SHIFTER ─ marvel

XIX. Stay With Me

I rub at my eyes, trying to calm down, but these efforts are in vain. When I refocus my attention back on Khari, I find he's no longer sitting next to me, but kneeling in front of me. A couple tears fall down his cheeks, his hand slightly shaking as he fishes into his breast pocket, pulling a metal band out.

Oh my god. I stare at the ring for a moment before my eyes meet Khari's. He smiles widely at me, his eyes filled with love and hope as he asks; "Alexander Thomas Roberts, will you marry me?"

What did I do to deserve him? This intelligent, compassionate, loyal, dedicated, beautiful man. The man who saw me for who I was and accepted my faults with open arms. The man who was so patient with me, allowing me to open myself up on my own time. The man, who despite all logic, wants to spend the rest of his life with me.

My efforts to stop crying have been undone, and as fresh tears spill from my eyes, I nod my head. "Unless Madonna returns my phone calls, I'm all yours."

"So that's a yes?"

"Yes!" I tell him, wrapping my arms around his neck, beginning to shower his face in kisses. I feel like I'm bursting from my skin, like fireworks have been set off inside me. Khari laughs as I kiss him repeatedly, holding onto me tightly. As I pull back, I see the widest smile on his face, making his hazel colored eyes crinkle.

He places the ring on my finger, brushing his thumb over it. Without another word, I connect his lips with mine. I hold onto his face tightly as I deepen the kiss, feeling Khari's hands tighten on my hips. This kiss is unlike the ones we've had before. This kiss is a promise for a lifetime filled with love, however long that lifetime might be. I wasn't going to focus on what will happen a hundred years from now, because all that matters is that I have Khari here now. And even when that time does come, I'll have him with me then, too. He'll be where he always is; in my heart.

-

Soroya

I keep thinking about Analiese. If it's true that she wants me so she can find a way to control her powers, then I can't help but want to help her. I remember what it feels like to not be in control of yourself, to loose your humanity and try to stay sane. I only had to deal with it for a couple years, she has had to deal with it for over two decades.

I pity this woman, whether she had a hand in giving me my powers or not. I know the pain she goes through everyday, and I can see why she's so desperate to find me. I don't know what she would use me for though. To train her? To be her test monkey again?

I've been laying in bed thinking about this for a couple hours now, and my mind can't seem to become at ease. Bucky left a little while ago to get me some food and I welcome the moment to myself. I feel so overwhelmed by all of this. I can hardly manage to think let alone interact with people.

Moments later, Bucky walks through the door. Without a word to me, he walks over to the bedside table and grabs the tv remote. He turns it on, pressing one of the channel buttons which broadcasts the news.

On the screen, a young woman discusses the most recent animal attack. This attack happened in Margate, England.!I feel a gasp escape my mouth as I recognize the house that was attacked.

"No...no...no." I whisper, feeling tears begin to spill from my eyes as the woman talks about the family who was murdered in their home. The wife, husband, and two twin girls were attacked by an animal. A message was left on the wall in their living room; 'Come alone, or more attacks will happen. Go to the place he died.'

Diana, Rupert, Delilah, and Rosey. All dead. All because of me. My anger and sorrow reach new peaks as I find myself picking up the clock on my bedside table, throwing it at the wall next to the tv, shattering it into pieces.

Bucky collects me in his arms, running his hands through my hair, trying to comfort me. But what can? Those innocent people died because of me, they died in pain and agony because this woman is after me. I can't let anyone else die. I can't.

I pull away from Bucky, wiping my eyes and beginning to pace the length of my bedroom. Bucky sits on the edge of my bed, his eyes watching my every move. "Lena," he says, his voice low. "I know that look. Please tell me you're not considering going."

I shake my head. "That family is dead because of me. I can't let more people die when I can do something to stop it."

"By giving yourself to Remington?"

"I'm gonna go there and end this once and for all."

Bucky shakes his head. "I know you're angry, and you have every right to be. But this isn't the answer. Remington is a scientist, a PHD level scientist. She is a smart woman, who has thought every step she's taken through. She won't lure you in without having a way of capturing you. If you go to her, she'll take you or worse."

I stop my pacing for a moment, running my hands through my hair, trying to stop my mind from spinning. "There's no other way."

"Bullshit," Bucky says, standing up. "There's always another way. We can all go together, ambush her so she can't get you. We can send a whole army to get this woman, but not you."

I shake my head, crossing my arms. "She has my powers, so she would be able to sense us coming from a mile away. She'd escape and then she'd kill more people. Sometimes being a hero means making hard choices, and sometimes that means risking your life when others are in danger."

Bucky steps forward, cupping my face in his hands, urging me to look at him. "Please, Lena. Please don't do this. Let us help, let us come up with another plan."

I shake my head, trying to make him understand. "Analiese has been in constant pain for so many years. She needs help, she needs to be able to control her powers. I could reason with her, I could convince her—"

"Don't bet your safety, your life, on blind optimism!" Bucky pleads.

"I will always bet my life on the goodness of others," I say, meaning that with every fiber in my bones. "She's desperate, she's in pain. She's lost herself. Every time she shifts, the animal takes hold of her more and more. I can help her. I can stop her pain and stop her from killing people."

Bucky lets go of my face, his face now growing desperate as he falls onto his knees in front of me. He grips my hips tightly, shaking me. "I'm begging you, don't leave. Stay with me, stay and come up with a better plan."

I look down into his eyes, seeing the desperation in his eyes. I know how he feels. I'm reminded of the times he left me to do the right thing, the honorable thing. This was no different, and I knew that there wasn't an alternative to this.

So, I do what he did to me the night we found out he was framed for the Vienna bombing; I lie.

I let out a sigh, brushing a piece of his hair away from his eyes. "Okay. I'll stay."

He grips my hips tighter, his voice sounding strained as he says firmly; "Promise me."

It hurts my very soul to lie to him, but I have to do it. I bring myself onto my knees as well, cupping his face in my hands. "I promise." I whisper, bringing his lips forward to mine.

I wrap my arms around his neck, running one hand over his shoulders and the other through his hair. He wraps both arms around my waist clutching me tightly to him. After a moment he lifts me up, locking his arms under my thighs as I wrap my legs around his waist.

I pull back from him for a moment, eyeing the bed as I run my hands through his hair again. Hunger fills his eyes as he connects his lips with mine again. I curse myself for making him go through the pain of me leaving, of knowing I lied to him. But I need to protect him, to protect everybody. The safety of everyone else is worth any pain I could ever endure. For now I am not going to think of it though. For now, I am going to focus on being with the man I love; letting out a small laugh as we collapse onto the bed.