Title: So Dream While Secrets of Darkness Unfold
Author: Morgana (morganalebeau@yahoo.com)
Website: http://www.oocities.org/morganalebeau/
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So Dream While Secrets of Darkness Unfold 3
By Morgana
Remy wasn't sure what to do. Essex still clung tightly to Rebecca's corpse while only a few feet away from him lay Adam, or what remained of his son. He walked over to Adam's body and lifted it once more; this time he planned on taking it back to the lab. Immediately Essex looked up. His eyes swam with tears, but their expression was strong and determined.
"Leave my son alone," Essex said in a firm tone, hiding his grief behind determination.
Remy drew in a deep breath. "Look at your fils, Essex. This ain't your son any longer. His thoughts are gone. All that remains in an empty shell. Have pity on him and give him peace." Would Essex realize his folly? "You can't create life out of death. Not even you."
Essex' eyes glared with need. "En Sabah Nur will show me! I merely need to accept his terms and he will give me the means to command life and death!"
Remy's eyes filled with sympathy. "I lost loved ones as well, but what you want is wrong. Look at your fils! Tell me his soul is still inside this body and I'll reconsider."
Essex gently lowered Rebecca on to the floor and covered her face with his coat. He sighed, regretting losing his wife and new born child and then rose to his feet. Remy had challenged him and he would prove the stranger wrong.
Remy held his breath when Essex approached. He presented Adam's body to Essex. "Take him, talk to him, show me he's still in there."
Essex took his son's body from Remy's arms and stared at the decomposing eyes; only a blank expression shone from them. "Adam, listen to your father. Talk to me." He had tried this last night but his son hadn't answered. He hated to admit it, but Remy was right. The body he held in his arms was nothing but a rotting shell.
Remy remained quiet, watching father and son. "I'm so sorry, mon ami, but he's gone. You can't bring him back. Let him go and remember the fils you had, not the shell that's in your arms. He deserves peace, rest. Mon Dieu, give him that. You're his father, end his torment and take him back to his tomb."
Essex' eyes dashed from Adam to Rebecca, then to his dead daughter. "How do I do that? How can I give up on them? They're my family, my blood. I was a fool to throw it all away. I want a second chance."
Remy swallowed hard. "Life is harsh, mon ami. There are no second chances, believe me, but you can build a new future. Dedicate your life to research without causing your patients pain. Be the best you can and you'll repay your family for their love and kindness. Rebecca would want you to help others, not to cause pain."
Nathaniel wavered. "But En Sabah Nur said..."
"He's evil," said Remy firmly. "He doesn't care about your family. All he cares about is himself. Don't accept his offer."
"I can't be alone," whispered Nathaniel in a startling broken tone. "I can't."
Remy's eyes widened. Pain and grief radiated from Essex. The temptation Apocalypse presented had passed for now. He had to stay close to Essex to make sure Apocalypse wouldn't succeed in the end. "I'm here. You ain't alone."
"You're a mere stranger..."
"But a stranger who cares." Remy slowly raised a hand and rested it on Essex' shoulder. "Adam needs you, needs you to give him back his peace. Put him to sleep gently and we'll take him back to his last resting place."
"What about Rebecca and the baby?" Suddenly tears burst from Nathaniel's eyes, fully realizing what he had lost due to his ambition.
"We'll contact the undertaker." Remy bit his bottom lip. The next few hours would be hard on them both.
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Nathaniel gently inserted the tip of the needle beneath his son's skin. "He'll fall asleep within minutes. The sleep of the dead."
Remy's hand still rested on Essex' shoulder, squeezing reassuringly. "It's still dark outside. We can carry his body back to the graveyard without being noticed." He flinched as the boy's eyes closed and life seeped from the rotting body. "It's done; it's over. He can rest now."
Tears still dripped from Nathaniel's face. "I never wanted Adam to suffer. I was convinced I could bring him back from the dead."
"There's nothing wrong in showing your sorrow," said Remy compassionately. "You need to grieve, to accept the losses you suffered."
The boy's chest stopped rising, the eyes closed and he released his last breathe. Nathaniel shook his head. "It was all in vain."
Remy didn't know how to offer comfort. He had never really thought about the losses which Essex had suffered in life, but now that he witnessed them, he understood how losing your entire family could drive someone over the edge. "We should take him to the graveyard, mon ami."
"I'll carry him." Gently, Nathaniel cradled Adam's body to his chest. "Drape a coat over him. We don't want to draw attention."
Remy grabbed Essex' cloak and draped it across the corpse. Silently they left the laboratory and Remy cringed, realizing Rebecca and the baby needed to be taken care of as well, but Essex could still break underneath the pressure and he couldn't leave the scientist alone, not even for the briefest of moments.
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Nathaniel slowly placed his son's body back in to the sarcophagus and with Remy's help closed the lid. He stood back, staring at the white marble. "Rebecca and the baby should rest here as well, reunited as a family."
A lump formed in Remy's throat. "We can do it now..." Maybe it would be best if Rebecca and little Margaret found their last resting place here as well. He wasn't looking forward to dealing with the police and undertaker.
"Yes... I'll tell everyone that Rebecca died in child birth, as is true." Nathaniel's throat felt constricted. After his son he was now burying his wife and daughter. "Why didn't I see what I was doing? I killed Rebecca, killed my daughter because I was obsessed with Adam's death."
"At least you realize it now, mon ami," said Remy softly, unwilling to disturb the rest of the dead. "Do you want to return home and get Rebecca and Margaret?"
"Yes." Nathaniel suddenly bolted from the tomb.
Remy shook violently when his empathy picked up on Essex' pain and regrets. "I'm so sorry, but there are no second chances... At least I never got any..." Only a few more hours and Rebecca and Margaret would rest here as well.
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Nathaniel's face resembled a death mask as he carried his wife to the graveyard. Remy followed suit, cradling the baby against his chest. Nathaniel was trying to remain composed, but the empath felt the man crack. Now he understood why Essex had accepted Apocalypse's offer. The man had lost everything that ever mattered to him and had nothing to lose.
He had wrapped the baby in a silk sheet, trying to offer some comfort to the angel that had gone to heaven when it had been born. He couldn't imagine how he would have felt if he had suffered Essex' losses. How would he have reacted, had he lost son, wife and a newborn? Would he have gone mad with grief like Essex had? No, things were slightly different now, he realized. Essex wasn't alone, didn't have to bury his wife and daughter alone. I'm helping him through it. Is this why I was sent here? Couldn't Jean and Scott do this for him? These thoughts worried him.
After long minutes they finally entered the tomb and Nathaniel placed his wife tenderly on the marble floor. "Help me open the lid."
Remy realized Essex' intention and approved. Son, mother and daughter would rest together for all eternity. He placed Margaret next to Rebecca and helped Nathaniel push away the lid.
"Now leave me alone..." Nathaniel was struggling not to show his sadness and he needed some privacy to say goodbye to his wife and daughter.
Remy reluctantly agreed and stepped outside. It was still dark, the stars lit the dark sky and large clouds suddenly uncovered the moon. He tried not to eavesdrop, but overheard Nathaniel's sobs. Where was Apocalypse and when would he move in? He couldn't believe that Apocalypse would give up this easily; sooner or later Apocalypse would appear.
Marble moved over marble and a moment later Essex appeared outside. He locked the tomb and bowed his head in silent goodbye. "What do I do now?"
Remy's empathy urged him to offer comfort and he walked up to the other man, reminding himself that this wasn't Sinister, but a man who had lost everything. "You're a doctor. You heal people, lessen their suffering. That's your calling."
"When you say it like that it sounds so simple," said Nathaniel, still stunned from the sudden loss. "But I could help people even better with En Sabah Nur's knowledge."
Remy's eyes narrowed. "Ultimately it's your choice, but you'll do much more evil than good. You will kill, ruin people's life..." In a much softer tone, he added, "You'll ruin mine."
That caught Nathaniel's attention. "Yours? In what way?"
Remy cursed privately for letting that slip. "I can't tell you."
"Can't, or won't?" Nathaniel's eyes narrowed.
"We shouldn't be discussing this, not now when..." When they had just buried Essex' family. Remy started toward the gate, but a sudden gust of wind stopped him. His instincts kicked in and he spun around, ready to open his bo staff if necessary. He gasped, seeing the Bedouin standing behind Essex. En Sabah Nur... Apocalypse. It was too late to hide and he could only hope to survive this encounter.
"Essex..." Apocalypse, still in the guise of a Bedouin, addressed the scientist.
Nathaniel's eyes widened and he slowly turned around. He was still trying to deal with everything Remy had told him and the last thing on his mind was En Sabah Nur. "What do you want?" In the back of his head played Remy's warning. Remy had saved his life when those burglars attacked him and for some reason he wanted to believe Remy when the younger man said that En Sabah Nur couldn't be trusted.
"Your wife died and so did your daughter. You lost Adam... I offer you the knowledge and the means to bring them back, to conquer death and to be its master. Listen to me, Nathaniel Essex. I'm offering you the one thing you always craved; knowledge."
Remy saw the wild gleam in Nathaniel's eyes and couldn't believe Essex was actually considering Apocalypse' words. For some reason Apocalypse ignored him, or maybe the powerful mutant hadn't noticed him yet. Would his presence make a difference when Essex finally made his decision? He had to bide his time.
"I couldn't save Adam... Your instruments and knowledge were insufficient. My obsession made me forget about Rebecca's needs. I'm to blame for her death... and my daughter's." Essex shook his head. "You don't have the power to bring back the dead; merely a shell returned when Adam's heart started beating again."
"I only offered you part of my knowledge and technology. Once you accept me as your new master, I will give you the power you crave. Accept me..."
Nathaniel recalled something Remy had said earlier. "What's the price?"
Apocalypse smiled pleased, believing he had won Essex over. "I must be able to trust you and your emotions make you a liability. I'll free you of them and you'll be able to fully dedicate yourself to science."
Nathaniel nodded. Remy had said the same thing; Apocalypse would take away his feelings. "And what if I don't agree to those terms?"
Remy briefly felt hopeful. Had he accomplished the impossible by merely being there when Essex had needed someone close? It was too good to be true.
"Then the deal's off." Apocalypse suddenly realized they weren't alone. Maybe it was the look Essex threw at the dark, maybe it was the empath's shields briefly weakening. "Who's there...?"
Remy tried to hide in the dark, but a sudden bolt, emanating from Apocalypse's hands illuminated the area around him, exposing him. His bo staff was in his hand, ready to open and charge it.
"Gambit, what a pleasant surprise," sneered Apocalypse. "Your presence is unexpected, and unwelcome."
The words sent shivers down Remy's spine. He was no match for Apocalypse and the mutant could easily kill him. Like a deer caught in the headlights, he searched for an escape route, but at the same time he realized that he couldn't leave Essex alone with Apocalypse. If his presence could stop Essex from accepting Apocalypse's offer he had to continue his support. "Why don't you leave him alone? He just lost his family." But he knew the answer. Essex was at his most vulnerable right now.
"Don't cross my plans, Gambit, or you will regret it. I'll take what's mine and you won't stop me." Apocalypse's appearance started to change. The Bedouin disappeared and Apocalypse showed his true colors.
Nathaniel couldn't believe his eyes. Part of him was fascinated by this new life form, so obviously unlike anything he ever encountered before, but another part warned him to be extremely careful. He didn't like hearing Remy being threatened and for some reason he was inclined to chose Remy's side. "Remy's right. I need time to mourn my family."
Apocalypse's eyes burned with rage. He stared hard at Gambit, wondering how the X-Man had managed to travel back in time and ruin his plans. "You're to blame. Why did you have to get involved? You had potential, Gambit, but you signed your death warrant."
Remy heard the warning, but reacted too slowly. Another bolt left Apocalypse's hands, impacted against his face and chest, and he fell on to the wet earth. His face felt scorched and his chest hurt. He was suffocating, and unable to draw in a next breath he started to gasp.
Essex was finally convinced that not accepting Apocalypse's offer was the right thing to do. He headed toward Remy, dropped to his heels and turned the younger man on to his back. "Oh my God..." He wasn't a religious man, but Remy's chest had been blown open by the impact, exposing internal organs and bony white of his ribcage. "I need to get you home..."
Ignoring Apocalypse, Nathaniel gently lifted Remy in his arms and started to run. He never looked back, already concentrating on his patient.
Apocalypse stayed behind, enraged and slightly confused. Gambit wasn't supposed to appear in this timeline! So what was the X-Man doing here? But he refused to give up on Essex just yet. He would find a way to convince the scientist to join him.
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Nathaniel raced home; Remy was still breathing and he could feel a weak pulse. He headed for his laboratory, hoping to close the wound. The blood loss also worried him. The young man would need a blood transfusion and he had no idea if normal blood was compatible to that of a mutant.
He gently lowered Remy on to his exam table and began examining the wound. At this stage he was grateful that Remy had lost conscious. The exam would have been extremely painful otherwise. He quickly concluded that the major organs hadn't sustained any damage. The bolt of energy had merely... merely!... ripped apart Remy's chest.
After disinfecting the wound, he closed Remy's chest. He worked fast, regretting that the stitches would leave ugly scars, but he he didn't have the time to worry about esthetics. The transfusion... Should he go ahead and hope for the best? What if Remy's body refused the alien blood? Did he have a choice?
He rolled up his sleeve and started the transfusion. Entranced, he watched how his blood left his arm and then entered Remy's. It was Remy's only chance.
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Several hours later Essex still sat at his patient's side. The blood transfusion seemed successful, but he still worried about possible side effects. Remy was breathing on his own, although with some difficulty, and the wound was showing signs of infection.
Determined not to lose another, Nathaniel tended to the wound, disinfecting it again. He bandaged it, monitored Remy's heartbeat, pulse and temperature. He quickly realized that Remy was running a fever and made his patient drink several glasses of water.
In another effort to bring down the fever he dipped a sponge in to cool water and washed his patient's upper body. While doing that, he was surprised to find several scars on Remy's back. This young man had led a most dangerous life.
Nathaniel always kept a close eye on the doorway, knowing Apocalypse would try again, but this time he wouldn't even consider the offer. By injuring Remy, Apocalypse had proven to be as evil as Remy claimed him to be. He didn't want anything to do with Apocalypse and hoped the man would leave him alone.
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The hours passed by slowly and Nathaniel seldom worried more about one of his patients. He placed a cooling wet towel on Remy's brow, removed any sweat with a sponge and when Remy's temperature dropped alarmingly, he covered the young man with warm blankets. He had worried about Adam like this and his worry surprised him. Remy was basically a stranger, but the young man had been there for him when he had needed support. He owed Remy for making him see how wrong his path had been.
Suddenly Remy's eyelids fluttered and he reacted at once, moving closer and trying to catch Remy's attention. "Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?"
Remy's eyes slowly opened, and he felt thankful for the half dark in the room. Trying to cock his head, he flinched with pain. Then the memories returned to him; Apocalypse had tried to take him out, had injured him. "Mon Dieu..." He finally recognized his surroundings and realized he was back in Essex' laboratory. A moment later his eyes met with Nathaniel's and he was stunned to see a smile on the other man's face. "What... happened?"
"He attacked you and I brought you back here. It's been twenty-six hours since you were injured and I feared you would not pull through. Thankfully you proved me wrong. You're running a fever and you suffered severe blood loss."
"Can't believe... I'm alive." Why hadn't Apocalypse finished him off? Maybe Apocalypse still planned on recruiting Essex? "Are you... convinced now? Do you now believe he's evil?" A slashing pain swept through his chest, almost making it impossible for him to breathe.
"Don't move, Remy. You're severely injured and your body needs to heal." Essex wavered momentarily, but then continued. "Yes, you convinced me. I believe you. He's evil."
"Then you won't... give in?" Remy's eyes flashed with hope.
"I won't agree to his terms." Essex drew in a deep breath. "Sitting here has given me a chance to think everything over. He demands my feelings and my servitude in exchange for his knowledge. And my feelings... Hadn't it been for you standing by my side I might have been tempted. There's this ocean of pain and regret inside me and I feel like I'm drowning... Guilt... There's also guilt for not taking care of Rebecca. I don't want to feel these things, but they're part of me."
"What stopped you... from accepting his terms... back at the tomb?" His empathy told him there was more to it than Nathaniel was telling him.
Nathaniel wavered again, looked Remy in the eyes and plunged in to the deep. "Things changed when you told me I'd ruin your life by accepting his offer. You saved my life, helped me to say goodbye to Rebecca and Margaret... The last thing I want is to cause you grief."
Remy smiled weakly. "You made the right decision, mon ami... but he'll be back... He doesn't give up easily... Will you still be this strong... when he tempts you again?"
Nathaniel understood Remy's fear. "What will I become when I accept his offer? I do believe you know..."
Remy moistened his lips. Should he tell Essex the truth? "You'll become a monster and you'll call yourself Mister Sinister." He noticed the flinch that coursed through Nathaniel at hearing that name. "Rebecca called you sinister, you'll adopt that name... Mon Dieu... You'll lose your feelings, gather a group of thugs called the Marauders..." Again, Essex flinched... "And you'll kill hundreds of mutants because they are contaminating the gene pole... at least that's the reason you gave me... You'll play and betray me and then leave me for dead... You'll haunt me for the rest of my life... You were my downfall because I trusted you. I was a fool." Exhausted, Remy closed his eyes. "You'll become one of the most hatred mutants in history." He had said enough. If this didn't convince Essex nothing would.
"Remy..." Nathaniel was shaking his head in disbelief. "I'm not that evil."
"You will be once you accept Apocalypse's offer." He half opened his eyes again. "You can read thoughts, oui?"
Essex nodded. "Yes..."
"I'll lower my shields for you. See for yourself that what I'm telling you is the truth. I give you permission to enter my mind..." Remy saw fear in Essex' eyes. "You know it's the truth, but you need to see it with your own eyes." Although still weakened, he managed to elbow himself in to an upright position and grab Essex' shirt. He would pay for this outburst of energy later, but he had to convince Essex now. "Do it!"
Essex, unable to resist, dove in to Remy's mind.