Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 20:45:58 +0100 (BST)
From: "[iso-8859-1] goldenknight" <goldenknightuk@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Dreams of an Angel - 32 (gay/boybands)

Hi all!! Here's the next part of Dreams of an Angel. Hope you all enjoy it!
Any comments or suggestions, well, you know how to contact me. My Yahoo ID
is Goldenknightuk if you wish to send me an instant message. Sorry for any
bad grammars boys and girl. C'mon! Nobody's perfect!! :)

NOTE TO ALL READERS: In order to balance my study time and writings, I
decided to set a specific time for every update. For now on, I'll be
updating Dreams of an Angel every Tuesday & Friday evening (Well, Irish
time. I dunno about the time differences between my place and yours, guys
and gals. You have to figure that out yourself :P Trust me, I sucked in
figuring it out :)). But hey, if time permits me, I promise I'll update it
at other times :)

	Before the show, onwards to the boring part! Legal matters!
Hehehe. You can press 'fast-forward' now.

	Well, first of all, this story, as you will certainly find out
soon, is TOTALLY fictional. So! If any of you truly believe in it... dude,
I'm worried about you. Secondly! None of the guys in the Backstreet Boys
are gay! (No matter how hard I wished it :P). But nobody say we couldn't
dream it, heh heh. Thirdly, Warren Worthington is actually a character from
Marvel Comics, X-men known as Angel or recently Archangel. Okay fine, I
admit it. I'm bored and I am making a pathetic attempt to make life a lil'
bit interesting. Its not like I'm gonna publish it or something. What else
to talk about hmm? Oh, there may be some adult gay scenes in this
story. Unlike my brother, I don't mind writing naughty stuff ;) so! If
you're underage, naughty, naughty! I can only ask you to go away, but I
cannot do anything else to stop you from reading on anyway. Hell! I've been
sneaking into the internet to watch gay porns since I was 13! So, if your
parents or whoever responsible for you catch you, don't say I didn't warned
you. However, if you're homophobic... well maybe I can seduce you enough to
turn you around heh heh. I do so love a challenge ;)

	Anyway, enough talk. Any comments or boos or suggestion or
whatever, just sent it to the same address as in NNTs,
goldenknightuk@yahoo.co.uk . Yeah, we shared the same address. Don't
ask. Long story.

	Okay then! On to the show. Now, don't be shy now. If you got any
comments or suggestions, just drop me a note. You do the request, and I'll
do the show.

	Andy

***********************************

It's a clear night. No rain, no fog, clear sky... not even a wisp of cloud
in the sky - a typical warm summer night.

It has been approximately four hours since the Marauders attacked the X-men
in the city. After Warren flew off with Nick and that other guy back to the
safety of the mansion, Logan truly went into a major berseking
fury. Fifteen minutes... that's all it took before the Marauders were sent
scattering away like dogs with their tail laid low between their
legs. Logan took off after Sabretooth of course. Old scores are truly hard
to be put aside, especially when it involves those two. The other
X-men... plus the reinforcement team that arrived an hour later, went after
the rest.

Well, the Marauders knew how to take care of themselves. At the top of one
of the buildings near the club, a lithe figure stood silently, watching the
flashing red and blue lights coming from the numerous police cars that
arrived immediately after the mutants were gone. Even now, the owner of the
club is relating the whole incident to the detectives on duty.

As much as Betsy despises the Marauders, she has to admit... they are good
in their job. After all, they wiped out the Morlocks entirely without
anyone's help, for God sake. Like it or not, she has to give them some
credits for *that*.

How did they survive? Well, that is as much a mystery to her as it was to
the X-men.  She herself remember taking out Archlight and Scrambler during
their last battle against each other when she was part of the X-men team
led by Storm... right before the whole Inferno madness started. So, how did
they survive? Her new master has been strangely silent about
that. Obviously he prefers not to tell her everything about his work. Fair
enough. She would have done the same in his place. She too has had her
share of battling foolish villains who fell before her simply because they
wasted their time and opportunity babbling obvious nonsense rather than
doing what they're suppose to be doing.

Looking at her watch, she notes the time and nodded to herself. It won't be
long before her expected visitor arrives. The X-men is predictable in their
action if they are nothing else.

She looks up when she became aware of a telepathic scan moving slowly
throughout the area. Right on the dot! She smiled as she raised her hands
to place a slender-looking metallic circlet around her head, the circlet
being connected to a small portable telepathic enhancer attached to it -
courtesy of her new master. She adjusted it properly around her head so
that the enhancer lay comfortably on her forehead. It may not be Cerebro,
and she has no doubt her effort tonight will burn the device's circuitry in
the end as well as draining her strength for days, not to mention giving
her a killer headache for at least a week. But the device should strengthen
her telepathy enough to do what must be done. The battle with the Marauders
is only a diversion - a bait to lure her prey. Of course, the fact that
Nick was there... well, that was purely coincidental. She was hoping for
him to die. It'll make her task for Warren so much easier. But then, they
got away and she has her own important task to deal with tonight.

'I'll deal with you later, Nick.' She thought to herself. 'You'll be
wishing you'd have let Sabretooth killed you tonight once I'm done with
you. And you Warren... don't think you're free from the nightmares just
yet. I'll get my Death Angel sooner or later.'

Closing her eyes as she prepared herself mentally, she opens her mind to
the surrounding and form the necessary link...







Deep beneath the mansion, Xavier concentrate fully on his telepathy, using
Cerebro to expand and stretch his mind further than the range he is
normally used to. With the aid of Cerebro, he could hear the thoughts of
countless of individuals, rushing as usual with their everyday lives,
completely oblivious to his telepathic presence in their surroundings.

Focusing his telepathy further, he ignores the rest of the world,
concentrating his mind around the area of uptown Manhattan where the whole
attack occurred. Even within this sub-area of the city, hundreds of
thoughts swirl throughout the area. And the particular area where he
currently focused on, i.e. the area around the club, is busier than
others. He could hear the thoughts of various club patrons hanging around
the area, complaining about their damaged cars. He could hear the thoughts
of the various police officers and detectives on the scene.

But that is not his target right now. Manipulating his telepathy carefully,
he began performing a widespread telepathic scan, paying particular
attention to the various psychic residues around the area. He is not sure
exactly what he is looking for. With luck, he could find some sort of clue
as to who sent the Marauders to kill Nick... and why.

He has to admit, the time he spend with Nick to teach his new-found ability
has somewhat made him quite fond of the young man, God bless his
soul. Maybe it's because of the way Nick quickly absorbed everything that
he was taught so easily. It's really rare to find a student that he could
teach so easily without any difficulty. Of course, the problem with Nick
right now lies not in his capacity of learning, but his over-curiosity
about his newfound ability. His attempt to absorb Sam's pain in the medlab
last time is a proof of that. But then, Xavier himself was curious as well
and more than eager try out his newfound telepathic ability when his
mutation first kicked in.

He remembers the phrase he once used while giving a lecture to his students
in the university he used to work in: 'It is the over-curious nature of
humans that allow humanity to advance forward into a better future of
technological miracles, and it is this very same nature that shall carry us
even further in the future, perhaps to the very stars itself.'

Putting more effort into his present task, he let his mind travels on. He
could sense the psychic residue of both the X-men and the Marauders, the
latter filled with malice and hatred against the former. But the Marauders'
minds are... closed... as if something is shielding their
thoughts. Obviously, whoever command them wishes to remain anonymous... but
it is clear to Xavier who commanded them. The big question is... why? Why
would Sinister want Nick dead? It doesn't make sense. Nick doesn't even
*know* who Sinister is unless there is more to Nick's past then he let on,
which Xavier seriously doubt it to be so.

He scanned on, picking up various other residues and discarding it
appropriately. Minutes pass by and he sigh when he finally near the end of
his effort. It was a small hope, but obviously there's no clue to be had
here. Just as he was about to call the whole thing off, he looks up in
surprise when a familiar psychic presence greeted him.

'Greetings, professor.'

An icy chill passes down his spine when he heard that familiar telepathic
voice. He has hoped that this is not true. He has feared it... prayed that
it is not true, despite the fact that it's the only possible explanation
...

'Elizabeth...' Xavier answered quietly.

'Please professor. I told you to call me Betsy.'

'Are you the person behind all this?' Xavier asked gravely.

'I'm afraid so.'

'But... why?' asked Xavier again. 'You're an X-men!'

'I'm sorry, professor. But a girl got to do what a girl got to
do. Especially when her man is involved.'

'Her man? Warren... Betsy, is this about Warren??'

'You'll understand eventually, professor. In the meantime, I have a gift
for you. Courtesy of my new master.'

'New master?? Elizabeth... what are you planning to do?' Xavier asked as he
scrambles to prepare his mind for any sort of attack.

'I know you too well, Professor. You *will* try to interfere. I'm afraid I
cannot allow you to do that. I'm sorry. I do not want to do this,
especially to you, my mentor. But it has to be done. Forgive me.'

'Elizabeth!!!' Xavier shouted mentally, his eyes widening in horror as a he
watched a blinding psychic light exploding in the astral distance between
his own psyche and that of Betsy. The light expands in all direction,
racing outwards and towards him at incredible speed.

Even with Cerebro enhancing his mind, he knew he wouldn't be able to stand
against such massive surge of psychic energy. As feeble an effort as it
appears to be, he threw several layers of various telepathic shield around
him mind as a last desperate attempt to save himself. It may not protect
him fully, but hopefully it could act as a makeshift dam to control the
surge enough not to burn his mind out into crisp. Closing his eyes tightly,
he braces himself for the oncoming onslaught.

The psychic shockwave engulfs him without mercy, tearing all of his hastily
made barriers apart as if nothing was there... and Xavier screamed...

************************************

In the morning...

"Nick."

Warren's voice echoed throughout the darkness he has been swimming in for
what seems like forever.

"Warren?" Nick shouted from within the darkness, flailing around as he
tries to find something to hold on to.

"Nick, baby." Warren's voice appeared again. "Wake up."

"What do you mean 'wake up'? I'm already up!" Nick shouted again as he
flail about within the darkness. "It's so damn dark in here!!"

"He's twitching, Warren." Lance's voice suddenly echoed throughout the
void. "He's waking up. Keep calling him."

Lance? What the hell is he doing here? With Warren?

"Nick. Can you hear me, baby?" Warren's soft pleading voice appeared
again. "Wake up. Please? For me?"

Suddenly, a light appeared in the distance. One source of light... followed
by another. Then they vanish... before appearing again and then vanishes
again. It goes on for several times. The light blinds at first, but dimmed
eventually, gradually becoming clearer.

"He's blinking!" Lance's voice appeared again.

"Nick?" Warren's voice appeared, hopeful now. "Baby, can you hear me?"

"War-ren?" Nick could hear his voice emerging from his lips, raspy,
obviously due to long periods of unused.

"I'll get Hank." Lance's voice appeared again, followed by a hasty padding
of feet against the floor.

"Nick?" Warren's voice appeared immediately. Still struggling within the
darkness, but this time, he is well on his way swimming towards the light,
he dimly felt someone grasping his hand. "Baby?"

The light grew clearer and images began to appear. Blinking repeatedly, he
finally forced his eyes to stop blinking, only to gaze into Warren's
relieved face hovering over him.

"War-ren..." Nick rasped out again and Warren smiled as he hovered nearer
and kissed his lips gently.

"Shhh..." Warren hushed gently as he pulled away. A single tear of relief
slid down his cheek and he quickly wiped it away. "Welcome back."

"W'ere 'm I?" Nick slurred softly as he tried to look around the
room. "Wha' happe'?"

But before Warren could answer, the door slid open and Hank bustled in,
followed by Lance.

"Warren, Lance told me Nick is... Nick! I'm glad you're awake at last!"
Hank greeted cheerfully as he snatches up the chart before moving up to
stand beside him, opposite Warren. "How are you feeling?"

"Wat-ter?" Nick rasped out.

"I have it here, baby." said Warren as he grabs a water-filled paper-cup
from the nearby table. Nick swallowed the offered water greedily. "Whoa
there. Slowly, baby, or you'll choke."

"More..." Nick rasped out again as he leans weakly on bed.

Warren smiled as he leaned over to kiss his forehead.

"I'll be back." He whispered softly before standing up and moves off to the
water-cooler.

"How are you feeling, Nick?" Asked Hank again as he completed recording the
monitor readings into the chart. "Any pain?"

"Sore." Nick answered simply, not having the strength to speak too
much. Still slightly lost in mild delirium, his hand moved around to the
side weakly, searching and feeling. "War-ren?"

"He went off to get some more water for you, buddy." Lance smiled
reassuringly beside Hank.

"Wat-ter..." Nick nodded in satisfaction as he lean further against the
pillow.

Hank pulled up the blanket to check the stitches, nodding in satisfaction.

"There is no sign of infection and you're not running a fever. That's
good. Weak as a kitten but that's expected. Your vitals are normal, though
you're mildly dehydrated. A couple of drinks should fix that and if that
doesn't work, I can always put you back on intravenous fluid, but I doubt
it will come to that. You're going to be fine, Nick. Just rest, and let me
know if you're running a fever or if you're in pain, okay?" said Hank.

"Wha' happen'?" Nick asked again.

"Can you remember what happened?" asked Hank as Warren returned with a
bottle of mineral water.

"A huge beast..." Nick shivered slightly as his memory trickles back into
his mind. "Claws... pain... blood... Lance!!"

"Hey, hey, buddy. It's okay. Don't excite yourself." Said Lance. "I'm
alright. See? I'm alright."

"Here, baby. Drink this." Said Warren as he feed another cup of water to
his lover. Three cups followed after that before Nick turned his face away
from the fourth. "Had enough?"

Nick nodded quietly.

"I'll bring some food down from the kitchen." Said Hank. "Make sure he eats
it, will you Warren?"

"Will do, Hank. Thanks for your help." Warren replied. "How's the
professor?"

The three of them turned to look at another still figure laid out on the
nearby bed.

"Still in coma." Hank replied worriedly. "I cannot revive him... and I
cannot tell when he will wakes up... that is if he will ever wakes up..."

"What's wrong wit' the Professor...?" Nick murmur dazedly as he tries to
sit up.

"No, baby. Keep still or you'll upset the stitches." Warren said
reassuringly as he gently but firmly pushes Nick back against the bed. Nick
complied quietly, leaning against Warren's hand drowsily as Warren stroke
the hair above his ear with the back of his fingers. "Did anyone find out
what happened, Hank?"

Hank shook his head in silence.

"Jean and Moira are still studying Cerebro's data log to determine what
happened. From what they gathered so far, it's obvious that he was attacked
telepathically. But as for the who's or why's... that's still to be
determined." Said Hank.

"Do you think there's any connection between Xavier's telepathic attack and
Nick?" asked Warren again.

"I don't know, Warren." Said Hank. "I think Xavier suspected something. I
heard him muttering about one particular possibility that he can think of
which he does not like at all, but that's about all that I know about it."

Warren nodded worriedly.

"Does Scott and the rest know about Xavier's attack?" he asked again.

"Jean has already informed him. He and the others are on their way back
right now." Hank replied.

"Good. He'll know what to do." Said Warren grimly.

Hank left soon after that while Warren and Lance sat beside Nick in
silence.

"What happened to the professor?" Nick asked weakly.

"He was attacked telepathically. He's unconscious now." Warren replied
softly.

Nick sighed and leans his head against the palm of Warren's hand.

"Lance, I'm... sorry." Nick murmured shamefully. "I didn't mean for you to
find out about me this way."

"And how do you intent to let me know about it then?" Lance grinned
cheerfully. "Standing in front of the whole 'Nsync band and sayin': 'Hey
guys. Look at me. I'm a mutant. I can manipulate your emotions. Hah! In
your face, Timberlake!'."

Warren chuckled softly at that while Nick smiled before looking at Lance
for a moment.

"You're not... freaked out?" Nick asked in a small voice.

"Would I still be here if I am? Of course I'm not, Nicky. It takes more
than that to make me freak out on you. Like... you having a sex-change for
instant." Lance chuckled softly.

"Buzz off, smart-ass." Nick smiled as he grasped Lance's hand. "Thanks... I
appreciate that."

"Yeah? Well don't think we're even. We are still gonna have a long talk
about this mutant thingy and oh yeah, you and Wing-boy here still owe me an
apology for scaring the hell outta me in that plane last time, and making
me look like a total fool in front of the others too." Said Lance.

Warren blushed at that while Nick let out a soft raspy laugh.

"So you noticed, huh?" Warren smiled.

"Hey, it's not everyday I see a blue-skinned, blond-haired and blue-eyed
angel flying pass my window okay, especially with him carrying one of my
buddies in his arms." Said Lance.

"Sorry we startled you, Lancey." Said Nick.

"Sorry is not enough, Nicky-boy." Lance replied. "You two owe me a nice,
expensive dinner."

***********************************

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"C'mon, D, where the hell are you??" AJ grumbled as he knocks the door for
the fifth time and rang the doorbell for the eleventh time that day. "You
don't answer my calls, you're not at home all the time. The rally was over
three days ago! And I'm in desperate need of my cousin's jacket you
borrowed from me last month or he's gonna kills me!"

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinggggg!!!

"D, c'mon!!! Wake up if you're sleepin'!!" AJ shouted.

Silence.

Looks like nobody's home. Where the hell could he be?

"That's it. I'm comin' in." AJ grumbled to himself as he dug his pocket to
search for the spare key Howie had given him long ago for emergency use.

"If I find you sleepin' in there, be prepared for an ice-bath!!" He shouted
as he unlocks the door and open it. "D? You in there?"

He steps into the house. The guest hall and the rest of the house is
surprisingly well-kept... which shouldn't be if he is at home. So he is
away after all. Where could he be? He has always answered AJ's calls but
for the past few days, he has been absolutely silent.

Shaking his head, he made his way to the bedroom. Let's hope the neighbor
didn't see him. The last thing he wanted right now is the cops arresting
him for breaking and entering.

Making his way to the wardrobe, he threw it open and began sorting through
the various clothes. He notices several clothes missing as well as one of
the duffel bag... so he is away after all. Strange Howie didn't mention
anything about traveling. He usually did, giving him a chance to tag along
if he wanted to.

"Where the hell did he put it??" AJ groaned when he couldn't find his
cousin's jacket.

Opening another closet, he rummages through it as well, with no
luck. Cursing softly under his breath, he pulls out his mobile phone again
and dials Howie's number. He closed it again when an engage tone greeted
him instead.

Sighing heavily, he sat on the bed. His cousin is gonna kill him for
this. He loved that jacket more than he loved his own mother!! And AJ
promised to return it to him by tomorrow. When was the last time he saw
Howie took the jacket? Think brain. Think!

Casting his mind back a month ago... he dimly remembered laughing about
something downstairs. Howie was begging to let him wear that jacket to a
party they were supposed to go to the following weekend... he remembered
relenting... he remember handing that jacket to Howie... Howie took it and
then they both headed to... oh yeah... to the office where he hangs it on
his jacket hooks behind the door...

Bounding from the bed, he rushes out of the bedroom and head to the
office. Wrenching open the door, he walk in and peer behind the
door... EUREKA!!! Well done, brain!!

Taking the jacket, he folds it neatly... Goddammit! Is that a chocolate
stain on the sleeve?? That's it! This is the last time he's gonna lend him
any of his stuff!!!

Muttering softly under his breath, he continue folding it and before
turning to leave the room... hold it! Howie's gonna notice that li'l mess
he caused in his bedroom.

'Better write a note to tell him I was here to get my jacket before he
hires a detective or something to hunt down the presumed thief.'

He made his way to the desk and start writing the note... plus some added
curses for staining the jacket. He finishes it and placed it beneath a
weight on the desk when he noticed a couple of half-opened letters on the
side.

"What's this?" He asked himself softly as he picks up the letters and began
running through it.

Silence stretches on... five minutes... ten minutes... still he didn't put
down the letters. His eyes stare at the letter in disbelief as he read and
re-read it again and again... X-Gene Neautralization...? Mutant
experimentation...?

"Goddammit, D... what the hell has you got yourself into...?" He whispered
softly at last.

Picking up another folder, he opens it and race through the brief outline
of the project...

"Of all the stinkin'...!" AJ cursed as he snapped the folder shut angrily
after a while. "I knew it! I knew those stupid clowns in 'The Right' are up
to no good!! I knew it!!"

Standing up, he began pacing about the room to clear his head. Glancing at
the desk again, he noticed another file half hidden under the first
one. Inhaling deeply to prepare himself for more bad news, he opens it and
ran his eyes through the notes... Warren Kenneth Worthington the Third,
sole owner of Worthington Industries...

"Shit!" AJ yelled angrily, snapping the file shut and threw in back on the
desk. "Shit! Shit! Shit!"

He's after Warren as well! Pacing about the room again, he frowned
thoughtfully. This hate thing Howie keeps on harboring is going to land him
in hot water. As much as he doesn't want to get involve in all of this,
Howie is his friend. He cannot let the man destroy himself like that. AJ is
dead sure all these nonsense is not Howie's fault. The guy was mourning for
his dead love. It's 'The Right' that is to blamed. They manipulated him,
whispers things to him, using Jess's death as a way to inflame his
hatred. But to what end?

He stopped his pacing as a thought struck him.

Money.

They need money to fund this X-Gene Neutralization project. Howie would be
a good source of funding, considering his celebrity status and all...

X-Gene Neutralization...

AJ pinched his eyes shut as he thought of that name bitterly. If what he
read about the project is true... *Sigh!*... it'll inflame every single
mutant in the world into pure frenzy. My God! What are they trying to do?
Declaring an all out war?

"This is bad," He muttered under his breath. "Of all the stupid thing you
ever get involved in... Man! This is bad!"

The big question is... what can he do about it?

The answer came up quickly enough. AJ gaze contemplatively at Warren's file
on top of the table. Warren supports peace between humans and
mutants. Maybe he'll know what to do about this...

Placing back the files and letters where it belongs, he marched out of the
house and locked the door. Nick should know how to contact Warren...

**********************************

This Friday, part 33: 'Confronting the Truth'