Hi all!! Here's the next part of Dreams of an Angel. Hope you all enjoy it! Any comments or suggestions, well, you know how to contact me. My Yahoo ID is Goldenknightuk if you wish to send me an instant message. Sorry for any bad grammars boys and girl. C'mon! Nobody's perfect!! :)
NOTE TO ALL READERS:
In order to balance my study time and writings, I decided to set a specific time for every update. For now on, I'll be updating Dreams of an Angel every Tuesday & Friday evening (Well, Irish time. I dunno about the time differences between my place and yours, guys and gals. You have to figure that out yourself :P Trust me, I sucked in figuring it out :)). But hey, if time permits me, I promise I'll update it at other times :)
Before the show, 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... dude, I'm worried about you. 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
"Howie, I'd like you to meet Daniel. Mr. Daniel Hawthorne." Said Kirk as he introduced the man beside him. "He's one of the board members in Worthington Industries."
"Pleased to meet you. Coffee? Tea?" Howie smiled politely as he lean back against the comfortable chair of the small cafe. "I apologize for insisting in holding our little meeting here. I have my reasons."
"I cannot stay long." Said Daniel. "The longer I stay, the higher the risk of someone spotting me."
"Fair enough. You said you're willing to part all information concerning Mr. Worthington for a price." Said Kirk.
"You have the money?" asked Daniel.
Kirk shoves the duffel bag towards him with his feet. Daniel unzipped it quietly, checking it briefly before zipping it close again.
"Well?" asked Howie.
Daniel glances at him briefly before opening up his briefcase and pulls out a folder. Howie took it silently before opening it up to check the content.
"Satisfied?" asked Daniel.
Kirk looked at Howie curiously when he saw the other man's hand tense and tremble. When he looked up, his eyes are blazing with cold fury.
"Are you sure about this, Daniel?" He asked quietly, his voice is like steel being drawn from a scabbard.
"Howie?" asked Kirk.
Howie look at him and hand him one of the pictures from the folder.
"Well, well, well." Kirk whistled softly as he gaze of a blue-skinned blond angel flying from the roof of Worthington Industries main building.
"Yes, Mr. Dorough. That's Warren, though for some sick reason, he called himself Archangel." Daniel replied with as much sarcasm he could muster. "He hides under an illusion most of the time to hide his blue-skin and wings. And those wings used to be metal. I don't know what he did to get his present feathery wings."
"Now if you will excuse me, gentlemen." Daniel smiles as he stood up. "I have some preparations to make before leaving the country for good tonight."
"He's Jessica's murderer." Howie spoke softly when the man walked off.
"Do you wish to deploy the Mutant Hounds on him?" asked Kirk.
"No." Howie replied contemptuously. "He's mine."
Back at Xavier's Mansion in Westchester, two days later...
"Bobby?"
'Oh God! Not now. Not him!" Bobby groaned inwardly before mustering his courage and turn around to face his 'demon'.
"Scott." He smiled crookedly. "You need somethin'?"
Scott stood expressionlessly at the door of Bobby's room, looking at him in silence. It has been a week since they returned from Muire Island and a night since the confrontation with the 'back-from-the-dead' Marauders. He still walks stiffly as the result of the unfortunate gunshot wound on his shoulder and his side but Hank has already given him the green light as long as he don't do anything too strenuous for another week at the very least. Feeling terribly uneasy under his gaze, Bobby began fidgeting nervously near the window of his room.
Taking a deep breath, he steps forward to confront his demon head on. His dad used to say that whenever you get into a fix and can find no way out, the best way to deal with it is by confronting the problem head on and hope for the best.
"Lemme guess. Jean told you about what... what happened in Muire Island... about what I said..." despite his mustered courage, everything seems to fall to pieces around him. "Listen..."
"Bobby, we need to talk." Scott spoke at last, quietly.
Crash. Boom. Bang.
All Bobby could do is wince, sigh heavily and hang his head down shamefully, unable to look at the other guy before him. He turns around and sat on his bed, looking at the poster-covered wall in front of him. The image of Darren and Daniel from the music group 'Savage Garden' stare back at him sexily from the poster directly in front of him. Cute guys. Time and again, Bobby wondered if they are a couple. They definitely look gay enough.
'You're trying to escape from the real problem at hand, Drake.' The small irritating 'responsible' voice that usually comes out at the most inconvenient of times to taunt him spoke at last deep inside his head.
"Scott, I'm... I'm so sorry." He spoke at last in a tired voice.
The bed rocked gently, telling him that Scott has decided to sit on the bed too.
"How long, Bobby?" he spoke at last.
There are moments in everyone's lives when you would like to do nothing more than taking a remote control and press 'Fast-forward.' For Robert 'Bobby' Drake aka the Iceman, this is definitely one of them.
"Since I first met you." He mumbled uncomfortably, burying his face tiredly into his hands.
Silence...
"And you kept it secret all these time, even from Jean." Scott spoke at last.
Standing up, Bobby inhales deeply, bracing himself as he turns around. Maybe it's about time he come clean and put this whole unpleasant issue to rest forever. Some loves are definitely not meant to be, he can see it clearly now.
"Scott... you know I will never, ever hurt you or Jean in anyway, especially by coming in between the two of you. You and Jean are two of my dearest and closest friends and I'm willing to give up my arm or my leg first before I'd even think of hurting any of you." Bobby spoke at last, the words coming out faster and faster as he plowed on. "Yes, I... I am in love with you (okay, maybe not all of the words came out fast), but that is as far as it goes. I didn't go any further than that... well okay... maybe I had one or two dreams about you..."
Scott's eyebrow rises at that questioningly, making Bobby sweat further.
"Okay, okay, four or five dreams..." Bobby stuttered under the weight of the gaze.
Scott cocked his head slightly, still looking at him in disbelief.
"Fine! A lot! I had lots of fucking wet dreams about you. Nights after nights, days after days. Happy??" Bobby sputtered out at last.
A small smile appeared on Scott's lips as he nodded in satisfaction.
"But that is as far as it goes! Honest to God! Cross my heart. Scout's honor. Big daddy and baby smile. I didn't try to seduce you. I didn't try to do anything. It's a lost cause anyway. You are so damn fucking straight, I'd have better luck convincing Sinister to be gay and sleep with me." Bobby rushes on. "Scott, please, please!! Don't be mad at me. Or disappointed. Especially disappointed because that's even worst. I'm sorry if you feel awkward about all this. This is the reason why I kept it top secret in the first place! I don't want you to be uncomfortable."
A sniffle appeared.
"You are not supposed to know about this! No one was supposed to know about it. Especially Jean! But when you took those bullets that was supposedly meant for me... I... I..." Bobby's voice began to crack.
"Hey, hey. Chill out, Bobby." Scott jumped to his feet and pulls the sobbing man into a tight, comforting hug. "Chill out, buddy. It's okay. It's okay."
"Why?" Bobby demanded angrily as he sits back on the bed, with Scott's help. "Why did you take those damn bullets?? How could you be so stupid? You almost died, dammit! And I don't think I can handle that! You should have let me take it! You have Jean to care for. I have no one. I have nothing to lose!"
"Wrong!" Scott interrupted just as angrily. "You have everything to lose. If you die, I will never forgive myself. You are my teammate and you are like a brother to me. You, Warren, Hank and everyone else in the team are as dear to me as Jean is. I saw those shots being fired at you. There was no other way to deal with it. It was too late to warn you, it was too late to do anything else. I did the only thing left for me to do and that is better than standing there watching and doing nothing. And I'm sure you would do the same thing if you were in my place."
Bobby lowered his gaze and said nothing.
"Listen, Bobby." Scott continues. "I am not angry with you. And so is Jean. In fact, I'm flattered that... that you... love... me. I'm even more flattered that you... love... me enough to cry over me when I fell. I admit... it does feel awkward at first... well... not at first... it still feels a little bit awkward even now... but it will pass! I'm sure it will! It takes time. I mean, c'mon! Gimme some credit here. It's not everyday that I discover a secret admirer within the male population. I don't know if I should blush or run or giggle or faint or whatever! And above all, I respect you even more because you are in love with me and yet you held yourself back from hurting both Jean and I by coming between us. I can't imagine how hard it must be for you, but it must have been a fucking huge trial, especially after doing it for so many years."
"Bobby." Scott called softly, lifting his head gently. "I'm not mad at you, alright? Even though I can't return your... love... I still care about you, as a teammate, as a friend... as a brother. You'll find someone, one day, I'm sure of it. C'mon! Look at yourself. A cute guy like you, nice muscles, nice eyes, good sense of humor... c'mon... who would pass a hunk like that? It sure beats a certain poor, tight-assed orphan boy here."
Bobby smiled at last.
"Of course, you still need to work a little bit on your sense of humor. You don't want to commit all your lovers into an insane asylum too early... or even worst, into an early grave. I heard coffins are getting more and more expensive these days." Scott smiled. "You'll find someone, Bobby. And when you do, you'll make both Jean and I and everyone else wish we have grabbed you when we had the chance."
At last, a soft laugh emerges from Bobby's lips.
"It's true!" Scott smiled along with him. "Jean always complaint about how gay couples are always so romantic that they makes straight couple's romance looks like the inside of a cuckoo clock - what's with the scattered roses and scented candles and perfumes and whatever. Maybe we should take some advices from you to spice up our love life a little bit. After all, I do have the expression of a brick wall all the time. Jean said it reduces the intensity of our romance by 50%."
The laughter increases in intensity.
"So, you okay now, Bobby?"
Bobby smiled and nodded quietly.
"Thanks Scott." He sniffled softly.
"Hey, no problem, kiddo. Just answer one question for me and I'll let you off the hook for good." Said Scott.
"Shoot."
"Was I good in those dreams?" Scott laughed softly when Bobby choked on his own spit.
"Don't gloat too much." Bobby huffed and glares at him in answer. "You're always too bossy and a bit of a control freak."
A female laughter immediately burst out from one of the rooms downstairs. Jean must be listening to the whole conversation, damn her telepathy!!!
"But I loved every minute of it!!!" Bobby shouted out of the window.
The laughter grew even louder.
"Great. I will never hear the end of it tonight." Scott sighed.
"Thanks for not making a big deal out of this, Scotty." Said Bobby.
"No problem, Icicle." Scott smiled back. "C'mon. Why don't we put all of this behind us and go work out in the Danger Room? Just you and me. We'll rig the old Star Wars program, you know, the one we created ages ago for fun. Maybe we can modify it slightly so that we have to rescue two people instead of one. I'll have Princess Leia 'n' I suppose I can thrown in Luke Skywalker for you."
Bobby grinned but shook his head.
"Tempting. Very tempting, but naaah. Maybe tomorrow. I think I'll go out for a walk by the lake. I need some fresh air." Said Bobby.
"Well, it's your loss." Said Scott, back in his Fearless Leader mode as they both got up. "I'll go an check the professor then, and see if Moira has come up with an update."
"Scott..." Bobby calls out as Scott reaches the door. "Thanks."
Scott looked at him expressionlessly before sighing heavily.
"Oh what the hell. Just this once." He muttered before striding towards Bobby, grabs both sides of his face and gave him one of the most passionate kisses he had ever given out to anyone in his life. With his mouth forced opened and ravaged mercilessly, Bobby could only stare wide-eyed at the experience. And when Scott pulls back at last, perhaps several centuries later, Bobby still gaped at him wide-eye.
"Now, if you tell anyone about this kiss, Bobby, I'll lie like a dog." Scott smirked before turning around and marches out of the room. "Close your mouth before it catches flies, Jeanie!"
"Uuuunnnhhh... no... no... NOOOOO!!!!"
Yelling hoarsely in horror and panic, Nick opens his eyes and sat on his bed, looking around wildly. His side throbs sorely and he winces at the pain. Looking down, he stares dully at the bandages, touching it gently and wincing again at the resulting pain.
Looking around again, he realized that he's not in the cold and sterile medlab anymore. He is in bed in his room. The window is opened wide, letting the fresh breeze in. Looking at the clock, he notices that its almost 4 in the afternoon.
"Nick??"
He looked up when Warren hurried into the room worriedly. The man took one look at his sweaty face and with quick flaps of his wings; he flew and landed at his side immediately.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Warren asked worriedly, pulling his lover gently against his chest.
Feeling safe again in Warren's protective arms, Nick close his eyes gratefully and lean against his chest, listening quietly to the faint beating of his lover's heart within.
"Bad nightmare?" Warren's voice hummed softly against Nick's ears.
Nick nodded in silence.
"Want to talk about it?"
Nick shook his head in answer.
"It'll make you feel better." Said Warren.
Silence fell. Nick closes his eyes tightly but that did nothing to banish Sabretooth's grinning image in his mind.
"I was walking along a dark tunnel and... and... that... beast from the other night... came out from nowhere and..." Nick whispered softly.
"Shhh... it's okay, baby." Warren hushed soothingly as he tightens his hug. "You're safe now."
They stay like that for a good while with Nick resting his head, eyes closed, against Warren's chest while Warren rocked him gently.
"You better lie down." Warren murmur and loosen his grip when Nick nodded and leaned back to lie on the bed once more. "How's the wound? Any pain?"
"A little." Nick mumbled dully.
"Let me check. You may have damaged it a little bit while you were tossing about in your sleep." Said Warren. Nick watched quietly as Warren gently peels the dressings. He grimaced when he saw several stitches decorating his lower ribs area.
"It's hideous..." Nick whispered. "Oh God, how am I gonna explain this to Kevin and the others... and Johnny! I won't be able to do photo-shoots or perform with my tops off ever again!"
"Hey, hey... baby, relax." Warren whispers soothingly before leaning over and kiss his forehead. "It'll heal. Hank reassured me that it will leave very little traces. Don't worry about it. And you let me deal with Johnny. He's an old friend of mine. He'll understand when I explain everything to him."
"You're gonna tell him about me?" asked Nick worriedly.
Warren smiles lovingly as he gently pushes the strands of hair back from Nick's forehead.
"Ole Johnny doesn't have any problem with mutants. He knew about me practically since I was a little kid. He's an old friend of my dad. He won't mind about you, trust me."
Nick only leans back to rest his head on the pillow, sighing resignedly.
"How did I get here?" he mumbled.
"I thought you'd be more relaxed in your own bed than in that cold 'n' sterile medlab." Warren smiled in reply. "Hank protested, but I battled my way through him, carried you in my arms and flew you here myself. So be thankful."
Nick smiled sleepily as he pictured the whole scene in his head.
"The professor?"
Warren sighed sadly.
"Still no change." He replied quietly.
"Where's Lance?"
"When he's not hanging out with Bobby, he stayed by your side. He was here this morning till lunch." Said Warren. "He went off to pack his things a couple of hours ago. He's leaving for Orlando at eight this evening. He is hoping to talk to you before leaving."
Warren leaned closer carefully when he detected a wave of sadness through the link from Nick's mind.
"You don't want him to leave?" he asked softly.
Nick looked away quietly in silence but Warren touches his cheek gently and turned his face towards him.
"Baby, what's wrong?" He enquired worriedly when he saw the sad eyes gazing back at him. "Talk to me. Is it me?"
Nick shook his head immediately in answer.
"Warren, I'm... scared." Nick whispered at last. "There's some lunatic out there wanting to... kill me and... and I'm scared."
"Oh Nick..." Warren quickly hugged him again, kissing his cheek gently. "Baby, you need to pull yourself together. You had a bad experience that night and I keep on forgetting that you're not used to such things before. Nick, baby, I promise you, I'll always be there for you. I won't let you get hurt again, I swear."
"I...Warren, I... I wanna go home..." Nick whispered at last, looking away when a drop of tears leaked down slowly.
Warren smiled reassuringly.
"Is that it? You missed you family?" he asked and Nick nodded in silence.
"If... if there's some lunatic out there trying to kill me... I... maybe it's better if I spend some time with them before he gets me..." Nick whispered again as more tears slipped from his eyes.
"Hey!" Warren said sharply as he glare and pull Nick's face towards him again to gaze into those scared, teary eyes. "Don't say that. Never say that."
Nick looked at him tearfully in silence.
"Nick, you are not going to die." Warren spoke again, stressing each word firmly. "You need to be brave, baby. I need you to be brave because I want you to keep on living. I love you and I want us to be together forever till we grow old. I'll fight to the death if I have to if it means protecting you."
Picking up Nick's hand, he began rubbing it gently as he smile.
"I'll kick the ass of anyone who dares to try to hurt you again, baby, and believe you me, I can kick pretty hard. They'll be having a hard time washing off my boot-prints." He continues and despite his depression, Nick couldn't help but smile slightly. "So, just let them come. I'll be waiting. If they want you, they'll have to go through me first. I'll box their ears so hard they'll still be hearing bells next year. Grrr!"
Nick laughs softly despite his tears when Warren bared his teeth, his wings quivering slightly in a humorous attempt to look fierce.
"There's the smile I wanted to see." Warren smiled as he wiped away the tears from Nick's eyes.
"Looks like I've just acquired a guardian angel." Nick smiled before kissing Warren gently.
"You got that right." Warren grinned. "Now, I better call Heaven to inform them that I'll be taking some time off to do a bodyguard job for my boyfriend. Don't want them to put my name down in the 'Missing in Action' list."
Nick's laughter grew louder.
"You okay now?" Warren asked lovingly as he ran a finger over Nick's cheek.
"Yeah." Nick smiled before his face become serious again. "There're also two other reasons why I wanted to go home."
Sensing the determination in Nick's mind, Warren finally understood his lover's intention. He looks at Nick proudly when Nick grasped his hand and pulls it up to kiss it gently.
"You sure you're ready to tell them?" Warren asked quietly.
"I'll be more than ready if you're there beside me, but I'll understand if you can't... with the professor being in coma and all..." Nick began to babble but stopped when Warren's lips met his and they stay locked in a blissful kiss for several moments.
"Remember the promise I made to you the other day in LA?" Warren smiled when they pull apart. "I told you I'll be there beside you when you're finally ready to tell them. I never break a promise before and I'm not gonna start now. So shut up and kiss me again."
Laughing brightly, Nick kissed him deeply again and again and again with all the passion his heart could unleash.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Nick smiled when they pull apart for air at last. "Find Lance and tell him to cancel his ticket and go get your private jet ready. We'll stay at my house first for a couple of days before heading on to my folks' home."
Warren sat up to frown at him mockingly.
"Just a couple of weeks together and you're already bossing me around? When I signed up to be your guardian angel, being a slave was not included in the job description." He huffed, arms crossed on his chest and chin raised arrogantly. "And I am Warren Worthington the Third, multi-billionaire and sole owner of Worthington Industries. I will not be bossed around."
"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, Bird-Boy." Nick laughed. "Oh by the way, Warren Worthington the Third, multi-billionaire and sole owner of Worthington Industries, make sure you take all the precautions you need to hide those wings. My mom LOVES chicken wings."
He laughed again when Warren yelped and his wings fluttered in alarm.
This Tuesday, Part 34: 'All I Ever Needed'