Memories

Truth Behind Lies

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She stood in the darkest corner of a room in a castle in Scotland.

The tiny silver orb set with sapphires lying on the desk started buzzing. A graceful black hand scooped it up and silver eyes examined it. Etana placed the orb back on the table and pressed the largest stone to halt it. She hung her head sadly.

"It is done."

Then, telepathically

You're dead. Or pretending to be, anyway.

She spoke out of the gloom.

"And it has not yet ended. Go. The X-Men need you. And Etana? You mustn't tell them the truth. That will come with time. And they cannot know you know. Understand? Even Hunter mustn't know."

The Black Angel turned towards the shadows. A single tear soaked her midnight fur.

"I know."

Tora nodded, and faded away.

Death rolled her eyes.

"Far too much mystery. Why could she never be forthright?"

"Like you were never forthright with Thanos about how he kept irritating you with his stalking?"

"OI! That was completely different."

"Yes, billions died because of it."

Etana entered the warehouse and rolled her eyes. Theatrics aside, this really was getting ridiculous. She heard Logan almost noiselessly integrate himself in the shadows. Almost being the important word.

"My Lady."

Silly and over the top, but she couldn't quite resist.

"Dispense with the 'My Lady' nonsense, Etana."

Especially seeing as that's what you're meant to call Mistress Death.

Tora swirled into existence, a figure cloaked in flowing ice. Etana's eyes sparked with a certain amount of warm humour. She hadn't had this much fun play-acting since she was Ariel to Will's Prospero.

"Would 'Master' suffice?"

This was stupid. They'd known each other by their true names for centuries.

"If you feel that is appropriate," –the veiled sarcasm made Etana want to laugh- "then yes. But do not call my human 'Master' before I become this. Which you will miss. I am sorry, Etana. I wish there was another way."

Etana inclined her head and then felt a sudden, desperate urge for something. This was to be their final meeting like this, with Etana alive and Tora…well, Tora as the cloaked Dragon who was dead yet not quite.

"I understand. But with your power… Can I have one gift?"

"You may have more than one, as you know."

"The other mes. The other realities… Do I ever gain peace?"

The slightest of smiles played across Tora's face.

"Yes. In some, you do not die and he still loves you. In others, he survives the fighting and comes back to you like he promised. In all those worlds, you live happily and may finally age."

Or kill yourself content that there are others able to fight your war.

Etana shifted slightly, her whole face softening. Tora felt a flash of sorrow.

"You still love him."

It was a statement, not a question. After all she already knew the answer.

"More than I ever thought possible. He tried to kiss me again when we were alone last time. I was rather hurtful. But I don't want him hurt. I have less than a year."

Tora nodded slowly. Then she reached out and gently teased the memories of other Tora's into Etana's mind; of a happy, cheerful, loving couple in a multitude of worlds…

"This is the sixtieth anniversary of the end of World War II and look who we have in the parade today! It's the remaining Invaders! CAPTAIN AMERICA, well does anyone need introducing to him?! And NAMOR, King of Atlantis, Ruler of the Oceans! Line-up Ladies, this royalty is hot, hot, hot! And speaking of hot, where would we be without THE HUMAN TORCH! There he is, ladies and gentlemen, the best robot in town! And with him, TORO, the former Flaming Boy, now head of the Super-Human Advice Helpline! Is there anything that boy can't do? Oh, and here we have BUCKY! Look at that guy, he's been everywhere he has! Oh, and who could forget MAGNETO! Hero of the hour and leader of the Mutant-Human Relations Board! He's the guy making sure everything goes tickety-boo with our neighbours! Oh, and who could forget that soaring angel in the skies! It's SHADOW, beloved of all the world –except anti-Semitists or neo-Nazis! She's older than this country, but she doesn't look it! Everyone cheer the INVADERS!"

Another world…

"What? Please tell me someone had guessed?"

Steve's ears were going brighter and brighter red. Etana slowly let go of his uniform, which she'd used to pull him down into the kiss.

"Oh, come on. Surely one of you had a clue? I mean really? For pity's sake, who else would I go out for dinner with regularly? Or for that matter, who else would Cap go out for dinner with regularly at the same time I go out for dates? Oh, come on…"

Worlds flashed by, faster than the blinking of an eye.

The way she picked him up to spin him around, shouting "we won, we won!" over and over again.

The laughter of the old couple, hands interlaced as they sat, watching their grandson play on the mat.

The giggle that slid from Professor Toledano's lips as he bowed. "May I escort the gentle lady to the carriage?"

Etana looked up, a tear streaking her face.

"Thank you…"

"The time of rebirth nears. When Hunter comes, you must sponsor her entry into the X-Men."

And don't gloat too much about being a clever-clogs and working it out.

"I understand."

"She knows you know. She saw you at the funeral."

Etana flushed a little.

"I needed her too know she wasn't alone."

"It is appreciated. And keep an eye on Logan for me."

Dragon took over; as it often did when it came to discussing the future it didn't want Tora to know.

Tora faded back into the conversation just in time to announce she was behind schedule. What schedule? Infuriating scaly reptile, shutting her out! Etana was nodding.

"Agreed."

"You better go. A certain man is determined to get your feelings out in the open."

There was the slightest of slumps in Etana's shoulders.

"He knows why I don't let him see how I feel about him."

"He can see exactly how you feel. He wants you to act on them."

"Not going to happen. I won't hurt him more than I already have."

"Maybe you are hurting him but refusing to love him."

Now the slump was definite, dejection projected to their silent audience.

"I try to refuse him, try to tell myself I'm not in love. It hurts so much. But I…"

She swallowed and averted her eyes.

"I'll go. Discus-Boy will want to talk."

"Give him my regards. On second thoughts, don't. I'm supposed to be dead. He won't take it well."

"Suppose to be dead now or now?"

"Well, both actually. You know about now for you. For me, I committed suicide. Again…"

That made one suicide by Wolverine, one suicide by Breakworld tech –which she didn't count, no matter what Logan said – and one suicide by black hole, even if she didn't remember it very well. She let a wry smile catch her lips.

"Things got a little out of control."

"As they always do."

They shared a fond smile.

"Goodbye, Etana."

"Goodbye, Master."

Their gazes locked and there was the slightest of nods. This would be their last meeting. Well, Etana's last meeting with Dragon disregarding a few excursions to the Afterlife and the regrettable DD incident. Etana vanished in a blaze of white light –a peek at the Afterlife –and Tora turned to the shadows. Pity. Logan had always been so horrified by this incident and it was a collection of misdirection and party tricks.

"I know you are there."

He stepped out and her ghostly breath caught as the moonlight illuminated his face. Logan. Her Logan. And then he lunged at her, claws out and wrenched down her icy hood. The look of horror on his face made Tora want to scream that it was alright, that his wife was alive and actively seeking a return to him. His claws had impaled her chest, right where they had accidentally punctured in the woods where she ended both their suffering.

"Sorry. So sorry…"

I'm sorry I lied. Sorry I made you cry. Sorry I wasn't the woman you needed me to be.

Her face dissolved into that of the Dragon.

"I take a form that means much to me. Tora is precious."

"Was precious, you mean!"

His face registered incandescent rage and his other hand slammed right into her face as she whispered "Sorry" and she dissipated, falling to the floor as droplets of water and shards of ice.

"Ouch."

"What? It shouldn't have hurt."

"I'm referring to emotional and mental scars, Death. Not physical ones."