500 Miles

Epilogue

By Princess Alexandria

Christy sighed heavily as she watched the circus that the beach had become. Shortly after Tessa came to shore a group of guards the cyberpath had arranged to visit the area, claiming it was a training exercise, swarmed. Christy stared as someone kneeled beside Scott and then nodded to the two men nearby. They had to know it was real by now. The stretcher was picked up and they moved toward the ambulance. Christy's eyes moved over to see Jean standing in the middle of another group, her arms chained behind her. The redhead looked at Scott and the look on her face haunted Christy.

Logan was already in the back of a van. Emma was angrily talking to the guard, trying to protest the protective measures. The handcuffs were unnecessary, even Christy knew that now.

Mystique's hand rested on her shoulder gently and Christy just stared as chaos reigned around them. This was home, and it seemed crazy. Christy felt like she was out of phase, unreal and out of time. She knew this feeling, she was in shock. She remembered feeling this on her own world a few times, but she also knew how to work through it. Her emotions were just turned off. They'd come back later.

"I need to do something." Christy whispered. She'd let the others take charge, but Emma was upset and Jean was crying. Christy moved toward them as she watched a guard unlock the cuffs on the redhead. Emma had better know that Jean wasn't going to go after vengeance, but if the woman wanted it Christy preferred to be the target. She walked up to them, and a few people moved out of her way.

Jean stared at her, and Christy straightened her shoulders and stared back. "I am sorry to inform you that Charles Xavier and Peter died." Christy's jaw clenched as she noticed the shocked flinch. She waited for the attack. "I miscalculated. I didn't know about the woman."

Jean's eyes went back to staring out at the water towards the boat. With the added light from the guards vehicles it was somewhat visible now. "You didn't know." Jean whispered, her voice rough.

"Remy is also dead." Christy spoke flatly and Jean turned to stare at her. The redhead was looking a bit stunned at the death count now. "I will attempt to contact the healer that saved Emma." Christy's voice softened. "For Scott." A little sympathetic pain was eating through her numbness and Christy's eyes softened. "If it makes you feel any better the Professor died quickly."

That earned her an angry glare and Christy just sighed quietly and waited to see if Jean would lash out. Emma was too close, and it made Christy a little nervous. Her eyes traveled to the blonde for just a moment to check how close she was.

Emma was staring at her a little too intensely as well. Christy didn't lower her shield but she suspected that Emma was a little surprised at the body count as well. When Christy looked back Jean was staring at her.

"So are you saying the others didn't die quickly?" Jean glanced over toward the ambulance again.

"Why don't you go with him?" Christy said, instead of answering. It appeared to be answer enough, because Jean looked haunted. The redhead just nodded and moved toward the ambulance, leaving Christy and Emma behind her.

"That's quite the body count." Emma spoke quietly, sounding casual. It wasn't a casual question though.

"If I thought she was a risk at all I would have killed her too." Christy said while watching the redhead walk away. "And I always liked her."

"The her you read about?" Emma asked and while other people were around Christy noticed no one was bothering them for a change. Christy looked around and found that Tessa was now the center of the commotion, and the dark haired woman met her eyes for a moment.

God Tessa looked good, in control, able to do it all. Christy felt a bit of envy and another part of her compared the woman to a slightly younger version she'd met before. Christy just nodded her thanks for the reprieve and turned to face Emma. "Yeah, but that isn't here." Christy sighed. "Are you okay?"

"I feel like I should be asking you that. You're blocking me, you never do that." Emma sounded just a little cautious, and she glanced over at Mystique as well. Mystique was watching from a distance and looking just as protective as she had been for days. That had to set off alarms in Emma's mind.

Christy gave Mystique a small smile and nodded, acknowledging her caring and hoping to encourage Mystique to calm down. Christy was okay, well shaky and starting to feel the effects of the battle now, but okay. Emma's worried eyes were cracking the numbness even more and Christy kind of missed not feeling as she glanced over at Jean stepping into the ambulance and thinking that it was almost her stepping into it for Emma. It really could have been her following her lover to the hospital and wondering if she'd find herself alone come the morning.

"We really need to contact the Healer." Christy said, unartfully dodging the question.

"Tessa said she'd already called her." Emma glanced over at the dark haired woman. "I don't know when she found the time." Christy suspected that call went out before the battle, it was a good idea. Another reason to be grateful Tessa was on their side. "I brought you out here for a romantic weekend." Christy watched as Emma looked at the beach sand and then stared back at Christy. "Just the two of us and apparently a squadron of unwilling assassins and a team of guards." Emma's voice sounded resigned. "Christy." Emma took Christy's elbow gently and started to push gently indicating she wanted a little more space between them and all the others. Christy bit her bottom lip to prevent herself from just moving into Emma and seeking her touch, her reassurance. She hated the damned distance they maintained in front of others, because Christy needed to touch Emma and feel her, she needed to lower her shield and feel the mental touch that would let her know she really was home.

She couldn't lower the shield until Emma knew, but they couldn't even talk with all of these people here. Emma took her hand and it was awkward, because Christy could see a few guards noticing and suddenly realizing those rumors were true. "What happened? How did you turn it around and end up on the boat?" Emma glanced at Mystique. "And how did you know where I was taking you? Or even talk her into guard duty?"

Emma was piecing the puzzle together and coming up with a plausible conclusion, the wrong one, but it sounded pretty plausible to Christy. It was more realistic sounding than the truth.

It was time for the truth.

"Emma." Christy sighed and glanced behind the woman at the other people. The ambulance was leaving, and a few other vehicles, but there was a small handful of guards still surrounding Tessa. "I didn't turn it around like that." Christy's eyes moved to those of her lover and she sighed as she let some of her pain show in her own eyes. She couldn't really put off saying this now. "I've been lost for over a year and a half. I just managed to come back to a time a little before the attack and try and set up some defense." Emma's eyes widened and her jaw dropped just a little as she stared at Christy. "It's been 19 months since I held you, can we please go inside?" A tear trailed down Christy's cheek. "It's so hard to not hold you now. I thought I might never see you again."

"Oh my god." Emma whispered and a moment later Christy found her lover pulling her close. "Christy." Emma whispered into her hair and held her tight, ignoring the audience and just being there for Christy.

Christy's body started to shake and she held Emma as tightly as she could do safely, being mindful of her strength. "Oh God I've missed you." Christy managed to say as her eyes stung with tears.

"I think you had the right idea. Lets go inside." Emma pulled back and took Christy's hand, using her thumb to caress the back of it. "Let's go inside." Emma said again, staring into Christy's eyes. Christy followed her, grateful that Emma didn't let go. Christy needed the touch to feel it was real. No other Emma held her hand, looked at her with love. This was her Emma.

"Tessa, your people can patrol the outside all they'd like, but no one goes inside." Emma ordered as they passed the others. Christy moved to look at Tessa a moment as they passed, Tessa who was doing her job for her and she nodded just a little in appreciation. Tessa nodded back and then turned to talk to the group of four she had with her.

Mystique stared at Christy and then moved to join Tessa's group. It was enough to have Christy tearing up a little. Mystique was lowering herself to babysitter, that's what she called the people who did Christy's work, and she was doing it so Christy would feel safer tonight. Christy knew her friend well enough to know why Mystique wasn't going to go find a nice warm bed to sleep in tonight.

It seemed like Christy just blinked and she found herself standing in the living room with Emma. She looked around the room, took in the warmth of the fire. Her eyes widened as memories of last being here washed over her, and the promise this weekend had held back then.

Emma was watching her as Christy finally moved to look at the woman. "I remember when we had our first anniversary we were interrupted with the American's trying to block supply ships from reaching our shores. We had one nice meal and then had to go back to work." Christy swallowed hard and reached out to Emma's hand, holding it while standing in the middle of the room. "And this time we were attacked." Christy took a shaky breath. "I hope our third anniversary is boring."

"I'll do my best to make it as boring as it can possibly be." Emma spoke gently. Christy took a shaky breath and stepped back to sit on the couch, never letting go of Emma, so Emma was forced to move to the side and sit as well. "What happened?" Emma asked and Christy felt the wave of tiredness and the need for closeness. She didn't want to do this talk yet again this week.

"Just hold me?" Christy asked hopefully. "I just need you to hold me." Emma leaned back and Christy partly crawled over her lover's body, resting her head on Emma's chest. She wasn't there long before she started to cry. Her body shook and her throat hurts as she clung to her Emma, and Emma caressed her back in silence.

…………………

Christy rested on Emma for a long time and she lost track of when she fell asleep, but when she woke up she grimaced as she considered how sore her lover would be from laying at this angle. She slowly and carefully backed off of Emma and stared at the woman who had fallen asleep holding her. Christy moved quietly to stand and just watched Emma sleep.

The night before, well Emma's night before, she hadn't gotten much rest. Christy remembered that fondly.

Wiping her face of lingering tear tracks Christy moved quietly toward the kitchen for water. She found a glass and filled it, before she heard the very soft knock on the backdoor. At first her body tensed, but then she knew there were guards out there and attackers wouldn't knock.

Christy slowly opened the door to find a dark haired woman. Tessa stared into her eyes for a moment, briefly and most likely she'd analyzed a million things from that one stare. Christy waited. "Emma dropped something on the beach and I told her I'd find it." Tessa spoke quietly, correctly interpreting that Emma was sleeping not too far away from the way Christy opened the door. Tessa held out a small bag, very tiny really and Christy hesitantly reached out to take it. "It's her's." Tessa spoke that a little more slowly, and it felt like a warning to not open it.

"Thank you." Christy glanced past the woman at the rising sun over the water, and the beach. The sand was trampled, clear evidence of a rough night. Finding something this small out there had to be challenging, even for Tessa. Christy carefully put the bag in her pocket, but she continued to lean on the door as her eyes moved to Tessa again. "For everything." She added quietly, her eyes lingering on Tessa's face, and trailing over her clothes. It was more than she'd worn at the Hellfire club, but the cut and the style still left a lot visible, not as much as Emma tended to do, but Tessa had no shame left either.

"I've arranged for guards for the afternoon, but then we really need to go back to the capital and figure out what we'll be doing with the captives." Tessa moved a little to the side and stared out at the water. "I had someone fish Peter's body out of the water. It took a crane, he tends to sink."

Christy sighed and stared out at the boat now clearly visible. "Give the bodies to Jean." Christy debated for a moment. "There is another body, I buried him. I'm not sure she should get his. I worked him over to get information."

"I'll have him cremated. She won't see it." Tessa was looking at her again and Christy just nodded, it was a good solution. Still Jean would know why, but she could only guess as to how bad it had been. People tended to underestimate in situations like that, wanting to believe it was a peaceful death. Christy sighed heavily, feeling the weight of her mistake. A lot of people suffered and died in this latest mess, and Christy knew that most of the blame fell on her.

They stood quietly for a moment longer, and it felt awkward to Christy. She blushed just a little as she realized she had been looking for affection and reassurance in those eyes, but this Tessa wasn't the one she remembered, and even that affection hadn't really been hers. This Tessa looked a little puzzled, but that was covered quickly. "You do know you'll need to file a report."

Christy sighed heavily and nodded. "I think you should rely on Emma's more, because this happened a long time ago for me. I'll mark what's old news and what's new." Christy stepped outside and quietly closed the door behind her. She crossed her arms in front of her and quietly watched the water and the sun beating on it for a long moment. "I screwed up Tessy." She whispered and then cringed a little as the pet name escaped her, she barely knew this Tessa and that had been Raven's pet name for her own Tessa. The silence felt too long before Christy just forged forward. "I think maybe my judgment is off, too off. I can't be her lover and her guard." Christy grimaced, this wasn't a new thought. She'd had plenty of time to analyze what went wrong on this beach, almost two years to come to the conclusion. "I'm going to resign. I'd like to offer your name in my place. This never would have happened if you'd been her guard, you never would have made the mistakes I did."

"Emma will say this isn't your fault." Tessa pointed out as they took another step away from the house.

"She'll say it for the same reason that this happened, because she's my lover. She has to support me when I'm down, but really she should fire me for allowing us to even leave the capital without guards." Christy's jaw clenched for a moment. "I caved way too easy on that and I've had a long time to think about this Tessa. I know you," Tessa's eyebrow rose, because Christy hadn't known her all that well, "and I trust you. I can't say I'd trust anyone more with this."

It was a little disconcerting to stand still and watch Tessa study her, reading between the lines. "Mystique told me you'd been to several worlds and been gone a while, but she was unable to tell me what you'd been through." Tessa glanced toward a car for a moment and then back. "But I suspect that after she returned to you she found out. She appears to be very troubled. She also has been giving me a few strange looks tonight, as if measuring me, evaluating me."

Christy sighed very heavily and considered her words carefully. Emma hadn't even been given any answers yet. "Why don't you just say what you want to know Tessa. I know you notice a lot."

"You're haunted, Mystique's worried and hovering, and you look at me with far too much affection. You are skittish for you, and while others night not notice those that know you well, and I, do notice. You are talking about giving me a job protecting Emma, who we all know you'd die for and you claim to trust me more than anyone. We've barely had any dealings in the past. Two times I went out with you and a team for training exercises. I could go on and describe your nervous fingers fidgeting as we talk, or how when you were nervous last night you would look for me. That a nod from me seems to reassure you that things are okay." Tessa stopped talking and Christy grimaced, knowing Tessa could go on even more.

This was not a conversation she wanted to have. "I met a Tessa in my travels." Christy spoke softly and moved just a little further still from the house, wanting to distance this conversation from Emma, who still didn't know. "It made me regret not getting to know you better." Christy stopped talking, but her eyes slid to the side to look at the woman next to her. "Look, a lot has happened to me in the time I was gone, but I learned from it. One thing I learned was that I can trust you."

"She was a double, not me." Tessa spoke quietly, but Christy noticed a softening in her eyes.

"She was my double's lover." Christy whispered. She didn't elaborate on more, but Tessa's eyes seemed to take in every little movement, and the small blush on Christy's cheeks. "I may have," Christy bit her lip and turned to stare at the water. "well, you get the idea."

"Why?" But Tessa coupled that with a soft touch to the arm and Christy stared at the touch. Tessa, this woman, didn't touch anyone often.

"I met her at the Hellfire club." Christy wrapped her arms around her as if she were cold and swallowed hard. "She was undercover, and I was a prisoner." Christy's eyes fell to the ground. "Emma will forgive me won't she?" She asked quietly. "It's just, it was hell and you…" Christy shook her head, "She was so tender with me." Christy's eyes were a bit haunted as she looked up at a thoughtful looking Tessa. "Was this Hellfire club like that?"

"It was rather decadent." Tessa spoke slowly.

"Did they rape people for fun here?" Christy asked and noticed the flinch Tessa had. "Did you get abused like that too?"

"No, I can't say they did. Sex was given freely, and while the sex I had was in keeping with my cover, it wasn't rape." Tessa had that expression, the one that looked so familiar to Christy now, concern.

"Good." Christy just nodded and looked away. Silence filled the air and Christy remembered the guards suddenly, her eyes widening as she glanced around to reassure herself that none were close enough to hear. The few she saw were far off and partly hidden, but it was enough to make her feel this conversation stayed private. She didn't see Mystique.

"I'll take the job while you're on sabbatical." Tessa spoke after a long silence. "Just long enough for you to feel you can do it again, because you can. You've learned an important lesson, and I think you'll be even better than you were. People respect you, and they know better than to cross you." Tessa's hand rested on her shoulder for a moment, squeezing gently. "I'll see if I can get Mystique to agree to stick around, to cover some of your other tasks." The shapeshifting and impersonating, Christy's mind filled in. "I suspect she'll agree to a temporary placement as well, but don't forget it will take two people to replace you."

It was a compliment, and Christy felt undeserving, but it did make her feel a little better. "Where is she?" Christy glanced around again, seeking the blue skin and red hair.

"She's taking a nap in the back of the car." Tessa pointed out the car in question.

"Okay." Christy nodded and then as she glanced at the house she noticed a shadow moving in the kitchen. Emma was awake. "I should go."

"I'll take care of everything." Tessa told her. "Oh, and you might want to know that the Healer was able to help Scott."

"Good." Christy nodded and turned toward the house. "Tessa, I," She stared at Tessa a moment. "I loved her, my double loved her." She whispered and leaned a little closer to the woman. "I know it wasn't you, but you don't deserve to be alone."

There was a small hint of a smile on Tessa's lips. "I'll keep that in mind." It was spoken softly and the gentle touch to Christy's cheek was a surprise, but Christy closed her eyes and leaned into the hand that appeared to be wiping at her tear tracked face. "I'm not that Tessa, and you need to remember that. Emma will forgive you, but she'll watch our interactions carefully once she knows." It made Christy's eyes open and she backed up a little, ashamed of failing the test Tessa had given her. "I think maybe we can get statements about the attack another day. The two of you are safe enough here, and I'll make sure the guards are trustworthy. Finish your weekend." Tessa nodded and turned, walking away without looking back.

………………..

Emma was sitting so still. Christy stared at her, every moment going by making her more and more nervous. It had been incredibly fast compared to the first time Emma had gone through Christy's mind for her past, that had been years ago and their link made what took days happen in mere minutes. Christy could feel her lover out of her mind, and stared at her as the blonde sat still with her eyes closed. Christy stared as a tear trailed out and then another as Emma absorbed and processed what she'd taken.

Christy watched as the tears fell faster and she moved slowly, quietly, to wrap her arms around Emma and hold her. This was a bad idea, she should have walked Emma through it, sure she'd have to experience it again, but Emma was alone as she watched.

Emma's hand took a hold of Christy's arm and she held her tightly, in fact that strong grip would have left bruises on other people. Emma's breathing was fast and unsteady as she went through Christy's memories and all Christy could do was hold her.

When Emma slumped back a little, seeming boneless, Christy suspected that the telepath was done. Emma's eyes stayed closed, and her hand didn't let go of Christy. "I don't deserve you." Emma muttered and moved a little. "You're love for me, I don't deserve something that strong."

It was a bit of a surprise that Emma would even think this and Christy pulled the woman tighter to her. "You saw what I did?" She forced herself to ask, wishing it was just one instance of a horrible act, but there were too many.

"You survived for me." Emma turned a little and her face was still damp with tears. "You survived for me." Emma's voice was firm and her hand was cold as it caressed Christy's cheek. "You went through hell and you never gave up."

Christy just stared at Emma a moment, realizing that Emma hadn't missed those instances, she just wasn't going to acknowledge them. Christy's jaw dropped just a little as she felt a wave of relief and gratefulness. Emma forgave her.

Emma held her and they sat in front of the fire quietly for a while. Christy could tell that Emma was still processing, still trying to grasp it all and she stayed quiet so that her lover could. To suddenly have a year and a half of experienced dumped into her head had to be hard to adjust to. Christy really didn't know how telepaths dealt with that.

"Your capacity to love is part of what drew me to you." Emma spoke quietly. "You loved every version of me you found. I think I can forgive if you loved a little more than that as well. I'm grateful that you had Raven and Tessa. You're right, I can forgive that."

"I won't." Christy's words trailed off as she considered her words. "I won't cheat on you again."

"I know." Emma spoke gently and caressed Christy's arm. The silence was normal after that, it was a pattern establishing where Emma thought and then spoke. Christy found it easy to just stare at the fire and wait. The soft touches continued as Emma distractedly caressed her while she thought.

"I don't care that this Sebastian didn't do those things, he will never set foot in our country, neither will Selene." Emma's voice was hard. "I won't let them near you."

Christy's body shuddered at the thought of seeing those two at a function. She hadn't even considered that was a possibility.

After another long silence Emma's stream of consciousness thinking was verbalized. "One Emma said something true, if I can't see how much you love me I don't deserve you. I promise I see it." Emma hugged Christy tight. "I do see it." She whispered. "I love you too."

After a little longer Emma got up to go to the bathroom and freshen up. Christy watched Emma walk away and she sighed heavily once she was out of sight. This would be okay. It wouldn't be easy, not everything, but it would be okay.

A few minutes later Emma was standing in the doorway looking composed and beautiful. "Christy I know the last time we took a walk on the beach it didn't go so well, but I really want to walk on the beach with you." Emma glanced at the window. "It's daylight still, we have guards and no privacy. Will you come with me?"

Christy felt puzzled at the way Emma was really pushing this and she stood up. This time she took her gun and Emma didn't protest, just stared a moment and then looked away.

They stepped outside and Christy noticed that it had turned into a nice day. It hadn't started sunny, it had been rather gray. Emma took her arm and they started for the beach. Since the house was on it they mostly moved to the edge of the waves and started to walk along the path. Emma stopped in the same spot she had the last time and turned to face her.

Emma's voice was soft. "This is where I met you." Emma glanced down at the ground under them. "this is where you landed when you came to this world that first time and I knew there was something special about you right away." Christy stared silently, feeling the practiced words. Emma stared into her eyes. "I brought you here for a reason Christy, and I know you've been gone for a long time, but my feelings haven't changed." Emma reached into her pocket and pulled the bag Tessa had Christy give to Emma out and Christy's eyes widened in shock as Emma moved down, falling to one knee and looked up at her. "I can't imagine my life without you in it. I'd planned this." Emma held up a ring. "I'd intended this in the beginning and seeing how much you love me I couldn't possibly mean this more. Marry me. I made it legal in this country and I had us in mind when I did it." Christy's jaw fell. "I promise," Emma stared into her eyes. "The country can screw itself if it doesn't approve, because I'm not hiding this anymore. I'm tired of stolen moments, just as tired of them as you are. You deserve more. So do I." Emma held the ring up and Christy slowly moved her hand out so that Emma could take it. Emma smirked just a little. "You have at least one line in this my dear."

"Yes." Christy said shakily. Her mind traveled to Mrs. Taylor-Frost of that other world and the jealousy she'd felt, along with the pity at their situation. Taylor-Frost sounded pretty good. Emma took her hand gently and slid the ring on. It fit perfectly; it wouldn't fall off in a tough situation. Christy stared at it and then into Emma's eyes.

Emma stood up and hugged her tight, before pulling her into a kiss. Somewhere someone was clapping slowly but Christy paid no attention.

As they pulled apart Emma glanced over Christy's shoulder. "If this hits the news before I make my announcement I'll know it was one of you that spilled and you'll wish you hadn't." Emma smiled at Christy and spoke softer. "I'd like to at least get to see their faces when I announce I'm getting married to my bodyguard."

Christy blushed and chuckled a little evilly, knowing what a cliché that would be. She didn't bother mentioning her sabbatical just yet. Emma would understand her need for a break. It was just a break; she let herself believe that now.

…………………..