Boston

Bethany hated walking alone at night. More so then the she hated the city. She'd been lost for the last hour and was ready to go into some random shop and ask directions. If nothing more it would get her out of the light drizzle that was soaking her hair. That was when she glanced behind her and noticed the three men in dark clothes following her. She picked up her pace and so did they. Soon she was sprinting and panting when she turned a corner. There she saw an old decrepit building that was dark and bordered up. Quickly finding a knocked out window she lept through it and ducked her head until the footsteps outside faded leaving nothing but the patter of rain behind. Breathing deeply in relief she raised her gaze to take in her surroundings. It was a church, or it had been once.

It looked like it had once been grand but it had been left alone in the middle of renovations. It had high vaulted ceilings and swooping arches coated in dust with cobb webs hanging around. Luckily Beth wasn't afraid of the dark, except that it wasn't dark. Up near the neglected alter was a tiny prick of light. Curious Beth went up and saw a small candle flickering merrily. Beth wasn't Catholic, but she knew that those who were lit a candle when they prayed sometimes.

"Who would come to a place like this to pray?" She thought to herself. Then she was startled by the sound of a muffled explosion. It wasn't loud but it echoed around the chapel and made Beth's heart pound.

"Is somebody there?" She heard herself call out. The startling sound repeated it's self several times, and Beth got the feeling that something or someone was studying her. Like it was siezing her up trying to determine if she was a threat. It was an unfriendly feeling and Beth didn't like it one bit. Then ther was a voice, loud and harsh and 'was it speaking German?'.

"HERAUSKOMMEN!" Beth didn't speak German but the voice made it's intent pretty clear 'Get Out'. When the voice called out again Beth's nerve broke and she sprinted for the doors. With great effort she swung the huge doors open and to her shock it was pouring. The rain was so heavy and thick that she couldn't see three feet outside the door. She turned back to the chapel and screwing up her courage called out.

"Look I know you don't want me here, but its storming and I don't have a car. Please just let me alone for awhile. I'll leave as soon as I can. I swear it." The voice went quiet, so did the explosions. Beth couldn't be sure, but she took that to be a sign of acceptance. She walked forward cautiously and sat down on one of the pews that was still intact. Sitting down Beth looked around nervously and called out timidly.

"Thank you." Not knowing what else to do Beth sat twiddling her thumbs and softly began to sing some old tunes to herself that she remembered from her childhood. Beth didn't know if it was the songs or the patter of rain over head, but soon enough she dozed off into sleep.

While Beth slept sitting up a silent shadow crept beside her. For a moment the shade just studied her, then gentle but alien hands shifter her until she was laying down sideways in the pew. With even greater care a small pillow was placed under her head and a thread bare blanket was draped up to her shoulders. Softly a voice whispered down to her.

"Die gute nachtdame."

It was morning when Beth fiinally woke up. She reluctantly opened her eyes realizing that while she was chilly she was no where near as cold as she should be. Looking down she saw she'd been covered in a thin wool blanket, and under her ear was a slightly flat pillow. Confused she sat up and looked around trying to see something she already knew she wouldn't find.

"Well at least it seems to be a friendly ghost." Beth said ironically to herself. Standing stiffy Beth took the blanket and folded it neatly and politely stacked it and the pillow on the pew. Silently she headed for the doors, before opening them she turned back to the empty chapel. Again Beth got that feeling of being studied. But this time it felt curious instead of hostile, even cautiously friendly. Smiling Beth took a breath and called out.

"Who ever you are. Thank you very much." With that she turned and stepped out into the blinding sunshine. Leaving behind a pair of glowing yellow eyes that silently followed her from the shadows.

About a week went by as Beth continued to remember the strange church. She went to her job as a waitress and basically went on with life in general. But at the same time she couldn't forget that blanket that was so graciously thrown over her to keep her warm. Honestly that thread bare blanket and flat pillow were just two worn out down right basic things. But they still touched her, especially since she had been the one that intruded on who ever it was that was in that church. Finally she got a feeling of what she should do and waited until Friday night when the sun was setting.

By the time Beth got to the church it was truly dark outside. When she got into the chapel it was just the same as she had left it, and there was that little candle shining out at her. Taking a few steps Beth finally heard the muffled explosions that had greeted her last week. However this time she wasn't as scared she just walked right up to the pew that she'd fallen asleep on. Taking her bag off of her back she carefully grabbed what she had brought. Carefully on the pew she place a brand new thick afgan and a soft cool silk pillow, they would be fine replacements for the sad blanket and pillow that had been gifted to her. Looking around to the rafters she called out shyly to the air.

"My name is Bethany by the way, Bethany Hunter." Reaching into her bag once again she brought out a book, it was the one thing she'd brought that wasn't new. It was careworn with dog eared pages and cracks around the spine. It wasn't falling apart, but you could tell it had been well loved. The book was a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Beth laid it down on top of the new silk pillow.

"It's one of my favorites, it always seems to cheer me up. I hope you like it." With that she turned away not expecting a reply. Before she could reach the grand doors however there was the sound of a muffled explosion again. This time though it was much closer then it had been. Turning Beth gasped when she saw that her little gifts were gone. Coming back to look at the place they'd been she saw something new. It was a flower, a white carnation precisely. It was flat and slightly yellowed at the edge of the petals, like it had been pressed in a book. But it was still beautiful, lifting it up Beth took a whif of it surprised to find that the faint suggestion of flower smell still clung to it. Smiling up at the rafters she called softly to the strange ghost that seemed to need blankets and pillows.

"Your very welcome. I guess this makes us friends." With that Beth took her leave, her heart feeling very light in in that moment. Her 'ghost' watched her leave with a sad smile on his face, a thick thumb traced one of the moon designs sewn into the thick blanket. In a whisper the voice of the 'ghost' said only this.

"thank you so much, Bethany; friend."

Here's my latest X-men installment, obviously this one will be centered around Nightcrawler. Because he is awesome and I don't think that they did him justice in X2. Just so you know this story takes place just a year after X3. Please Review and tell me what you think.