Memories
Dreaming of Eternity
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Curt shuffled backwards away from the man with the flamethrower. The rest of the Young Avengers were already captured and tied-up. Curt raised a hand.
"You do know that if you hurt me you'll have someone out for your blood. Literally."
The man laughed but then a very cold voice rang out.
"Get away from my boyfriend if you don't want to be found a shrivelled, bloodless husk."
Curt glanced over his aggressor's shoulder.
"Bat-babe, you are the best girlfriend I have ever had."
"Curt, don't call me Bat-babe and also, I'm the only girlfriend you've ever had."
"Yeah, so I suppose you're also the worst. I didn't want to call you that though cos you'd tear my head off. Also, you've shot down every single vampire-related pet name I've tried. You've got to let me call you something vampire-related. I think that's in the Constitution…"
"No it's not."
Her fangs flashed pearly-white.
"Now, will you let them go or will I have to break every bone in your body? I can, you know. I have the strength and I spent a lot of time around Wolverine. And if you don't let him go, I'll tell his mother and she'll come and break everything I've missed, including a few things I didn't know you could break. She hates anyone who threatens her kids. And I really wouldn't like to upset her. She's been known to destroy small islands when that happens."
The man considered, then dropped the flamethrower. Jubilee bared her teeth again.
"Smart move. Dragon gets really $£% *& off with people who threaten her family. I should know. I once saw her tear Bastion in two for hurting me. And I think everyone saw her little episode last night."
Curt sat up and massaged his wrists.
"Jubes, I really think I'm totally in love with you."
"Get up and rescue your team. Also, you owe me a new t-shirt. This one's got spit on it."
Curt grinned, flipped over and went to cut through the ropes holding his teammates before coughing.
"Everyone, this is Jubilee; X-Man, vampire, former New Warrior under the name of Wondra and my girlfriend."
She grinned and held out her hand.
"Also former mall-rat, Gen-X member and Wolverine's sidekick. Yes, I finally admit it."
Wiccan was the first with his hands free and took the offered hand.
"Hi. You know, your trading card was totally epic."
She shrugged.
"Yeah, except they were totally unsolicited. The X-Men never saw a cent. Which would have come in handy when we were rebuilding. Again. And again. Our bases have a habit of getting destroyed."
Curt nodded.
"That or Xixy blows them up when doing some crazy K'Meeri ritual to Dragon. Maman keeps telling him that if he's so willing to serve her, all he has to do is bring her a cup of coffee and keep the paperwork to the minimum but he seems to think she wants kibosha sacrificed to her. Maman doesn't approve.
"What's a kibosha?"
Jubilee laughed.
"It's a sentient vegetable from M'Keer. It tastes like rotten eggs but it's considered a delicacy there. Possibly because it's the only plant that runs around the plate when you tried to eat it."
Speed wrinkled his nose.
"That's just wrong."
Jubes shrugged.
"You get used to aliens if you're on the X-Men. It's kinda forced on you."
"Oh, the X-Men and aliens. You could write a book."
"Phoenix, I do believe I wrote several."
"Yes, but no one read them. They were all boring and about their culture."
"I found their cultures interesting."
"Yes, but you're an idiot. In the nicest possible way."
Death stuck her hand up.
"I read them."
"Norin, Norin, Norin…"
Everyone turned to see the woman in blue walk towards them.
"Really Norin… Your lack of faith in me stings."
She looked at Galactus and spoke in a curious, spitting, hissing, barking tongue. Galactus replied in the same and she nodded.
"He'll help us."
"Shouldn't you be…I don't know, asleep?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Librarian of Reality, remember? I'm not the sort to fall asleep. Nightmare has no power over the Dragon. Who seems determined to cosmic bubble wrap me. So, Chaos? I would normally just hit it until it curls up and begs for mercy but I assume that isn't an option."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Right, we have the Asgardian Thunderer, a Skyfather, the World Eater, a nymph and an Eternal. The Prince of Power and the avatar to a cosmic entity that prefers to file stuff in triplicate before doing anything. And we're going up against the very unmaking of the universe? We're all doomed…"
A portal opened and a being staggered out, a being made of fire that was dull.
The Malach Hamavet raised her head.
My Mistress has fled. My Chosen have fallen. I throw my lot with you. Save my Chosen. Save the Afterlife.
Tora smiled slightly.
"Okay, the odds have just shifted tremendously in our favour."
Tora jerked up, hand glowing silver then she relaxed. The thing with the Chaos King had been months back. She worked on lowering her breathing and heartrate. Closed her eyes and leant back. This was getting ridiculous. She hadn't had an uninterrupted night's sleep for close to four weeks now. She concentrated on her breathing, but that wasn't helping. She shoved the covers off and walked to the window. Logan shifted and groaned but then his breathing evened out. Tora reached out carefully.
Emma?
The reply came almost instantaneously. It may be almost midnight at the school, but for Emma it was nine and therefore Tora knew she'd be on her last shift in Cerebra.
Tora. How are you?
What do you think?
Nightmares?
All the time. I can't even sleep anymore.
I… I could shut your mind down for you. A deep, dreamless sleep.
Could you?
Yes, but I'd need to go deep. Very deep.
Tora stiffened.
We both know that's a bad idea. A very bad idea. You know what happens if people go too deep into my head.
I know.
And you're prepared to take that risk? Just to help me sleep?
You need to be rested. You're taking on work at an inhuman pace. I've seen you. You teach a full day at the school, work triple shifts with the X-Men and then go off and work with the New Avengers. Tora, you're killing yourself with all this.
Tora laughed almost bitterly.
What?
I remember telling Logan exactly the same thing.
Get back to bed. I'll flip the switch. You'll wake up in six and a half hours, after a dreamless sleep. I bet that's the best you'll have had in a while.
Thanks. Oh, before I forget. Here's everything we've been doing since our last little chat.
Likewise. I hope you find it…informative…
Tora moved back into the bed, lay back and felt sleep wash over her for what felt like the first time in far too long. The last thing she did before surrendering to that elusive embrace was to move over and slip her arms around Logan. And then they were both asleep, looking for all the world the way they had five years before. At peace, with themselves and the universe.
Phoenix almost touched the water but drew her hand back at the last second.
"I shouldn't…"
"You can."
Death glared at their host.
"That's against the rules."
"Who cares about the rules? Not now. Go on Jean."
Phoenix smiled.
"It's been a long time since you called me that."
And then her hand plunged into the water and she sent a dream back to the sleeping woman. A dream of hope.
Tora was standing on a mountain, feeling the wind whip through her hair. She felt so at peace. And then she heard laughter and turned to see Jean, Kurt, Eva and Etana walk towards her, arms linked as they waved.
"Tora!"
"But… You're dead…"
Etana rolled her eyes.
"Do we look dead to you?"
"No…"
Kurt slipped his arms out of Eva and Jean's and grasped Tora's hands.
"This is a dream. But it's also a reality. We are here for you. All of us."
Tora turned to Eva.
"So… If I… If I tell you…"
"There's nothing to be sorry for, Xii. Thank you, though."
"For what? I got you killed."
"No. You set me free. You protected me. Thank you, Xii. Thank you for being there for me."
Tora smiled weakly then suddenly burst into tears and flung her arms around Eva's neck.
"Thankyou!Thankyou!Thankyou!"
"For what?"
"For showing me how to be human."
And then Tora turned to Jean. Raised an eyebrow.
"This is your doing, isn't it?"
"I cannot confirm or deny anything."
And then they were hugging and laughing and crying all at once. And Tora turned to Etana. The taller woman inclined her head graciously.
"I'm so very proud of you, Tora. I hope you know that."
Tora held out a hand. The shake was stiff and formal and then Etana scooped up Tora.
"You're a complete and utter idiot, you know that?"
Tora managed to untangle herself.
"Etana, I'm slightly worried about your defence mechanism of insulting those you care about."
She shrugged.
"I'm too old to change. Old dog, new tricks, all that rot. But you. You have the chance to change the world. Don't spoil it, Tora. Don't ruin this second chance."
Tora nodded, tears streaking down her face. Then Kurt clapped her on the back.
"Why are we being all doom and gloom?! Come on! We're alive! We're young! Well, most of us are… Let's spare the sorrow for later!"
When Tora woke in the morning, she felt better than she had for almost as long as she could remember.
Phoenix stared at their host who seemed to be getting some colour back in her face.
"This is taking a lot out of you, isn't it?"
The woman nodded.
"I need to do this. I… I need to put it to rest. Before I die."
"You're going to die?"
The woman nodded.
"It's a luxury that's been denied to me for too long."
Phoenix held her hand out.
"You'll… You'll still come back? Every now and then?"
"Probably."
"Good."