Who: Alex and Lorna Where: New Mexico What: finding their dream house, and making a decision When: later in the day Warnings/Rating: PG Status complete
The wind whipped at their clothes, tugging them back as they flew. They would be in the desert in New Mexico in about half an hour, which was a lot better than if they tried to drive. She laughed hoarsely into the wind, her arms tight around Alex as they flew.
Alex whooped as he kissed Lorna and he smirked. “I love you!” He called it to her ear, careful and delighted and full of love. His arms and legs were wrapped around her and he nibbled on her ear occasionally, but not too much. didn’t want to distract her before they arrived, after all.
Lorna laughed in his ear, nipping at his neck when he got too frisky. It was a good trip, despite the lack of communication, and when they landed it was in the middle of the desert. Lorna adjusted her clothes, giggling madly.
Alex swatted her rear and smirked as he shook himself out, stretching, then glanced around. He pulled out the compass. “Should be just a little bit that way. “ He snuggled her as he pointed one direction.
Lorna nodded and settled her backpack on her back again. “Then that’s where we’ll go. Lead on, sexy butt.”
Alex smiled and led the way, slowly striding along, glancing at her. “This reminds me of the dreams, the peaceful times, just wandering.” He kissed her, then jumped away, and kept walking, finding himself headed up a hill. “Heh, this hill is like the one in the dreamworld. Not far at all now.”
Lorna was so excited to see their old home, even if it was something new. “Oh, it feels like we’re in college again, exploring our dig site for the first time.”
Alex smirked at her. “That was awesome. We had so much fun, and were so bouncy and yet so not great at it then!” He chuckled as he came to the top of the hill and looked down at where tehir house had been. His mouth dropped open and he stared.
“Well, I’ll be damned…”
It was their house, more or less. Lorna blinked and shook her head. “You’re kidding. It’s just like the one from the dreams.”
Alex nodded. “Come on. Let’s go see it.” He kissed her, hard, then led the way down the trail, here filled with rocks and debris, and only naturally worn instead of by feet like it had been in their dreams, and down to the valley their house, or the duplicate of their house, sat in.
It was only when he got to the floor of the valley, to the small road that led out, and to the mailbox that he saw the name on it, and stopped, suddenly, staring.
“Well… huh.”
SUMMERS, A, and DANE, L, said the mailbox.
“Dear?”
Lorna was right behind him, and it was her turn to stare slack jawed at something. “No way.”
He glanced aside at her. “Yes way. We seem to have found our house. Want to see if the key is still under the matt?”
Lorna eyed the house, then nodded. “Yeah, it’s empty. No electronics on inside.” She walked over to the mat, scooting it aside with the toe of her boot. The key even had the blue top she’d sharpied on to distinguish it from the key to the locks on their equipment. “It’s. . . really our house.”
Alex followed her and breathed in the familiar air, smiling as he followed her, and then looked down as she revealed the key. “I think it is, for real.” He bent down and took the key, feeling the groove on the top where he had thrown it when he had been drunk one night.
“Damn. I can remember this, so much.” He slid it into the door and opened it, and the door opened, into memory and into a familiar house that took his breath away.
“Whoah.”
Lorna made a soft noise. It looked just like their old house, down to every detail. “It’s so. . . nineties.” But the tightness in her chest made the criticism a lie. She moved into their living room, examining their couch, their TV, their books. “Our notes are still here.”
Alex hugged her, and smiled softly, looking around, then rushed to her side and looked under the table, and grinned wider.”Lorna, look…” It was the ten year plan. A silly thing written by them when they left the X-Men in the dreams, with their goals for the next ten years.
“I can’t believe I ever thought that traveling around the world would be an unobtainable goal, needing years of planning.”
Lorna giggled, looking it over. “Awww, we were so cute.” She hugged him tight, grinning at the list. “We need to do this. For our dream selves who never could.”
Alex nodded. “I think you’re right. This would make some distance for us to put between us and the dreams and the OC. We should take Darius along, too. See if he has any ideas to add to the list.” He grinned at her.
She nodded. “After the art event at the Ranch. So October something. We can do it for my birthday.” She smiled softly. “Now we have a house.” A house far away from Orange County.
“Sounds good to me. We should introduce Darius to Wrex as soon as he can stand company. See if Darius takes to being around other kids with secrets, or not.” Alex was hoping to increase Darius’ social circle and help him feel stronger.
The he smiled at Lorna. “We do. We have two houses, now.” he chuckled.
“You’re right, it’ll do him some good.” She nodded, heading into the kitchen. “We can leave, if we want. I can commute to the Ranch, it wouldn’t take that long. We can be far, far away from the crazy if we want.”
Alex smiled. then nodded at her, eyes warm. “We could indeed. We can live here some, and then go backward and see how things go. And if Darius doesn’t take to the ranch, we can bring him here, too.” He nodded. “Be about time to show him the truth of things, anyway.”
He fished in the cabinet under the sink and came up with a bottle of old beer, and laughed. “Oh hey! This is the one we got on graduation!”
“Yeah, we graduated in the nineties, I don’t think beer ages well.” Lorna pointed out with a laugh.
Alex nodded, putting that aside. “Right. lets not do that.” he didn’ want to die of alcohol poisoning all these years later. “I think exploring this place could be a fun thing, yes? I wonder if the bed is the same...’ He waggled his eyebrows at her.
Lorna snorted. “You know, we’ll get down to having sex and then Alice Summers and Lance Dane are going to come home and wonder who’s having sex in their bed.”
Alex snorted and shook his head and led the way to explore more of the house. “Bite your tongue, young lady.” He paused, and looked back at her., “Of course, the next thing they’d do is ask to join in.”
Lorna snorted. “So it really would mirror the dreams.” She called after him with a laugh. She caught up with him in their study, sighing softly when she saw all their old equipment. “It’s weird being nostalgic for something that didn’t actually happen.”
Alex grinned as he looked around. “It did, just not in this universe. A shame we can’t just pick up and live here, be here, and be this two, but they are not us, not really.” He turned and kissed her, hugging her close.
“I wouldn’t be dream Lorna for anything.” Lorna admitted, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I like being me.”
Alex kissed her and hugged her close. “I like me and not him better too.” he nodded. “I wouldn’t mind this place, some, but i also want us to choose and to go where we want to go because it is best for us.”
“I don’t think that’s here.” Lorna said with a sigh. “It’s a cute little house, but we’ve made our life, and our family, somewhere else.”
Alex nodded, then he slowly smiled. “Still, it’ll make a nice little vacation house. A place to get away for awhile.” He nodded. “Every now and then.”
“Yeah.” She said with a nod. “And if we do decide to leave, we’ll always know we have a backup place ready and waiting.”
“Very true.” he hugged her tight, thinking about what might have been, and what would be. “Love you, Lorna.”
She hugged him back, burying her head in his chest. “Love you too. Let’s go check out that bedroom. I’m willing to risk getting caught.”
Alex smirked and led the way. This might just be a good night after all.