak smile. "but apparently I need to go be alone now."
"I'll leave it in the fridge for you later if you get hungry." Irene gently patted Christy's hand.
"Thank you." Christy gave a weak wave to Mystique and moved out of the dining room, almost dragging her feet as she did it.
With arms wrapped around her own body Christy laid on the bed and rocked just a little. "Love you. I'm so sorry you're hurting." Christy wasn't like the Professor, she wasn't going to tell Raven to suck it up and pretend to be okay. Christy was hurting and she barely really knew Tessa in comparison, so Raven had to hurt.
If Emma had done this to her Christy would have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning for a long time.
Christy fell asleep holding herself like that.
……………………
"Christy." A voice called out and Christy's eye closed tighter trying to block it out. She was tired. "Christy, please." She sighed and opened her eyes to the darkened room and no one else. "I… somehow I couldn't sleep when you did. That's never happened." It was Raven. "Do you think something's wrong?"
Christy rubbed her eyes. She could see the glow of their eyes on their hands when she pulled them away. "Maybe it's because we're powered up." Christy stretched and enjoyed the feeling of working out the kinks sleeping left her with. "I wouldn't worry too much about it." She just guessed, because really she had no idea how powering up affected the other women she'd possessed. No one else could talk to her.
"Christy can I have control for a little while?" Raven asked softly, almost shyly. Christy looked at the darkness again and wondered what Raven would want to do at this hour. Christy enhanced her hearing and couldn't even hear Mystique moving around or talking and that woman was a night owl.
"Okay." The soft sound of the transfer of power filled her ears and then Christy was just staring at the ceiling. The soft caress to her cheek drew her attention to what was going on with Raven's body. An arm was up and fingers gently were touching her face.
"Christy?" Raven whispered. "I… Christy…" The woman wasn't having much luck saying it, but fingers caressed her lips and Christy got the message.
"Raven you don't have to." Christy thought as a finger traced her lips and she felt a tingling, tickling that was arousing. She could feel those lips move as Raven got ready to speak, but the fingers continued to caress.
"I want you. Can I have you?" Raven's voice was needy and a little scared. "You're leaving and I just want… just once, to show you…" Christy's vision became watery as Raven's tears started to fill her eyes. "I need this, with you. I need this."
Christy didn't know what to say. Raven's fingers moved to caress her ear. Their relationship had been anything but normal. "Take me." Christy thought gently trying to encourage Raven to take what she needed. If it was physical comfort, Christy could do that, perhaps not as well as if she had her own body, but it was something.
Raven sat up and pulled the tshirt they were sleeping in over her head, tossing it into the darkness to be dealt with later. "Sorry." An embarrassed flush came to Raven's cheeks and Christy could feel the heat of it as Raven laid back and raised her hips to remove the underwear. "No really romantic way to do this."
"It's okay." Christy sent a wave of affection to Raven, wishing she could do more. "This will be so one sided."
"I don't care. I'm not loosing you without having…" Raven wiped at her tears. "I'll never get a second chance for this, I can't wait until we can figure out how." Her voice was too sad and Christy suspected that this wouldn't be happening if Tessa hadn't broken up with Raven earlier. Christy pushed thoughts of Tessa and Emma away, ignored the fact that Mystique was a nosy bitch and wasn't far away and just surrendered all control.
It was like Raven was afraid to touch herself as Raven's fingers slowly moved to caress their breasts. It was tentative, slow, torturously gentle and Christy found she liked it that way. The touches, caresses were worshipful and shy. They were also not rushed. Christy started to get the sense that Raven would be okay with caressing Christy for hours without trying to achieve release.
A hand moved to run fingers gently over her scalp and Christy sighed. "I noticed you liked it when Emma played with your hair." Raven's voice was soft. Christy had been doing her best to allow herself to just enjoy the sensations, but this was the first mention of Christy's experiences in that club, even the ones Christy didn't really mind. "It's okay, I don't want to ruin this, I'm sorry I brought it up." Raven apologized and ran her other hands fingers over her lips. It mimicked a kiss.
The hand in her hair moved down her neck, trailing fingers over her skin lightly and then moved to caress a breast again. "God, this is nice." Christy encouraged Raven. It was nice, when she was in control of her own arms she rarely took this much effort in pleasuring herself, she was less patient. Of course she didn't need to work too hard to get aroused, she normally was touching herself because she was. Raven was going to have to start that fire, but from this it looked like Raven might not have a problem doing it. She could feel Raven smiling as soon as Christy finished that thought.
"I wish…" Raven whispered and then it trailed off. Christy found she had partial control and she arched her back into the touches. "I bet you are so sexy." Raven nibbled gently on her lower lip.
Christy found herself envisioning her Demise outfit, the leather and her in control stride. She'd seen herself on television a few times so she'd seen herself in action. She'd been told she looked sexy then.
"So sexy." Raven's fingers started to trail down their stomach, gently caressing the skin just above where hair had grown back sparsely. "Christy?"
"Yes." Christy answered and warm fingers moved to even warmer flesh. "Yes." Christy whimpered at the first touch. "Raven."
"So right." Raven answered as fingers caressed their sex. "It should be you, not her."
"What?" Christy couldn't help but think even as the touches became more sure and more purposeful.
"The last one should be you, not her… I want it to be someone that loves me." It still made no sense. Christy's breath caught as the warmth started to spread everywhere Raven touched.
"I'm losing control." Raven spoke through gritted teeth and Christy heard the rush, the emotions were too intense and Christy was in control. Christy continued what Raven had been doing.
"Yes, Christy please, please…" Raven's tearful pleading tore at Christy's heart. "She said she'd be the last one, please… don't let her be right."
Oh God. Christy had to push that thought out of her mind as she heard the pain in Raven's voice and finally figured out who the she was, Selene. Christy pushed that desire killing thought away and focused on her affection for her double as she worked to give Raven a release that wouldn't haunt her.
This time when she came Christy heard Raven's gasp and her struggling to not scream and wake up the others. Christy's body sagged back onto the mattress and she wrapped her arms around herself. "I love you." Christy whispered, putting as much of her emotion and sincerity into it.
"I'm sorry." Raven sounded tearful. "I didn't want her to be the last person… I wanted…"
"I wanted it too." Christy caressed her own skin gently, soothingly. "It's okay baby." Christy felt a little hurt that she'd taken Tessa's place for this, but she was glad she was a part of the healing. Hopefully it was part of the healing.
"I'm going to miss you so much." Raven said what Christy felt as well. "Can we separate and then you stay?"
"I wish I could be two people sometimes," Christy thought about that a moment and chuckled even though it wasn't all that funny, "Or three in this case. My Emma needs me. I have to go or they'll kill her."
"It's okay." Raven sighed. "I understand, it's okay. Let's get some sleep." So Raven didn't want to talk about it. Christy rolled onto her side, wishing she had someone to talk to about this relationship and maybe some privacy to actually do it. Christy hated hurting Raven and she really hoped that Raven understood she wasn't rejecting the woman, but she just wasn't free. God, this was insane.
………………….
In the morning Christy moved to stand in front of the window to stare at the snow falling gently to the ground. It was just a dusting of white at the moment.
"Do you want me to stay until you get moved?" Christy asked softly while caressing her arm and staring out at the beauty of falling snow.
"No, no, it's okay." Raven sighed. "You have to go. I understand."
"But I don't have to go now. I could stay a little longer."
"Christy." Raven paused and Christy turned to look at the mirror in the room so she could see Raven talking to her. "I love you, I do. I couldn't have done this without you." Done what? Christy wasn't sure she helped in any way really. "I never felt alone. Through that whole hell, you made me feel like… well, you were with me when Tessa couldn't be. Knowing, hearing how worried you were for me, how much you wished you could spare me. That meant something to me. So no, you couldn't save me, but what you did, I'll never forget what you did." Christy took a shaky breath when Raven paused. "But dragging this out, I'm not sure… They say you should rip the bandaid off fast, and with Tessa it came off so painfully slow."
"You want me to go?"
"No, not really, but I hate this feeling. This constant fear of what I'll feel like when you're gone. I need to start a new life, and maybe I need to start it fresh. Just me. I love you, but you have a lover to save and there isn't really anything you can do for me that you haven't already done." Raven's voice softened. "I wish… I know it would be strange, but I don't really feel like you are me and sometimes I wish we could be more, but… I can see how much you love her and I can't compete. I can't say that my being lonely is more important than her life."
"I think I love you more than I love me Raven." Christy felt proud of this double as Raven freed Christy to do what she needed to do.
"I'll be fine." Raven gave the mirror a small smile.
"Okay." Christy moved to smooth out some of her hair. "So will I."
"Let's do this." Raven's words had Christy moving to the door. Mystique was going to drive them to someplace they could separate, someplace with water.
…………………….
"A pool?" Christy stared at it.
"I didn't feel like trudging through the woods looking for a lake that wasn't frozen over or having to treat Raven for hypothermia." Mystique closed the door. "Think your little portal will fit in here?"
Christy just shook her head. Her little portal would fit easily, it wasn't really that large. They had warm water that didn't stink of mud and bugs and no trekking all over the place. This could work.
Christy stepped down into the hot tub and sat down as the bubbles stopped. She just sat there for a moment, ignoring Mystique staring at her from the other side of the room. She didn't want to go, not yet. This was new. "Okay then." Christy took a deep breath. Raven had to get on with her life, Christy had to go. A tear fell from her eye as Christy took off the sunglasses and set them outside of the hot tub. "Let's do this."
Christy pulled an arm out of Raven's body, the third arm grabbed the railing and pulled out more of a second body. Christy felt the cold of leaving Raven's warm body envelope her with every inch she managed to create and with a panting breath she turned to look at Raven sitting in the water with her. Christy felt the pull to scream and call her portal, it was almost unbearable to ignore with the amount of power she'd pulled in, but she did. Christy stared at Raven, who stared back.
"Beautiful." Raven whispered and Christy leaned forward.
"Just once, I need to hold you." Christy had to whisper, worried that Scythe might come with any loud noise she made at that point. "Just once." Christy wrapped her arms around Raven and held her tightly. Tears fell onto her skin and got absorbed into her. "Love you, always with you." Christy whispered before stepping away. She screamed and let Scythe form. Christy then stepped out of the water and formed pants and a shirt while she glanced at Mystique, a warning in her eyes, and a pleading. She needed Mystique to be worthy of the trust she was placing in her. The blue woman just glanced at Raven then back at Christy to nod.
"Wait." Raven called out before Christy could step into the portal. The sound of water moving and then the sound of footsteps that came to her. "One more thing." Christy turned and hated to see those tears in Raven's eyes. "Just one." Raven leaned into her and kissed Christy gently and slowly. "Get home safely." Raven's chin quivered and Christy could only nod because she didn't want to start crying.
The world faded and it felt strange to not have an Emma there to send her off, just a Mystique and her heartbroken double. The swirling lights and cold of her portal never felt more lonely. In her mind she prayed for some god to take care of the people she was leaving behind in this world.
CELINE DION
"Miles To Go"
I would walk to the edge of the universe for you
Paint you a crimson sunset over sheltering skies
I could learn all the world dialects for you
Whisper sonnets in your ear discovering truth
I could never worship pagan gods around me
I will only follow the path that leads me to you baby... always
Every step I take for you
I will always defend, never pretend
That every breath I take for love
I could never be wrong, the journey is long
With miles to go before I sleep, miles to go before I sleep...
I would carry the rock of Gibraltar just for you
Lifted like a pebble from the beach to the skies
I could build you a bridge that spans the ocean wide
But the greatest gift I give you would be to stand by your side
Some can criticize and sit in judgment of us
But they can't take away the love that lives inside us always
Every step I take for you
I will always defend, never pretend
That every breath I take for love
I could never be wrong, the journey is long
With miles to go before I sleep, miles to go before I sleep...
I won't run from the changing signs along the highway
Let the rivers flow to the highest ground created