ooc: continued from it's time

ic:

Raina shot up in the bed ripping her fingers at her stomach. Everything was dark and her eyes hadn't yet come into focus but her mind jumped to a panic mode wondering if she was blind. Considering the last thing she remembered was being in labor and the white light she wondered if she died and been revived... or if Rupert was off with the baby while she was healing having obviously blacked out.

It was night at least, that much was true. She wrapped her arms around themselves and whimpered a bit. There was a body next to hers, warm, sleeping, and breathing. She turned her head toward it stupified. She couldn't see it... but she knew it was there... and she finally realized she was in a bed. 'Where's the baby?" she asked the body thinking it was Rupert and giving it a nudge. "Where's the baby? Is it alright?" she gripped at her stomach which felt abnormally flat compared to how it had been feeling. "The baby..." she said deliriously dropping her feet over the side of the bed and becoming confused at the touch of carpet beneath her feet.

"What..." she fumbled for the lamp switch and sat taking in the scene around her.

She wasn't in a hospital with Rupert squeezed up on the cot beside her with the lights off. She was in her regular pajamas with Luke Jacobs out cold to her right. She was in Luke's room, in Luke's apartment... the apartment she would soon be moving into.

She started to hyperventilate the feeling of birthing pains quite vivdly reliving themselves in her memory. This couldn't be real. This couldn't be true. She felt so conflicted and confused. Her breathing quickened and she felt dizzy and light headed. She knew she was going to cry. "The baby..." she cried touching her stomach again.

It was so real... it couldn't have been a dream.

A deep, dreamless sleep was what Luke was enjoying. For tonight at least, his mind was empty of fantasies involving a certain red head dressed in a skimpy bikini, lounging on the beach or on the deck of a boat. His breathing was slow and even while the warm of his slumbering girlfriend pressed up against his back. A sudenly movement in his bed began to push him away from his sleeping state and on to wakefulness. First was a rocking in the bed and then a nudge into his back. Squirming slightly, Luke tried to escape the pushing against his back but then the bed was rocking even more. Did Raina always move the bed this much when she got up to go to the bathroom? If that was the case then this whole 'moving in together' idea was deffinately going to take some getting used to.

"The baby..."

With those two words Luke was suddenly wide awake and sitting up. His chest was bare as he had chosen to just wear sweat pants to bed without any shirt. Without a though Luke's sonar was sweeping the room, checking for a child or baby somewhere but finding nothing. Turning in bed Luke looked at Raina, focusing his sonar on her face. She was upset about something, no question. What was it? Had it been a nightmare? Some sort of memory that tried to make its way back to the surface?

"Raina." His voice was soft and low as he scooted across the bed, his own feet touching the floor as he stod up and then walked over to wrap his arms around the young woman, "What is it sweetheart? Are you OK?"

"Of course I'm not Ok." shot Raina with a quiver in her voice. She began to tremble uncontrollably and felt vomit trying to creep its way up her throat. She swallowed it back with a cough. "I-..." she said desperately trying to get a hold of herself and make sense of what was happening "He..." her eyes still darted around the room and back on Luke.

Normally Luke was a comforting sign to her. But now looking at him caused a stir of awful twisting and pulling emotions. She didn't want to believe it was real... but thinking of Rupert she didn't want to believe the dream was real either.

"I thought I had a baby." she choked out. "It was so real." her hands flexed over her stomach. "It wasn't just the baby... it was like a whole year of my life. I was working at some new center or something... I was older.. I remember... Ghost..." she trailed off holding her head and rocking back and forth her breath coming out in manic sobs and she tried with every grain of herself not to cry. "It wasn't like a regular dream." she insisted. "the baby had to be real. Somewhere..."

she looked at Luke like a frightened animal. "I'm losing it." she whimpered holding her arms tightly again. "it m-must be the s-stress of the mansion." she said not really sounding convinced but trying to hold it together for Luke's sake. "M-maybe I need another vacation." it's not like their past attempts at vacations had actually worked or been relaxing.

She continued rocking back and forth seeing Rupert as clear as day in her mind. What did that mean? Did she still have feelings for Rupert? Was that even possible after the man shot her?

The pain on Raina's features was so real and for once it seemed like Luke wasn't helping the issue at all by holding her. Luke could feel worry forming in the pit of his stomach as he slowly released Raina and just stood there, trying to think of something to say or do.

As Raina began to explain, and talk about her baby, it was like a knife through Luke's heart. Worry was suddenly tossed out the window and full fledged fear took its place. He didn't know what to say or even what to do to try and help her. Not only was Raina talking about a baby but she was talking about a "he". Was the he the baby or was it another man?

"You're not losing it." Luke murmured quietly, trying to be comforting as he tried to figure out what in the world was going on and how he should feel about it. Moving closer he pressed a kiss against the side of Raina's head and then retreated slightly, making no attempt to hold her. When she was ready for that she'd let him know but maybe for now at least she just needed to deal with what was going on by herself.

"You want me to make some tea?" Luke asked quietly, as he continued to watch his girlfriend's wide eyed stare. Something had shocked her to the point that emotionally she seemed lost. He had had no idea that Raina wanted a baby so badly. As far as he could remember they'd never even really discussed having kids later on in their relationship. Luke didn't even know how he felt about kids. He'd never been around them enough to know whether he liked them or not. Did he want kids?

The questions continued running round and round Luke's mind while he suddenly found himself facing a situation, in the middle of the night, that he had never considered. What in the world had happened to Raina?

Raina nodded. "Yeah... tea.. tea would be good... I just need to... get my bearings." she stood up and straightened out her night dress looking at herself from head to toe in the mirror. Things were still a little confusing and though she now knew it had been a dream it was hard for her to decipher what was the dream and what was reality.

As Luke headed to make tea she felt a pain of guilt in her stomach. She had the best boyfriend in the world and she was dreaming about Rupert. Wasn't she past this? Maybe it was the miscarriage... but then she thought she had a handle on that one too. What could have provoked such a dream?

She headed into the bathroom. Luke would have heard her shoveling around, then running water from the shower and then... a scream.

Raina had walked into the bathroom like she had so many times and deciding that a shower would help her calm down and make sense of things stepped into the tub, turned on the water, and didn't change. In fact, for a moment she felt the familiar pain and crinkle of her skin but something automatic in her mind willed it to stop- just as it had easily willed it to stop so many times in her dream.

It even took her a few moments to realize it wasn't happening, and the instant she did she screamed and reached for the shower curtain pulling it down with her as she fell in a shaking heap on the bathroom floor. There was a semi naked Raina with her face as white as a ghost lying in a pool of water and a shower curtain on the floor while the shower still sprayed- not a mermaid.


ooc: for anyone else reading, this is not intended as a power growth but rather a non-permanent residual effect from the dream much like Raina losing her voice from Paris.

Luke still felt lost as he walked into the kitchen to put a pot of water on to boil. His movements were completely on autopilot while his mind was a million miles away. Raina hadn't given him enough information to even know what to worry about but he knew from the way she acting that something was seriously wrong. He had seen her after nightmares but he had never seen her this bothered by anything.

Standing with his head slumped forward Luke leaned against the counter and just waited for the pot to begin whistling along with the familiar smell of fish as Raina went to take a shower. The sound of running water was familiar but then a scream echoed through the condo. Pushing off the counter, Luke broke into a dead run without any buildup and skidded to a stop at the bathroom door. His feet touched the wet floor and before he could stop it he skidded and then collapsed into a pile next to the shivering red head.

For a moment Luke just lay there in shock. If it was possible for his sonar to do a double take then he was deffinately doing it. "Raina..." His voice was sort of breathless as he reached out his own now shaky hand to gently touch her hair, "You didn't... your wet..."

Shaking his head slowly back and forth Luke could feel his mouth opening in shock but he just couldn't help it. What had happened? What had changed? He had never known Raina to stay in human form when she was yet. How... when... why...

"What the hell is going on Raina?" Luke cursed softly, the mere fact he had used such a word showing how worried and shocked he was, "What did I miss?"

Raina continued to shake as Luke touched her and began to laugh in that nervous not knowing what else to do sort of way. "Maybe it's still a dream.... a dream... maybe it was a mutant..." she said pulling a towel down from the wrack and wrapping herself up on it- the tears started dripping down now. "...I knew a mutant who could go into dreams once... or maybe it was Dr. Che... or maybe my brother said something..." she knew she was really grasping for straws now.

"But you're real aren't you? This isn't a dream right?" asked Raina pulling herself across the floor still wet and into Luke's lap. "You're real right?" she reached up and touched his face "I could control it in the dream. But I didn't know you in the dream. So this has to be reality."

She was seriously considering the idea that someone may have drugged her and her mind went through the activities of the day. "I don't know why this happened." she whimpered curling herself up in Luke's arms and nuzzling into him. She was still shaking, and her heart was still pounding... but it was obvious now that she was more Raina than earlier. Even her subtle body posture and movements conveyed that she was comfortable with Luke again.

"I'm sorry." she said after they sat in silence for a few minutes. "I know this all sounds crazy... but it had to be more than a dream right? Why didn't I change?" she was sounding calmer now and level headed like she was making a sincere effort to take a practical approach to this. "I'm sorry..." was all she could manage to say as she tried to block the images of Rupert out of her mind.

She was still rambling on about some sort of dream and it was obvious that she was still just as shocked as anyone. Her thought pattern jumped from one thing to another almost faster than Luke could keep up.

"Yes Raina, I'm real." Luke murmured, his voice slightly pained as he warpped his arms around her and held her tightly once she had taken position in his lap, "I'm not a dream. I'm the man that loves you more than anything and wants to be with you."

Squeezing Raina just a little tighter, Luke fell into silence as he tried to understand what was going on. What she had said was still a little bit to scattered for him to piece together completely but he was doing his best. Damn it, he was trying! But still it hurt more than he could say to realize that Raina had been dreaming about having a child with another man.

"It had to be at least somewhat real." Luke admitted softly, closing his eyes as he tried not to think about his beautiful Raina and someone else, "The evidence is right here. Something in you lived and experienced whatever it was that happened."

As they sat on the wet bathroom tile, the kettle in the kitchen began to whistle that the hot water was ready to make tea but Luke didn't move a muscle. Whether he realized it or not, a part of him was afraid that if he moved, Raina would rush off to find her dream man. Whoever he might be.

Raina felt her breathing and pulse slow as Luke wrapped her tightly in his arms. Things stopped feeling so fuzzy and she felt... less crazy since he acknowledged that it was real somehow. That was Luke for you, loving and supportive. "You remind me..." she said still a little dazed "of that part in the Bible about love... being patient and kind and all that." she said not completely able to retrieve the verse from memory at the moment but knew it described exactly how Luke behaved. She wouldn't admit to herself or to Luke that she'd been dreaming of another man. She hated herself for it and felt guilty. But part of her wouldn't allow herself to just push it aside.

"Maybe..." she started "Maybe a few old skeletons just came back to haunt me... you know... now that things are stable and everything." she thought out loud. "Like... you don't feel stressed during all the chaos but as soon as things calm down the stress hits your body." sure. stress. did that really explain her non-transformation right now?

The no-fish really sealed the deal for her. She knew then it wasn't a dream. Maybe others had been effected, Obviously Luke wasn't... but how would she bring it up to anyone else. Hey did you have a seemingly real dream about your future life? Now she really was just sounding crazy.

"I'm... going to get something on." she said with a half hearted giggle and a little blush sounding more like herself. "dream or no dream... I can't see how lying on the bathroom floor wet and naked is going to do more for the Raina moving in cause." she joked. As if Luke would want her living here after that.

She stood up and reached for her robe that was hanging on the back of the door. Her mind still filled with unanswered questions. Then with as much courage as she could and determination to brush this whole thing off she reached for Luke's hand "lets get that tea"

Patient and kind? How about inwardly jealous and crazy? That was more of the definition that Luke felt fit him at that exact moment. Sure outwardly he was being his normal supportive self but inside... inside he was still worried sick. Luke nodded along with Raina's observations, not really saying anything since words seemed to be escaping him. Maybe in a few minutes.. hours... no more like days, he could come up with something suitable but not right this second.

"I don't know... you lying here wet and naked is alright by me." Luke said with a slightly halfhearted smile as he braced the red haired woman so she could stand back up to her feet. "You know me. I always enjoy a little excitement and intrigue."

As Raina slipped on her robe Luke clambered back up to an upright position. It was strange how things could change so quickly. When they had gone to bed Luke had felt like all was right with the world and now... now he just didn't know.

"Tea it is." Luke said with a nod and a slightly better smile than before as he gave Raina's hand a squeeze. Walking through the bedroom and living room the pair soon found themselves in the kitchen where a little kettle continued to whistle furiously.

Lost in though, Luke went through the motions of pulling out some chamomile tea bags and placing then in mugs that he then filled with the steaming liquid. After turning off the burner and setting the tea pot down on a cool area of the stove, Luke picked up the tea and handed a mug to Raina.

"Why don't we sit in the living room." He said quietly, as he reached over and flipped on a switch that would brighten the whole room. It didn't change anything for him but hopefully it would make things seem a little more cheery for Raina.

For the new few minutes, Luke sat silently on the couch. Smelling the fragrance from his tea and tenatively sipping at the still very hot liquid. "You want to tell me about it?" He finally asked, broaching the subject that he feared and yet wanted to know all at the same time, "I've... I've never seen you that way before."

Raina followed Luke wordlessly through the comfortable motions of getting tea and sitting down in the living room. "I feel bad for freaking out..." she admitted when he brought it up. "I guess I feel more awake now... I've just never had a dream like that." she took a sip of her tea. "it really did seem so... real."

She sat in quiet for a moment. "I can't remember everything, and not really in order.. it's all sorta..." she searched for something smart to say and shrugged saying "jumbled up"

"I was older... maybe ten years older or so I guess. I was working for this new center... a school maybe? I think it was being run by some of the students of the mansion now. I had my mutation under control. I know that much." she closed her eyes trying to concentrate on the images in her memory. She was frustrated. It sounded like a dream. She knew while she described it to him that it sounded like a dream. But she knew... she knew some how in some universe it wasn't a dream.

"I was married to a pastor or something." she snorted with a laugh. The idea of being married to a pastor at all wasn't exactly appealing to her. She wasn't about to say it was her ex boyfriend. "... and I guess you know in the dream I was pregnant. It was weird... I dont even think about that sort of thing. I mean... i'd figure it out if it happened..." she stammered trying to reassure him "but it's not something, ah, on my agenda of things to do right now." she blushed a little shaking her head and leaning into him. "it was a big deal... because even though my mutation was in check everyone was worried about the baby. But I had to go on a trip somewhere... I can't remember.. but I had to find... Ghost. but she wasn't Ghost like today. She was like, I don't know... two people in one?" she inclined her head trying to remember.

"I know saying it out loud makes it sound like some big stupid dream. But it wasn't. It was more than that. I know it was. " she frowned dropping her volume a bit. "I know it sounds crazy. But dreams are all fuzzy... they don't make this much sense... mine don't usually have that much detail even the bad ones." she gave a shrug and after a moment of silence added "if there was ever a moment I wished you were a telepath now would be it- you could just see it right from my own mind and understand."

she snuggled into him a bit tighter and took his hand. "But I didn't change." she said "I've had that power for nearly 2 years now. I didn't change. At all. It was like I could feel it and my mind just decided- nope. That has to mean something doesn't it?" she didn't really expect an answer. "I don't know."

she slumped a bit. Another silence. "Sorry for scaring you." she said with a smile "I guess that's one way to ruin a sexy evening."

Luke sipped at is tea quietly while Raina talked. The whole idea of a dream being that real was still confusing for him but the fact that Raina had stayed human while in the shower lent credence to the whole idea. Taking yet another sip of tea, Luke nodded as Raina moved on to the fact she was pregant and married to a pastor. A pastor? Who in the world did they know that could be a pastor? Who in the world did Raina know that could be a pastor ten years in the future? Maybe he should never have asked what the dream really was. Maybe he didn't want to know.

Suddenly Raina was trying to explain that being pregnant and having a baby wasn't on her agenda of things to do right at that moment. That Luke didn't have to worry for a while. Nodding, he slipped his arm around Raina as she leaned in close. He still didn't know what to say. He didn't know how he was supposed to be reacting to all of these revelations. He had though their relationship was moving along smoothly. Heck, he'd even asked Raina to move in with him. Why would any of that have triggered her to dream about some pastor and a baby?

"I know it wasn't a dream sweetheart." Luke finally spoke as he tilted his head down to press a kiss against Raina's hair, "If it was this real to you then it had to be something more than a dream and like you said you didn't change."

After setting his cup of tea on the coffee table, Raina claimed his hand, snuggling even closer. Luke wanted to believe that the dream meant nothing and the two of them were fine but a part of his heart was holding back. Even though he wouldn't say it, and he wouldn't admit it, it hurt for Raina to talk about something more real than a dream where she was married to another man and was pregnant by that other man.

"Maybe... maybe you need to talk to this pastor, if you know who he is." He spoke up again, hating the words but knowing they were quite possibly the best option, "Maybe he can give you some clues."

It was a heart rending suggestion but Luke loved Raina and he wanted her to be happy. As much as he hated and despised the thought, maybe that happiness could be better provided by this mysterious "pastor" instead of a blind man. "And don't worry about scaring me." He said while giving Raina another squeeze, "That's what I'm here for. You know you can tell me anything, anytime."

Raina was so relieved that Luke was seemingly so supportive about this. The more he spoke the more she could feel her whole body relax. Her mind was still thinking, maybe she'd talk to the others and see if any of them had any weird dreams lately. Luke obviously didnt... but maybe someone else at the mansion....

her thoughts were interrupted when he suggested talking to the pastor. She actually laughed. "well he's not a pastor in real life... !" she laughed. "I can't imagine him ever being one! ugh! he's just a... jerk. and old... jerk. I really don't want to talk to him. Maybe talking to you about him was one of the reasons I had the dream..." she confessed. "I can't see how talking to him will bring anything but bad stuff. He'd just make me feel bad about myself anyway, call me crazy, oh, and probably shoot me. He's not a fan of mutants."

she shrugged. "but thanks for letting me talk about it to you. This is why I love you. " she settled back down. but in the back of her mind she couldn't help wondering if maybe Rupert had a dream too.

Probably shoot her? Why did she think he would shoot her? Unless... could she have been dreaming about her old boyfriend? The one that had shot her when raiding the mansion?

Luke didn't want to think about, in fact he refused to think about it. Leaning forward he picked up his tea again and then leaned back so that Raina could snuggle into him a little better. "I love you too Raina." He murmured quietly before returning to just sipping his tea. This was all just to much... way to much. How could he compete with memories and dream encounters that seemed completely real? It was a sad though to dwell on but that was exactly what he did as he drank his tea and held Raina with his other arm.

"How do you compete with a dream?"

There was an awkward moment of silence that passed between them while they both sipped there tea. It was like someone had come and torn a piece out of their relationship suddenly. Raina felt a bit defensive. It wasn't like she could simply not have a dream or like she chose to have it. She gave a frustrated sigh " sorry." she said again. "Look..." she turned to face him and brought both her hands to his jaw turning it to make him 'look' at her. "I can't help what I dream..." she began "but I also can't help how I feel about you. I love you. Only you. Luke Jacobs. No stupid dream would ever change that." she smiled and caressed his cheek a little. "I'm not... freaked out because I dreampt (sp?) about my ex as some mutant-loving pastor... or because I dreampt about a baby... I'm just freaked out because it was too real and specific and ... uncomfortable. And of course... because I had my power under control and then I wake up and don't change." she rambled a bit.

"My ex... well he traumatized me. Stuff like that... you think it's gone and then it bugs you again. I'll probably never really get my head around the whole thing. But I know now that it wasn't love... because I have you to compare it to.. my real love. My ex and I were doomed from the start. Mutant registration or not." she explained.

"But I love you. Y-o-u." she grinned and pressed her forehead to his. "if there's one thing I'm sure of... that's it."