Summer was late breaking this year. The heat and humidity had been coiling up for weeks now, a repeating slow build and then breaking into retreat and rainfall. It seemed like a breaking point had come however – spring had finally matured into summer.

Marie was laying on the grass of the lawn, fireflies dancing in the June twilight above her. She knew that Logan was behind her, back on the small balcony of Xavier’s, watching her. Did he see the seasons changing before his eyes? Did he catch the irony of the symbolism – the maiden was surrendering her innocence and accepting the call of the womanhood before her? She knew it was his commitment to protect her that had dragged him out here to watch her, but even in the midst of his vigilant duty he must still surely be tempted to just enjoy the evening, no matter what had happened earlier that day.

She had killed someone today. She had barely spoken a word to anyone since their return from the mission, and she knew that everyone was worried. Not only had she killed someone, but she had absorbed them and there was now yet another new personality swimming in her consciousness.

She reflected as she lay in the slick heat of the dying light, cautiously running a mental finger across the personality that was Carol Danvers in her head. It had been an accident. It wasn’t cold-blooded murder, but it had made her a killer nonetheless. It had been, she had always known, only a matter of time before something like today had happened. The Professor had understood that as well, and Marie could now see from the vantage of hindsight that much of the work that he had done with her over the past few years since she arrived at the Institute were in preparation for just such a calamity. She knew she owed him her sanity this evening.

Was there such thing as Fate? It was odd, but that’s what Carol wanted to know.

Carol hadn’t meant to hang onto her as long as she had, but unfortunately Fate – if it did exist – removed the choice from her hands. She had latched on good, trying to give Rogue enough of her powers to help turn the tide against the FOH bastards they had been fighting against. Even when it was too late, Marie had been unable to pry the super-strong Avenger’s fingers from her wrist. Not until Carol’s own strength, along with her soul, had passed into Rogue.

Carol knew it was an accident, and was sad. She had known the risks, and she had taken then chance. The good guys had won in the end, which was really all that mattered. At least to Ms. Marvel.

Marie wasn’t ready to process any of the emotions associated with the day’s battle yet. And so she had found herself out on the lawn, staring up at the few stars that were visible in the night sky. She could almost pretend that it was June in Mississippi years and years gone by, back when she was little and these things didn’t have to be dealt with. There were more stars in Mississippi, though – no city lights to drown out the sky.

Tomorrow, she promised Carol, she would begin to sort through the baggage she had picked up today. For tonight, she just needed to be herself. Carol seemed to understand and did not try to break through the tenuous walls that Marie had built in her mind around the new personality.

Marie closed her eyes and concentrated, mental fingers retreating back over the wall that held the besieged personality. She could see a light flicker on the balcony behind her. Someone without Logan’s night vision was apparently joining him in his vigil. She knew the light would annoy him and actually disrupt his ability to see out into the yard to where she was, so she opened her eyes and stood to make her way back towards the school. She didn’t really want to go in yet, but there was no reason to keep everyone up all night worrying about her. She’d undoubtedly need their strength tomorrow to help when she was finally ready to deal with the day’s events.

Ahead she could see Logan on the veranda, and it was Storm who had come out to join him. It appeared, however, that he was sending her back inside as all she could see was her backside retreating back into the mansion before the light flickered out again, temporarily blinding her in the night. She smiled – Logan had bought her more time. It frequently struck her as funny: even though she was the one who had absorbed him, he knew her better than anyone else did. No stolen memories needed. His faint voice in her mind wriggled uncomfortably at that idea, protesting that it was just simply what he would prefer, but Marie knew better.

As her eyes readjusted to the growing darkness, she saw him settle back into one of the deck chairs. She waved in thanks, and turned across the lawn to walk in the night.

Her steps carried her into the air before she even realized it, and it was a bit of a shock when she looked down to find herself a good ten feet off the ground, drifting through the back yard. She had almost forgotten that with the super-strength she had inherited a gift of flight as well. She looked up at the moon that was snaking in between clouds, and her eyes glittered in the light as a smile tugged at her mouth. This was a feeling she could get used to. She flew a little higher, dancing into the sky. The strap of her dress fell, and before she could think past instinct she was pushing it down, sending it fluttering towards the earth. Here there was no one to touch with her skin. Here she could fly in the night and be free as the world moved beneath her.

Despite the bittersweet taste the day had left, she had never felt more alive in her life. She smiled, truly smiled this time in genuine delight, moving back and forth above the earth. Tomorrow could wait. She didn’t know what it would bring or what she would tell everyone about what had happened, but for now she was free.

She turned towards the house, unconscious of her body, only seeking to share her newfound joy with Logan. She slowly moved down towards where he sat. He came into focus, his eyes locked onto her already despite the distance between them. She cocked her head to the side, an unasked question moving through the night. He responded by gently shaking his head and cocking that damned eyebrow of his. Breaking the silence, he said, “You forgetting something, kid?”

Marie looked down, and saw herself, naked as a jaybird and floating in the air like some sort of wanton angel. She could have been embarrassed, but she chose instead to embrace the season’s change and act like the woman and not the maid. “Nah, old man. Just making sure that blood ‘a yours is still moving.”

She laughed and floated back to her discarded dress on the lawn, her feet lightly touching the ground. She pulled it over her head and walked up to move past him into the house. She paused in the doorway, looking back over her shoulder. “Thank you, Logan.”

The eyebrow again. “For what?”

“Nothing. Sweet dreams, sugar.”

---

“And She Was” by the Talking Heads

And she was lying in the grass
And she could hear the highway breathing
And she could see a nearby factory
She’s making sure she is not dreaming
See the lights of a neighbor’s house
Now she’s starting to rise
Take a minute to concentrate
And she opens up her eyes

The world was moving and she was right there with it (and she was)
The world was moving she was floating above it (and she was) and she was

And she was drifting through the backyard
And she was taking off her dress
And she was moving very slowly
Rising up above the earth
Moving into the universe
Drifting this way and that
Not touching ground at all
Up above the yard

Chorus

She was glad about it... no doubt about it
She isn’t sure where she’s gone
No time to think about what to tell them
No time to think about what she’s done
And she was

And she was looking at herself
And things were looking like a movie
She had a pleasant elevation
She’s moving out in all directions

Chorus

Joining the world of missing persons (and she was)
Missing enough to feel alright (and she was)