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Post by Mystique on Jul 15, 2008 0:01:45 GMT -5
Abigail smiled again, happy to be spending time with her Daddy here and now, when a voice called out across the lawn.
"Abby?"
Her head turned, seeing her mother come across the lawn towards her. "I made lunch, sweetie. How does ham barbecue sound?" Raven stopped and smiled at her daughter, who was relaxing on one of the benches, with a closed book beside her. But her gaze shifted to the seat next to her, as though someone else was sitting in it. Even though there wasn't.
"It's sounds good, Mommy," Abigail said quickly, looking at her father for a moment.
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Post by The Man on Jul 15, 2008 0:20:22 GMT -5
::It was never easy for Xavier to see Raven whilst she was awake. She could not see him, and any attempt to communicate was futile. To see her walk by him, as though he were little more than air, despite the fact that he was, remained painful each time it happened.
He need not keep silent, as she could not hear him either, but he did so for Abigail, to allow her to have a conversation with her mother. When she turned to look at him, he met her eyes.:: "Go have lunch. I will be here tonight."
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Post by Mystique on Jul 15, 2008 14:02:23 GMT -5
Abigail smiled and looked back at her mother. "I'm ready!" She said, hopping off the bench, and remembering to grab her book. She walked over to her mother, who put an arm around her shoulders.
"What do you say we pay your father a visit after lunch? We can put some fresh flowers down," Raven suggested, smiling softly. Abigail nodded, despite the fact that she had just visited her Daddy.
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Post by The Man on Jul 15, 2008 14:13:39 GMT -5
::Xavier watched the two of them walk off, and he then let himself become more transparent. He would go to another part of the grounds to watch the students and pass the time.::
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Post by Mystique on Jul 15, 2008 14:39:37 GMT -5
Lunch and the rest of the afternoon passed normally, for both Raven and Abigail. They placed fresh flowers on Xavier's grave, and later that night they watched a movie together in the rec room.
They had wanted something lighthearted, since Raven was feeling depressed again, and Abigail wasn't old enough for some of the more adult movies. So they had watched Freaky Friday. When it was over, they smiled at each other.
"I think it's time for bed for you, Sweetheart," Raven said, as Abby yawned tiredly. "You had a long day today." Abby nodded.
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Post by The Man on Jul 15, 2008 14:45:05 GMT -5
::Xavier had a tendency to remain completely out of sight, but watch Abigail's good night ritual. Although it was a wall between them as a family, it brought him a sense of comfort, which he needed. His soul worked, now that his body no longer required upkeep.::
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Post by Mystique on Jul 15, 2008 15:00:55 GMT -5
They went up to Abigail's room, which had been painted over and redone only a few months ago. Raven had decided Abigail needed a change from her old, childhood room, and let Abby pick out what she wanted to do. She decided on an Asian themed room, and Raven had happily taken to the project. They painted the walls chocolate, put in bamboo shades and paper lantern lights, as well as putting up wall hangings with Chinese calligraphy.
Her daughter was growing up so fast, it was amazing. But luckily she still hadn't entered her rebellious phase. And she still liked to be tucked in. Pulling the covers around her, Raven kissed her daughter's forehead. "Sleep well, Abby. I am so very proud of you," She told her, smiling at her daughter. Abby whispered her own goodnight, and Raven closed the door behind her, to return to her own bedroom.
Her bedroom. It had a funny sound to it, as though it was a too strange to be real. But Raven was indeed alone, and felt that acutely every night before she went to sleep. The empty space beside her, where Charles would lay. Right after his death she took to just standing in front of his closet, smelling the scent of him and looking at his clothes, as though he would need a new suit for tomorrow. Scott, Jean and the others found out what she was doing, and managed to put his clothes away, telling her it was unhealthy to do things like that. And it was, she knew. But she just couldn't stand it.
That night she took to looking through the photo albums again. It was another unhealthy thing to do, and she knew it. But she just couldn't help it. This one was just when Abigail was born, with pictures of all of them, happy together. She couldn't help but cry. Soon enough she fell asleep on the bed, with the photo album open beside her. Her dreams never brought her comfort.
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Post by The Man on Jul 15, 2008 15:12:15 GMT -5
::Xavier had drifted through the walls after Abigail had gone to bed. It led him to what had been his bedroom for decades, which was now Raven's alone. She had been depressed, again, and it simply would not do. And thus, when she went to sleep, he entered her dreams for a visit.::
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Post by Mystique on Jul 15, 2008 16:22:38 GMT -5
In her dream, Raven was dressed up. It was a party, and everyone was dressed elegantly in the ballroom.
Despite being nearly fifty years old, Raven still looked like she was in her early thirties, inside the dream and out. Her healing factor was to thank for that. But here, inside the ballroom, Raven was looking around. Dressed in a beautiful crimson gown, she wore her hair up in a stylish twist, and a string of rubies around her neck. No one seemed to mind that she was in her mutant form. Nor did anyone notice that she didn't have someone to dance with.
It came to her after a while of searching, and the overwhelming feeling of loss hit her again as tears welled up in her eyes. Her dance partner was gone for good.
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Post by The Man on Jul 15, 2008 16:44:39 GMT -5
::Raven's dreams were even more depressing than Xavier's had been after the accident and then again after his last parting with Erik. It had been a year and a half, and although he had healthy respect for the grieving process, it was necessary for her to move on.
Within dreams, he could manipulate his surroundings; it was a mental landscape and that was his domain, more so now. He appeared in a tuxedo, and he could walk, which he did to appear before her.:: "Raven, you and I need to talk."
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Post by Mystique on Jul 15, 2008 16:47:19 GMT -5
Raven's eyes widened, seeing Charles appear before her. "Charles!" She said, rushing towards him. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, as though he would vanish again.
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Post by The Man on Jul 15, 2008 16:49:16 GMT -5
::Xavier held Raven in a tight embrace, which he only released after several moments had passed; it was the only way he could be physically close to her, in these dreams.::
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Post by Mystique on Jul 15, 2008 16:53:11 GMT -5
Despite the fact that she had found him again, Mystique began to cry. "I missed you so much," She told him softly. "I miss you every day."
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Post by The Man on Jul 15, 2008 17:02:14 GMT -5
"And I miss you, but you need to move on," ::Xavier said. It was blunt, but this was not the first discussion of this sort they had shared.::
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Post by Mystique on Jul 15, 2008 17:08:47 GMT -5
Raven sighed, watching him through sad eyes. Of course she remembered the other discussions they had from time to time, in her dreams. The first few right after his death had been to console her. But many had been to tell her that she needed to move on.
"Charles, that takes time."
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