Redemption

Chapter Thirty-five ~ I Am My Own Muse

I felt pain. A lot of pain. The Dark Phoenix screamed so loud, I felt like my eardrums burst. I felt the Phoenix getting pushed up toward my throat. I gasped for air. The Dark Phoenix was getting hotter and hotter, it was burning. I couldn't breathe.

Logan ran out of the school and his head shot left and right, searching for his son. He found him on the edge of the cliff. Something was wrong. Logan began to sprint again, charging toward his son.

The burning bird reached the middle of my throat. Its claws flashed out and the inside of my throat began to bleed. Now I really couldn't breathe. 

Daken collapsed to the ground. As Logan swiftly drew closer, he saw a miniature Dark Phoenix shot out of Daken's mouth. Logan expected the Phoenix to attack, but it just flew away. Daken's chest wasn't rising and falling where he lay. He wasn't breathing.

"Daken!" yelled Logan, running over to his son's side.

Daken's shirt was stained with blood. His eyes were blinking, blinking, and blinking. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. His eyes were full of fear. A bit of blood began to crawl out of the side of Daken's mouth.

"I'm here, Daken," said Logan, clasping his son's hand. "I'm here and you're going to be alright. Everything is going to be fine."

Don't leave me, his eyes read. 

"I won't leave you ever again," promised Logan. "I promise."

Daken choked, more blood coming out of his mouth. He was trying to say something.

"No," said Logan. "Don't talk, you need your blood."

I was screaming, trying to speak.

I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, dad. 

Tears inched out of my eyes and quickly joined my blood.

I love you, dad, so much, I'm so sorry for what I've done.

I opened my mouth and closed it again and again, constantly mouthing the words 'I love you, dad,'.

"I love you too," said Logan, tears coming to his eyes again.

"Everything's going to be okay."

I shook my head. Nothing's going to be okay. I am going to die. 

I only had flashes of the next few moments. I remembered yelling, being lifted onto a stretcher and being pushed through what I thought was Charles' school. I remembered seeing the panicked face of my father and his faint talking as I was pushed along. I remembered seeing the edge of Charles' wheelchair. I don't remember anyone else.

Now, I've managed to pull myself out of unconsciousness into faint consciousness. I heard Charles' voice from far away.

"Logan!" he called. "You have to get some sleep. You've been at his side for days, he's not waking up anytime soon. If he wakes up while you're asleep, we'll wake you up immediately."

My dad nodded. When he came into view, I saw the dark bags under his eyes. How long had I been out? Charles mentioned days. How long?

"If he wakes up," said Logan, "tell me immediately."

Charles' response must have been physical, because I didn't hear a response. Logan began to walk away.

As I began to walk away from Daken's bed, my deep tiredness finally hit me. I yawned. I felt like I wouldn't be able to make it to my bed before I fell asleep. Suddenly I was stopped. A hand had grabbed onto my wrist. I turned to see Daken, just barely awake.

"Daken!" I gasped. "Are you alright?"

"H-how long have I been out?" he asked. His voice was barely audible and it looked like he was fighting to stay awake.

"About a week," I said, sitting back down next to him. "How do you feel?"

"I feel like shit," said Daken.

"Good news is the Dark Phoenix didn't damage your healing factor," said Logan, "but it did cause you great pain."

"Obviously," said Daken.

"Let me finish," said Logan and Daken nodded, indicating he could continue. "The reason your healing factor didn't kick in right away, according to Professor X's hypothesis, was either because the Phoenix did something to it or . . . or . . ."

"Or what, dad?" Daken asked.

"Or maybe, just maybe," swallowed Logan. "Just maybe you might not have wanted to survive." 

My father's information became an elephant in the room. We didn't talk for a moment.

"Get some sleep, dad," I finally told him. "You look terrible."

Logan laughed and nodded, "Alright, alright. Just don't go anywhere while I'm gone."

"I won't," I said, grinning.

Logan smiled back, stood up, and walked away. I let darkness take over and I fell unconscious.

Logan stopped at the door to the little X-men hospital room and looked back at Daken. He had fallen unconscious again. He looked so peaceful, like he was a sleeping baby having a good dream. Logan smiled and he felt his heart swell with happiness and joy. He had gotten his son back. All was good. Everything was going to be fine.

That's what he kept telling himself.