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(Continued from Fashion Flare)

Alone. Kealey took a deep breath of fresh air and looked out over the lake. It really was beautiful…and secluded. She’d commented once that it was almost like being around Jacen. The rock she was sitting on was still cold in the slight chill of the morning air and it helped her clear her thoughts. There was definitely something to be said for being somewhere this far out. Quiet moments like this were precious few for Kealey, especially since she’d started staying at the mansion, and for a while she simply reveled in the silence and beauty of the Park. Her last trip here hadn’t ended as pleasantly as it could have, but Kealey still kind of treasured the memory. For a while, she’d considered trying to find the little pool Jacen had taken her to that day, but had decided that it was a far better idea to simply leave that memory in its special little place in the past. The lake shore would be a good place to think.

It wasn’t Jacen that she had missed so much, Kealey mused. That revelation, the distinction, was difficult to have. Everything about him had been so…overwhelming. It had let her be someone else, maybe herself…that was what she had missed. She wasn’t bitter, that wouldn’t have made any sense. Jacen had been a good man, he wouldn’t have left as he had if there would have been another option. Kealey had definitely moved on, though. And she was more than comfortable with her decision. The only problem was that it meant she had to figure things out on her own, with the obstacle of her powers. For what seemed like the millionth time Kealey wondered about that. Could she sort out what she felt from others around her? That was why she was here, with nobody close enough to interfere, she'd have to work things out for herself. She'd have to be sure. Which is what she wanted, and what Shin deserved.

Even though he had mentioned a few specific instances in the cab, it was still difficult for Kealey to pinpoint when Shin's feelings had changed. It might have been the night after the incident on the Ferry. There had been something strange in him that night, maybe it had stuck around and she'd grown used to it?

Yes, Kealey thought. The puzzle pieces had been there, she just wished she'd seen how they needed put together sooner. Before Shin had confessed his feelings in the cab. Maybe then she'd have known the right thing to say. Maybe then she'd have been able to give him something better than "maybe".

Hopping down from the rock, Kealey made her way down to the shore of the lake to found another rocky perch to stretch out on while she continued to think. "Maybe" was a terrible answer. It had been at the time. Shin had been so earnest in what he'd said, she hadn't been fair to make him wait. Somehow, though, she knew it would have been worse if she'd have answered positively without knowing if it was really what she felt.

Kealey cared too much about Shin to take the situation any less seriously. That’s why she’d come here this morning, bribing one of the older mansion students to drive her at what he’d called the “butt crack of dawn.”

The cool air and secluded woods would give her a chance to think, to figure out how she felt.

It got worse. Oh man, it got way worse, and it happened so fast.

Shin spoke, and Kealey didn’t even have time to react before the apparent impact of what he said set in. Then, two different things happened to the blond.

First, she realized that Shin was absolutely terrified by the fact that he’d said what he’d said. Second, she realized exactly what it was that he had said.

Oh man, what a day.

”Shin…Shin, you need to calm down.” Kealey said, swallowing hard and trying to think beyond the mild panic reaction going off in Shin.

”It’s fine. It’s, okay, it’s really…really okay.”

Hold on a second. Was everything okay? What was she supposed to say? Some things made more sense now, but others made far less. Why was he so terrified?


”I think…I think I…” feel the same way.

Kealey paused for a moment, mouth working to form the words. Did she though? Another moment’s thought. Yes, she really thought she did. Was that her though, or was she echoing the feelings that Shin was confessing, even if she hadn’t known what they were?

Did she owe it to him to be sure? After everything, absolutely. Now she was the one who was terrified. What if this came out wrong and she ruined everything? No. This was Shin. He would understand, he had to understand.

”Shin. I think I feel the same way.” she said, eyes and face pleading for him to understand.

”It’s just…with all of…this….” she said, reaching up to tap the side of her head. ”I have to be sure. Do you understand?”

Why was she blushing? No, really…why was she blushing? Kealey’s cheeks had been burning for several moments before she realized that Shin was embarrassed. He was looking at the phone…and he was embarrassed.

Did that mean…

>>”Nope“

Apparently not…but then why was he embarrassed…and so curious?

>>”Why? Is there something wrong, if I did?”

Well. Maybe…

Kealey was confused. Confused and tired, and Shin wasn’t quite so calm and collected anymore. Was this the slightly loaded question it seemed like, and if it wasn’t, why was her mind taking her in that direction?

She shook her head.

”No. No, there isn‘t.” she said, pulling the mobile device back and looking at it in her lap for a moment before locking the keyboard and putting it back in her pocket. Kealey’s head leaned back against the seat, chancing a sideways glance at her traveling companion. ”I was just curious.”

She was still curious. Incredibly curious, but from Shin’s closed eyes and the emotions flowing from him, she figured more questions were a bad idea. Kealey frowned slightly. What did it all mean? She shrugged her shoulders slightly.

”It’s just that if you had…I’d have wondered what that meant.” Whoops.

For a while, Kealey simply stared at the woman behind the wall of shards. Was it wrong that despite everything that had happened, everything the woman had done, Kealey was happy to see her? It was something she’d have to think about later. Her own feelings were still something she struggled with occasionally, and this was going to be one of those times.

The sprinklers had come on, and it had been hard for Kealey, watching the fire doused and feeling the hopeless helplessness from Maire as she cried in the cube. How long had she harbored the feelings? How long had she been watching Kealey? More questions that would have to wait for answers. In the grand scheme of things, there was only one that was really important. She and Shin were okay.

It had seemed like there was so much fire, so much smoke, and when the flames had been put out the damage to the library had been impressive. The smoke had made Kealey’s throat a little raw, and her face was smudged with a little soot, but she was unharmed.

Shin’s arm tightened around her shoulders and Kealey leaned into him more, watching as the police officer approached her sister with the handcuffs. All the fight had gone out of her. Kealey wondered why she felt guilty.

Shin spoke, and Kealey nodded her head, wondering how he always seemed to know exactly what to say.

”I hope so. She was so angry Shin…but underneath…” Kealey stopped talking and sighed, shaking her head.

”That could have been me…” she added softly, wondering what life would have been like, feeling so much anger and bitterness. She had grown up lucky, she was still lucky. Kealey turned slightly and hugged Shin again, ”Thank you again…so much.” she said before releasing him and stepping back to watch the small procession that had started.

The police led the redhead from the room, and she kept her head down as she walked, not even sparing a glance in Kealey’s direction. Why did that hurt?

The firemen were still poking around in the rubble, looking for hot spots, but it seemed like the police had finished their part.

”Can we go home?” the blond asked, the emotions of the day catching up.

This was some kind of sick joke. Some sick…sick joke that someone was playing on her. Kealey knew, had known for years, that her sister was dead. There was no way to bring people back from the dead, no matter how badly you wanted to, and that’s why Kealey was having such a hard time comprehending what was going on right in front of her. There was no way…it simply wasn’t possible…her sister…alive.

”Why!?” Kealey exclaimed, voice raised over the roaring of the fire. How was there so much, but so little around the two of them?

”It was so easy t’forget about me. For y’to move on.”


”It was so easy for everyone t’believe that we’d all died. And even easier for them to discount the pathetic creature that showed up weeks later, trying to claim what was hers.” she stopped and looked around them, at the flames licking up the walls and devouring the books.

”It was a miracle, what happened that day, the fire was so hot…it burned so badly…but then, I was free. Only, I couldn’t get back…not right away. By the time I could, it was too late.”

The story…it rang true to Kealey, the conviction and bitterness in her sister’s emotions were far too strong for it to be anything else.

”I waited so long, tried so hard t’find you Kealey. Find you with your perfect, fancy life here in America with your mutant friends,” the fire burned hotter, closing in more, and Kealey coughed at as the smoke thickened. ”I’ve found you now, though and…”

A voice cut through the flames, through the angry red head’s voice, and straight through to Kealey.

Shin. The text message.

Kealey opened her mouth, frantic to tell him to leave, to not risk it. He was absolutely frantic with worry and need and she nearly reached out to push the feelings away. She stopped though. She’d made a promise after Roland…

”Shin!” she called back, words interspersed with coughs, ”Help! Back here!”

Time…she desperately needed more time. She went back to the emotions in her sister’s head. The elements of shock and surprise had done a lot to numb Kealey before, but now she was concerned for Shin as well it all seemed so crystal clear…but it was getting so hot…and the smoke was so thick.

Down went the bitterness, away went the anger and resentment. Jealousy evaporated and in it’s place welled pain and sorrow. The redhead wailed, and battered against Kealey’s powers, rage and frustration trying to take hold. The emotions were so intense…so built up…Kealey shook her head, there would be time to think on it later. As her sister curled in on herself, flames still engulfing her figure, Kealey looked around the library.

The fire wasn’t getting any hotter now ,it was behaving like normal fire, but the flames were large and the smoke was thickening. Kealey dropped to a crouch, pulling air in almost desperately. She’d bought time…Shin would have to do the rest.

The library was all but deserted, and Kealey was slightly shocked to find that even the librarian had abandoned her post. Granted, this library was small even in comparison to the one at the Mansion, a mere broom closet compared to the NYC Public system, but still…

The blond sighed and made her way across the room to drop her books off in the proper receptacle, hoping that nobody would get impatient and take one before it had been properly checked in. She checked her watch again and clicked her tongue against her teeth, she really was getting late now. Out came the cell phone and Kealey shot a quick text off to Shin, apologizing for taking so long and letting him know that she was in the library and would be along shortly. There was a book on versatile clothing designs for gymnasts and ice skaters that she was hoping to find after looking it up in the online catalogue. While most of the X-Men had no desire to look like a performer, the suits lent themselves to the types of materials commonly seen in such designs.

Kealey had just found the proper section and was skimming the Dewey Decimals when a piercing buzz cut through the quiet air of the room. After the initial shock of the sound, Kealey stood and turned, eyes locked on a brightly blinking red light suspended from the ceiling of the library. It was the fire alarm.

Instant alarm all of Kealey’s own rushed through her at the sound and while she told herself that it simply had to be a drill, the smell of smoke made its way into her nose and she knew…

”Hallo there.” called the voice, and there was something familiar in the musical lilt of the accent. Kealey whipped around and found herself face to face with a figure engulfed in flames, no seemingly made of flames. Back she scrambled with a little yell, until her back came up against the shelf of books she’d been looking at moments before.

”Y’don’t remember me, do ya?” came the voice again, and as Kealey squinted into the light it dimmed somewhat, revealing a woman. A redheaded woman who looked anything but happy. For the first time since the alarm had started blaring, Kealey cast out for emotions and the hurt, anger, frustration, jealousy, and elation were so strong it was almost overwhelming.

” S’alright. Everyone else forgot about me too. But they all remembered you…sister.”

Kealey stood, rooted to the spot, eyes locked on the figure in the flames, almost oblivious to the fire slowly starting to spread around the FIT library and the fire alarm that was still blaring in the background. That voice. That face too…older, but still the same.

”Maire?” Kealey breathed, coughing slightly on the smoke that was starting to build in the room.

The red-head smiled, but it wasn’t a kind smile of recognition. It was something all together different, ”Yes, sister. And this time, nobody’s goin’t’forget me.”