Runaways: Book II

Epilogue

The news was droning on in the background like white noise. I lied on the shag carpeting, my body sinking into the softness and my head in Peter's lap. He was nodding his head to the music flowing from his headphones. He began drumming on my arm.
I laughed and looked up to him,
"You're a doofus."
Peter bent down and pressed his lips to mine before retorting, "I'm your doofus."
I lifted my head and sat up, facing him. I pressed my hand fondly to the side of his face and pulled him to me again. He kissed me deeply. I glowed uncontrollably.
Peter paused for a second to slip on a pair of sunglasses.
I burst into laughter and he gave me his usual goofy smile.
"You actually got them," I commented still laughing.
He gently guided my shoulders to the ground and hovered over me. I wrapped one of his silver locks around my finger. He kissed my neck and trailed up to my cheek, over to my lips. His hand moved to—
"Peter!"
A high-pitched voiced called his name and the basement door opened. Little footsteps began to tread down the stairs and we quickly sat up, looking at each other with a grin. He propped the sunglasses up onto his head and laced his fingers into mine.
I mouthed to him, "Later..."
His younger sister, Lorna, came frantically rushing down the stairs in her pink fairy wings. She was holding a fishbowl, the water sloshing about as she made her way to us.
"What's wrong, Bluebird?" Peter asked, sitting her onto his lap.
She sniffled a bit and held up the little tank of water, which had a fish floating belly-up at the top.
"Garfunkel's dead," she replied sadly.
"Maybe I can help Garfunkel..." I said, adding, "Could I see him?"
She handed me the fishbowl and Peter looked to me, concerned. He whispered to me,
"I don't want you to get hurt, doesn't that hurt you?"
"I'm alright, Peter," I assured him.
I dipped my hand into the cold water, grasping the slimy goldfish into my palm and holding it as a golden light streamed out from my fist. My hand burned immensely, and I could feel the energy draining from my arm. I winced a bit in pain.
After a few moments Garfunkel began to move, flopping around frantically, his gills straining to breathe. I quickly placed him back into the water and he began swimming around again, as if nothing had even happened at all.
"Garfunkel!" Lorna exclaimed clutching to my chest.
Peter looked into my eyes and whispered,
"Thanks, Firefly."
I smiled, warmed by her joyful energy, until something caught my attention on the news:
President Nixon escapes attempted assassination today by Bolivar Trask, who today showcased his technology for safety regulations against mutants. The President was save today by a mutant who refers to herself as Mystique, leading the government now to consider recruiting these gifted individuals for U.S. security.
On the horizon emerges mutants, who are quite possibly the key to our safety, and the heroes of the future...
My eyes went wide. I slowly turned to Peter, who's mouth was gaping wide. We burst into unbelievable smiles and he pulled me into his embrace, clutching me tightly. A tear raced down my cheek as a long breath of relief escaped my lips.
I spoke softly into his ear,
"I love you, Quicksilver."
Peter kissed my cheek and ran his fingers through my hair. He gently replied,
"The world finally knows..."
Before then, all we had ever been were freaks. We were forced to live in the shadows, to operate in fear and hatred.
We were freaks. Then we were runaways. And now, freshly exposed to the sunlight we were something more.

Now, we were heroes.

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right...
-The Beatles "Here Comes the Sun"

End of Book II
(To be continued in Book III...)