#12 - Decisions

By Barry Reese

Note : Please read the 'Note From the Author' at the climax of this story!

"You're...pregnant." The words hung in the air, heavy with their implications. Dane Whitman sat in the dining room, his eyes somewhat glazed with shock. He was dressed casually, several schematics and reports spread out on the table before him.

Sersi nodded in affirmation. Her black-and-red costume fit like a glove and her trim figure showed no signs of the new life growing within her body. "Yes, I'm pregnant. With your child, Dane." She leaned forward, a spark in her eye. "This was meant to be...through it all -- the thing with Crystal, with Proctor, the Ultraverse...through it all, I've always loved you, Dane. You are my Gann-Josin. My life mate. And this child was created out of that love."

Dane let out a long sigh. His body ached from the Crusaders' recent trip to that bizarre Nazi-esque world* and he certainly hadn't been prepared for Sersi's announcement. "Sersi...this is...pretty major."

(*See Crusaders 23-24.)

"Yes. But it's wonderful, too." Sersi stood quickly, moving over to kneel in front of Dane. "Please tell me that you're happy about this, Dane."

Dane Whitman had faced dragons, alien armadas, and more...and nothing had flattened him like this. He loved Sersi -- really and truly -- but he wasn't sure that she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. The Lady of the Lake certainly didn't think Sersi was the one for him -- she'd warned him often enough.

Dane stood up slowly, pulling away from Sersi and trying not to see the hurt in her eyes. "Of course I'm happy about it...but...well, we need to talk. About us."

Sersi's eyes took on a hard glint. She knew what was coming and had dreaded it -- but how could he possibly want to do this now, with a baby on the way? Surely this would be just the thing to bring them together finally? Or was it more... "Is it about one of those trollops in the Crusaders? That Spitfire, perhaps? Or Captain UK?"

Dane turned with an angry roar. "How dare you?! You don't know them and yet you feel like you can accuse me of--"

"It's not like you'll let me get to know them, Dane. You didn't want them to come to the party I threw -- and I've seen the invitation to that wedding you're going to*...the one I haven't been invited to. Why shouldn't I suspect you of doing something like this? You haven't always been the most faithful of --"

(*See the upcoming Crusaders # 25.)

Dane held up a hand. "Shut up, Sersi -- before you make me say something I'll regret. I'm sorry if I've kept you from my friends. It was wrong of me and I wish I could blame it on Proctor's influence over me, but I can't. The Lady of the Lake doesn't think we belong together and I have to admit that sometimes I've wondered myself..."

"The Lady of the Lake?" Sersi laughed. "Why is it that there's always more than one woman in your life, Dane? It seems like I'm always trying to win you from someone else...in this case, from some long-dead, frigid demi-goddess --"

"Don't you dare!" Dane's shout startled them both in its ferocity. He reigned back in his temper with a concentrated attempt and continued, "You don't know anything about the Lady, so leave her out of this. The fact is, you thrust the Gann-Josin bond upon me when I was already in love with Crystal. Ever since then I've been confused about where we stand -- about what kind of future we could have together..."

"We can have whatever kind of future we want, Dane -- but you have to want it. Don't listen to the Lady of the Lake...Don't listen to me, for that matter. For once in your life, just decide who you want to be with!" Sersi turned her back to him. "And don't you dare choose me because I'm pregnant, Dane. I'd hate you more for that than anything I can imagine."

Dane ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes tightly. "I'm sorry, Sersi. This didn't go how I wanted... Sometimes I lose control of my temper and it's just...it's easier to act like I'm mad at you than to admit that I'm scared to death. Scared of what I feel...scared of being a parent...of so many things."

Silence answered him and Dane opened his eyes to see that Sersi had already left the room. The Black Knight balled up a fist and swore under his breath. "I certainly handled that one well, didn't I?"

Philip Jarvert chewed his food slowly, obviously not enjoying it. He glanced over at his Amazonian companion and winced. "You told me I'd hate the native cusine, didn't you?"

Magdalene nodded. She was dressed in slacks and a pull-over sweater, looking altogether different from the warrior that she normally was. "Surely you've heard the old joke -- 'What really brought down the British Empire?' The answer, of course, is the food."

Karla Whitman snickered. She was seated across from the two lovers, enjoying a sun-drenched day at a small cafe. The trio sat outside, rare sunlight breaking through the bleak gray clouds that usually covered London. "How long have you two been together?"

Philip smiled. "Seems like forever. A century, at least."

Magdalene raised an eyebrow. "I'll go ahead and make the assumption that you mean that in the nicest way possible, Philip." She glanced back Karla, taking in the young girl's features and obvious interest. Karla, unlike Magdalene, was of slight build and obvious shyness. The somewhat mousy Karla hid behind her thick glasses and hardly looked like someone who would have become the Black Knight of the year 2099.

"I was just curious -- the two of you seem so comfortable together."

Philip leaned forward. "Well...we've been through a lot. All of that with Proctor and his Gatherers, and now being on a world where no one is exactly how we remember them... It's brought us even closer, I think."

"Do you have anyone waiting for you back home?" Magdalene placed her hand on top of Philip's.

Karla shrugged. "Not really. The only love I've ever really had was science. With people, I feel all nervous. But in the lab...I can be free. I envy the way that Dane can be comfortable at a party or at a symposium -- he's always so sure of himself."

Magdalene exchanged a knowing look with Philip. "Dane is fairly impressive, isn't he? Did he inspire you to become the Black Knight?"

Karla laughed. "Are you kidding? He inspired me to go into science in the first place! And becoming the Black Knight was never anything that I'd planned -- it just sort of happened. I'm terrible at it -- and I suck at combat."

Philip studied her for a moment. "Well. I can see how asking Dane to tutor you in the use of your blade might make you uncomfortable -- he is a legend in your time, after all -- so if you'd prefer...I could offer to give you some tips. Maybe when you return to your own time, you'd feel more comfortable as a warrior with a few lessons under your belt."

Karla smiled softly. "I'd like that -- really."

"It's a deal, then."

Sersi looked at the photo for long moments...Samuel Holden. She'd loved him madly, for a time. But love affairs between immortals and mortals almost always ended in tragedy -- usually with the immortal growing tired and weary of their aging mortal companion. Samuel was a sweet, sweet man, but Sersi had been forced to admit eventually that their relationship wasn't working. Shortly thereafter she'd become a steady member of the Avengers...and met Dane.

Never had a mortal man held such a sway over her. Ruggedly handsome, with a bright, keen intellect...Dane was more worthy of immortality than all but a few of her Eternal bretheren. A hero of the classic mold, with just enough failings to make him all the more desirable.

Sersi placed a hand over her stomach and felt inwardly with her psionic powers. She could feel the baby's primitive mind touch hers in response and she felt a delicate smile dance across her features. Sersi somehow knew that it would be a boy, with his father's dark eyes and features, but she couldn't help but wonder what kind of world he would be born into...a world where his father and mother were happily bonded to one another, or one in which the noble knight had stayed by his lady out of a sense of responsibility. That was what really frightened her -- that Dane would come to her and proclaim his love...and she would know that he didn't mean it.

"Why did I even tell him?" She mused out loud, a solitary tear burning its way down her cheek. "I should have waited...now Dane will feel trapped. And that's not how I wanted to win him."

Alone, the beautiful Eternal came to a conclusion that she didn't like, but one that she felt was the only proper thing to be done -- she only hoped that her unborn son would find it in his heart to forgive her someday.

Immortus stared into the shifting sands of Time itself, watching as the many timelines twisted and turned. Some of them blinked out of existence suddenly, with not a bang but a whimper. Others were wiped out in tremendous orgies of destruction and despair. The Lord of Time saw universes aplenty, but at the core -- at the center -- flowed the original timeline, the one from which all others had branched. Or so it was said...There had been so many branchings over the millenia that no one could what the true reality was. Not even Immortus.

Immortus pulled his cloak about himself as he entered the Time Stream, feeling himself being tugged in a billion different directions -- into different universes, different timelines, different eras. He held a small black sphere in the palm of his right hand and he gripped it tightly, so tightly that his hand ached from the strain. It pulsed with power and malevolence.

In the greatest of all ironies, Immortus had found himself wanting for more Time at the end. He wished that he could have uncovered the mystery of Karla Whitman's presence in the 20th Century*, for one thing. But things were on a delicate timetable, one that could not be disturbed. And so it had come to this.

(*See Black Knight # 10 for more.)

Immortus hefted the sphere and hurled it into the very heart of the myriad realities. It sank into the churning chronal sea, finally exploding in a cacophany of light and sound. Shards of its body flew forth, embedding itself into various times and places.

Immortus stood back and surveyed his handiwork. It had begun.

The Black Knight looked at the computer screen, seeing but not really paying attention to the many complex equations on the screen. Part of him wanted to go out and fight -- find some two-bit goon that he could bash for awhile. Another part of him wanted to contact the Lady of the Lake and ask for advice...but he knew all too-well what kind of advice she would have for him.

Dane sat back and covered his face with both hands. Him. A father. The thought didn't seem real, somehow. He'd always wanted kids...someday. And he dearly cared for Sersi -- but when she'd shared the news with him, he'd acted like a callous jerk. Again.

There was only one thing to do, really. He loved her and she was pregnant with his child. All of his doubts would have to be put aside for the good of the child.

"Dane?" Sersi's voice made him jump.

He turned and smiled. "Hey, Sersi. You gave me a good scare."

"What were you thinking about?" She entered the room, moving that feline grace that always got to him. She was gorgeous, there was no denying that.

"You. Us." He stood and came to her, taking her hands. "I'm sorry, Sersi. I let my fears and my temper get the best of me. We can work this out."

Sersi looked deep into his eyes. "You want me to stay, Dane?"

"Yes, very much."

"And if I wasn't pregnant...?"

"Of course I'd still want you to stay."

Sersi's lips drew thin and tight. "Don't lie to me, Dane. The truth."

Dane started to reply, but something in her gaze held him. He remained silent for a moment before speaking. "I don't know, Sersi. I love you...but ever since we got back together I've been uncertain about it all. If you weren't pregnant...I might like to...date for awhile. Become friends first again."

"Date...?"

Dane nodded. "Yeah. But that doesn't matter now. We're going to have a child, Sersi. You and I, together."

Sersi turned her cheek as he moved to kiss her. Tears burned her eyes as she pulled back from him. "No."

Dane blinked. "What?"

"You're a wonderful, gallant man...but I don't want you this way. In time, maybe we can be together. But not until you come looking for me, not because you need my help...but because you need me."

Dane frowned. "Sersi...I can't let you leave like this. I'm sorry if I was a jerk, but --"

Sersi's eyes flashed emerald and energy flared from her head. It enveloped Dane and held him tight. "No, my Gann-Josin...It's not meant to be. I know you'd come and find me no matter where I go -- as long as you know about our child. This mental block will prevent you from remembering anything that's occurred between us since we returned from the Ultraverse*. I'll go to everyone else in the castle and do the same to them, as well. Your friends in the Crusaders will remember...but you shielded me from them to such an extent that it won't matter much."

(*Back in the classic Black Knight # 6.)

The energy faded and Dane sagged back into his chair, his eyes blank. Sersi faded back into the shadows, blowing a kiss to her beloved. "Be safe, Dane."

And then she was gone, as if she had never been there at all.