Memories
Gazing
Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men or any of their characters. Tora and Weapon X-ii are my own though.
Jean closed the door and collapsed onto the rec room couch.
"Whoever arranged this, I owe them my life."
"Merci beacoup. It is nice to be appreciated."
"You planned this Tora?"
"I needed a night off."
"So did everyone."
"So what are we doing first?"
"You tell me Rogue."
The green-eyed woman considered.
"Ah think we should revert ta childhood and play some stupid games."
"Like Truth or Dare!"
A chorus of excited voices from people who spent all day being responsible adults made it obvious Kitty's suggestion was a good one.
"What's Truth or Dare?"
Except for that. Everyone turned to look at Tora.
"We spin a bottle. The person it lands on chooses to answer a question truthfully or to do a dare. No backing out and once you've completed it, you get to spin the bottle and come up with the next question or dare."
Tora smiled slightly.
"Maybe."
Kitty grinned.
"Now where's a bottle?"
The game soon ended up in ruins, with embarrassing secrets brought to life. After Tora came up with several humiliating questions, when it was Kitty's turn she gulped.
"Dare."
Tora smiled. She'd trapped her.
"I want you to go downstairs, into the lounge, and kiss the man you love."
Kitty glared at her but everyone was watching, so she dropped through the floor. When, after ten minutes, she still hadn't returned, Jean leant over and hugged Tora.
"Finally…"
The laughter ran out through the room. And then Tora's vision blurred and she was sitting in the rec room, only Etana was sitting on the chair opposite, in the middle of some story.
"Well I told Leo, I said 'Look Leo, this isn't going to work. I know, I have wings.' But he didn't listen to me and I ended up rescuing him when he jumped off the wall. And then it was all 'Oh, Etana, you were right all along, please forgive me'… Tora? Tora?"
Etana slid off her chair and clasped Tora's hands.
"This isn't a dream or a hallucination. It's just the beginning. I'm afraid it's going to get worse before it gets better. You see…"
"Tora? Are you alright?"
Jean was shaking Tora's arm and Etana faded away.
"I'm fine. …Just a little tired."
Phoenix reached out to her face. She looked identical to her, so unlike the other woman, whose mask had distorted the one uncovered side of her face until she was almost unrecognisable. Maybe she shouldn't have forced her to take on the burden that had been in a single moment's indecision that resulted in immortality. Jean still felt the guilt of forcing her companion's mind to accept it's unearthly lodger.
Tora finished placing the final decorations on the tree. All the students were either at home or in the Eyrie that Etana had willed the Xavier Institute. The X-Men were on a low risk mission and Tora was at home alone. She stepped off the ladder and smiled. A surprise for the others, with spirits low as Charles was with Lilandra on the Imperial Centre. Walking upstairs, Tora laughed at the thought of Logan's present hidden under the Danger Room, the only place he wouldn't be able to tear up in search of it. Laughing at his not-so subtle questions to find out what she had got him, Tora walked upstairs. In her room, she placed Jamie on the floor and started wrapping the presents, stopping to place a sticker on his head and laughing at the look on his face. She leant over, pulled it off and planted a kiss to his forehead. A noise downstairs made her laugh.
"Papa is home Jamie. Let Maman take you down to see him."
The baby gurgled in her arms as she walked downstairs. She was about halfway down when her nostrils flared. It wasn't Logan, or any of the X-Men. She knew that scent! She knew it! Then a blast destroyed the stairs, and, unable to catch anything with Jamie in her arms, Tora fell, managing to twist so she wouldn't land on him. A foot was planted on her stomach as she lay winded, running a check on her vitals. Heartbeat? Fine, only a few bpm above average. Breathing? Yes, although minor diaphragm spasms could lead to hiccups. Jamie? On that thought she bucked upwards, trying to displace her unseen assailant. Her arms were suddenly pinned to her sides.
"Now, you see, I thought only the little maniac's boy could help me, but you are so much stronger. Of course, it has not reached full strength, but you have more control. How else would you have locked it away all these years? I will have to take you both, in case you do not survive the process. And you will obey me, if your son is threatened, yes?"
She snarled and tried to get the leverage to launch upwards.
"Ah, ah, ah. No we don't."
An all to familiar silver box was lifted into the air. She struggled further, trying to get out from under him. Then her brain howled and she felt it go into shutdown, screaming all the way.
"Jamie…"
The man smiled and got up. He picked up the baby and placed him in the chest cavity. Then he slung Tora over one shoulder, the extra forty kilos from the adamantium mattering little to him. He walked out of the front door and stepped onto the private jet.
"Where to sir?"
"Latveria."
Phoenix shuddered.
"Evil geniuses are so…evil."
"I am going to pretend you never said that. It was either incredibly deep or incredibly stupid. I wonder which one it was? And yes, that was a rhetorical question."
Hank frowned.
"Incoming call from the Avengers. And the Fantastic Four."
Scott set the Blackbird onto autopilot and spun his chair round. Hank accepted both calls and soon had Reed Richards and the entire Avengers roster yelling at him.
"…letting them stay alone, completely undefended, with his mutation…"
"…end of the world…"
"…unless we agree to his demands…"
"ONE AT A TIME PLEASE!"
"I think it would be better Steve, if we just showed them."
"Fine Reed. This was just broadcasted on all channels."
The screen went fuzzy and then Dr Doom stood there, resplendent in his armour.
"Citizens of the world and my soon-to-be subjects. Listen well for your master is calling. Doom has a mutant with the ability to see alternate realities…"
"JAMIE!"
"Shut up Logan! Listen to the megalomaniac."
"…unless the world leaders surrender to Doom by midnight tonight, I will tear the veil between the worlds open. And to prove it, I show you my captive. Her…"
"Her?"
"…should recognize her."
The camera panned, revealing Tora hooked up to some evil looking device, her head lolling to one side. Doom pulled out a silver control box and flicked a switch. As they watched, Tora shook her head slowly then jerked upright.
"JAMIE!"
The footage cut off there.
"But… But…"
"We are going to Latveria RIGHT NOW!"
"Agreed. The X-Men don't leave one of their own in danger."
Jean shuddered. The number of times Doom threatened to destroy the world was impressive. He never gave up, never seemed down for long. Like the proverbial bad penny, he kept turning up.