All of these characters belong to Marvel and are borrowed without permission with no profit made.

Part Seven

"Come to send not condescend
Transcendental consequence
As to transcend where we are
Who are we? Who we are..."
 
 

From the first thought she could tell there was something wrong. It was dark. Too dark. She looked around the place unsure if this was a dream or reality. She decided on the first since she couldn't see anything that was man made in her vision range. Then she noticed that she was standing on a stairway. It seemed to be carrying on for miles, and she couldn't see the end of it as it swirled up.  After considering her options she decided to go up the stairs and find out what was going on and what she was doing here. She began walking then she noticed that the stairway was disappearing behind her. Every step she made the stairway behind her vanished. She understood there was nowhere else to go but upwards.

After few minutes of what seemed like pointless walking she got to the end of the stairway. It just ended out of nowhere. ^Well that was pointless.^ Psylocke thought. Just then a wall of fire blasted from nowhere in front of her.

She took few steps back but quickly realized that there were just few stairs behind her. She turned her head around again to find the fire gone and a stone path in its place. She could see a seat on the end of it, but it was facing the opposite direction of the path. Intuition told her to walk on that path. And she did. She slowly approached the end with small steps. When she was near she saw there was someone sitting in the chair, but she couldn't work out who or what it was.

"Ah Elizabeth Braddock. You have come a long way haven't you ?" said a voice from the chair, cold and emotionless.

"Who are you ?" Betsy asked in a demanding tone.

"No the question is who are you." the figure said.

"What's the meaning of this ?" she asked confused.

"You should know Elizabeth. It's your dream after all." called out another voice from the left of Betsy. She turned in that direction and saw a ghostly figure floating in the air.

"Roma ?" she said clearly surprised. "What are you doing here ?"

"I came Elizabeth, came to help you realize. Before it's too late."

The figure from the chair got up and walked up to them. Betsy could not recognize its face or body, she just knew there was something there. "Yes Elizabeth. You need to realize. But you're not going to because I won't let you."

"Don't listen to him Elizabeth." Roma said. "It's about your change Elizabeth."

"My change.... what about it ? I don't know anything about it Roma."

"That is not true. You know everything about it. It's all in there." Roma said pointing at Betsy's head.

"I know Roma... but... but I'm not powerful enough to get it out."

"Find the power Elizabeth. It's the answer. Not only to your question, to all of our questions."

"I... I don't understand." Betsy mumbled.

"You don't need to." the other figure said. It pushed Roma to the ground and grabbed the defenseless Betsy by the throat.

"Don't let it get to you Elizabeth !" Roma shouted from the ground. "Remember ! The answer ! Who you are. It's the answer. For all of us ! If you don't find it we're all doomed."

"Roma you need to explain more...."

"SILENCE !" the other figure shouted. Betsy finally thought about some self defense and punched the figure in where it's face was supposed to be. It was unprepared for that and it scowled in pain loosening it's grip on Betsy. She landed on the floor with a loud thump and a strange dizziness filled her head. She felt two hands choking her but she couldn't react. The world began going black around her and she could just hear one voice calling out in the background.

"The answer Elizabeth !"

"Who you are."

"Who are you."

"Who you are."

"Who you are."

WHO YOU ARE !!!!

***

Betsy woke up, with a scream. She sat up on the bed griping the sheets under her. Her face was cold with sweat and her heart was pounding like crazy. She had trouble catching her breath. She looked around her bedroom, and found it in it's normal state. "It's just a nightmare." she mumbled laying back down, while her breathing eased. "Just a damn nightmare. It doesn't mean anything."

***

Psylocke looked at the clouds slowly rolling over the blue sky. She decided she liked this. It was Remy's idea to go lie down on the grass and watch the clouds. It seemed stupid at first but now that she was there herself, watching the lazy clouds slowly moving across the blue sky, she had to agree with Remy. This was a beautiful thing. That and company of Remy, who Betsy had to admit it, was attracting her more and more. It was something, maybe not love but close that was between them. It was a feeling Betsy had not experienced in a long time. And her whole mind and body was joyful with her. ^If this is someone else's body then at least I know she loved being loved too.^ Betsy thought. ^No don't think about this. You're here to enjoy yourself, not to think how your body got changed.^ Then she heard Remy's voice.

"Betss, what is the deal with Alison ?"

Elizabeth lifted her head from where it was resting on his chest and looked at him. "Depends. Why ?"

"Nothin' I just wondered what was goin on and all. All I know is she went through the Siege like you. What was she like before ?"

"Alison.... Alison was different Remy. She was a musician, and then she joined the X-Men, and she died with the rest of us in Dallas. I don't think the life in Australia did her any good. Plus the affair she began developing with Longshot. And then he went away. And then few days later we got attacked by the Reavers and I made them go through the Siege. I remember asking Alison if she was scared, and she said that she was like hell. Now look at what she is."

"Is it really that bad ?"

"Yes, no.... actually I don't know. I guess I'm a bit jealous. She got what she wanted, she is a rock, grunge whatever star. Maybe not exactly how she wanted it, but she's a star. And me ? I got nothing. Even worse, I got this." she said pointing at herself.

Remy was about to say something but she stopped him and kept talking herself. "But the real Alison, she was different from the one we saw on tv. The one on tv, we could see pain in her eyes, she was hurting, she was not happy. The Alison I knew, no matter how bad it might have been, she would always try to keep her spirit up, and to look happy. The new Alison doesn't even try to hide her feelings, even if they are bad. And I suppose that's what scares me the most about her change. It's not how she looks now or what kind of music she plays. It's what kind of person she is now. You see when Peter went through the Siege he lost his memory too, and became an artist. But he mostly stayed the way he was, honest, simple boy from Russia with a great heart. Rogue stayed the same too. Havok.... well Havok was brainwashed, so we can't tell. Me, well I was different." she took a deep breath. "What I'm trying to say is that Alison changed and, until I see her and talk to her, and make sure she's okay, I'm not sure if she changed for the better. You know what I mean ?"

"Oui. Don't worry. You worry too much." he said. He grabbed her face and pulled it to his. They kissed for few long moments before letting go. She looked him in the eyes.

"I know. Remy ?"

"Yeah ?"

Betsy stopped before continuing. She was thinking if she should tell him about the dream. She had to tell someone. She couldn't just hide it all to herself, it would ruin her.... but could she tell Remy ? How would he react to it ? What if he thought she was a psycho ? She had to face it, she didn't trust him. Or maybe she was just scared... of her own mind ? She was scared... of telling anyone even Remy. It wasn't his fault. It was hers.

"Nothing." she said and kissed him again, to get him rid of any suspension.

***

Somewhere in the under ground complex of the mansion a secret meeting was held. Only few people were present, only few most important people. Logan smoking on his cigar, biting it with anger as he looked around the room. How could they even do this ? How could they hold a meeting about whether they should trust one of their long time members ? What has become of the X-Men ? A bunch of hypocrites ?

He looked at the faces in front of him. Jean, Ororo, Scott and the Professor. He still couldn't believe he was part of this. He heard Xavier talking to him. "Logan, we asked you on your say about Psylocke. Can we trust her ? Could she be a spy ? You should know most of us all, you were the one that found her."

"You want to know what I think ?" Logan shouted getting up to his feet. He looked everyone straight in the eye. "I think all of ya are a bunch of hypocrites. How dare you judge Betsy ?"

"Logan sit down and calm down." Charles said in a calm voice.

"No way Chuck. I'm not letting this one pass so easily. How can you guys do it ? Betsy has been the member of X-Men, since when ? When the Morlocks were killed. She saved our skins when we were in Australia more times than I can remember. She's a damn decent girl. And you come here to judge her ?! To decide whether you can trust her or not ?"

"Logan you have to understand us, we're trying to protect the whole team from a possible traitor."

"Bullshit. You're all just a bunch of hypocrites. Just because she changed. You don't trust her. How can you judge her like that ? Have you got any idea what she's going through right now ? And on top of that none of you will go close to her, or even be in the same room as her."

"Wolverine... I ... we...."

"See you're speechless, cuz you know I'm right. You've been treating Betsy like shit, this has to stop."

"Logan that is more than enough." Cyclops said standing up.

"You shut up Scott." Wolverine said looking him straight in the eyes.

"I'll shut you up." Scott said preparing to punch Wolverine. Jean grabbed his hand and looked at him.

"Sit down Scott fighting isn't going to help us." she said. Scott sat down beside Jean again and Logan looked at the Professor again.

"Wolverine you have to understand... we're doing this for the good of the team."

"No, you have to understand. Betsy is and X-Man, just like all of us here. And I trust her. That is enough. You are just hypocrites, all of you...." he said eyeing each and everyone of them. "And if I have to I'll stand on Betsy's side if you try to do anything to her then I will. And I won't be the only one. It's good to know that some of the X-Men actually care about each other. Unlike you guys. You should be ashamed of yourself."

With these words he turned on his heel and before anyone could say anything he walked out of the room leaving it silent. No one had anything more to say now.

***

Somewhere in the continent of Australia a happy man stood over a bed. Tears filled the corners of his eyes, yet they were happy tears, as this was his first son, to be born. "It's a boy Laura..." he said with a shaky voice.

His wife smiled at him and began speaking with great difficulty. She was still tired after the delivery. "That's good Mike. We'll call him Mike Jr. his eyes are just like yours."

"Oh Laura, I'm so happy. We have a son. A beautiful son."

"Yes.... a son." she said laying her head back on the pillow. She opened her mouth to say something more but she fell asleep. The nurse came up behind the man and advised him to leave his wife alone for few hours of the deserved rest she needed.

"Can I see my son again ?" he asked as he began to leave.

"You can go to the observatory room, he's in the bed no. 666."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome sir, and congratulations on your son."

"Thanks a lot." the man said walking out with a smile on his face.

He stared at the bed where the little creature laid for hours. He was amazed with it. He was so small, so fragile, he didn't even look human, as his little chest raised and fell with every breath. Finally after hours the man decided to take some rest too, as he could barely stand on his feet. As he walked away, he didn't notice that his son began moving uncomfortably in his bed. His little eyes began to glow with yellow light for few seconds.

Within few moments it was all gone and he returned to normal. Except his eyes.... they were black, filled with endless void.

End Part Seven