WARNING! Part Two of Steel Aurora contains a scene of gratuitous sex. If reading this sort of thing is offensive to you, then for Heaven's Sake, don't.

DISCLAIMER: Magneto, X-Men, Avalon, Acolytes and other related material is copyright Marvel Entertainment Group Inc. References to the Mutant Empire trilogy, including the quote used from said trilogy, are copyright Christopher Golden and Marvel as well. I am making no profit off of this story and it is intended for entertainment purposes only. The characters of Mary Denning and Tara Samuels (aka Harmony) are my own creations and are therefore copyright me.

NOTE: The bulk of Steel Aurora takes place after the events depicted in the Mutant Empire trilogy, by Christopher Golden, and before the events depicted in the Fatal Attractions story arc. I am also operating under the assumption that Magneto would have recruited more mutants than just his core group of Acolytes to Avalon, since it was a rather large space station, and I assumed they would need people to run it.

STEEL AURORA  Part Two

    Mechanically, I finished closing the store and headed for home.

    On the trip out of Fairbanks, I wrestled with my uncooperative vehicle, and in frustration and sadness over my loss of Tara, I will admit that I shed a fair share of tears. The night was thick and inky around my lone pick-up as I rattled down badly maintained roads, and served only to complete my feelings of isolation. When I arrived at my lonely house, the pick-up sputtered to a halt and I sat for a long time behind the wheel, simply looking at the sky beyond the trees. I tried to picture Avalon in my mind, and failed. I tried to imagine what Tara was finding there in her new world, and could not.

    I went through the motions of living that evening. I made myself a small meal and fed the dogs, I sat in front of the television for a long time, without even seeing it. When I realized how pointless it was, I shut the infernal thing off, started a fire and turned off all the lights. Taking a mug of hot chocolate with me, I went to the patio doors and stared out at the night.

    My property is surrounded by trees, but is open enough that I have a wonderful view of the sky. Tonight, an aurora borealis flickered lightly through the blackness, rippling in a pale greenish curtain of electromagnetic static. The aurora is one of those sights that can stop me cold no matter what I am doing, because of its sheer beauty. Unless you have experienced the aurora yourself, nothing can prepare you for a truly spectacular display, and it tends to be especially active in the fall season. I have seen it fill the entire sky, rippling and dancing in a strange fluid motion, whispering with colors of red and violet against its normal pale green. It has an unreal beauty, at times.

    The aurora tonight was a light one, pale enough that the stars strewn across the sky like spilled salt were clearly visible behind its curtain. Even as minimal as it was, it was still a lovely sight, and its presence cheered me a great deal. It seemed made just for me, created to tell me that even though my life had just changed drastically, it was okay. This was how things were suppose to happen, almost as if the universe were controlled by the imaginations of some all-powerful authors. Events were unfolding as they should, and though I was but a small player in the game, I was a part nonetheless.

    I decided to retire. I banked the fire for the night and went up to the bathroom on the second floor to change from the clothes of the day to garments for the night. I stopped however, attracted by my reflection in the bathroom mirror over the sink. I paused there and regarded myself for a long time.

    What had Magneto seen when he looked into my dark brown eyes? Had he seen and understood the mind-set of a thirty-ish female who had worked hard all her life to make living comfortable for herself? Had he understood how much I cared for the young mutant girl named Tara, how I wanted only the best for her and desired only for her to be safe and happy? Had he realized that, until the take over of Manhattan, I had been neither here nor there on the mutant issue, and that my perceptions had been radically changed by he himself? Could he know what he meant to me, the very symbol of mutantkind's struggle for acceptance? Did he realize that he had that sort of power?

    I knew he did.

    And had he known my desire for him? Had he looked at me, a normal human female, plain and just like every other woman, and felt just how badly I wanted to know him? Oh, I did. I wanted to know every part of him, from the sadness in his soul to the feel of his sculptured muscles beneath my hands. I wanted to feel his energies dancing around me, wanted to have him close so that I could look into his dimensional eyes whenever I wished. Why did the Master of Magnetism; self-proclaimed messiah of mutantkind and enemy of the earth, have to be so beautiful?

    I gave up trying to retire. I went back downstairs, threw on my heavy jacket and went out for a walk. This was usual behavior, I often resorted to walks when I was feeling unsettled or needed to think. Normally, I would take the dogs with me, but on this night I left them in the house, for I felt a strong desire to be undistracted. I followed well-familiar paths through the spruce and birch, snug in my down jacket against the falling temperatures. It was a typically gorgeous fall night, crisp and bright, and high above the gentle aurora continued its eerie dance.

    I headed habitually for a small thinning of the trees, conveniently located at the top of a small hill, where I had a good full view of the sky. It was a place I often went, and I felt safe and comfortable there. As I crested the hill, however, I noticed a soft glow through the trees, and slowed my pace. Around me, the air was feeling ever more charged, and I realized the sensation was very familiar.

    Here? What was he doing here?

    When I reached the top of the hill and stepped out of the trees, I saw him. He stood as still and silent as the night itself, only his darkened cape swirled behind him gently. He still did not wear his helmet, and I was glad, for his silvery waves were softly lit by the shine of the aurora, as were the chiseled features of his face. I held my breath for a long moment, simply drinking in the sight of this exquisite man, this god of mutants.

    I was not allowed to look for long, however, for he turned at the feel of my presence. "Who is there?" he asked in a darkened tone, which made me feel immediately sorry that I had disturbed him. I stepped further out into the clearing, for I was not afraid of him, no matter how much I probably should have been.

    "I am sorry to disturb you, but I was out walking and you are, after all, on my property, Magneto." I felt ridiculous calling him that for some reason. It sounded like something out of a comic book when actually given voice. But I had no idea what I could call him. Mr. Lehnsherr did not seem respectful enough, and I knew from the media that he did not generally go by that name anyway. His Acolytes called him Lord Magneto, but that seemed like a little too much. I was at a loss, but tried not to let it show. How did one address the Master of Magnetism?

    He gazed at me with a speculative interest. Then he inclined his head graciously. "I apologize for trespassing, Miss Denning. It is not often I have the chance to visit Alaska. Normally my Herald recruits new mutants to Avalon, but I could not resist the opportunity. I am sure you understand why I am especially attracted to this region."

    I had to think for a moment, then I remembered from all my studies that the magnetosphere of the earth was very strong in this area of the world, which included Alaska and western Canada, nearly twice as strong as it is at the Equator. I wondered if that gave him more power, or if it just felt good for him to be here. Then I wondered how he could have known that I was a student of the sciences. I decided to file that thought away as "unresolved" and moved slightly closer to him. He did not appear to mind, for he did not acknowledge my advance in any way.

    I found myself wondering if he could see the aurora band from his vantage in Avalon. I had seen images of the bright northern auroral ring taken from space by shuttle astronauts. I contemplated whether or not a space station such as what I assumed Avalon to be, could make an orbit that would take it up where it could view the top of the world. I knew from the work being done at the SAR Labs on campus that many satellites followed polar orbits, but could an entire space station manage that?

    "It is a shame that the aurora is not preforming better tonight, then," I commented. If Magneto did not get to Alaska, or even earth that often, then the aurora display was one of the pleasures he might truly miss.

    "Indeed," his rich voice brought me out of my thoughts. He returned his gaze to the skies and raised his right hand just slightly. I wondered what he was doing, but not for long.

    The faint aurora which was flickering softly through the night began to grow and brighten. Slowly, its complicated dance increased in intensity, filling the entire sky with rippling drapes of greenish white light. It swirled and frolicked through the autumn night like frisky horses, galloping and rolling. At the edges of the undulating bands, the light burned in reds, and the entire display was so brilliant that it blocked the view of the stars.

    It was the most fantastic aurora display I had ever witnessed. My entire attention was held by its indescribable beauty and intensity. And this entire electromagnetic phenomenon was being orchestrated by none other than the Master of Magnetism himself. He was creating a magnetic storm against which the solar particles in the atmosphere banged and bounced. It was all I could do to stand and stare in wonder at the spectacle. I felt wonderfully weak and at last just a trifle scared. It was an incredible amount of power this man wielded so easily. I had read a study while in college that estimated the power required to produce a moderate display of an aurora was roughly equal to that of a Richter magnitude six earthquake, or a small nuclear bomb. And this was no moderate display! I had no doubt that this was being seen clearly far south into the States.

    Just as I was thinking that no sight could ever hope to be more beautiful, a shooting star blazed briefly through the dance of the aurora. Though I knew that the event had been completely by chance, it seemed an appropriate way to punctuate such an incredible experience. When I tore my gaze from the sky to look at Magneto, I realized that there were tears standing in my eyes, I was so overwhelmed.

    He stood there as still as ever, the light of the skies reflected so perfectly in his arresting eyes.

    "My God," I whispered, as these were the only words my thunderstruck mind could find to give voice to.

    "A gift for you," he rumbled, "as repayment for the kindness you showed to Harmony, and the protection you gave her."

    Harmony. My thoughts found their way back to gentle Tara and my concerns over her welfare. Was she seeing this spectacular display in her new home? After this astonishing show of power, I had no doubt that Magneto could protect the child from almost anything, but I needed the reassurance, I needed to hear him tell me exactly what I wanted to know.

    I licked my dry lips and faced squarely the infamous Master of Magnetism. "You will keep her safe, Magneto? You will let no harm come to her?" The tone of my voice told him that he had better not, or he would have me to answer to, as insignificant a threat as that was.

    But he took it seriously, this man who stood in opposition to the entire world; he recognized and acknowledged my implied threat with a nod, and a softening of his dimensional eyes. "You have my word, Mary." His voice was even and subdued. "I will allow nothing to hurt her while she is in my care."

    I accepted his promise with a careful smile, feeling a sense of relief within myself that was rather humorous. Exactly what did I plan to do if he was not true to his word? Storm a space station? Right, like that was going to happen.

    "You may call me Magnus," he decided after a long contemplative pause. I looked at him with another gentle smile, still astonished at how he seemed to understand me. Magnus. It seemed perfect for him. It was just what he was, without any extra pomp. And the fact that he had also called me by my first name seemed to suggest that he considered us equals, as far as our caring for Tara was concerned. Mother and Father. Protectors.

    "Thank you Magnus," I breathed. "For everything."

    He nodded once more. The quiet sadness in his eyes shone softly, and the lines on his face looked as though they had never known the feel of a smile.

    I returned my gaze to the sky, to the phenomenal display that was still dancing overhead, and would be for hours. It was a huge sky, and for all its beauty, it seemed a very lonely place. I had no idea what size Avalon was, or how many mutants lived there. But somehow I knew that no matter how great that number may have been, the man who stood beside me would always be alone among them. There was a distance to him, an invisible barrier that had nothing to do with his magnetic powers. I wondered, for what reason had he erected this shield? Was it from the pains of the past that I might never understand? Was it because of some madness inside that caused him to endlessly seek the fruition of his dream? Or was it that he was no longer a part of the earth, that he had so ostracized himself that no country, no person of the world would have him?

    What kind of people were we humans, that men such as Magnus were forced to know pain?

    "I wish it did not have to be so, Magnus," I began, not feeling in the least inhibited by his presence. Whatever his past sins or violent temper, on this night he was not as the world had made him out to be. "I wish that you did not feel the need to separate your people from the world which gave them birth."

    He remained silent for a long time, and I did not look at him. The only sound was that of the swishing of his regal cape.

    Finally he answered in his low gravelly voice, and in his words I detected just a hint of an accent. "The humans make it necessary," he said.

    I did not disagree with him, but I did turn my eyes to him. "Not all humans are that way. Not all humans wish harm on mutantkind."

    He looked at me as well. "No," he agreed. "Not all humans."

    I felt again the connection we had made earlier, the discovery of common ground. His eyes, his very presence, made me want to melt into myself. I shivered hard, from both his gaze and the coldness creeping in through my jacket. Apparently, he saw my shake.

    "You are cold," he observed.

    "A bit," I admitted, and wondered why he was not. His red and purple uniform had the look of material armor, but it did not seem very insulating, especially not in the way it clung so tightly to every detail of his muscles. "My home is not far from here," I continued, "Would you like some coffee?"

    I realized as soon as I had said it, how strange it sounded. This, after all, was the Master of Magnetism. It seemed ridiculous to even think of inviting a force of nature over for something as perfectly normal as coffee. Did he even drink coffee?

    But, after everything is said and done, even Magneto was just a man, and if I had met anyone else up here on this hill, I would have done the same thing. Was it so odd to treat the man as I would one of my neighbors? Was that not what peaceful coexistence meant, the right to be treated as everyone else was?

    Himself, Magnus raised his silvery eyebrows in a mild surprise. I could only imagine what he was thinking. Getting over my initial discomfort, I smiled to let him know I meant my invitation, and gestured him toward the trail I had taken from the house. "Come on, it's not far," I urged. "And coffee sounds great right now, doesn't it?"

    Amusement flickered over his features, but unfortunately did not fall into a full smile. "Indeed it does," he replied.

    I turned to follow the path, figuring that he would follow me, but I was in for another shock in an evening full of surprises. I felt the crackling of his blue magnetic energy surround me, and my heart stopped for a few seconds as I was lifted off of the ground and pulled into his protective bubble beside him. Within the bubble, the air was warm and charged, with a pleasant melodious hum that played around my ears. I looked down and realized that we were rising above the trees. Gasping and fighting brief disorientation, I unthinkingly grabbed Magnus' arm and held tight. The sight of nothing, save for a blue glow, beneath my feet was rather alarming.

    Then, initial shock wavering, I realized I was holding onto the Master of Magnetism. I could feel his tensed muscles beneath my fingertips, under the smooth play of his red uniform. Perhaps I should have let go then and there, but I did not. I continued to cling to him nervously as the black trees passed beneath us. I heard him chuckle lowly, and looked up to see that amusement was dancing in his eyes once again. He was pleased he had startled me!

    Within moments we were lowering down to the patio off my livingroom, and I could see the dogs making an excited fuss through the glass of the patio doors. As soon as our feet touched the flagstone, the magnetic bubble dissipated, and the cool air hurried to cling to my skin. I opened the patio door and nudged the dogs aside so that Magnus could come in, a bit worried that the dogs might react badly to him.

    Anyone who ever said that northern dog breeds are good watchdogs was quite simply a liar. They not only allowed the strange man into the house, but greeted him enthusiastically, as if he was an old friend they hadn't seen in years. I shooed them away so as not to annoy Magnus, but he seemed more amused than bothered. I turned a light on low, invited Magnus to sit in the livingroom in front of the fire, and hurried to get the coffee going.

    When I returned to the livingroom, I was not really surprised that he had not taken the couch as I had offered, but was idly wandering the room, the dogs his happy shadows, looking at all the artwork, copperware, and sci-fi memorabilia I had displayed. I suppose these are the things that tell the story of who I am, and he was engaged in reading that story. I stopped in the small foray which led to the kitchen and watched as he picked up a framed photo of me with my mother and examined it expressionlessly.

    For the first time since we had arrived home, I noticed that he was no longer glowing, no longer shedding the sparkling blue light that I had seen surrounding him continuously since I had met him. In the still air of the livingroom, his cape did not swirl or billow. He was just a man, albeit one in a cape and blood red uniform, but still a man. There was nothing supernatural about him, nothing different. He was simply a handsome man, standing highlighted by the flames in the fireplace.

    Even compared to the aurora still dancing outside, Magnus was one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen.

    I sort of guessed he would take his coffee black. I brought it to him in a steaming mug, and he accepted it with a cultured grace that I had to admire. He sat on the couch. As was my habit, I sat on the floor in front of the couch, leaning my back against its plush surface, and cradling my own coffee mug in my hands. This put me at his feet.

    It also seemed to surprise him a great deal. I wonder if he thought I was deferring to him or something, but I just smiled up at him, then sipped my coffee, watching the fire. After a few minutes, I sensed the muscles in his legs relax as he grew more comfortable with my position. Truthfully, in a secret heart, I did not mind at all being at his feet.

    We did not speak, but the silence was neither strained nor uncomfortable. I got the impression that he was not often given the chance to relax like this, and so I wished for nothing to disturb the moment. He had given me the gift of the aurora, I wanted to give him the gift of a few moments peace and calm. The dogs, over their excitement of having a stranger in the house, settled down on either side of the fireplace. It was probably the same liar who said that northern dogs like the cold, because my two hardy mutts were both heat seekers and enjoyed a good fire as much as I did.

    After a long while, I got up to stoke the fire a little, adding a couple of logs from the pile kept neatly in the nearby wood box. I felt Magnus' gaze on me, but did not acknowledge it. Before returning to my place on the floor, I paused and contemplated the licking flames and how they danced, much like the aurora Magnus had enhanced with his magnetic storm. There was so much power there, and for a moment I found the notion that he was sitting here having coffee with me to be utterly ridiculous.

    I must have smiled, for he spoke up for the first time since entering the house. "Why do you smile, Mary?" he asked lowly.

    I looked at him, was immediately caught by his eyes. They were as beautiful as always, but even more so now with the flames reflecting in their steel depths. At that moment, he must have known what I was feeling, how magnificent I thought he was. Every emotion I was feeling had to be mirrored on my face, for there was no way I could hide any of it. Just sitting there, as he was on the couch with a mug of coffee in his hand, I knew that I desired him very badly, and I could tell by the raising of his eyebrows that he knew it too.

    "This just all seems so strange," I answered, wondering if there was any way to put into words the feelings I had been harboring for him since the moment I heard him speak on TV. No, there was no way, desires like these were not so common as to have words assigned to them. "After all," I continued with a soft hesitation. "You are Magneto."

    Magnus put down his mug and stood in a fluid movement of grace and poise. He stepped over to me, and I heard the soft swish of his cape as it moved around him. When he stopped, I gradually became aware of his scent. There was a muskiness to it, a gentle smell of the earth and sky, with just a hint of underlying ozone. It was not unpleasant, it was in fact, as intoxicating as I knew the man was.

    "Does that matter?" he asked, and I could almost feel the vibrations of his words in the air between us. I looked up into his steel eyes, at the fire highlighted features of his strong handsome face, and I shook my head. It did not matter. That he was Magneto, Master of Magnetism was secondary. In my eyes, locked so comfortably with his, he was Magnus. He was a man, and I had never wanted anyone as I desired him.

    Which one of us initiated the kiss? I will never really know. Perhaps it was by mutual unvoiced agreement. All I really remember is that I stood taller to reach him, and he leaned down to reach me, and when our lips met, a soft keen of true desire flashed through my body. I had not been sure what to expect. Would he feel electric? Would there be a magnetic sense to his skin and lips? I was pleased when there was not. Though his fingertips against my face felt a little tingly, his lips were warm and gentle, and just further illustrated the fact that he was a man like any other, with the same blood swishing through his veins.

    What began as a gentle kiss evolved into something intense and urgent. I slipped my hands up around his neck, feeling the softness of his hair slide over my skin in wispy waves, and he snaked his arms around my waist, pulling me in closer to his broad chest. His body was firm, there was nothing soft about this man at all. Our teeth slipped together as the kiss grew deeper, each of us probing into the other's mouth with soft desperation. As I kneaded my hands in his hair, he ran his hands up my back, down over my buttocks and squeezed lightly with his strong fingers.

    We broke for air. I was about to apologize for allowing something like this to happen, but he quieted me with another kiss. This one was a bit gentler, but maintained the same intensity. I lost myself in it, glad he had not stopped. His cape moved around to encase us, and as he lowered me to the floor, I realized that it had come free from his shoulders and now served as our protection from the carpeted floor. Strangely, the feel of the cape beneath me was soft and comfortable.

    I ran my hands over his body, seeking a way into his satin red uniform, but finding nothing save the delightful play of his muscles under my questing fingers. He was indeed as well-defined as he appeared, and I felt a quivering within my loins at just moving my hands over him. He was as quiet as ever, but I could see by the reflected light in his eyes that he liked the feel of my hands as I worshiped his body by feel. Another faint smile danced on his face, and his uniform; gloves, boots and all, seemed to dematerialize and reform itself draped over the arm of the couch. I was a bit startled, but not so much that I stopped my exploration of his body, now free of the hindering material. Apparently even the material of his clothes was metallic, with the exception of his underwear, it seemed, for he still wore that.

    My clothes were not so well equipped, and Magnus was forced into the pleasant task of removing them from me in the normal manner. He did so in careful concentration, letting his warm hands touch every part of me as he worked, slipping off my blouse and jeans, pulling away my milky bra, until I reclined naked beneath him. We added our mouths to our bodily explorations, kissing and sucking gently everyplace we could touch. When his tongue found my right nipple, I gasped softly from the warmth of his breath, and arched myself up to meet his questing.

    He braced me with his strong arm, and I twined my fingers in his hair, surrendering my breasts to his touch and mouth. He teased gently at first, I could feel his amusement at my soft gasping breaths, then the tickling of his tongue gave way to a firm suck. I thrilled throughout my body, feeling an urgent pull between my legs. Magnus lowered me back onto his cape, and moved his mouth slowly down the shining surface of my abdomen, testing and tasting the saltiness of my skin with his tongue. I closed my eyes, tilting my head back, letting the wondrous sensations spiral their way up through my body as they would. I allowed him the control more than willingly, sensing that he preferred it that way, that he liked being the cause of my reactions.

    I felt a new urgency to his movements, which increased with my every moan or gasp. Controlling me was just what he wanted, exactly what fueled his desire. With his fingers, he increased that control, working them into the warm folds of my vulva, finding that special little spot that caused me to shutter uncontrollably. The tingling sensations which his fingers caused moved through me like the undulating patterns of the aurora. I arched and whispered my need, even as he continued to work at me, delighting in giving me pleasure.

    I felt him move over me, resting his hands on either side of my head to hold himself up. I opened my eyes and gazed up at him, shivering deep within myself with how badly I wanted him. I snaked my hands down between us to discovered that he had, at some point, shed his underwear, to reveal his hard member. I took it firmly in my hands, thrilled that now I had control. It was warm and satiny under my fingers, and as large as I had guessed it might be, for surely this mighty man had a mighty sword to match. I grasped hard, was rewarded by his audible intake of breath, and tilted my hips up.

    I guided him into me, and he obliged me by sinking in slowly, so that I felt every inch of his granitic shaft moving into my depths. I gasped at the feel, at how wide I spread myself to take him all. He pushed himself in as far as possible, and I took him completely to the base of that magnificent organ. Then we melded together. I wrapped my legs around his waist, pushing him in ever more firmly, and slipped my arms around his neck. He supported my body with his own powerful arms beneath my back, and caught my mouth in a new kiss, one that spoke only of need.

    We started slowly, he fluidly pulsing his hips, while my inner muscles contracted around his member. Each of his thrusts found a special place deep within me that caused me to quiver and gasp, and my sounds seemed to drive him on, harder and stronger. Within long moments, we were straining tight together, kissing in hard time with the rhythm we created. Though he made no noise, I moaned and groaned enough for both of us, unable to control my sounds as we graduated up into a fever pitch. I felt sparkling magnetic pulses flickering into my body at every place where our skin contacted, and the feathery sensations made it all the more glorious. As I felt myself reaching the most spiraling high I had ever experienced, I opened my eyes and locked my gaze with his. Together, we shared the depths of our souls as we came to a final shuttering climax.

    Magnus let out a breath with his release. He rolled us so that I found myself laying on his broad slick chest, his shaft still buried deep inside me. Shaking with my own exertion, I rested my head over his heart and listened to its rapid beating. Too bewildered to actually think about what had just happened, I shut my eyes tightly, feeling soft trickles of perspiration slide from my hair across my forehead.

    When I had the strength, I lifted my head to look at him, and found him with his own eyes closed, and sweat glistening on his features, mixing with the highlights from the fire. His hair was damp, laying out beneath him. Sliding up slightly over his slick chest, I kissed his open lips gently.

    We lay together for a long time, each of us gathering strength in body and mind. As I listened to the thumping of his heat, his measured breathing, and the snapping of the fire, I found myself wondering if some of Tara's harmony had not stayed with us, even though the girl was now far away. At this moment, we were neither human nor mutant. We just were. And like the aurora dancing somewhere above us, we were perfect.

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

    I don't really remember actually moving from the floor to the bed upstairs, and the rest of that long night is a kaleidoscope of warm hazy love-making, short periods of perfect quiet, and the melding of two souls into one. When we touched, we discovered we could feel into each other's emotions. I felt all the sadness and pain he carried with him like impenetrable shields. I experienced exactly how powerful and violent he could be, and I discovered his passions and convictions. I felt shabby that I could not return to him the same depths of personal history, but perhaps he found solace in my mundaneness for the night. Perhaps I was a welcome relief in a life that had not experienced enough normality.

    When morning arrived to disrupt the mental embrace we had locked ourselves into, I was deeply disappointed, but I had no illusions over what was going to happen. Awakening to his handsome face beside mine was almost spiritual. I took a long moment to actually look at him with new eyes that understood he was a man like any other. The lines of his face were smoothed as he dozed lightly, it seemed that for at least a few moments during sleep, he could forget who he was, forget that he was considered one of the greatest threats to mankind that had ever existed. I burned that gentle image into my mind, for I wanted to remember the beauty of the man he was, to hold that picture as mine. He felt my eyes on him soon enough, and opened his own, revealing once again those steel blue-grey depths, now reflecting the light of morning.

    We simply stared at each other for a long time. There was no tension, no fear, no strain. We said everything we needed to with our silence. As the sun began to invade through the window of the bedroom, I leaned over and kissed him one last time. He reciprocated, and the warmth of our mouths mingled together for a final moment.

    Then I got up, wordlessly wrapped myself in a robe, and made my way down into the kitchen. There were things that needed to be done. The dogs were awaiting their morning meal, and wanted to be let out. I brewed coffee and popped some bread in the toaster, thinking that marmalade would taste good this morning. My thoughts wandered to the store. Now that Tara was gone, I was going to need to hire another assistant and I made a mental note to call the local paper to place an add. I occupied my thoughts with anything and everything, and when I had finally run out of things to ponder, I went back upstairs and looked into my room.

    I was not surprised to find it empty.

    There was nothing to do but go on with life as usual. I ran through all my normal morning activities, though with a heart that felt at once heavy and weightless. Though I knew that I would keenly miss Magnus and his touch, I also knew he had given me a very special gift, a part of himself he rarely showed. Though the storm was brewing, and he was at the center of it, I had seen the part of his soul that despaired at each setback to his dream. This was not the Magneto that the world knew. This was Magnus. This was the man, not the mutant.

    I finished breakfast, dressed, put the dogs in their kennel, and jumped into the truck, prepared to face a new day of possibilities. I felt as though I had been shown a fresh direction, and I intended to act on that immediately. The world needed understanding.

    Expecting the usual sputtering and complaining from the truck, I put the key in and turned it, grimacing in anticipation. Imagine my shock when it turned over the first time and the engine purred as if it had just felt the touch of a master mechanic.

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    As it turned out, I hired several new people to work in the store, to pick up some slack while I was occupied with other things. The next few months found me hard at work with the city council. As a local business owner, I discovered I had a lot of influence and pull in Fairbanks, people knew me and respected my opinion. It came as rather a shock to many voters when I expressed very open pro-mutant ideas, which oddly enough, gave me the support I needed to win a seat on the city council when elections came around. I discovered that Fairbanks had a greater mutant population than I had been previously aware of, and I received calls and letters from other mutants around the state. I enjoyed the work, even if I did hear from a few crackpots and bigots who were against mutants. I felt that I was doing what I could to promote the coexistence desired by so many. My thoughts were that, if I could start it here, then perhaps eventually it would spread further. I publically opposed the local chapters of F.O.H. and even though I did not make any friends among their number, I slowly began to influence people, giving them reason to think.

    Even the electromagnetic Pulse which blackened the entire world months later did not change my opinion, though it did turn the public against my platform for awhile. I was not stupid, I knew which mutant had been responsible for that disaster, but I also figured that his reasons for the attack had probably been good ones. Though I was still just a local politician, I did have some connections in Juneau, who in turn had connections in D.C. I learned that the Pulse had occurred after the erection of a planet-wide defensive shield, the sole purpose of which was to cut Magneto off from earth. The magnetic Pulse had been in self-defense. Once I talked my supporters into understanding this, our case became ever stronger. Soon, I found myself visiting the state capitol on a fairly regular basis, defending the mutant issue on the floor of the state senate.

    But, my base of operations always remained the store, and it was there that Tara contacted me many months following the Pulse. I was surprised to hear from her, but even more shocked to learn of what had taken place on Avalon over the course of time. She was in South America with many of Magneto's followers, they were trying to reconstruct the fallen pieces of Avalon and hoping for Magneto's return, but Tara confided in me that she thought it was unlikely that he could have survived the crash of the station.

    I urged Tara to return to Fairbanks, offering to send her plane fare, but she declined. She had made close friends among Magneto's followers, and was a devoted student of his vision. She had found her place with them, and even seemed to indicate that she was romantically involved with one of the young men among Magneto's followers. They would work to make their own way until Magneto returned, and until that time they would remember and adhere to what he had taught them. I made her promise that she would contact me if she was ever in trouble.

    When I got off the phone with her, I sat alone in the back room of the store and fought back tears for the ruins of Magnus' dream. It did not seem right to me that he could be dead, not after all he had been though to give his vision life. But if he was dead, then perhaps it was better, for he would at last had the peace that had so eluded in while he lived.

    It wasn't very long after I heard from Tara that Manhattan faced crisis once again, this time in the form of a being known only as Onslaught. For days my staff and I set up camp around the television out at my house, watching the crisis progress while I also fielded calls from Juneau and colleagues in the States. The media had very little idea as to exactly what was going on, just that it involved some villainous super being that was laying waste to New York, even as various teams of heros fought it. Everyone was there, it seemed, the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and the X-Men. They pooled their resources and powers in an attempt to protect the people of the city from the menace. It seemed as if they were fighting a losing battle, and the entire world held its breath awaiting the outcome.

    As the crisis was nearing its climax, one of the CNN camera crews happened to catch some good shots of the X-Men, and I drew looks from my staff as I gasped in surprise.

    There he was. He was somehow younger, and his silvery hair was long and flowing, but I knew him like I knew myself. It was Magnus, there could be no mistake, although CNN seemed unsure as to his identity. How he could have been reduced in age, why he was fighting alongside the X-Men, or why he had not returned to his Acolytes, I could not fathom. But as the Heros sacrificed themselves for the good of the world, and the mutants appeared to be somehow responsible for their deaths, I could only watch Magnus, unable to take my eyes off of him.

    I had complete faith in him, even though I knew the actions of the X-Men would result in anti-mutant sentiment across the country. I knew for certain that Magnus would not participate if it was not absolutely necessary as a means to defeat Onslaught. He would not be willing to sacrifice the lives of so many good people, including his own daughter, if it were not the last resort. As the world watched in horror, it was obvious to me that Magnus was still fighting for his dream, fighting for that illusive something that always seemed to be just out of his reach. I could see it in his steel eyes, even across thousands of miles and through the television screen. As always, I was enthralled.

    He was beautiful.

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Copyright 1999 raptor@LD4.myip.org