Chapter Six: Aftermath

It was late in the second hour of the next day when Emma was able to join Sean on the swing again. "The children are in bed, FINALLY."

Sean yawn and stretched as he snuck his arm around Emma.

"They're upset..."

"They're nae the only ones, are they?"

Slowly, Emma nodded, admitting that she was upset that she had had to kill Selene. "I try so hard to set a good example for the children to follow, but, now, I'm a murderer." She concentrated on watching the unmoving floor of the indoor porch.

"Em, ye did nae have a choice in the matter."

"But I DID, Sean! I didn't have to murder her!"

"If ye had nae, Em, she would've killed ye an' the rest o' us."

"I KNOW, but it doesn't help any."

"Oh, Em..." Sean sighed as he gently rubbed her far arm up and down.

Emma sighed as she leaned back next to Sean. "Sean, what do you think of me?"

Uncomfortable silence.

Emma tried again, "I mean, now that I've killed Selene and all? Have you lost respect for me?"

"Of course nae, Em. Ye did what ye had tae di for us all tae live. An' I respect ye more for the way ye've handled this situation," was Sean's response.

Emma smiled. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything. For always being there when I need you. For helping me. For giving me a second chance after my past as a villainess. For always knowing exactly what to say and when."

"Ye're welcome, Em. An' thank ye."

"For what?"

"For always bein' there when I need ye. For helpin' me. For always knaeing exactly what tae say an' di an' when."

"You're welcome."

"Em, there's somethin' I've never told anyone in Generation X..."

"What's that?"

"Ye were nae the only one that used tae fight against the X-Men. I did, tae."

"It wasn't your fault, Sean. You were under mind control."

"Aye...how did ye knae?"

"The Professor told me."

"Oh."

They stopped talking for awhile. The only sounds were that of the crickets chirping, the swing going back and forth, and the occasional hoot of an owl.

"Sean?" Emma began to say something at the exact moment that Sean said, "Emma?"

They laughed nervously. Emma looked up at Sean; Sean looked down at Emma.

"Go ahead and say what you wanted to say," prompted Emma.

"Ladies first," Sean insisted that Emma go first.

Emma sighed uncomfortably before beginning nervously, "There's something that I've been meaning to talk to you about, Sean, but the time just hasn't been right. Until now."

"I'm hopin' that that's that ye love me?" Sean guessed with a wink.

Emma blushed and looked away from Sean. "Yes." She rose and walked to the front of the porch.

Sean followed behind her. "Em?" He gently lifted her chin with his finger. "I love ye, tae." With those four little words that meant so, SO much to Emma, Sean slipped his hands around her waist and kissed her. Emma put her hands behind his neck and kissed the Irish man that she loved back.

The End