"Get some rest," Artemis said buckling her daughter in.
"I'm not tired though!" Didge protested.
"It'll make the ride shorter," Artemis whispered humming a lullaby, before Didge could protest any more she'd fallen fast asleep.
Didge hated it when she dreamed. Pain, terror, hopelessness; it was the only thing that Artemis couldn't save her from. Today's nightmare lineup had been the usual: her head held under water until it felt like her lungs wanted to burst, someone slicing her fragile skin all over shouting at her for no reason, beaten 'til she was bloody, nothing she hadn't grown accustomed to. Then came something she hadn't expected: a pleasant dream.
She was about four and was on a picnic in the park. There was a lovely, warm, spring breeze and she was laughing and playing in the grass. She didn't have any scars yet and she somehow knew this would be the last time, before Artemis came, that she'd be happy like this.
"- - -!" a voice…no, daddy, called.
She ran over giggling and plopped down onto the blanket.
"Are you having fun?" a woman…no, momma, asked. momma was wearing a pretty, white dress with corn flowers embroidered on it. She had a pearl necklace with a matching pair of pearl earrings, and she had on her best pair of pantyhose.
"Mmmhmm!" she nodded, grinning. Grinning made momma happy, it was always good when momma was happy
"Sarah, do you want to get it?" daddy's smile meant she was gonna get a surprise for being a good girl.
"Stay here, hon. Ok?" momma grinned and went to get her surprise.
"Have I been a good girl, daddy?" She asked beaming. She already knew the answer, but she liked hearing it from him anyway.
"Of course you've been a good girl, princess!" daddy chuckled, ruffling her hair.
A few minutes later, momma came back and daddy asked her to close her eyes. She happily did as she was told and when daddy was sure she wasn't peeking, he put something in her lap. It was heavy, and wet, and sticky, and it felt smooth in some parts and stringy - like hair? – in others, particularly toward the top.
"Go ahead - open your eyes," daddy said, his voice sounded a little scary…like a villain's but she trusted him so she did.
Her gift was her own severed head. She screamed in utter horror but the nightmare was not over yet. The head opened its eyes and, after blinking for a few moments, opened its mouth and spoke with a voice that didn't belong anywhere near her vocal chords, "mommy loves you…MURDERER!"
Try as she might to get up and flee, she couldn't do so - her hands and feet were literally nailed to the floor of the basement that had appeared as the more picturesque scene crumbled away like in the Silent Hill movie.
"Pray you spawn of hell! Pray!"
She tried even harder to get up and get out of that room. As she struggled, she could feel the rust on the nails digging into her skin.
"Daddy!" she screamed, hoping He'd answer her prayer and send someone.
Almost as if on cue, the door burst open and Artemis came in with two others: a man and a young woman. The latter had amber eyes and the features and build of a geisha. The former was blue and looked like a cartoon devil.
"I'm here, sis!" the girl shouted, dashing over to her side, covering her up like a human shield.
"Didge, you have to wake up! The jet is in a nose dive and unless you wake up now and send power back through the system we'll all die." Artemis sounded scared.
She didn't like it when Mommy was scared.
Didge's eyes snapped open. She quickly unbuckled herself and dashed over to the cockpit. She slapped her hands down onto a button free zone and interfaced with the plane. She began to stabilize the engines and tried to ease it up out of its dive. Finally, a few hundred feet from the ground, she managed to pull it up again.
"Destination coordinates?" she asked in the telephone operator voice she always got when interfaced.
Kurt, who was utterly shocked and bewildered by the spectacle, gave them and watched in amazement as Didge turned the plane and flew it back to the mansion without a hitch and without moving her hands once from the dash.
When they landed, Kurt took Artemis aside and asked her the question that was on everyone's minds.
"Was war das?" Kurt hissed.
"Depends on what "that" is referring to. If you mean the girl we met in Didge's subconscious, that was Seera, she comes out to play when Didge is unable to cope with her emotions. She is also more powerful and has better control of Didge's electrical powers. If you mean when Didge fried the jet, that's what happens when she gets nightmares. Normally it isn't that bad, but as you could see that wasn't an ordinary nightmare," Artemis said, her anger thinly veiled.
"Calm down, Artemis! I don't mean anyone harm, I just like to know what's going on, especially if a small twelve year old could be the death of me!" Kurt replied, trying to calm her down but failing.
Before Artemis could open her mouth to speak, Wolverine came over.
"Listen bub, I don't mind that your staff is made up of kids and I don't mind that you're clearly in over your head. But if your pet ever pulls off a stunt like that again I swear I'll rip her to-" Wolverine didn't even have a chance to yelp before Artemis leapt onto him, swung around to his back, and pinned him in a series of fluid motions.
"You listen to me and you listen well. If you ever threaten my kids or staff again I will rip your throat out." Artemis snarled, her fangs bared.
"Sorry kid," Wolverine said before knocking her out. "She's all Chuckie's. I ain't touchin' the psycho."
Logan growled slightly at the girl and stormed out.
"Love thy neighbor, not kill them." Kurt sighed, shaking his head.
He went over to the girl and picked her up. She was a lot lighter than she looked for which he was very grateful. Kurt marveled at how fragile Artemis looked in comparison to just a few moments before.
"You can have my room, I don't think I'll get much sleep tonight anyway," he whispered to the unconscious girl in his arms.
When he finally got to his room, he laid her gently down on the bed and began taking off her shoes.
"I'll be right back," he muttered, before leaving to see if Storm had anything her size that she could borrow for the night.
Storm's room wasn't far from his but somehow tonight it felt like it was a million miles away. Finally he reached his destination. Noticing the door was open, he went in.
"Storm?" he called softly.
"I'll be out in a second, Kurt!" she replied.
As promised, a minute or so later she came out in her favourite white robe.
"What do you need?" she asked.
"Could I borrow one of your nightshirts? Our newest arrival is about your size and is in desperate need of a change of clothes." He could feel himself blushing, but he couldn't figure out why.
"Sure!" She went over to her dresser, pulled out a blue nightshirt, tossed it to him and with a smile said, "Tell her she can keep it."
Kurt gave her his thanks and went back. Artemis was still on the bed but her peaceful look had changed to one of fear.
"no…please judas…please," she moaned.
Kurt, against his better judgment, went over and bent down. Whether he was bending down to comfort her or wake her he'd never quite remember, but what happened next was forever etched clear as day into his memory. Apparently fighting back her invisible assailant, she lunged at Kurt and bit him in the shoulder. That alone was terrifying, but not quite as terrifying as the feeling of his blood being drained.
As to be expected, he screamed, which in turn woke Artemis, who then, seeing what had happened, ended up screaming herself. Soon enough, everyone else within earshot was there. The last thing Kurt remembered before passing out was Artemis crying and apologizing profusely.