Hi again. Here's the next part of Dreams of an Angel. Hope you enjoy it. And thanks again for the cool feedback guys. You guys are the coolest! :) If you have any suggestions or comment, well, the email addy is below, so you know where to drop the note. Oh by the way, in the following part of the story, there's gonna be a dream sequence. These are really taken, also from the Marvel's 'Fall of the Mutants' series, more specifically from X-Factor #24 when Archangel first emerges.
A SAD NEWS TO ALL READERS!!!!!
Due to an approaching college exam, I regret to inform all of you that there is going to be a DELAY in the oncoming chapter of Dreams of an Angel. I know, I know, this really sucks. But Drew has been pestering me about it for days now and to be honest, he got a point. (Did I mentioned to you all the Drew can be a total mother hen sometimes?) Anyway, I really need to hit the books. So, if luck comes your way, I may get bored enough to write another chapter and post it to Nifty in the near future. If not, then I'm afraid, the story will continue on somewhere near MIDDLE OR END OF APRIL. I'm sorry guys, but work is work and study is study. Don't worry guys. The story will continue on and I assure you, there will be an ending to this. I promise I'll not leave you hanging :) Thanks.
Onwards to the boring part! Legal matters! Hehehe. You can press 'fast-forward' now.
Well, first of all, this story, as you will certainly find out soon, is TOTALLY fictional. So! If any of you truly believe in it... well, my brother is studying psychiatry right now for his final medical examination in April, so maybe I'll just refer you to him. You'd make a good delusional subject. Secondly! None of the guys in the Backstreet Boys are gay! (No matter how hard I wished it :P). But nobody say we couldn't dream it, heh heh. Thirdly, Warren Worthington is actually a character from Marvel Comics, X-men known as Angel or recently Archangel. Okay fine, I admit it. I'm bored and I am making a pathetic attempt to make life a lil' bit interesting. Its not like I'm gonna publish it or something. What else to talk about hmm? Oh, there may be some adult gay scenes in this story. Unlike my brother, I don't mind writing naughty stuff ;) so! If you're underage, naughty, naughty! I can only ask you to go away, but I cannot do anything else to stop you from reading on anyway. Hell! I've been sneaking into the internet to watch gay porns since I was 13! So, if your parents or whoever responsible for you catch you, don't say I didn't warned you. However, if you're homophobic... well maybe I can seduce you enough to turn you around heh heh. I do so love a challenge ;)
Anyway, enough talk. Any comments or boos or suggestion or whatever, just sent it to the same address as in NNTs, goldenknightuk@yahoo.co.uk . Yeah, we shared the same address. Don't ask. Long story.
Okay then! On to the show. Now, don't be shy now. If you got any comments or suggestions, just drop me a note. You do the request, and I'll do the show.
Andy
The scene in the room shocked him. Quickly closing the door, Nick leaned wearily against it as a whole new intensity of emotional pain assaulted him to the point that makes him nauseous. Struggling to control his breathing, he shook his head and staggers deeper into the room.
But the emotional pain is too strong. More tears leaked out as Nick struggles to prevent himself from crying. This is NOT his emotion. This is Warren's. He is basically experiencing Warren's torment.
Reaching the bed, the scene that greeted him caused more tears to leak out and rolled down his cheek. Warren lay there, in the middle of the bed; naked as the day he was born and curled in a fetal position, crying like a little kid. His wings spread and fluttered occasionally to the side. His gold hair is in tangles and his body shook as he whimpered softly.
"War...Warren?" Nick called out softly and nervously.
He jumped back, startled when Warren's teary eyes shot up to look at him in horror and shame.
"Nnnooooo!! Get away from me!! Get away!!! Don't look at me!!! Don't look at meeee!!" Warren hollered uncontrollably as he curled himself tighter into a ball as if to hide himself.
Nick however, staggered backward and fell, as a blast of emotional anguish and shame blew his mind away. He crumpled onto the carpet like a crumbling wall of sand, whimpering as he tried to plead Warren to stop his crying.
"War... ren... please...!" Nick whimpered as he held his head agonizingly. Slowly, he began to cry softly. He is not supposed to feel this! These are not his emotions. There are Warren's! "Please..."
But lost in his anguish, Warren didn't hear him at all. Memories after memories assault him. He almost killed his friends, people who had been like a family to him. How could he have been so weak to succumb into accepting Apocalypse's offer.
"I judge humans by their deeds, Bobby, as I judge you!" Another memory resurfaced in his mind, showing him diving straight towards the Iceman. He could still remember the rage that practically blinded him, making him totally oblivious to the fact that he was about to kill his own best friend. "Apocalypse has given me the wings of truth... and they slice deep! Those who are not with us are our enemies! And Death will destroy them all!!!"
"I'm sorry..." Warren whimpered under his breath, as he lay curled on his bed. "I'm sorry..."
Drowned in a sea of anguish and pain, Nick slowly musters his strength, using it to fight and regain the grip of his own mind. He felt like he is fighting his way through a landslide, for Warren's assaulting emotions are too strong. Jean has never indicated that this whole empathic business is THIS difficult. A mixture of emotions whirled in his mind - his own emotion interspersed with Warren's wild agonizing emotions that threatened to overwhelm his mind. It is all Nick could do to hangs on to his own emotions and ignore the rest, but that's like standing in the path of a roaring avalanche and telling it to stop. A burst of agony flared for a brief moment, and he bit his lips to prevent himself from screaming. Hopefully he didn't bleed himself. Even as Nick stood, tears streaks down his cheek and Nick realized that he is sobbing nearly uncontrollably.
Warren is still whimpering on his bed. The man quivered uncontrollably, and the very sight itself is enough to make Nick decides that he should do something. But what? Nick hesitated at the thought of calling Warren's name again. The last time he did that, he almost lost the grip of his own mind because of the sudden emotional blast. Jean has told him that his empathic potential is vast, but even then, Nick is not sure if he could take another blast just yet.
'I am barely trained, for goodness sake!!' Nick snarled to himself.
But he HAS to do something. Warren is in pain. His angel is in pain, and Nick has the means to help him, despite the fact that he doesn't really know how. Struggling through the intense waves of emotional agony, he forced himself to step forward until he reached Warren's side. Breathing heavily with the effort, he let himself fall to his knees. Lost in his misery, Warren doesn't seem to notice him. The blue skin glistened with sweat and his chest moves up and down as he hyperventilates. His eyes were closed even as tears flow endlessly from it.
"W... Warren?" Nick whispered, his heart shattered into million pieces as he tearfully watched his angel's agony.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Warren seems to whispers again and again in between his sobs.
Hesitantly, Nick sits beside the man. The movement caused Warren to curl up even tighter. At least, Warren didn't notice him, or even worst, lashes out at him with that emotional blast again. The mutterings increased. Trying hard to control his tears, Nick could only watch helplessly. What could have caused his angel to hurt so bad?
Nervously, Nick held out his hand and gently touches the shaking shoulder. The waves of pain intensified and Nick could feel his nausea rising again. Gritting his teeth to fight down the alien emotions, he struggled on. His angel is in pain, and he must do something!
"Warren... please," Nick whispered desperately, "you're... hurting me..."
But Warren simply wouldn't response. Instead, the pain only got worst. Not knowing what else to do, his mind flails about to reach for anything, any idea, that could be use to solve his little dilemma. He opens himself to his subconsciousness, letting it guide him. Jean told him that he managed to subconsciously create a mental shield of his own once, when his empathy started to kicks in, and that was guided by his determinations and ambitions to get his newly achieved singing career off the ground. Maybe he can do something similar now. Gathering his strength, he focused his thoughts and determination to help Warren; to lessen Warren's pain if not getting rid of it once and for all. He allows his subconsciousness guides his empathy.
Through the mist and chaos of the mixed emotions and pain, he closed his eyes and releases his grips on his controls over his empathic ability, sitting back and giving his mind a free hand to do whatever it wants. He reached out to touch Warren's head gently and left his hand there. He was not aware of his mind reaching into Warren's mind, passing through the weakened shield and entering the emotional chaos that rages within it. He was not even aware of the formation of an empathic link to connect his mind to Warren's.
'You were there for me last time, Warren,' Nick thought as he surrenders himself to his subconsciousness fully, 'Now it's my turn.'
His mind seems to go on an autopilot and everything went blank. Nick has no idea what the hell he is doing, but deep down in his heart, he could feel something is happening... something good. It feels like he is driving a car with his eyes close, but someone is holding the wheel for him, guiding him to the right direction. He was totally unaware of the flood of negative emotions that pass through the empathic link into his own mind. With Nick's own mind hard at work to ignore all emotions that does not belongs to him, the excess negative emotions simply flow pass his cracked mental shield and dissipates into the surroundings.
'Now its my turn...' Nick thought as he let himself float into the void. He doesn't know what's happening, but hopefully, its something good.
Warren could feel his depression and fear slowly receding... as if it is sucked out of him. Whatever is happening, he is somehow glad. The memories are still there, but the depressions, the pain, the shame that comes from it... is gone... fading away. It is as if he is watching a scary movie but he is not afraid of it. The feelings of fear and guilt that are supposed to be there are simply... not there! Warren doesn't know what is going on, but whatever it is, after relieving the pain, guilt and shame for so long, he actually welcomed the emotional void. It is not the cheerful feeling that everyone would have wished for, but it does offer some degree of peace... and he needs every scraps of peace he could get nowadays. Like a dying man lost in a desert, slowly, he embraced the void, clinging to it greedily and desperately as if its his last lifeline before eventually feeling himself slowly falling into a peaceful, dreamless sleep... something that he hasn't had for a long, long time now.
Ten minutes passed before Nick let his mind became aware of the surroundings once again. His eyes widened as he watched Warren resting his head peacefully against his lap, eyes closed and breathing away peacefully. Whatever he did, it worked!! Eyes wide in consternation, he cast his memory back to try to work out exactly what he did. But nothing came back. He let his subconscious guide him and somehow, it allowed him to do something right. But what?
He let his empathy reached out to Warren's mind only to find peace and solitude behind the shield. The emotional chaos is gone.
'Sweet Jesus, what did I do?' Nick asked himself in bewilderment, replaying his memories again and again to try to discern what exactly did he do when he let his subconscious guides him. 'Helllooooo??? Brain??? Are you up there?????'
Nothing came back to his mind... but his mind felt a bit different though. He feels as if he is closer to Warren than he was before. Nick sighed tiredly... yeah, that is another thing he noticed - his mind felt dead tired. Whatever he did to Warren, it must have been something big!
Sighing again, he lay down on the bed beside Warren. He needs to think on what he just did. Sure, he's an empath, but surely... aaaaaah! The more he thinks about this, the more his head hurts. Maybe he'll find the answer at Westchester. This Xavier guy better know his stuff.
Turning to the side, he studies Warren's sleeping face. So peaceful, so beautiful, so perfect. His angel is safe again. Whatever he did, he succeeded in helping his angel, just as he promised.
Too absorbed in his thoughts, he was unaware as sleep descended upon him. Soon, he lay peacefully beside Warren, breathing gently, dreaming of his little blue-skinned angel...
The door cracked open after a while and Jubilee peeks in cautiously, holding a phone against her ear with one hand. She has been trying to listen through the door but couldn't hear anything.
"What the... they are both asleep!" She almost cried out into the phone.
"Asleep?" Jean's voice appeared from the other side in confusion. "Hmm... now that's... unexpected..."
"Nick did something," said Jubilee after a moment of silent observation on each of the sleeping men.
"What do you mean?" asked Jean in return.
"Nick looks... exhausted," Jubilee answered, "while Warren's... peaceful. Hell! He's even smiling!"
"Oh..." said Jean before remaining in a thoughtful silence.
"I thought Nick doesn't know how to use his empathy just yet." Said Jubilee.
"He doesn't," said Jean. "At least, not that I... hmm... I don't even know what to think."
"Well, I guess you just have to ask him what he did when he gets to the mansion." Said Jubilee.
"When is your flight?"
"Around 2."
"Well, if they are okay now, I guess I see you later today then." Said Jean at last.
"Okay. Thanks for helping me out, Jean."
"It's okay, Jubilee. Just watch after them, all right?"
"Sure. See you later." Said Jubilee as she hangs up the phone and slowly closes the door. She watched the two sleeping figures for a brief moment before shutting the door. Warren was resting his head against Nick's chest when she left them.
'They'd make a cute couple,' she smiled at herself as she makes her way to the kitchen. It's almost 9 a.m. No point of going back to bed now. She might as well start preparing breakfast. As for Nick and Warren... well, she'll let them sleep on for a while. Warren hasn't been sleeping that much for some time now, he deserves the break.
'Hmmm... this feels nice...' Warren thought to himself, smiling in his sleep as he swims though the calm void of his mind. When was the last time he enjoyed such peace; such calmness?
A warm body rested in front of him and it seems to have molded itself to his body. Warren smiled again, sighing contently as he began to wakes up.
'Definitely nice...' he thought blissfully, finally noticing that he had his hand wrapped tightly around the warm body. Feeling content, he playfully flapped his wings behind him, stretching it across the bed and spreading each feather apart as far as he could to feel the air caressing every inches of it. The morning sunlight streaks in through the window and he basked in its warmth. Never before had he felt such contentment.
Still half asleep, he is half-aware that the warm body in his arms actually aroused him. Well, that's human's nature for you. Warren's smile never diminished. This is not the first time Betsy and he start the day with a good, hot morning sex. Growing hard, he shifted in the bed, moving even closer to the body. Holding Betsy in his arms has never felt better... eh...
The sudden thought struck him harder than anything that has ever struck him in his life. Betsy and he broke up months ago! So... who's body does his arms have wrapped around at the moment? It better be a pillow!
His eyes opened slowly, his right eye first, followed by his left, his pupils contracting as his eyes slowly adjusted itself against the sunlight. His first gaze fell upon a white T-shirt that loosely covers the chest beneath it - a MAN'S chest to be more specific.
'Oh no, no, no, no, no!!!!!' Warren thought to himself in dismay, fearful to look up further and at the same time, trying to cast his mind back to remember what dark sins he had committed last night to would lead him to wake up in bed beside another man.
Mustering his courage, he brought his eyes upwards, his gaze moving up the chest, to the familiarly beautiful neck that simply begs for a hickey, to an even more familiarly gorgeous sleeping face, smiling dreamily at whatever pleasant dream it is going through right now, with a rumpled blond hair over his face... NNYAAAAHHH!!!!
Warren was not aware that he cried out in surprise, eyes wide open in shock and disbelief. He was not even aware that he had actually jumped off the bed, his wings unfurling behind him, flapping desperately, floating him backward. He was not even aware that he is floating naked! What the hell is Nick doing in his bed????
Nick, on the other hand, was rudely startled out of his sleep (for the second time this morning). The shock from Warren's mind struck him unprepared and Nick fell off the bed with a yell, his ass hitting the floor first, drawing a surprise grunt, followed by the rest of his back. There he lay, stunned out of his wits, with his legs still resting on the bed while the rest of his body lay on the floor.
"What the... what's the big idea??!!" Nick protested as he blinked his sleep away repeatedly, his mind flailing as it desperately grasped at the bits and pieces of the truly marvelous dream he was having featuring himself, the Spice Girls and a Jacuzzi. It all puffed away though, and his eyes bulged as he saw Warren floating before him, in all of his naked glory, complete with his wings spreading behind him and the halo of the morning sunlight surrounding him. Now that's a sight he wouldn't forget to his dying days!! Goodbye Spice Girls. Nice knowing ya.
"Oh!" the only word Nick could stammers out stupidly before swallowing his tongue.
"N... Nick...!" Warren seems to have caught the stammering disease too. "Nick... what... what... OH MY GOD!!!"
Well, morning dumbness never lasted that long anyway, as Warren looked down in horror as he fully realized how naked he is. More specifically, he realized how fully aroused he is. Crimson faced, he landed beside the bed hastily, nearly crashing to the floor in the process, and snatch the bedcover hastily to cover himself up, which is not as easy as it sounds judging from the fact that soon it got itself tangled with his wings! How Jean and Rogue would laugh when they heard about this.
"Nick! What... what the hell are you doing here?" said Warren in a panicked voice. His mind took a wrong turn right at that time, as his memory took him back to the scene the night before when he realized that he is in love... No... no... that particular fact is NOT helping him right now.
Nick, on the other hand, is reeling from the waves of Warren's panicked emotion assaulting his mind. God! Is there some way to control this empathy thingy??? How in the world is he going to sing in front of thousands of crazed fans in the future concerts if he reels from the excitable emotion of only one man??!!
'And a gorgeous one at that!' A thought came unbidden into his mind before Nick angrily squashed it back down. Focus!
"Warren, please!" Nick hissed harshly as he shut his eyes tightly and placed his hands over his temples. "You're panicking!"
"What? Nick... are you... Oh! Damn! I'm SO sorry!!" Warren could only gazed at him in horror as he realized what's happening. Quickly, he took a deep breath in and calm himself down, strengthening his shield in the process.
Nick drew a deep shuddering breath as he closed his eyes in relief. Warren has controlled himself at last and the shield has returned back to its original strength. The wild panic emotion is gone. Finally! He could hear his own thoughts!
Feeling exhausted, Nick crawled to his hands and knees, trying weakly to sit on the bed. A hand quickly holds him and helps him up. Nick opened his eyes only to gaze into those beautiful blue eyes. The roiling pain and bitterness he noticed the day before is gone. The eyes only radiate peace now.
"Hey," Warren said softly, smiling at him sadly. "You okay? I'm SO sorry, Nick. I totally forgot. I didn't mean..."
Nick smiled back wearily.
"It's okay, Warren. I'm all right now. At least, it was not as bad as it was earlier." Said Nick as he shuddered slightly upon remembering that.
"Earlier?" Warren asked back in confusion. His memory seems to be fuzzy this morning. He remembered his flight last night, but after that... it gets blurry. His mind is strangely aware of Nick more than before though. Warren shook his head briefly to try to clear the fog in his mind.
"You had a nightmare," Nick replied. His eyes watching Warren carefully as realization dawn in Warren's eyes and his muscle became rigid. "I was jolted out of sleep in my room downstairs when... well... I'm not sure how to describe it. I felt... I was in a mixture of terror and pain and bitter and anguish..."
"Oh Nick," Warren whispered softly as he realized the pain he has caused to the young empath.
"It was so strong... I... I couldn't stand it." Nick continued nervously. "I remembered Jean's little teachings and used it to pinpoint the source, only to discover it came from you. I came up to check up on you and Jubilee told me you're having a nightmare. I came in to wake you up but you simply wouldn't. You even lashed out at me. Warren... it was... it was..."
"Nick, I'm... I'm sorry..." Warren said guiltily. "I... I was not aware..."
Lost in his guilt, he couldn't even make himself finish the sentence.
"I managed to calm you down at last though," said Nick.
Warren lifted his eyes to look at him.
"How?"
Nick drew himself up nervously.
"I... I don't know," Nick whispered fearfully. "I'm sorry, Warren. But I have no idea what I did. If I messed up your head, I'm so, so sorry!"
"Can you at least describe what you did?" asked Warren gently.
"I... That just it, Warren. I have no idea what I did!" Nick replied tersely. "I... I just close my eyes and let my subconscious guide me. I let my mind free to do anything it wants because... because I have no idea how to help you in any other way. You were suffering and I must do something! But I don't know anything about this empathy thingy..."
"Hush," Warren said soothingly and gently placed a finger on Nick's lips. He smiled at the young man reassuringly, hoping it would help calm him down. "It's okay, Nick. I'm okay now. No one got hurt, that's all that matter."
"I... Who knows what could have happen??!" said Nick. "I don't even know what I was doing!"
"But it turns out for the best, right?" Warren replied. "Tell you what, as soon as we get to Westchester, I'll ask Jean and the professor to take a look at what you've done, and from there, at least you'll learn what is was that you did. There's a first time for everything, Nick. Look at me, for instant. I don't know how to use these wings to fly when I first got it. But I tried it out and experimented with it. Now, I soar in the sky almost every night before going to bed. You'll get the hang of your ability soon. Don't worry about it."
Nick could only looked at him uncertainly for a moment or two before agreeing with him albeit reluctantly.
"It just..." Nick began before shuddering at the memories. "The pain, the emotions... it was..."
Almost immediately, Warren arms were wrapped around him firmly and Nick felt safe. It always felt safe in Warren's arm.
"I'm sorry that happened, Nick," Warren whispered sadly. "I'm sorry for causing you to go through that. I'm sorry you have to... to see that."
Nick quickly withdrew himself so that he could look at Warren's teary eyes.
"No, Warren, please, don't cry," said Nick softly. He gently wiped away the tears. "At least you have someone to hold you now, or talk to. I'm more than willing to do both."
Empathically, Nick could feel the burst of hope burning within Warren's mind and his heart sank at that feeling. How long has Warren suffered his guilt alone, with no one to turns to? With no one to understand what he is going through? No one to talk his problem to?
"Are... are you serious?" Warren asked in a small hopeful voice. Nick's heart almost shattered to a million pieces as he saw the burning hope in his eyes.
"When you tell someone about your problem, they all say they know how you feel or they know what you're going through, but they actually didn't. They only say that to make you feel better." Said Nick, softly. "But I felt your pain, Warren. With this empathy, I actually experienced what you went through just now; every pain, every anguish, every guilt, every bitterness, every loneliness. I KNOW what you feel and I KNOW exactly what you're going through, and I KNOW that it is no joke. You were with me all the way yesterday when I need support. Now, I'm doing the same to you. We both have our own misery. We'll go through it together."
More tears leaked out and rolled down Warren's cheek and before Nick knew it, he was wrapped in the fiercest hug he ever felt in his life. He could actually feel every drop of tears that fell from Warren's cheek onto his shoulder.
'To be in the arms of an angel,' Nick thought blissfully to himself. He had never felt so blessed. 'To be hugged by an angel. To be blessed by the tears of an angel.'
"Thank you," Warren whispered even as Nick empathically felt the waves of pure gratitude rolling into his mind.