Title: So Dream While Secrets of Darkness Unfold
Author: Morgana (morganalebeau@yahoo.com)
Website: http://www.oocities.org/morganalebeau/
________________________________________________________
So Dream While Secrets of Darkness Unfold 2
By Morgana
Remy spent most of the day walking the streets of London. Time travel had always seemed impossible to him, but now that he found himself in London in the nineteenth century he wondered who had sent him there. The last thing he saw in his own time were two red eyes and now he wondered if Sinister had sent him here. But why? Sinister should know that he would try to stop the physician from aligning himself with Apocalypse.
And tonight Essex expected him to join them for dinner. What had possessed him to say yes? Rebecca. I'm worried about her. I know she'll die shortly... It was unthinkable that he could change history and he wasn't so sure he should try. Messing with the timelines might make things even worse.
When would he leave this place and time again? He didn't know. In the meantime he had to make sure he didn't do anything that would make things worse. What about saving Essex from those thugs? Didn't I already change history? Mon Dieu, this is giving me a headache. He cursed privately; he didn't even have modern day's meds; he would have to ride out the headache.
The throbbing behind his temples made him return to the hotel. He would search for an apartment later. Money wasn't a problem and he could stay at the hotel as long as he wanted. Should he run out of money again, he could steal and sell another artifact.
He returned to his hotel room and sank down on the bed. He still had a few hours left before he had to join Essex and his wife. Before lying down he had closed the curtains and the darkness soothed him. He still had to get used to the lack of noise though. It was amazing how quiet life was without TV, radio, modern cars and hard music.
Although he tried to stop his thoughts from running in circles, they once again returned to Essex and Rebecca. Was there a way to stop Essex from becoming Sinister? And weren't Jean and Scott supposed to be here?
Tired, Remy closed his eyes and pushed deeper in to the comfort of the mattress. The comforter filled with goose feathers was warm and comfy. Within minutes he was asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hours later he startled awake again. "Merde!" He jumped out of bed and was thankful when the headache was gone. He opened the curtains and found that it had already grown dark. His biological clock told him that it was time to get moving if he wanted to arrive at Essex' home at time.
If he hadn't woken this late he could have taken a hot bath before entering the lion's den, but now he only had time to change into a black suit, which he had bought this morning. The black velvet felt awkward against his skin but apparently it was this year's fashion. He quickly slipped into leather boots and draped a heavy black cloak over his shoulders. Rushing out of the room, he headed for Milbury House.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rebecca sat in the living room, trying to concentrate on embroiling a handkerchief for her husband. Lately she had been feeling depressed, guilty and helpless. It had started after losing Adam. It was probably a normal reaction for her to grieve, but what made it worse was that she had assumed full responsibility for Adam's death, driving herself in to a cloud of dark depression. It was her fault that Adam had died. The fact that Adam's mutation had caused his death didn't register with her. Her husband had always maintained that Adam could lead a normal life as long as he managed to control his mutation, but things had gone wrong quickly.
Adam's bones, already deformed at birth, had become brittle. Soon he was unable to move properly and right before his death his ribcage had collapsed. She had sat crying at her son's side when Nathaniel had arrived, raving loudly and mad as hell that he hadn't been called in time. His son was dead now and she had seen the look in his eyes; he blamed her for Adam's death.
Her needle work dropped in to her lap and she stared at her belly. The birth would take place within a week. She could go in to labor any moment now. She was afraid. Nathaniel had increased the emotional distance between them and had stopped touching her. They only spoke when necessary and Nathaniel locked himself up in his lab at night, only emerging during the day to eat. She wasn't even sure he would be there for her when she went in to labor. Would he supervise the birth himself or take her to a hospital and leave her in the hands of the doctors?
Massaging her temples she wondered if she would survive this birth. Adam's had nearly killed her. He had been too big and Nathaniel had performed a caesarian. She still carried the scars from Adam's birth on her body.
"Mistress? It's almost eight o'clock. I wanted to let you know that dinner is ready and can be served." Martha, the maid and cook, worried about her mistress.
"Thank you, Martha. I should get ready to greet our guest." She dismissed changing her clothing, which would take too long and she was too tired to go through the ordeal. "Where's my husband?"
"Still in the lab." Martha disliked her mistress' paleness and wished she could somehow help Rebecca, but her hands were tied. She turned around, and headed back for the kitchen where she would wait for the signal to serve dinner.
Rebecca closed her eyes. Her mind however didn't quiet down; it was alive with doubts. For some time now she suspected that her husband was experimenting on human beings, at least that was what the cries ripping through the nights told her. Once she had tried to sneak in to the lab, but her belly had hampered her and Nathaniel had noticed her. He had scolded her, ordering her to leave at once, which she did, but now even darker fears were eating away at her. Had Nathaniel taken Adam from his tomb and was the body of her dead son downstairs in the lab?
Tears rolled down her face. She had no one to confine in. Martha had already threatened to leave because she disliked Nathaniel and Rebecca couldn't bear losing her only friend in the house.
Tonight I'm going to the cemetery. I need to know if Adam's body's still in the tomb. If the tomb is empty I know that Nathaniel's taken him. My dear God, what do I do then? How can Nathaniel use our son for his experiments? Please let Adam's body be inside the tomb. The baby kicked, drawing her attention. I'm so sorry, little one. I don't think we will make it...
The doorbell forced her to stop her musing and she slowly rose from the chair. She was heavier now than when she had been pregnant with Adam. She didn't know if it was a good or a bad sign.
She watched as Martha opened the door and then their guest stepped inside. His red on black eyes were partly hidden behind his long locks, and she wondered if maybe she could confide in him. After all, he had caught her when Nathaniel had pushed her away.
"Good evening, sir." Playing the hostess, she approached him, but shivered when the cold that surrounded him sneaked up on her.
"Madame, you look beautiful..."
Rebecca blushed. "You're lying, sir. Look at me..." But when her eyes met his, she saw the friendly sparkle in them and it brought a smile to her face. "But I accept the compliment."
Martha took Remy's coat and Rebecca signaled him to follow her to the dining room. "Martha, please tell my husband that our guest has arrived. Once he has joined us you can serve dinner." She watched Remy closely and for some elusive reason she started to feel like she could trust him. Maybe it was something in those alien eyes...
"Please sit down, sir." She walked to her own chair, surprised when Remy went to stand behind her to help her sit down. "Thank you, sir." The blush stayed on her face.
"Please call me Remy, Madame."
Rebecca smiled as he sat down as well. Yes, she definitely liked him. "May I inquire where you are from, sir... Remy? You have a most peculiar accent."
"I'm from New Orleans, Madame."
The smile that Remy gave her made her blush deepen. My God, was he flirting with her? She especially liked the sound of his voice, which was calming and soothing. Since his arrival the dark feelings of depression had weakened. "And what brings you here, to a wet and cold London?"
"Business," replied Remy smugly.
Rebecca laughed softly. Somehow she doubted it was the truth, but did it matter? She enjoyed his company too much.
"How are you doing, Madame? Did you sleep bien? You looked tired last night... You still do."
She appreciated his concern. "It's a difficult pregnancy..." She reminded herself just in time to call him Remy. "And I can't rely on my husband to take care of me, Remy."
"I was really mad with him for pushing you like that," said Remy; his tone still carried a hint of anger. "When will the baby be born?"
"Within the week." Her eyes darkened. She could be dead within the week. Oh, she only hoped the baby would survive! Maybe Nathaniel would take pity on their child and look after her. Nathaniel had told her that she was expecting a girl, but she didn't understand how he could know!
"If you ever need help, please let me know? I'd be honored to help."
Rebecca's eyes watered, hearing that offer. She wanted to take him up on it, tell Remy what terrible things she suspected her husband was guilty of, but exactly at that moment Nathaniel entered. She lowered her eyes, making sure her husband didn't see how emotional she was.
"Ah, I'm so glad you accepted our invitation!" Essex smiled and sat down. "Martha, you can serve dinner!"
Martha appeared, shot Nathaniel an angry glare and placed the food on the table. "Mistress, make sure you eat." She had noticed that Rebecca ate less every time.
Rebecca smiled, nodded and nibbled at the slice of bread on her plate. She watched Nathaniel as he filled Remy's plate with baked potatoes, honey roast pheasant and greens. Her husband then treated himself to the same food items. Remy frowned, realizing she was only eating some bread and soup. She hoped he wouldn't comment on it; her stomach was sensitive and it detested solid food.
"I trust you found a place to stay?" said Nathaniel.
Rebecca felt ignored and neglected. The least Nathaniel could do was inquire how she was doing.
"I'm staying at a hotel for now." Remy's appetite was gone seeing Rebecca grow even paler. "Are you bien?"
Rebecca quickly smiled and nodded, feeling Nathaniel's displeased glance directed at her. Her hand protectively covered her belly. The rest of the conversation never registered with her; she was too busy stopping her tears from surfacing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remy became more worried with every passing minute. Watching Rebecca, he saw her paleness, the nervous twitch near her mouth and her downcast eyes made it clear that she didn't want to draw Essex' attention. The way she acted pushed his alarm buttons and he wished he could stay with her until she child was born. Staying with her was impossible but what he could do was keep a close eye on her and try to make things more comfortable for her.
Essex didn't even seem to notice his wife's nervousness. He never addressed her during the conversation, nor did he look at her, except for a displeased glance. Growing extremely uncomfortable, Remy watched closely.
"Martha!" Essex waited for the servant to arrive and then said, "We're finished with dinner. Our guest and I are retreating to the living room." He got to his feet and signaled Remy to follow.
Remy wanted to stay with Rebecca, not spend time with Essex, but he couldn't refuse. "Are you going to be bien?" He managed to catch Rebecca's glance and winced. Her guilt and depression battered against his shields and he was tempted to take those negative emotions away, but he needed time to connect with her. He couldn't just invade her mind like that!
"Of course." Rebecca forced herself to smile. "Don't let him wait."
"We'll talk some more later, oui?" Remy had the distinct feeling that she had wanted to tell him something when Essex had entered.
Rebecca's smile was frozen on her face. "Of course... Now go."
Remy sighed, gently covered her hand with his, lifted it and pressed a kiss on the palm of her hand. "I'll be back, I promise." The tears that welled up in Rebecca's eyes told him all he needed to know. He would cut his conversation with Essex short and then return to Rebecca. Reluctantly he left the room to join Essex.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nathaniel was surprised to feel a hint of jealousy. Remy had seemed more interested in Rebecca than in the conversation they had carried. He didn't know what to make of that. Deep down he knew he should pay more attention to his pregnant wife, but he was sure she didn't want him around. After all, he had been late, he had let Adam die. If he had arrived on time he might have been able to save their son.
No, Rebecca surely didn't want him around. Not now when she was pregnant with a daughter. He had been disappointed when he had learned the sex of their child. Maybe he shouldn't have used his newly acquired knowledge to find out the sex, but he had been curious, hoping for another son. Maybe a son would have softened his heart, would have opened his heart again, but a daughter? No.
His feelings were constantly at war with each other. A part of him wanted to support Rebecca, to tell her that everything would work out in the end; that he still loved her and wanted to be with her. He wanted to beg her for forgiveness, but he couldn't. Another part of him blamed Rebecca for getting pregnant again, and this time with a daughter. His feelings didn't make any sense at all!
And then this stranger had entered his life. Dressed as a Bedouin, the man had called himself En Sabah Nur. The man had astounded him with his incredible knowledge and had hinted at a secret he carried with him. He had dismissed it at the time, but now En Sabah Nur haunted his dreams at night. The man showed him worlds of knowledge that shouldn't, couldn't exist, tempting him with this knowledge, but whenever he asked about the cost, En Sabah Nur disappeared.
"Essex?"
Nathaniel quickly composed himself and smiled at his guest. "Remy! I want to show you something!" Excited like a child, he signaled Remy to follow him in to the lab. "I concluded my experiment and released the subject. You may search my lab, but you won't find a living soul."
Remy, who descended the stairs, took in the lab. It seemed deserted all right, but he didn't trust Essex at all. He reached out with his empathy and realized Essex was lying. He picked up on one mind. However, he decided not to mention it. Later tonight he would return and free Essex' last prisoner. "You should abandon these experiments."
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed. "You disapprove?"
"Yes. You're hurting people, not helping them." Remy locked eyes with Essex. "You have no idea what pain you'll cause." The screams of the Morlocks still haunted him at night.
"You can't say such a thing!" spat Nathaniel, but then his eyes sparkled. "Or can you see in to the future? Do you know what will happen? Is that the nature of your mutation?"
Remy thought quickly. "Oui, I can foretell the future." Maybe he could influence Essex after all! He had to try. "You'll lose your wife and child."
Nathaniel remained calm. "Child birth always carries the risk of death. Tell me something else."
Remy carefully calculated his next move. "A stranger has entered your life recently, offering you knowledge and power."
Nathaniel hissed; Remy couldn't possibly know about En Sabah Nur! "You're guessing..."
"After Rebecca's death you'll accept his offer, but there's a price involved; your servitude and your emotions. He'll take your emotions away from you and you'll kill without regret. You'll cause pain and ruin people's life." His heart contracted. If only he hadn't listened to Sinister, if only he hadn't accepted that last assignment... then the Morlocks would still be alive!
"I'm not like that. Yes, I can be ruthless, but I never took a life!" Essex was angry. "You have no right to say that."
"You'll make a pact with the devil. En Sabah Nur isn't who he claims to be. Mon Dieu, listen to me." Remy maintained eye contact, even when Essex' eyes seemed to flash with anger. "His real name is Apocalypse and no one is safe from him, not even you, as you'll find out eventually."
"I want you to leave now. I have nothing more to say to you." Essex' voice carried a threat.
Remy immediately headed for the stairs. "Forget about your experiments. Focus on your wife instead, she needs you."
"Get out of my house and stay away from Rebecca." Essex watched Remy leave with mixed feelings. He couldn't believe what the young mutant had told him. Yes, he experimented on humans, but he never killed them! He always let them go. He had even instructed the Marauders, a group of local thugs, to deliver the subjects alive and they eagerly obeyed. Remy had to be wrong. He wasn't a killer! He was a scientist!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remy tried to catch one last glimpse of Rebecca, but she had already retreated for the night. Hopefully the maid had helped her upstairs. He shivered, thinking of Rebecca trying to climb those stairs alone.
He closed the front door behind him and headed for the hotel. It would take him some time to gather all necessary tools, but once he had them, he would use his thieving skills to break in to Essex' house and free the prisoner. Maybe then he would also get a chance to talk to Rebecca again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Mistress Rebecca, you can't go outside! It's pouring! You'll end up wet and cold. You have to think of your baby!" Martha was upset. Rebecca had just told her that she was going to visit her son's tomb. "It's past midnight! No lady should be outside at this ungodly hour!"
"Martha, I'm going. Nothing you say will change my mind." Rebecca draped a warm cape across her shoulders and awkwardly made her way to the front door. Nathaniel wouldn't miss her; her husband had locked himself in his lab after Remy had left. "If you're that concerned, come with me, otherwise be quiet and return to the kitchen!" Martha wouldn't stop her. She had to know if Adam still rested inside the tomb or if Nathaniel had taken him to his lab.
Martha sighed. "You're stubborn..." She collected her coat and nodded once. "I'll accompany you. The streets are dangerous at night." And Rebecca would be helpless if they encountered the street's riff raff. Rebecca couldn't even run with that belly!
"Thank you, Martha." Rebecca opened the door and bit back the discomfort when the night's cold enveloped her. She slowly made her way down the street, closely followed by Martha. She prayed that they wouldn't encounter anyone.
After long minutes Martha wrapped her arm around Rebecca. "Thank you," said Rebecca, grateful for the support.
Martha gritted her teeth against the cold and helped Rebecca to the best of her abilities.
Rebecca's long dark hair danced in the wind. Heavy raindrops slid down the strands and it wasn't long before the rain dripped down her face and hair. The long cape was wet and the extra weight hampered her, yet she carried on.
In the distance was Highgate Cemetery. Her fingers closed around the key in her pocket. After Adam had been placed in his tomb, the caretaker had given her the key to the gate so she could visit her son whenever she wanted.
She kept her gaze locked on the gate. She no longer felt the cold or the rain. She even forgot about Martha. All that mattered now was getting to the tomb.
Her hand trembled when she unlocked the gate and she stumbled on to the muddy path. A full moon lit the graves and she shivered.
"Mistress, stop this. Let's go back to the house..." Martha pleaded softly.
But Rebecca never acknowledged her. She shrugged off Martha's arm, and collapsed against the tomb. "Stay here. This is something I have to do alone." She didn't wait for Martha's answer, unlocked the tomb's door and stumbled inside. She let the cape drop from her shoulders and her long, wet skirt left a damp trail on the marble floor.
"Adam, please be here..." She stared at the marble sarcophagus, adored with Adam's face. Her heart contracted painfully seeing her son's features carved in marble. Her hands came to rest on the marble lid and briefly she felt discouraged; the lid was heavy and she doubted she possessed the strength to remove it. Her bitter laugh echoed through the tomb.
Suddenly adrenaline rushed through her body, giving her the power and strength she needed. She had often wondered how women managed to save their children when they were in peril. She had once seen a women lift a wooden beam when it had crushed her daughter's legs... Now she experienced that rush of power herself.
Releasing a primal scream, she pushed the lid aside. It didn't fall on to the floor, it still sat on the sarcophagus, but she was now able to look inside...
"No! It can't be empty!" Devastated, she slid down the sarcophagus until her knees hit the floor. Sobbing madly, she supported her belly with one hand, while the other caressed the marble coffin. It was true then. Nathaniel had abducted their dead son!
Overcome by anger, pain and grief, she staggered to her feet. She left the wet cape on the floor, and stumbled back in to the rain and wind.
"Mistress, what happened?" Martha flinched, seeing the expression in Rebecca's eyes.
Rebecca never acknowledged Martha, but staggered on through the graves. Mud clung to her skirt, water drenched her dress and her once beautiful hair was now dripping wet. She moved adroitly, never noticing Martha fussing over her. A sharp pain made her stop and a warm liquid dripped down her legs. Her water had broken, the child demanded to be born. Like an avenging angel, she headed back to Milbury House to collect her son's dead body and return it to its last resting place.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remy didn't have any problems getting in to the house. Moving soundlessly, he proceeded to pick the lock on the door to the basement. He had to be careful; Essex was probably still in the lab and Remy didn't want to get caught. The lock gave in and he slowly opened the door. Using his empathy like a radar, he picked up on two minds. One was clearly Essex', but the second one had him wondering. That mind felt empty.
Sneaking down the stairs, he realized that Essex was at the back of the lab, while the prisoner was to his right. With a little bit of luck he should be able to free the prisoner without Essex ever noticing. The lab was barely lit, only a few candles and oil lamps showed him the way. For once he felt thankful for his alien eyes, which guided him safely through the half dark. Eventually he arrived at a small, secluded room and he quickly stepped inside, eager to free the poor prisoner.
But nothing could have prepared him for the sight that greeted him. Remy quickly covered his mouth to fight the disgusting stench in the room. Lying on an exam bed was the decomposing body of a boy. Dark hair framed his face and the eyes were open, staring at the ceiling. Remy was shocked when he realized that the boy wasn't dead at all. His body was decomposing, yes, but he was alive. Breathing, his chest rose and a soft moan escaped blue lips.
That was why the mind had felt empty. Mon Dieu! Like Frankenstein Essex had brought back one of the dead! The body was alive again, but the mind was bereft of emotion or memories. Feeling nauseous, he wondered what to do. The boy was doomed no matter what he did! He damned Essex for bringing back the dead. "Mon Dieu, I can't leave him here... Who knows what sick experiments Essex has in mind for him." He could worry what to do with the boy later.
He had to force himself to lift the decomposing body. The stench was unbearable and maggots crawled from the body. Remy nearly dropped the body, overcome by unspeakable horror. Even in death this boy hadn't been granted peace of mind, only to be dug up by Essex!
"I'll get you out of here," said Remy, eager to hear his own voice. The silence was getting to him. Moving cautiously he returned to the stairs, climbed them and walked in to the hall. He didn't know yet what to do with the boy, but he would come up with something.
"Halt!"
Merde! He had been so focused on getting the boy out that he had forgotten about Essex. Slowly, he turned about, facing the scientist. Considering attack the best defense he immediately mounted one. "Why? Why bring back the dead? Why not leave them alone? This is an abomination!"
Essex, dressed in a white lab coat, marched toward him and Remy immediately backed away. Essex' eyes flashed with anger.
"You don't understand. Give me back my son!"
Remy's eyes widened. "Your son? This is Adam? Mère sainte de Dieu, you did this to your own son?" The dead eyes that stared back at him were bereft of knowledge, understanding. "Don't you understand? You only brought back the body! His mind, his soul is long gone!"
"Put him on the floor and step away from him." Essex uncovered a small pistol and directed it at Remy. "You're not taking my son away from me!"
Remy gently placed the body on the floor and wiped off the maggots that tried to crawl in to his clothes. For once he felt utterly speechless.
Suddenly the door flew open and a cold wind invaded the hall, followed by the sound of thunder. Both men turned to look and their breath froze in their lungs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rebecca walked in to the hall. Her back was straight, her long air floated in the wind, sending droplets of rain down the floor. Her dress was soaking wet and blood clung to her skirt. Her eyes were cold as ice and her lips formed a narrow line. In her arms she carried a newborn, still covered in blood, not crying, not screaming his lungs out. The baby was quiet, eyes closed, hanging in her mother's arms like a rag doll.
"You..." Rebecca raised a finger at her husband. "You took Adam from the tomb, and you brought him here, to your lab." Her eyes grew big, seeing her son lying on the floor, breathing, yet not responding. She instantly knew Adam wasn't there any more. This was just a shell. "You took my son and... Look what you did to him!"
Rebecca glared at Nathaniel. "You can't even let him be in death! You can't beat death, when will you realize that? You're mad, insane! You think you can beat death? Here's another subject for your experiments. Meet your daughter! She's an angel, now in heaven!" Mad with grief and pain she walked over to her husband and pushed the dead infant in to his arms. "I gave birth to her on the cemetery! She didn't even cry once. She simply gave up and died!"
The shock in Nathaniel's eyes didn't register with her. "You killed little Margaret, and you'll kill me. You brought Adam back to life and by doing that you killed him as well. What kind of monster are you?"
Essex tried to answer her, but failed, and that only enraged her further. "Look at us, Nathaniel. Look at what you did to us! I loved you once... I can't believe I loved you!" The adrenaline was wearing off and she collapsed on to the floor. Her head lolled from right to left as she continued to murmur accusations.
"My God, dear Rebecca, I never wanted any of this to happen!" Essex dropped to his knees beside her and gently placed the baby in her arms. Tears rolled down his face and his voice shook as he spoke again. "I wanted to bring Adam back, yes, but with mind and body intact. I'm so sorry..." His glance traveled to his son, a dead body breathing and shaking. "What did I do? Oh, my God, what did I do?"
Rebecca heard his words and opened her eyes. She knew she was dying. She was bleeding to death. When she had given birth to Margaret she had been torn badly and the bleeding had never stopped. Her end would come soon now. "I don't believe you..."
"I truly regret my actions... What I did was wrong, please Rebecca, please forgive me. I'll change for the better, but please forgive me... Please, I love you. I'm your husband."
Rebecca's eyes closed as life left her. "No, you're not... You're... sinister..." Her last breath carried that damning word in to the room. She had given him all she was, all she had and it hadn't been enough. She had lost.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"No!"
There was nothing remotely human about the scream that Essex released and Remy instinctively backed away from the scene. His role had been limited to that of an observer, but maybe he had to act now. According to the professor Apocalypse had moved in when Essex had been on his most vulnerable, after losing his wife.
The scene he had witnessed was heart wrenching and he had hoped Rebecca would survive, but then he had felt her mind slip away from them. Essex was still kneeling at his wife's side, sobbing and screaming. He had to do something, had to prevent Essex from seeking out Apocalypse. This was were Scott and Jean had failed, he had to succeed; too much depended on it!