Note from the Author:
Songs that JC sing at this point are from JC Chasez's new CD, "Schizophrenic" and don't belong to me. I think they belong to him, but I'm not sure. Don't sue me, the lyrics aren't mine. I made a small, teeny tiny change to them (PLEASE don't sue me. It's a wish, a fantasy on my part) so that the lyrics are about a guy in love with a guy. I am restating, I don't know if JC Chasez is gay, and I don't own him or his music.
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post, I've been promoted at work, I've been attending summer classes, and losing a lot of weight. OVER 30 LBS! Yey me. Anyhoo, sorry, and e-mail me. Only one winner in last times contest. So... I guess peeps just don't watch "Invader Zim" a lot. Try it. It's a killer cartoon.
My Immortal Chapter 10: Finally Home
I looked at my watch, it was less than 5 hours until opening. Chris was off doing some last minute preparations, the group was slowly arriving, and I was beginning to feel cold.
I walked over to the small keyboard I keep in the office and turned it on.
"Clear my eyes it's the morning after Did I fall in love, or did I find disaster? Take a second just to breathe I pick my heart up off my sleeve, yea
"There he goes and I know he knows By the way he eased out on his tippy toes Skip the breakfast, tea for two We made no plans to rendezvous, yea
"Someone for everyone but no one for me Constantly searching for the love I need to
"Build my world around, around I'll be the lonely one until I find someone The one to build my world around, around So bring the arms of love until I find the one The one I build my world...
"Lazy days, I'm in a hazy phase Of watching countless ways in which my life goes crazy Foolishness to blame Still it pains me all the same, yea
"Empty faces with empty gazes In a race of change I'm losing faith in my pace Trying to keep my feet before I fall
"I'm on this endless road with nothing to see Constantly searching for the love I need to
"Build my world around, around I'll be the lonely one until I find the one The one I build my world around, around So bring the arms of love until I find the one The one I build my world
"A cornerstone of honesty A foundation of gravity and freedom A clear and concrete understanding A love that's best kept safe and sound
"It's amazing how we fear we may be It's from ourselves we so often run Abandon fear and consequence of heartbreak Expose the truth and give yourself to love
"We've all been set up to be disappointed We have to crawl before we learn to fly It's a blur that moves right into focus Removes the doubt, aligns your heart and mine
"It's amazing, ah yea I'll be the lonely one until I find the one The one I build my world around, around, around, yea So bring the arms of love until I find the one The one I build my world around, yea, oooh... I'll be the lonely one until I find the one The one I build my world around Just say it, just say it, just say it, just say it, yea-yea, oh baby So bring the arms of love until I find the one The one I build my world..."
I was wiping my eyes when I heard them clear their throats. I spun around to see Lance and Eric.
"You have a great talent." Eric said, smiling. It always hurt me a little to see him and remember how handsome he once was.
"Thanks." I responded.
"It's not exactly the same as your recorded version." Lance said walking over to give me a hug.
"Well, I'm not exactly the sellable orientation." I laughed. It was good to have them here. I needed them. I had gone to them as a support line. The couple that couldn't be torn apart, when I was.
"So, what can we do to help?" Eric asked looking at the piles of paperwork.
"Nothing. We are all set up, save some cosmetic things. If y'all want, you can go around and see the place. Then, when Joey and Justin finally show up we're having lunch." I led them from the office down into the club.
The club started its life as a factory. The office is on the third story. The building is a three story hollow space with a column of rooms to the north east. The second story room had been retrofitted when the ring that makes up the second level had been installed. The room was the store room which had the staircase for the office as well as the supplies for running a high class club.
The bar was huge, as it was the only one in a club that could hold four hundred people. We exited into the bar and came upon a busy scene. I looked out onto the addition I had brought to Serenity, the glass dance floor. Well, it wasn't glass, but a super sturdy thick clear plastic supported by a complex network of adamantium bars, the two ramps leading to the second level at the North and South ends of the dance floor, and the two stair cases leading to the first at the East and West sides. The main floor had the bathrooms and coat check. It was the main space and had a sunken floor in the center for it. The first floor ring, and second, had the tables.
The second main structure was the DJ booth, which had a special place in a control booth at the south end of the roof. It was built with metal support struts that went diagonally to the corners of the second floor. It was set up with monitors to let the DJ see what the dancers on both levels were doing, and how they were with the music.
I led Lance and Eric over to Chris who was sending a few employees off to take care of stuff. He turned to us and beamed.
"Now I know how our tour managers felt. This is fun!" He was bouncing.
"Is everything set and ready?" I asked.
"Sound check is done, we're ready to go." He said.
"Ok, Christina goes on at 7:30, then Nsync takes the stage." I smiled. It was our first public performance since we took the down time.
"So, how are you liking having helper monkeys?" Lance asked. Eric was still laughing lightly at a bouncy Chris.
"Well, they still have to find my Dorothy, but they will find the pretty and her little dog too!" he started cackling and we all fell out laughing.
"It's nice to get away for awhile," Eric said. "We've been quite busy with Preston and Sarah."
"Not to mention Grad school," Lance added.
"Yeah, that, too," Eric replied. "We'll have to bring the twins over sometime to visit. Lance's parents took them to the zoo today so that we had the whole day to visit with you.
"The place looks amazing. It's come along nicely. Have you had any trouble in getting everything together?"
We just kept on chatting for a while... losing ourselves in our friendship, and stepping out of the frantic movements of the Club Staff doing the finishing touches.
We burst through into the ruin that was the Atlantean Chamber. Around us were the fallen weapons of the soldiers, slightly melted from my plasma during the fight.
"Wow." Was all that Andrea could say. She was bumping into me every couple minutes. I could tell she was just making sure I was real. I didn't even have to use my powers to know that.
We came into the main chamber, which was in complete disarray. There were boulders and chunks of ceiling all over the floor. But off to the side was the arch, unharmed, with a large chunk of rock leaning against it. We walked over and then I saw it, the scorch marks from where I killed Dasro. I walked over.
I could still hear his screams in my mind. Andrea came over and rested a hand on my shoulder. "I tortured him to death." I said.
I could sense her recoil slightly. "He was a monster Blake, he deserved to die."
"No, I tortured him. I burnt him piece by piece, holding his life force trapped until he was fully burnt up. The only reason he stopped screaming was his lungs were compromised by the flames." I turned and looked her in the eyes. "And he wasn't the end. I was so... twisted and hurt when I was lost, I did whatever it took to get back. I tortured other creatures, demons, lycanthropes, anyone that was evil and could help me. And I didn't care." I turned back to the scorch marks. "There are things I did that I don't even want to remember because when I do, I feel nothing. And that is the feeling I want to hide from."
"Blake, there are times when we have to do things that we don't want to, to get the job done." She turned me and smiled a weak smile when she saw my tears. "He'll still love you. We all love you and are so happy you are home it's almost scary. You're a good man, with a noble soul, and you will always find your way. You didn't torture or kill without a good reason right?" she asked.
"I just wanted to come home." I whispered. "I wanted back with my loved ones, and him."
"You'll find your way." She said. She pulled me into a hug and then we started for the sea bed. When we got there I turned back towards the direction of the chamber. I held my hands out and spheres of blue black flame formed around them, then shot in a beam at the sea bed. It started to glow bright red as I liquefied the dirt and rock bellow it, collapsing the chamber and burring the arch in solid rock. Then we started back for the surface.
When we were in the air Andrea started calling out to me. We slowed and I pulled in the wings, and she pulled her form in until it was just a skin tight glow to support her. "We need to get you back and run a few tests." She looked a little bit down. "I trust you, and you know I love you, but we need to be sure. You've been gone for over 2 years."
"I understand. And when that's finished, we can go over what's happened here in the last few years." She nodded and we separated again. When we were far enough apart we let our bird forms flow out. I let my self gleam the top thoughts from her brain.
"And the Birds Of Prey are together again over San Francisco."
I smiled a wide smile, and we flew.
We got back and I took the tests. Blood tests, retinal scans, and even a few spells. Andy asked me a ton of questions about our past to make sure I knew them. Eventually I passed and was cleared to return to duty. This caused a wide sweep of cheers from the girls, and a firm handshake from Devin.
"So, what happened after I left?" They detailed the fall of Apocalypse and how the teams sent from the Institute faired. I was glad all my friends survived. Then they touched base on my funeral.
"JC wrote the most amazing song for you." Andrea said. I cried when she played a recording through the computer. My heart ached to be with him again, but there were things I needed to know first. The most important thing I hadn't asked yet. I was too afraid.
Then came the aftermath. Santa Cruz was still being reconstructed. The death toll from the war was estimated at over four million around the world. But the end of the war didn't end it. In January 2002, Europe started a hunt for Preternatural Creatures, wizards and witches. "They got Devin's sister." Jubilee whispered. I was astonished.
The only countries that didn't participate were France, England, and Italy. China was surprisingly tolerant, once a former emperor stepped into the light. South America was torn as to what to do. America declared itself accepting of all Witches and Wizards, and left the toleration of Lycanthropes up to each state. California was the only one to be tolerant of Lycanthropes so far.
Vampires were openly hunted the whole world over. I asked about the one's we had befriended and it was explained they were ok. A few people had come forward to advocate for Vampires, but they weren't making headway.
In the Fall of 2002 the fights broke out. Sects of Wizards started attacking the places that housed anti-magic organizations. Packs of Lycanthropes attacked police stations and military bases. Vampires would swarm malls and other public places.
"All hell is breaking loose. The Watchers Council is gone, the Talamasca is refusing to take an active role, and the soul bearing vampires are far out numbered." Andrea concluded. They had detailed the major events of the last 2 years, including the war in the Middle East, in three hours. I was overwhelmed. I closed my eyes and relaxed my mind. How many had died. How much could have been prevented.
I looked at the clock. "It's after five, shouldn't you ladies be getting ready for tonight?" I asked.
The girls all looked at the clock, then at each other, then at me. The shriek that followed that almost split my ear drums.
Devin and I laughed as they all ran to the portals that sent them to their homes. I turned to him. "What's the dress for tonight?" I asked.
"Formal, but snazzy." I closed my eyes. I made my hair metallic blue, deep enough to match my eyes. I remembered a style I had wanted to try with it and pulled it into an elaborate knot at the back and placed a pair of silver chop sticks in. I formed a black, tight, dress shirt that was sheer enough to make out the lines of my muscles and make out the dark points of my nipples. I formed black dress shoes and slacks. The color of the shirt was velvet, the tie silk and long. I vaporized the hair under my arms, and any hair on my chest and arms.
To finish it off I added a black leather dress jacket. Everything was tight, and snug, and slightly obscene. Hey, work in a strip club for two years and see if it doesn't change your definition of formal snazzy.
"Don't you think that's a bit... much?" he asked.
"Is this Serenity we're going to?" I asked.
"Yeah?" Devin answered.
"This is just enough." I smiled at him, and saw him start slightly at my teeth. These were going to take a little getting used to.
"We open in ten, places everyone!" I yelled from the guard rail of the glass floor. Tonight there would be only a couple hundred here. Reporters, hot shots from the industries, and a few from the public. Nsync was seated at the North end of the second floor, with clear views of the stage. Christina was opening with a couple songs, and then we would take the stage for one song. I requested it be "This I Promise You". Then I'd do a song from my album, then the DJ would take over.
But I was off. I had been since I sang the song. I couldn't explain it, but something was different since the afternoon.
In what seemed no time the doors were opening and the crowds started finding seats. The talking started, a small background noise under the sound of the music. I looked over at the roped off VIP section to the far right. That was where I had reserved seating for my friends. In came Maharet, Meker, and David. I walked over and gave each a hug. Then Jean came running over with Scott and Bobby and his date, coming up behind was Ororo and her son Joshua.
We all talked for a bit then broke apart.
The time came and I announced Christina. The crowd went nuts as she preformed "Dirty", then "Can't Hold Us Down", and wrapped up with "Fighter". I walked back to the stage.
"This is a night of rebirth. After the club was demolished in the war we rebuilt and flourished. Tonight I announce that this club will continue. And, as a special treat..." Justin clicked on his microphone and started to sing. The crowd went nuts as the guys walked across to the platform. We looked down at those seated below us and sang to them too. I looked over and smiled as Andrea and the girls, along with Devin took their seats.
We finished and I started the words for "Dear Goodbye", my piece to try and move on from the loss of Blake. Something that I had to do.
Staring out, depressed about What words I have to plead So torn apart
Shattered by impressions of Confessions in defeat My broken heart
Crying, desperate, fighting Questions scared to let go
We used to be so beautiful But the days go by and Things get better
I'm weary from the war I'm losing half my soul But the days go by and
Past the point of reasons I just want you to believe That it's not your fault
Cry your eyes to sleep It's like a thousand rainy nights Oh, drowning lows
Photographs, the close up, what we had Come undone
Where did it all go wrong? The days go by and Things get better
You hardened like a stone To face the world alone But the days go by and Things get better
Exhausted of apologies In search of something comforting But the days go by and Things get better
Brought out the best and worst in me You gave your all unselfishly But the days go by and
Oh, I could never replace All the tenderest moments They will always live right here Inside me
My love will forever hold a place For you That's why I'm so confused, yeah
Boy, we used to be so beautiful But the days go by and Things get better
I'm losing half my soul To face the world alone But the days go by and Things get better
We're not the type to just give up But I know that it's what's best for us The days go by and Things get better
We'll pass some crossing roads Surviving on our own But the days go by and...
I sang the original version, where I said boy and not girl. The crowd cheered when I finished.
"As some may remember, I lost my fiance at the end of the Vampire War. I wrote this as a way to cope, to help me get ready to move on. Something I hope no one will ever have to go through, but realize is a fact of life in many cases. Now, let's dance. Hit it!" And the dance music started blasting. I walked to the crowd of my friends and started hugging them.
Andrea pulled me to the side. "Get your ass to the roof, now." She stated.
I gave her a blank look. "Wha..." I started, but was stopped by her hand.
"Just go. I love you." She smiled so wide.
I walked over to the bar and went up the stairs. When I got to the office I went through the roof access door and up. I opened the door and stepped out. There was a man in black standing at the far end of the roof facing the bay.
"Excuse me?" I asked walking towards him.
"You know..." he said and I froze. "We met on a roof top." He turned and smiled. "Ok, it started in an alley, but we ended up on a roof top. Then the moon."
"Blake?" I choked his name out, tears flowing out of my eyes. I started running for him, and he met me only after I had taken only a few steps. He pulled me into a hug and we both started sobbing.
I was finally back with him. After all the fighting, and searching, I had him again. Goddess, I was home.
"How?" he asked in a choked voice.
I pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "I was transported to another universe. I got so lost, but I never stopped trying to get back to you. I never stopped trying to get back."
"You're home? You're really back?" He was smiling, and crying, and sniffling. I imagine I looked the same.
"Yes. I'm home." He lent forward to kiss me, but I pulled back. He looked at me confused. "Before that we need to talk."
"About what?" he asked.
"I..." I stepped back in case he wanted to run. "I'm a vampire now."
He looked at me blankly. "What kind?" he asked seriously.
"I'm a vampire from the world David described."
"And they have souls?" he asked with a smile.
"Yes." I said.
He walked towards me and pulled me to him.
"And you have yours?" He asked.
"Yes." I grinned.
"Then what's the matter?" He pulled me into a kiss. I slid my tongue into his mouth and luxuriated my self in his taste. He slipped his into mine and almost immediately cut his tongue on my teeth. The taste of his blood brought a gasp to me and I pulled back.
"We'll work on that." He said smiling.
I just looked at him, but it was a new type of look. Almost as if I was looking at him for the first time.
I didn't just see my lover. Or my soul mate.
I saw an artery. I saw a pulse.
I saw food.