Layla

Chapter Sixteen: Choose

Layla woke up gasping for air as she sat up. Her chest heaved up and down as she tried to even her breaths. Instinctively, Layla put her hands on her stomach feeling where she had been impaled. Phantom pain hit her where she had been wounded causing her stomach to clench. Layla wrapped her arm protectively around her stomach, remembering what transpired before she died. Her body froze, and her mind emptied as she realized she had died back in Cairo. Layla flicked her eyes down to her stomach, watching as she smoothed her fingers over the bloody wound. She was unable to grasp the fact that she was dead. 

"Dead." She flinched feeling pained at those words. 

Then she remembered she had left Peter. Not only Peter, but Charles. They were all fighting, and she didn't even know if anyone survived, or defeated the mutant. She left everyone. She left Peter, and all because she thought she could stop the mutant. Or at least cause a little damage, but he had not been wounded. Just like that he had killed her, but at least she got to say...well she didn't really say goodbye to Peter. Of course, perhaps those last words could be considered goodbye. Guess it didn't really matter, though. It was goodbye. 

Forever. 

Oh, that look. That heartbroken look ripped Layla apart again as she sat there, remembering every last detail. If she didn't fight the mutant she wouldn't be here. She could have saved Peter, but when she heard him scream, saw the mutant break him, it was like someone else had taken over. All she could focus on was taking out this mutant who was more powerful than any of them. He had hurt Peter, and yes, she would do the same all over again, knowing she died.

Feeling panicked at the reminder of being dead, Layla felt like she couldn't breath. In her mind she was kicking and screaming, begging to return. Hoping that this was all a dream, and she'd wake up at the manor. Or back in Cairo where she had died. She screamed for Peter unable to believe she'd be without him. Not being able to see him, or hear his cocky remarks pained Layla. This pain she felt was greater than the pain she had after she wiped his memories of her. At least she knew he was alive, but this time leaving him was permanent. 

Layla took a deep breath, but her chest was weighed down. It felt like someone had set an anchor on her chest, and she was sinking. No matter how hard she tried to swim or get the anchor off, she just kept sinking into the deep blue abyss. Reality was now sinking in, and she was going to lose it. Standing up, Layla bent down, resting her palms against her knees, as she tried to breath. She shut her eyes trying to calm herself, but all she could see were the events back in Cairo. She could see Peter, remembering the times they had together, and it was unbearable to see. 

Perhaps, this is what she deserved. Perhaps, she deserved to die and be haunted by the memories of her past. After all she did deserve it, right? Alive she was chaos and destruction. She had done nothing, but damage. She killed her parents, hurt the guy she loved most, she couldn't control her powers, and she almost brought Charles's mansion down twice. She was a problem. An obstacle that couldn't be cleared. Her being dead was probably for the best.

Layla's mind was spinning, and she began fighting with herself. She closed her eyes trying to calm down, but all she could see was Peter and the good times they had. She could see that goofy smile, and she remembered Charles and Hank, and how they helped her. It was all overwhelming, and Layla screamed. 

Wiping the tears away with her fingers, Layla finally looked up at her surroundings. She was baffled, and hurt by what she was seeing. Beside her, stood the entrance to Charles's mansion. It all looked the same as she remembered before the building blew up. Except things seemed brighter, more cheerful, which was strange. 

"It should be lifeless." Layla thought dully. 

The sky was a brilliant blue, and thin white clouds streaked across the sky. The greenery was vibrant, and there was a warm spring breeze drifting through the air. The smell of flowers that grew around the mansion, filled Layla's senses. The sun was warm on her skin, and shone brightly on the grounds. The trees rustled against each other with the occasionally green leaf falling. Birds chirped merrily, soaring across the skies. The X-shaped hedge was full, looking perfectly trimmed. Parked in front of the door was one of Charles's many cars. It was beautiful. All of it. This was not what Layla expected.