Chapter One: The Edge of Reality

The sun was a lazy golden disc, sinking into the horizon, casting long shadows over the rugged terrain where the X-Men had found themselves. The mission was supposed to be routine—just a quick check on a suspected mutant presence in a remote area. They had done this a hundred times before, each time returning with nothing more than mild fatigue and a few dirty boots. This time was no different, or so they thought.

Mark moved with fluid precision, his eyes scanning the landscape as they approached a cluster of abandoned buildings. His senses were heightened, not by danger but by something far more personal. Hidden within the depths of his pocket was a small velvet box, its weight a constant reminder of the decision he had made. Today was supposed to be the day. He would propose to Kitty, the woman who had stolen his heart.

Kitty Pryde was just ahead of him, her brown hair tied back in a loose ponytail, bouncing slightly as she walked. She turned back to flash him a smile, her eyes sparkling with the easy confidence that came with years of fighting side by side. Mark's heart swelled with love and anticipation. He could already imagine the look on her face when he asked the question. The thought of spending the rest of his life with her, sharing both the quiet moments and the battles, was all he needed to keep going.

The two of them, along with their team, moved deeper into the abandoned complex. The air was thick with dust, and the fading sunlight cast eerie shadows on the crumbling walls. Mark reached out with his power, feeling the pull of the matter around him, the atoms and molecules that made up the world. He could reshape it all if he wanted, bend it to his will, but right now, all he wanted was to focus on Kitty.

"Stay close," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "This place gives me the creeps."

"Always," Mark replied, stepping closer to her, their hands brushing. It was a small gesture, but it grounded him in the reality of the moment, a moment where they were together, and nothing else mattered.

But something was off. Mark felt it before he saw it. A slight tug at the edge of his consciousness, a ripple in the air that was out of place. He reached out further with his powers, trying to pinpoint the disturbance. Kitty noticed his change in focus and turned to him, concern etched on her face.

"Do you feel that?" she asked, her voice tight.

"Yeah," Mark murmured. "Something's not right."

Before he could say more, the world around them seemed to shift. The air grew thick, almost suffocating, as a low, sinister laugh echoed through the buildings. It was a sound that sent chills down Mark's spine, a sound that was all too familiar.

"Mastermind," Kitty hissed, her body tensing, ready for a fight.

In an instant, everything changed. The world around them dissolved into a nightmare. Mark felt the ground beneath his feet give way, replaced by a swirling vortex of images and sounds. He reached out for Kitty, but she was gone, swallowed by the hallucination that was consuming them.

"Kitty!" he shouted, his voice lost in the cacophony of chaos. He tried to use his powers, to manipulate the matter around him, but it was like trying to grasp at smoke. Nothing was solid, nothing made sense. He was trapped in Mastermind's twisted game, and there was no way out.

And then, through the haze, he saw her. Kitty stood just a few feet away, her eyes wide with terror, her body rigid as if she were fighting something within herself. Mark's heart raced as he struggled to reach her, but the ground seemed to stretch on endlessly, keeping them apart.

"Kitty, it's me!" he called out, his voice hoarse. "Fight it! Don't let him control you!"

But she couldn't hear him. She was trapped in her own nightmare, a reality where nothing was as it seemed. Mark watched in horror as her eyes glazed over, her hand slowly reaching out in front of her. The air around her began to shimmer as her powers activated, phasing through the boundaries of the world around her.

"No… Kitty, stop!" Mark's voice was desperate, but the distance between them was insurmountable. He watched, helpless, as her hand extended towards him, wielding her trusted tanto.

The pain was instantaneous, a searing agony that tore through his chest. Mark gasped, his breath catching in his throat as he felt the cold blade of her tanto pierce his flesh, reaching deep into his body. His vision blurred as he staggered back, clutching at the wound, but there was no stopping it. He could feel his life slipping away, the warmth of his blood pooling beneath him as he crumpled to the ground.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, the nightmare ended. The world snapped back into focus, the hallucination fading away like a bad dream. Kitty stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock, staring down at Mark as he lay bleeding before her.

"No… no, no, no!" she screamed, dropping to her knees beside him. Her hands trembled as she reached out, trying to undo the damage she had caused, but it was too late. The reality of what she had done crashed down on her with the force of a tidal wave, drowning her in guilt and despair.

"Mark, please… please, no!" she begged, tears streaming down her face. "Someone help! Please, someone help him!"

The other X-Men were already moving, rushing to their fallen comrade, but they seemed to move in slow motion, their faces masks of horror and disbelief. Kitty's cries echoed through the air, a sound so raw and primal that it cut through the silence like a knife.

Mark's vision was fading, the world around him growing dimmer with each passing second. He could barely make out Kitty's face, her features blurred by tears. But even in the midst of the pain, all he could think about was her. The woman he loved, the woman he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with.

"Kitty…" he whispered, his voice barely audible. He reached up, his hand trembling as he tried to touch her, to comfort her, but his strength was slipping away. "I…"

And then, darkness.

The X-Men worked with the precision of a well-oiled machine, but there was no mistaking the urgency in their movements. Logan barked orders, his voice calm but strained, as they carefully lifted Mark's limp body onto the transport. Beast was already assessing the damage, his face grim as he prepared the necessary equipment to stabilize him. The atmosphere was thick with tension, a suffocating weight that pressed down on everyone.

Kitty was a wreck, her body wracked with sobs as she clung to Mark's hand, her knuckles white from the strength of her grip. She couldn't look away from his face, couldn't tear her eyes away from the pale, bloodied features of the man she loved. Her mind was a whirlpool of self-loathing and disbelief, the memory of what she had done replaying over and over in her head.

"Kitty, we need to move," Storm said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. Her voice was soft, but there was an underlying urgency that made it clear they didn't have much time.

"We need to get him back to the mansion, and you need to be strong right now." Cyclops said, his tone firm but not unkind.

The word 'strong' felt like a slap in the face. How could she be strong when she had just… Kitty squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the images that assaulted her mind. The feeling of her powers slicing through Mark's body, the sound of his pained gasp, the way his blood had soaked into her hands… it was all too much.

"I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry…" she whispered, over and over again, as if saying it enough times could somehow undo the damage. But deep down, she knew it was useless. No amount of apologies could change what had happened.

They managed to pry her away from Mark just long enough to get him secured, but she was back at his side the moment they were airborne, clutching his hand as if it were a lifeline. The rest of the team was silent, the usual banter and camaraderie replaced by a heavy, oppressive quiet. No one knew what to say, no one knew how to comfort her, not when they themselves were struggling to process what had just happened.

It felt like an eternity before they finally reached the mansion. The medical team was already waiting, rushing to take Mark into the infirmary, but Kitty refused to let go. She followed them, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched them work, her eyes never leaving Mark's face.

"He's stable, but just barely," Beast said after what felt like hours. He looked exhausted, the strain of the situation evident in the lines on his face. "The trauma to his body was extensive… he's in a coma, but we've managed to stabilize his vitals for now."

The words hit Kitty like a sledgehammer. Coma. The reality of it all came crashing down on her, and she felt herself crumble. Her legs gave out, and she would have collapsed if Storm hadn't caught her, holding her close as she broke down completely.

"Shh, it's okay… it's okay…" Storm whispered, but Kitty could only shake her head, her body trembling with the force of her sobs.

"It's not okay," Kitty cried, her voice thick with tears. "It's my fault… I did this… I hurt him…"

"No, Kitty, you didn't," Storm said firmly, pulling her into a tight embrace. "Mastermind did this. He made you see things that weren't real. This isn't your fault."

But the words offered little comfort. How could she not blame herself when she had been the one to strike the blow? How could she ever forgive herself for what she had done?

The others stood by, helpless to do anything but watch as Kitty fell apart. Cyclops clenched his fists, his jaw tight with frustration and anger. He wanted to find Mastermind, to make him pay for what he had done, but that wouldn't change anything. It wouldn't bring Mark back, it wouldn't heal the wounds that had been inflicted on all of them.

Jean Grey, who had been silent the entire time, finally stepped forward. She placed a hand on Kitty's shoulder, her touch gentle but grounding. "Kitty, listen to me," she said softly. "Mark is a fighter. He's not going to give up, and neither should you. He needs you to be strong, to be there for him when he wakes up."

The mention of Mark waking up sent a flicker of hope through Kitty's heart, but it was quickly drowned out by the overwhelming guilt and fear that consumed her. "But what if he doesn't wake up? What if… what if I've lost him forever?"

Jean knelt down beside her, looking into her eyes with a calm, steady gaze. "You haven't lost him. Not yet. And as long as there's a chance, you have to believe that he'll come back to you. He loves you, Kitty. That love is strong enough to bring him back."

Kitty wanted to believe her, wanted to hold onto that hope, but it felt so fragile, so far out of reach. All she could think about was the blood on her hands, the sound of Mark's voice as he told her he loved her, and the way his eyes had closed as the darkness took him.

"I love him too," Kitty whispered, her voice breaking. "I love him so much…"

"We know," Storm said softly, brushing a tear from Kitty's cheek. "And that love is what's going to keep him fighting. You just have to hold on a little longer."

Kitty nodded, but the weight of her guilt was crushing, a constant reminder of the terrible mistake she had made. She could only hope that when Mark woke up—if he woke up—he would still be able to look at her with the same love he had always shown her.

But for now, all she could do was wait, and pray that the man she loved would come back to her.

As the night wore on, the mansion was quiet, the usual hum of activity replaced by a sombre stillness. Kitty sat by Mark's bedside, her hand gently resting on his, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She had refused to leave his side, unwilling to let him out of her sight for even a moment.

Mark lay still, his face pale and peaceful, as if he were simply sleeping. The machines around him beeped and hummed, their rhythmic sounds the only indication that he was still alive. Kitty watched the rise and fall of his chest, each breath a reminder that he was still with her, even if only in body.

"Please come back to me," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I don't know what I'll do if you don't…"

The silence of the room was oppressive, the weight of her words hanging in the air like a heavy cloud. She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against the cool surface of the bed, her heart aching with the intensity of her emotions.

"I'm so sorry, Mark," she murmured, her voice breaking. "I didn't mean to… I didn't know… Please, just come back to me…"

The only response was the steady beeping of the machines, a cold, clinical reminder of the situation they were in. Kitty felt a fresh wave of tears well up in her eyes, but she forced them back, determined to be strong, just as the others had told her.

But as the hours ticked by, the uncertainty gnawed at her, the fear that she might never see his eyes open again, never hear his voice, never feel his arms around her. The thought was too much to bear, and she found herself sinking deeper into despair.

All she could do was hope, and wait, and pray that the man she loved would find his way back to her. And as she sat there, her hand clutching his, she made a silent promise to herself.

No matter what it took, she would bring him back. She would fight for him, just as he had fought for her so many times before. Because without him, her world was empty, and she couldn't imagine a life without the man who had become her everything.

As the first light of dawn began to filter through the windows, Kitty stayed by Mark's side, her resolve unwavering. She would not give up on him. She would not let him go.

Because love was stronger than anything Mastermind could throw at them. And she would hold onto that love, no matter how dark the path ahead might be.