Legend: Thoughts = <>

Stray thoughts = ()

Flashback **

Com links []

Ok, guys, all the disclaimers apply, that means all thanks goes to Marvel

For the X-Men, I'm just making the story. And I do read all the other

Stories and they're great, keep up the good work. They inspire me!

Yawns...

"I didn't sleep a wink! I keep having this dream where I'm eating a cheese sandwich and it turns into a bird and flies directly into the sun." Melissa explained, "What do you think that could mean."

"I think that means you really need to see a therapist." Perry smirked.

Connor walked into the room with Max, "I haven't slept any, I keep having this dream where I take this bird and turn it into flowers..."

"What's so strange about that?" Max asked.

"The bird's a fish." Connor said.

The door opened and before anyone walked through, there was a huge yawn.

"...So it's like this dream with this fish sandwich and it turns into a bird and flies away! I mean, it's not really making with any sense." Raiden said as she and I walked through the door.

"Everyone here is having nightmares?" Perry asked.

"Sounds like." I said, "I wonder does this mean something bad is coming."

"We should get some work..." Connor started, but before he could finish his sentence, everyone in the room fell to the floor, fast asleep.

In Raiden's nightmare...

Raiden stood in the main office, shuffling files. She felt tired, like she had been running all day. She felt as if she needed to sit. As she sits, an explosion fires off over her head. She is sent sailing across the room! She stands as another shot is fired! She disappears, trying to avoid whatever is shooting at her. A demonoid grabbed her by the neck and lifted her into the air. She choked as the demon cut off her air supply before finally passing out. When she opened her eyes, she was in a cold, dark place. She quickly realized it was a coffin. She beat as hard as she could against the cold wood, screaming out for anyone to hear.

In Melissa and Connor's nightmare...

Connor stood at Raiden's grave. Melissa stood with him. They looked down at Raiden's grave. Connor was filled with rage and anger while Melissa was filled with angst and somewhat delight. She knew it was bad that Raiden was dead and she hated it. But the smallest part of her was happy.

"Oh my God! No! What the Hell, we were just in the office! How could..." Connor shouted at the newly dug grave, "Help me!" he shouted at Melissa to help him dig up the grave!

"Connor." Melissa said, startled.

"No! Help me!" Connor shouted.

"Something's coming." Melissa said, putting a hand on his shoulder. It was then she noticed that he was beginning to bawl, "Oh sweetie, we have to move."

"I can't move." Connor bawled.

"We have to..." Melissa said, pulling him up, "We have to go."

In Pane's Nightmare...

I ducked a punch and jumped into the air, bringing my foot down onto an officer's face. I ran and jumped into the air, levitating to the balcony above me and hopping to the one above that. I slowly rolled out of the way of a couple of bullets and knocked the guns out of the hands of the officer before realizing who it was.

"Pane?" Richard asked.

"Rich?" I said, still in my defensive pose.

In Perry's dream...

"Daddy." A little girl asked.

"Imaya." Perry smiles, "My little Imaya."

"Daddy, is there really demons?" Imaya asks.

"No Immy." Perry lies, "Just bad people."

"When can I see grandpa again?" Imaya asks.

"Grandpa is gone." Perry says.

"Where'd he go?"

"I don't know. I don't know, baby." Perry says.

Perry closes his eyes and opens them to a different world. One of destruction and with Sentinels walking around, shooting lasers from their palms. Imaya is gone and before him stands Pane.

"Where'd Im...Imaya!" he cries.

"She's gone." Pane said, "There aren't any demons...just bad people."

"I have to stop it. I have to stop it before..." Perry says quickly.

"You can't stop it, son. It's our family's curse." Pane smiles, "It's also our gift."

"How can this ever be a gift? How do I control this?" Perry asked.

"It's either one way or another. You can't have it both ways...son." Pane said, still smiley.

In Connor, Raiden, and Melissa's nightmare...

Connor stood, waiting for anything to happen, but it never did. He and Melissa had hid out in a tomb in the cemetery. They were getting cold and had huddled up for warmth. Connor, who usually seemed to be the strongest guy Melissa knew, was now bawling and sniffling and it wasn't really a turn off. She nestled him close, trying to stop him from crying. The silence between them had manifested an even deeper understanding. He was in mourning.

"We're going to have to move eventually." Melissa said quickly.

"I can't move." Connor said, "Last thing I remember...we were talking about all of us not sleeping."

"And then we were here. Like it's not real." Melissa said, "I don't think it is. I mean, come on, we magically appear here after saying we can't sleep."

Connor stopped, "We're dreaming." He said, "Whatever's sending us those dreams is also sending us on a wild ride."

"I don't like this ride." Melissa frowned.

"We just need to find...a way out." Melissa said, standing, "We need to be out there."

"You're right," Connor said, standing, "But something's out there. We can't wait though." He said, moving toward the door.

Before he could open the door, it opened and slammed as a very dusty Raiden pushed it close behind her.

"Raid?" Connor asked, running to her and hugging her.

"Okay, it's like a really bad dream!" Raiden said, "One of those things is out there."

"Is she a dream thingy?" Melissa asked.

"No, I'm not a dream thingy!" Raiden said, "Why are you two so close?"

Connor rushed to Raiden, "I'm so glad you're not dead." He said.

"You could have dug me up!" Raiden frowned, "Seriously."

"We gotta fight that thing off." Connor said, "I've been thinking. We're dreaming, right..."

"We're dreaming?" Raiden asked.

"Right." Melissa said.

"...so all our dreams are kind of tethered. So where is Pane and Max? And Perry?" Connor asked.

"I don't know. We need to go outside the cemetery." Raiden frowned.

In Pane's dream...

"I'm not going to fight you." I frowned.

"You think you're doing the right thing? You think killing Mega is the right thing? He's several human beings." Richard said.

"Rich..."

"This can't be...this isn't real." I frowned.

"It's not." A dark voice said behind me.

I turned to see a giant shadow. When I say giant, I mean Godzilla giant, "What the giant shadowy deuce?" I asked.

"It's such an honor to be in your presence." The Shadow said, "Welcome back to the Astral Plane."

"Shadow King!" I exclaimed

"It is me." The Shadow King smirked.

"You did this? Why?" I asked.

"You are one of the most powerful telepaths on this Earth." Shadow King said, "Now that your powers are down, I had to take the opportunity."

"The opportunity for what?" I asked.

There was a loud thump behind me. I turned to see a demonoid standing a few inches from me. It grabbed me by the throat and picked me up off the ground. I gasped for air as the grip tightened. I kicked the demonoid and fell to my feet, still gasping for air.

"This isn't real." I said quickly.

"Oh, it is real." Shadow King smirked.

I moved before the demonoid could grab me again blocking a punch, then another, then another! I threw a fist at him but he ducked it and pushed me backwards! His nail lengthened and it scraped across my abdomen. I yelped and staggered back, catching my breath. The Shadow King had begun to moan in pain. Before I could attack the demonoid again, it vanished before my eyes. I ran to the balcony again and looked over the edge to see Perry standing in the middle of the street. Around him, things were floating across the air and he looked to be in deep concentration!

Perry <Dad! Help me!" >

(I don't know if I can.)

I concentrated on the giant Shadow standing before me, reached out and felt it's intense energy! I felt Perry's mind and as I did, the giant Shadow King held his head.

<Sleep!>

Before I could move, I saw Raiden, Melissa, Max, and Connor run up beside Perry. I leaned on the balcony, out of breath and tired.

"Good work!" Connor yelled up.

I smiled and sank down, letting a sigh of relief leave my astral mouth.