X
The flames danced at the edges of the cobblestone path as she walked along, barefooted and only in her tank top and shorts. She continued walking, her brown eyes focused on the figure ahead of her. The stones were cold and made her shiver with each step she took. The flames seemed to writhe against the hold that was containing them. Suddenly, the figure ahead of her made himself painfully visible.
"St. John!" She extended her hand to him and a smile lit her face. It faded as soon as she saw the expression on his face. Pure, unguarded hatred. "W-What's wrong?" She was suddenly surrounded by a circle of hot, orange flames. His emerald eyes held her enthralled. She felt tears slide down her face. "Why are you doing this to me?" Her voice was soft; filled with pain and love.
"You betrayed me." With each cold word, his flames darted closer to her, wanting to lick her faultless skin.
"I swear to you that I never did any such thing." She continued to look into his eyes as the circle of fire around her grew smaller. He said nothing more. Instead, he lifted a hand and snapped his fingers, allowing the circle to close around her.
X
Amara let out a small cry and sat up, panting heavily. She did not disturb anyone and she didn't want to. Looking around her to make certain that no one was in the room, she rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face in the pillow. After a moment, her shoulders began shaking and soft sobs escaped her lips.
Why was she still having those nightmares?
X
"'Mara?" Someone knocked on the door but she didn't feel like moving. She felt tears form again in her eyes. "Are you feelin' all right?"
"I-I feel a little sick. I'm not hungry so..." She buried her face back into her pillow, muffling out the remainder of her words. She had absolutely no appetite and her stomach protested even against the word food. The door opened and she could hear someone enter.
"Amara." She looked up to see St. John accompanied by Rogue. Both of them were staring at her. John reached out and touched her face, where one of the one of the last tear trails resided, causing her to flinch.
"I-I couldn't sleep last night. I fell asleep about an hour or so ago." She stated.
"You ain't gonna go to school, then. I'll tell the professor." Rogue left the room. John stared down at her with a frown on his face.
"What happened?"
"I-I just had another nightmare. I feel so sick..." He reached out to hold her but she jerked away from him and fell off the bed. She winced. "P-Please... just leave me alone for a while." He nodded slightly and left her there, closing her door behind him. Suddenly, she didn't feel like moving. At all.
X
She had taken a bath around noon and then went downstairs and got a glass of water. She wore sweat pants, a baggy t-shirt, and her hair was pulled back in a messy bun with a few dark, damp strands framed her face.
"You okay?" Logan asked, raising a brow when she entered the kitchen. She shrugged listlessly and got her water and a few aspirin then left for her room again. Who knew that nightmares could be so damaging? She didn't know. She got into her room and looked into the mirror, frowning at the way she looked. She had bags under her eyes, which were red, and she looked pale. She touched her face, where St. John had touched her before and made a face, remembering why she even looked like she did. She was almost afraid to sleep. Almost afraid to face her nightmares.
"If I have another one, I will not sleep."
X
John tossed his backpack on his bed and followed after it. He had just gotten home from an extremely LONG day.
"I feel so bored." He murmured, biting back a yawn. "And tired." He stared up at the ceiling. School, in his opinion, sucked majorly. He felt worse than when he was with Magneto. He winced. That was something he preferred to never remember again. Suddenly, something flashed in his mind. He got up and went to the room next to his. He paused to listen for sounds before knocking. He heard a whimper and went inside, instantly paling at the sight before him. In the furthest corner of the room, curled up and shaking, lay Amara. He closed the door and rushed to her, afraid of her reaction when she saw him. "Love?" She stiffened and lifted her head.
"Why do you...torment me?" He stared at her in shock. Tears ran down her face; falling from her dark brown eyes.
"What are you talking about?" He reached out to her but she sat up and slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch me." His eyes widened. Her words hurt him. The coldness and hatred in her eyes made him want to crawl under a rock. "Don't ever touch me again."
"Amara, have you lost it?" She glared at him as her body convulsed with the sobs that she fought hard to contain. "What is happenin' to you, Sheila?"
"Get away from me. Leave me alone!" Of course, since she screamed at him, everyone decided to gather at the doorway.
"What did I do? I haven't been here all day!" She lurched out and slapped him. He lifted his hand to the stinging red mark on his face. "Amara..."
"Just go. Get out of here!"
"I don't understand..." He felt hurt and betrayed. Why was she doing this to him? What was wrong with her? He didn't even know if he wanted to find out. With the way she was acting, he was ready to go crawl under his bed to hide. The dark depression in her eyes escalated to anger. There was something wrong with her. This was not his Amara. This was not the one he loved. His eyes watered but he willed himself to blink the tears away.
"What's goin' on?" Logan finally spoke up, breaking the silence that had developed. Amara's eyes flashed and she fixed her gaze on him. He suddenly turned around and stared at everyone. "Get out of here, now!" Soon the room was empty and the only two left in the room were kneeling on the floor. John frowned, now knowing that Amara was not herself.
"Please tell me what I did to make you this way." He pleaded, his voice like a low whine. She glared down at him then made her way to the door. He stood up and pulled her back, until they were both sitting on the bed. She was struggling with him, her fire beginning to scorch his skin. "Amara!"
"Let go of me! Now!" She nearly transformed but he stopped it. He stared at her with a deep frown.
"Amara, calm down and tell me what happened." She only struggled more. He tightened his grip on her shoulders and she let out a sharp cry.
"Let go!" She squirmed.
"No! Not until you tell me what you think that I did!" He glared at her sternly. It was tearing him apart to have to do it; to have to see the wild look in her eyes.
"Haven't you caused me enough pain? Aren't you done torturing me?" She fell still, her only movement was the way she was trembling.
"What are you talkin' about?" Her tears ran rapidly now.
"You are the cause of my nightmares. You are going to make them come true, aren't you? I thought you loved me..." He stared down at her. Why was she the only one, now? Last time, it had been the others, too. Could someone be invading her mind? He pulled her to him and started rocking back and forth.
"I swear to you that I ain't doin' anything. You just have to believe me."
"But... he told me. He told me what you have been doing to me." He looked down at her with wide eyes.
"Who told you?"
"I... I don't know. He didn't give me a name." She tried to get away from him again but he held her as tight as he could. "He was inside my mind. He kept telling me of my greatest fears..." John smiled suddenly and kissed her quickly before letting her go and running to the door.
"This is it, 'Mara! We will figure this out. I have to talk to the professor." She stared at the door after he left and put her fingers to her lips. What was going on? She was so confused. What had just happened?
X
John paced the floor, waiting for Amara to get done with Professor X. He was anxious to get himself in the clear with her. He did not want her to accuse him anymore. He didn't want to get slapped again, either. Remy was sitting in a chair in the room, watching him pace. He sighed in his boredom. He had inspected his fingernails twice, read every magazine in the room once, flicked through channels on the television three times, watched John pace in between each activity, and had shuffled his deck five times.
"Will you stop pacing? You're making me want to fall asleep." The Cajun was bored to death. He wanted to take a nap or get up and make something to eat. Oh, yeah, and he had made two trips to the bathroom and drank ten sodas and two bottles of water, not to mention blew one up when he saw something floating in it.
"I never was the patient type, was I?" Remy snorted at the absurd idea.
"'Ell no. You even went so far to lighting our clothes on fire to get us out the door. I believe that was after you turned the water off." John sighed as his friend spoke. So, he had never been patient. Some weren't gifted with it. "I also seem to remember the time you lit the stove on fire and then-"
"All right already!" He preferred not to remember that incident. Then the door opened and Amara came out, a faraway expression on her face.
"What happened?" Remy asked, standing up. This was the moment he had been waiting for ever since he got in the room.
"The professor sorted everything out. I guess the one that invaded my mind had made me think my dreams were visions of the future." John stood where he was, not really sure what he should do. She bit her lip. "I'm gonna go to the kitchen... I haven't eaten all day." After she left the room, Remy put his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"I hope things'll work out."
"Me too." They had no idea what to expect next.
X
That's all I got for you for now! Sorry for the wait. I got sick of it myself so I finished it today.
1-17-05