Hi all!! Here's the next part of Dreams of an Angel. Hope you all enjoy it!
I have to say, this is a SAD chapter for me. I don't know how I did it, but when I read it again... it is quite sad and I ended up feeling gloomy all afternoon. I hope I don't cause any of you to be depressed as well :P
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
Part 40: 'Into the Storm (Part I)'
About an hour later...
"... and he ended up running in his underwear with her dad chasing him all around the block with a baseball bat!!" Aaron finished and laughter filled the room as dinner went on peacefully.
"So what do you do, Warren?" asked Robert after a while as they ate. "You're in the music industries as well?"
"Not really." Warren answered as he ate the chicken wing on his plate. He glanced at Nick in amused silence when Nick purposely coughed beside him with his hand half-covering his mouth, muttering 'Cannibalism' softly as he did. "I spent most of my time managing my family business. At other times, I monitor the progress of the shares my family invested in various companies and establishments. So, I also dabble in stock markets and Wall Street as well. My late father invested quite a sum in the music industries before he passed away, especially Jive, since Johnny was an old friend and business ally. It was Johnny who introduced me to the band, and that's where I met Nick here. And we became friends."
"Sounds like a big business." Robert remarked mildly.
"Well, if you think the infamous Worthington Industries is big, then yeah dad, you're right." Nick smirked. "Pass the potatoes, will you Aaron?"
His statement drew gasps from both Robert and Jane.
"Well, I'll be damn... now I remember you." Robert gazed at Warren steadily. "No wonder you look familiar. I saw you on TV a number of times. You're Warren Worthington the Third, the multi-billionaire!"
"And the famous international Playboy, if I'm not mistaken." Jean smiled as she nodded knowingly, finally realizing why his charm affected her so much earlier. "You caused quite a scandal with some girls in a holiday resort in Switzerland several years ago if I'm not mistaken."
"Oh really?" Nick raised his eyebrow as he smiled at Warren. "I never heard of that."
"I was 20 years old and filled with energy." Warren shrugged as he struggled not to laugh, sensing the curiosity from Nick's mind.
"Oh I can believe the 'energy' part." Nick smirked.
"They keep on claiming you have wings or something." Jane shrugged.
Nick laughed and Warren gently kicked him under the table. This is supposed to be Nick's little trial, not his!!
"Yes, I did go through all that. But no, Mrs. Carter, I'm not a Playboy anymore. I'm focusing all my attention on my work nowadays." Warren smiled.
"Coool!!" Aaron grinned. "What's its like to be a multi-billionaire?"
Angel was staring at Warren in fascination, until Jane poked her out of her trance.
"About the same as being a famous boyband singer." Warren answered as he glanced at Nick. "But less photo-shoots though. And less girls screaming at me and trying to rip off my clothes."
"Heh. You're jealous and you know it." Nick answered back amusedly.
"Have more chicken wings, Warren." Said Jane as she looked at Nick strangely when Nick chuckled again.
Warren let out a weary sigh and smiled politely.
"No thank you, ma'am. I'm saving myself for more of your delicious lamb-chop here."
"Oh, no. Do have some more, Warren." Nick smiled evilly as he picks up two more chicken wings and put it on Warren's plate. "It's mom's specialty."
"Help yourself, Warren. There's plenty more where it came from." Said Jane.
"Thanks ma'am." Warren forced a smile as he drinks his wine, pausing long enough to murmur softly to Nick beside him. "I'll get you for this, Nick."
Nick's face is red from holding back his laughter.
"Something is goin' on between you two." Said Angel suddenly as she watched them suspiciously. "C'mon now, out with it."
"Yeah. Nick has been gigglin' like mad since he got here. What's up with you two?" said Aaron.
"Uhm..." Nick stare at his plate nervously at that, all trace of humor in his mind vanishes immediately.
Warren quickly reaches out to Nick through the link once again, filling him with calmness and confidence. Silently, he wished he could hold Nick's hand and comfort him, but that's impossible in the face of four sets of eyes watching them at that instant.
"Nick, honey? Are you alright?" Jane looked at his son curiously.
"You look like you have something to tell us, son." Said Robert.
Attacked from both end of the table, a fine way to unnerve anyone. Warren forced his own mind to calm down even as he works hard to quell the rising panic in Nick's mind. Reaching out through the link again, he filled Nick's mind with his love, letting him know that he will always be there for him; standing strong beside him...
Nick looked up at last, glancing gratefully at Warren once before forcing his eyes to gaze at the eyes of everyone else at the table, starting from his own father, to his brother and sister, and finally to his mother. Warren could feel Nick's every heartbeat, racing like wild horse on a run. He could feel the rising panic and fear.
He opened the link wider, reaching deeply into Nick's mind, so deep... it's almost as if they have become one... Whatever comes, they will face it together.
"I..." Nick began but stopped again, gasping breathlessly, staring down at his half-empty plate again.
"Something is wrong." Jane spoke worriedly as she immediately leans over to his eldest son and place her hand on his shoulder. "Honey, what's wrong?"
"Son, you know you can tell us anything." Said Robert from where he sat, glancing worriedly at Nick, then at the tensing Warren, and then back at Nick again.
Warren is indeed tense and alert, his battle-trained mind worked methodically to prepare itself for any eventuality. His silent gaze fell on Aaron, whose now uneasy eyes shifts constantly at him and Nick repeatedly, and Angel, who is now looking scared and worried at the same time. Making his decision, he raised his hand and placed it reassuringly on Nick's shoulder.
"Nick?" Jane called again.
"I..." Nick began again, shakily before stopping again, his panic finally overwhelming him and not even Warren's effort through the link is enough to calm him down. He stood up shakily; catching sight at Angel's frightened eyes one last time before all the walls he had carefully built that day to prepare himself for this occasion crumbles right before his eyes. "I... need some fresh air..."
"Nick??!" Jane called out worriedly as Nick strode blindly out of the side door into the garden. She got up to follow him out. "Nick!"
"What's going on with him?" Robert asked Warren quietly as Warren stood up as well. "Warren?"
Warren stopped in mid-stride hesitantly, turning to face Robert briefly before turning back to the door.
"I... I'll talk to Nick..." Warren spoke softly as he strode out, walking past Jane towards Nick who is standing by the pool alone, staring at the water in silence with his back facing the others. Angel and Aaron glance questioningly at each other silently before turning their gaze to Nick outside once again.
"What is wrong with Nick?" Jane spoke worriedly as she turned around to face Warren. "Nick? Honey..."
"Nick." Warren called softly as he walked nearer but stopped when Nick shook his head vigorously.
"N-no... Warren... I-I can't do it." Nick stuttered shakily. Warren reaches out through the link again, working hard to quell the panic but to no avail. Nick was just too... scared. "I... c-can't."
"You've already come all this way." Warren replied calmly. Perhaps reasoning with him will help. "You're already halfway through. You're going to back away now?"
Shaking visibly, Nick turn to face Warren and the rest of his family who has by now followed them out into the garden, watching the exchange curiously.
"Nick, honey... what is it?" Jane whispered worriedly.
"Yeah, bro. I've never seen you this scared before." Said Aaron quietly.
Silence stretch.
"Nicky?" Angel called out worriedly.
Pain and panic flared in Nick's mind as he heard his sister's scared voice. It surged through the link into Warren's... causing him to wince.
"I'm sorry... I-I c-can't..." Nick stuttered, looking at Warren tearfully and Warren sighed.
"Very well." Warren replied softly, watching Nick understandingly. He has already half-expected Nick to back out at the last minute and had prepared a way to counter it. It's really not Nick's fault for backing away. He just couldn't deal with the possibility of his family freaking out once the truth is out. And confronting them face-to-face only brings out the image of the disgusted faces that might greet him... making it more and more 'real'.
Sometimes, the only way to deal with your worst fear... is to face it head on. And sometimes, to face your fear head on... you need someone to give you a little push. Drawing a deep breath, Warren's hand move to the image-inducers on his belt underneath his jacket...
And sometimes, that little 'push' means sacrificing oneself. Nick's eyes widen in alarm.
"Warren, what are you doing??" He cried out in panic.
"I know you're scared." Warren spoke calmly, his heart beating wildly as he struggle to control his own fear. "So I'll go first."
"Nooo...!!!" Nick rushed towards Warren but it was too late.
Warren's finger pressed the switch and his image rippled slightly. He heard the various gasps and some slight shuffling of feet as his blue skin appears, followed by the wings on his back, half-spread in readiness, white and pure. Each feathers swaying slightly against the cool evening breeze. But he didn't turn around to face the onlookers. His eyes remained calmly fixed on Nick's horrified gaze.
"Lor' 'ave mercy..." He heard Jane whispers breathlessly as she crossed herself, while pulling Angel closer towards her protectively.
"Holy shit!!" He heard Aaron whisper out shakily nearby.
He didn't hear anything from Robert, but he could feel the man's wary gaze shifting again and again at him and Nick.
"Warren, what the hell are you doing??!!" Nick cried out desperately. Warren turned around, his gaze remained fixed on his lover as Nick rushed behind him to face his family, his back facing him as if trying to shield him with his own body. "Mom... dad... I... I-I-I can explain...!"
"He's an angel!!" Angel spoke breathlessly.
"He's a mutie!!" Aaron spoke softly as he stares at Warren warily.
"I-I..." Nick stuttered shakily as he trembles. He looks around wildly, not knowing what to say or what to do.
Warren placed his hand on Nick's shoulder reassuringly as he watched the others calmly.
"I am Warren Worthington the Third, and yes, I'm a mutant." He spoke just as calmly. Nick turned to gaze at him and their eyes finally met, blue against blue. Fear against pride. He made the first move... cutting Nick a path through the chaos. Now it is time for Nick to use that path and follow.
Silence.
'If you need strength, look at me and I will give you mine.' Warren's earlier words echoed again and again in Nick's mind as he stares into those sky blue eyes, filled with pride and love.
Calmness dominates his mind now as Warren's eyes looked at him knowingly. Speaking to him silently.
'I believe in you.' Those eyes spoke.
Warren reaches through the link again and this time, Nick could feel the pure love coming through from his lover's mind, giving him strength, giving him peace... Drawing a deep shuddering breath, Nick forced himself to calm down before turning to face his family. His eyes stares at them, yet he didn't see them. All his attention is focused to the love that caresses every inches of his soul. Warren stood beside him... yet he could feel the man surrounds him, protecting him from whatever that might comes his way.
"I'm... I'm a mutant too." Nick mumbled the words expressionlessly, taking a leap of faith as he prepares himself to face whatever comes his way from that time onwards.
No one spoke for a good while. Nick stare at each of in turn, trying to discern their reaction, but could fine none. Everyone is too stunned too speak.
"H-h-how?" Jane finally found her voice at last. Robert steps behind her to hold her supportively in case she faint. Looking at her expression, she looks like she is about to do just that at any moment. She shook her head in disbelief, trembling where she stood with her hand placed over her heart. Aaron on the other hand, stood at the other side of the porch quietly, looking quite lost. "That... that's impossible..."
"There's... there's no 'how' or... or 'whys' about... about it. You just... are..." Nick answered nervously, struggling hard to control himself from breaking down and run. He forced himself to lift his eyes and stare at them eye to eye. Warren's strength bolsters him enough and yet, he still feels... weak.
"But... but it can't be!" Said Jane again, shaking her head again and again in constant denial. "It... it can't be... I watched you grew up! I know everything there is to know about you... there were... there were no signs... nothing... I... I... Y-you can't be... I would have known... There must... there must be a... a reason...! It... it can't be... You're mistaken..."
"It's that mutie! He must have infected Nick somehow..." Aaron whispered uncertainly. An anguish pain flared in Nick's mind at that instant upon hearing that and Warren grasped Nick's shoulder harder in support.
"Aaron! I will not hear such thing from you again!" Robert spoke sharply in return before turning his firm gaze to everyone. Drawing a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. "Nick... okay... Nick... I admit... this is quite a shock to all of us. Now... I've never met a mutant before... and I'm pretty sure none of us here has ever met one either. So I don't claim to know that much about them. But I'm pretty fair-minded about these things, mind you! So don't think I'm being judgmental about it. But before you run around telling people about you being a mutant, son, I need to know... are you sure about this?"
Nick felt Warren's hand tightened again in support before meeting his father's gaze directly and nodded.
"I am, dad." He answered as steadily as possible. Warren's love blazes throughout his soul, giving him courage and banishing his fear. His angel will protect him. That particular thought echoed again and again reassuringly throughout his mind. "I don't have wings or blue skin like Warren. My... mutation... involves mostly my mind. I'm an... empath."
He reaches out to touch his parent's mind, projecting his love and hope that they still love him. He opened his mind to them, letting the feel what he is feeling at that moment, all the while looking at them pleadingly, hoping they would understand. Robert's eyes widened while Jane gasped as they felt it.
"Mom? Dad? What's going on?" Aaron looked at them in alarm as he watched his parent's stunned face. He turns to Nick immediately, his eyes blazing angrily. "What going on? What did you do?? Stop it! I SAID STOP IT!!!"
Angel whimpered softly as Aaron took an angry step forward; hands already clenched into a fist.
Nick cringed and stopped the projection. The panic, fear and anger from his brother's mind smashed against Nick's empathic shield like waves crashing against a cliff. Warren tensed beside him as he glares at Aaron expressionlessly, though Nick could feel his lover's mind focusing tensely. Nick has felt that particular emotion a number of times before in his lover's mind... and it usually occur during battles when he prepares himself to make an attack.
"Calm down, Aaron. I'm alright!" said Robert, holding his wife supportively as she stares wide-eyed in shock with both her hands covering her mouth. He looks at Nick steadily, though Nick could feel the uncertainty, fear and wariness from his mind. "What was that, Nick? What's an empath? And what did you do?"
A single tear dropped from Nick's eyes as he suddenly visualize his family turning his back on him.
"I love you, Nick." Warren whispers under his breath next to him, so softly, his lips barely moved, but Nick could hear every word. Another tear dropped and he quickly reaches deeply out through the link to touch Warren's mind, merging their mind together, and drawing on Warren's calmness and self-control to strengthen himself. "Be strong. Be brave."
"I can manipulate emotions." Nick answered softly, thankful that he managed to make his voice steady. Two more tears rolled down, sliding unnoticed down his cheek and he plowed on. His angel will protect him. His angel will make everything alright. "I can sense other people's emotions and I can project my own emotions to them as well, making them feel what I feel... I can make them feel fear or anger or pain or bitterness or guilt... anything that I want them to feel. I reached into your mind just now... allowing you to know what I'm feeling right now... I just... I just want to make you understand better..."
"Warren didn't do anything to me." Nick continues on, the words coming faster and faster as he moves on desperately. Another tears leaked out and he has to struggle hard not to break down and cry. "This thing had gone on for a long time, but with me being so caught up with the band and all... I never realized it, until it threaten to overwhelm me. Warren was there and being a mutant himself, I was lucky he noticed it. My head was so overwhelmed by so many different emotions from hundreds of people by that time... it nearly drove me mad. Warren saved me and helped me control it. I know this is unsettling to all of you. I know this is something the whole world out there despise and hate. I never wanted to be a mutant. I never wanted to be hated or despised. I freaked out myself when I found out I'm a mutant. But I am a mutant, and no amount of freaking out will change that. It is not something that I choose to be. It's something that I was born with. I just hope... I just hope you still love me... accept me... despite all these... but... but if you can't accept it..."
He paused in anguish silence as he struggles to continue...
"If you can't accept it... I... I-I understand..." His voice trailed off into a half-strangled sob as he trembles to prevent himself from crying. He felt Warren hardening the grasp on his shoulder slightly.
The silence that answered him is agonizing. Nobody knew for certain how to react or what to say. Finally Robert sighed and shook his head as if to clear it.
"Look... everyone, just... just calm down. Why don't we all go inside and talk this out, okay? I'm sure you have lots to tell us about this whole thing, son. Don't worry. We'll love you no matter what, whether you're a mutant or not. That will never change. You are still our son, isn't that right, Jane? Jane? Jane!"
His wife jumped and turned to look at him uncertainly and nodded vigorously before turning to Nick.
"Yes." She answered breathlessly as she pulls herself together. She hesitated for a moment before stepping forward anxiously. "Yes. Come here, Nick. Come here, honey."
Nick rushed into her open arm and let himself be pulled into a tight hug as finally break down and cried quietly.
"I'm sorry, honey." Jean whispered tearfully. "You just caught me off guard. You know I will never hate you, no matter what. You will always be my baby."
"C'mon inside, everyone. It's getting cold out here." said Robert as he head inside, pressing his fingers on his forehead in an attempt to ward away the sudden outcropping headache. Aaron followed right behind him without a word, his lips pinched tightly in anger. "You too... err... Warren... Come inside."
"C'mon, Warren." Angel smiled shyly as Jane and Nick head off into the house, still clutching each other tightly. "I love your... your wings."
Warren smiled absently as he felt Nick reaching out to him empathically to convey his gratitude for pushing him forward earlier. He reaches back by sending his love and he felt tears welling up in Nick's eyes once again as he glances back briefly at him before sending back his own love into Warren's mind, this time greater than ever.
"Thanks." Warren whispers, smiling at Angel absently. His thought, however, turns back to the time when his wings sprout out from his back. The bulgy deformities on his back that he had been hiding so very carefully for years finally burst. He remembered shrieking tearfully in pain as blood pours out from the torn skin. He remembered clearly the horrified look from his friends and teachers' eyes as they watched his agony... no one even bothered to step forward to help or comfort him. Who would help a freak? He somehow knew they expected... hope, even... for him to die... as any mutie-freak deserves.
Most of all, he remembers clearly how his own father freaked out after discovering what he is. Warren Worthington the Second didn't say it out loud, but his sudden absence for about 10 month from Warren's life, with strict standing orders to all the servants that he is to be confined within the family mansion at all times with no visitors and no contact to the outside world for any reason, shouted it all. Nick is lucky. Even if his family hadn't accepted him, he still has Warren to be there for him. He will still has a shoulder to cry on. Warren clearly remembers all those moments when he cried himself to sleep alone in his room with only his pillow in his hands.
It took his own father approximately 10 month before he finally accepted his mutation. Even then, he was still unhappy about it. After all, how would his circle of business partners feel when they learn of his only son, the heir to the vast Worthington fortune, is actually a mutant? Think of the gossips. Think of the scandals. Generations of Worthington pride would be ruined... and there were already scores of people out there who would love to see that.
But his father accepted it in the end, albeit grudgingly. But the memories of his suffering remained. Ten months of loneliness, of huddling alone in his room, crying helplessly in the dark. Ten months of the thoughts that he has failed... even worst, disappointed... his father, his family, for being a freak. Ten months of cursing everyone, cursing the world, cursing God Himself for making him like this. Ten months of trashing his room, smashing mirrors and screaming like a madman, until even the servants feared to be near him... all of these remained in his mind.
But Nick will not go through that. Of this, Warren promised grimly to himself. Even if he finds everyone standing against him... Nick will not stand alone. Nick will never stands alone... he will make sure of that.
To be continued, this Friday, part 41: 'Into the Storm (Part II)'