#auroradazz

Alison struggled against the sheets of her bed, as she bent over a notebook, pencil scratching in tune with the sound of the fan breezing on full blast.

She periodically glanced from her page to her phone trying to make sense of nonsense lyrics that had been scribbled down on her note’s app at random intervals over the past few weeks.

“Why did I even write that?” She shook her head as she clicked the backspace button.

She set the phone down on the nightstand, careful to keep its light away from the person sleeping next to her.

Jeanne-Marie limbs were spread across the bed like a starfish. Her arms were spread out in either direction, her right leg curled to her side, as her left one reached past her girlfriend. Her head was leaning off of her pillow; a few strands of dark hair were curling onto Alison’s.

Not that Alison minded it. She wasn’t getting much use out of the pillow anyway.

One would think during the few times she actually had a full day off of touring, promoting albums, and trying to upkeep a massive fanbase, she’d take full advantage of the opportunity to sleep. However, Alison Blaire was taking these precious hours to take care of other things.

With her career quickly reaching new heights and Jeanne-Marie’s position as a teacher and full time X-Man, there was very little time for either woman to see the other.

As Alison prepared for her summer tour, she and Jeanne-Marie had been on a few dates. Late-lunch dates, after school had wrapped up. Walks to the park, ear buds in each other’s ear as they shared their favorite music. Trips to the beach with their friends.

They had been some of the most magical moments of Alison’s life. She had gone on a few dates with other women after coming out and they were fine. However, Jeanne-Marie was different than anyone she had ever met.

The former schoolteacher wasn’t blinded by Alison’s fame as the pop star known as Dazzler. Rather Jeanne-Marie seemed to find the whole thing rather blasé when it was first brought up. However, that didn’t make it any less of an issue when Alison and Jeanne-Marie’s worlds began to collide.

It started with Alison’s summer tour, when she returned to her hotel room to hear her shower running.

“Hello?” Alison asked as she crept into the bathroom. “Who’s in there?”

She felt a warm brush of light as her fingers began to glow. She doubted she was going to find a stalker in there, more likely just someone who was given the wrong room and keycard. However one could never be too careful.

“Listen, I hate to break this to you, but I think the front desk made a mistake, this is my hotel room and—”

The shower curtain slid open to reveal a wet-haired Jeanne-Maire.

“Alison!” She cried.

“Jeanne-Marie!” Alison’s mouth fell open.

“Could you be a dear and pass me a towel, ma colombe?” Jeanne-Marie batted her dark eyelashes.

“Of course…” Alison reached towards a towel rack and handed it to her.

“Thank you.” Jeanne-Marie began to dry her hair off.

“What are you doing here?” Alison started.

“I cam to visit, isn’t it obvious?” Jeanne-Maire wrapped the towel around her form and stepped out of the shower. “Besides it’s beautiful in Arizona this time of year.”

“If by beautiful you mean extremely hot, then yes.” Alison said.

Alison’s summer tour was set to go around most of the US. Starting in California and ending in New York. In the past month she had been to three cities, and Arizona had to be the warmest.

“I figured after I got dressed you and I could stroll around Phoenix together.” Jeanne-Marie snatched a brush off the bathroom sink’s counter. “Go sightseeing, get lunch, talk.” She sighed. “We’ve barely had a chance to talk in weeks.”

“I’m sorry about that, between my shows and the time difference it’s been hard to block out.” Alison said.

“No need to apologize.” Jeanne-Marie kissed her girlfriend’s cheek. “Now that I’m here, we can talk for as long as we want.”

“That sounds nice, one the lighting technicians mentioned a restaurant he and his wife used to go, that’s not to far from here.” She reached for her phone. “Let me see if I can find it.”

BUZZ!

Alison’s phone lit up with an email from the lighting company.

“One moment.” She told Jeanne-Marie as she clicked on it.

She skimmed through it, her mouth frowning with each additional word.

Ms. Blaire and Co…

We regret to inform you that due to an issue with your payment…

So and so inc. will be unable to provide lighting for your performance on…

Thank you and have a nice day.

“What happened?” Jeanne-Marie noticed the face Alison was making as she stared down at the phone.

“The lighting company just emailed me.” Alison groaned. “The check we sent in bounced and now we don’t have lights for the concert tomorrow.”

“Mon Dieu, that’s terrible.” Jeanne-Marie told her.

“We might have to put lunch on hold for moment.” Alison began to scroll through her contacts. “I have some phone calls to make.”

The next few hours, Alison spent calling her manager, members of the crew, the stadium, and the lighting company.

It turned out the signature on the cheque had been incorrectly flagged as a forgery by the bank. However there was no way that even with a proper payment that the lighting company would be able to show up the next day.

Which meant Alison spent another several hours making more calls with other lighting companies.

“Yes, I understand it’s short notice but we’re willing to pay whatever…” Alison sighed. “I see your located in San Deigo. It’s all right, thanks anyway.”

She hung up with a frustrated cry.

“Ugh!” Alison shouted as she flung herself onto the couch.

“Another company said they couldn’t do it?” Jeanne-Marie asked.

“Not by tomorrow.” Alison sighed. “We’re going to have to cancel the concert.”

Canceling the concert would not be a great start to the tour. So many people demanding refunds would damage Dazzler’s relationship with the venue. As well as losing them money to set up their next concert in Missouri.

“Maybe there’s something I can do to help.” Jeanne-Marie suggested.

“Not unless you can find me someone to set up lights by tomorrow.” Alison sighed.

“Maybe I can.” Jeanne-Marie smiled.

“Really?” Alison breathed a sigh of relief. “Jeanne-Marie that would be wonderful, who?”

“Me of course,” Jeanne-Marie gave a smile and waved her hands, bright lights glowed out of her palms. “My light powers should be bright enough so that everyone can see you.”

“You’d do that for me?” Alison tucked a lock of blond hair out of her face.

“But of course.” Jeanne-Marie kissed Alison’s cheek. “How could I say no to such a pretty face?”

“Thank you so much,” Alison told her. “I owe you.”

“You don’t owe me a thing, mon chou.” Jeanne-Marie said. “Besides…”

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

With that Jeanne-Marie leapt off the couch and was at the door in the blink of an eye. She opened it to reveal a man dressed in a hotel uniform carrying trays of food.

“You’ve already bought me dinner.”

Jeanne-Marie reached into her pocket and pulled out several crip bills and handed it to the man as she took the food. She set a tray down on the table in front of the couch.

“I hope you don’t mind but I got you a salad.”

“You mean you got yourself a salad.” Alison said.

“No, I got myself a steak.” Jeanne-Marie told her as she lifted the lid on her own food.

“You’re going to take to bites of that and then help yourself to my food.” Alison pointed out.

“When have I done that?”

“Only every time we’ve ever gone out to eat.”

“Hush,” Jeanne-Marie picked up the remote and pointed it at the tv. “Let’s watch a movie."

Jeanne-Marie selected an old Italian film about a woman who believed she was giving birth to the second coming of Christ or who knows maybe she was. It  was left ambiguous.

“I’m surprised you like this movie.” Alison said.

“Why?” Jeanne-Marie asked.

“It just seems very critical of religion.”

“No it isn’t.” Jeanne-Marie shook her head.

“I mean the towns people don’t treat that woman very well. They leave her to give birth in an abandoned church.”

“It’s about devotion to God against all obstacles.” Jeanne-Marie told her. “Now shush, I can’t hear what they’re saying.”

“There are subtitles.”

“Shush!”

Alison and Jeanne-Marie arrived at the venue the next day. Alison’s manager were when Alison stepped out of the car with Jeanne-Marie alongside her.

“Aren’t you that Canadian superhero…Snowbird or something?”

Jeanne-Marie huffed. “That would be one of my teammates.” She held out her hand. “I am Aurora.”

“Aurora’s offered to help us with our light problem.” Alison told them.

“She can do that?” One of her manager’s asked.

“Yes,” Jeanne-Marie told him. “With my powers of light and my flight, I should be able to assist Dazzler with the lighting effects.”

“Well that’s wonderful.” Another chimed in. “You see what we need is…”

“Alison and I have already gone over the procedures.” Jeanne-Marie brushed him off. “Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to find somewhere to touch up my makeup before tonight.”

“The trailers are down that way.” The manager pointed.

“Thank you.” Jeanne-Marie said before zooming off.

The crew dispersed for work and Alison headed for the stage. The heat already soaking through her tank top.

“She seems handy.” The manager said as he joined Alison on the stage.

“Very.” Alison said. “Jeanne-Marie is a very busy woman she’s a teacher, studies both history and geography, an amateur archologist, she’s also a part of the X-Men and Alpha Flight. When we first met she was working as a linguist for NASA and—”

“Jeez, Ali,” Her manager chuckled. “Where’d you find this girl?”

“We met working on the X-Men.” She said. “Hit off from there.”

“Seems like a pretty good friend.”

“Yes…” Alison’s voice trailed off. “Yes she is.”

Alison had come out as gay to her fans and a general public about a year before she and Jeanne-Marie began dating. Although Jeanne-Marie was openly supportive of her brother, she didn’t wasn’t ready to come out to the public yet.

“You see what people say about Jean-Paul.” She told her. “And yourself, I’m just not ready to deal with it yet.”

“And I understand that.” Alison said.

As much as she wanted to show off her girlfriend to the world, she saw where Jeanne-Marie was coming from. It took Alison herself several years to accept who she was. Jeanne-Marie was still trying to figure that out.

“Besides,” She added. “With Northstar a permanent member of the X-Men, if Mac finds out we’re together he’ll try harder than ever to get me back on Alpha Flight.”

“He’s that desperate for good PR?” Alison asked.

“You have no idea.”

Alison and her back-up dancers spent a few hours before the concert going over dance routines. However they never got far before having to take a mandated break.

“We already have enough issues as it is, we don’t need anyone in the hospital.” Her manager shouted out. a

After a quick lunch, Alison was ushered to her trailer to get ready for the eight o’clock performance.

Her hair was combed back, large amounts of blue eye shadow drawn and brushed over her face, afterwards she and a few assistants zipped her up into a white jumper decorated with shiny yellow and blue beads.

Alison thanked the crew members as the left to go assist the dancers. As the trailer’s front door closed she turned to the mirror and examined herself.

The suit was formfitting but had enough movement for her to dance in. She caught a glimpse of the peeling paint sitting on her toenails and was grateful she had selected a pair of sneakers instead of the open-toed wedges she had been considering.

“You look wonderful!”

Alison’s attention was pulled away from the mirror as Jeanne-Marie appeared in her line of sight.

She smiled.

“I can say the same for you.”

Her girlfriend was changed out of the button up shirt and long purple skirt she had shown up to the venue in. Now sporting a tight black sleeveless jumpsuit and heels. Her dark hair tied up in a thick bun.

“Your stylists decided it was simple enough, so I didn’t stand out, but stylish enough.”

Alison wrapped her arms around Jeanne-Marie’s neck and glanced up into her eyes. Her partner was annoyingly much taller than her when heels were added into the mix.

“If you decide you can’t do this, I understand.” Alison told her. “Just say the word and—”

“Your fans are already waiting outside the arena, it’s far too late to cancel the concert.” Jeanne-Marie told her. “Besides, I’m feel fine. I’m excited to finally see one your shows live in person.”

“Yes, but ideally you wouldn’t be working the show.” Alison pointed out.

“It works better this way.” Jeanne-Marie said. “I get bored easily.”

Alison and Jeanne-Marie continued to stare into each other’s eyes. Alison’s pupils tracing Jeanne-Marie’s sparkling blue eyes.

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

Both women jumped at the sound at the door.

“Dazzler we need you on stage for a sound check.” A crew member called.

“I have to go.” Alison released Jeanne-Marie and grabbed her shoes as she headed for the door.

“Good luck…oops.” Jeanne-Marie covered her mouth when she realized what she said. “I mean break a leg.”

“Thanks, you are too.” Alison blew her a kiss as she headed outside.

Alison and Jeanne-Marie didn’t see each other for the next few hours. Not as Alison was mic’d up, given a new pair of shoes after it was found her shoes squeaked against the set, and her imperfections to her makeup were fixed.

The crowds soon began to pack the stadium and then it was time.

“You ready?” Her manager asked her.

“As I’ll ever be.”

Alison glanced from the stage wings trying to see if she could find Jeanne-Marie. Unfortunately there was no sigh on her.

Alison plastered on a smile as she walked onto the stage.

She had a job to do and she needed to focus.

“Hello Phoenix!” She cried.

The crowd roared in applause as light sprinkled over Alison.

She glanced up to see Jeanne-Marie soaring above the crowd. A tiny dot amongst the stars.

Alison smiled as she began to introduce her first song.

The next few hours Alison sang the songs listed on her current album, going into a few favorites, and ending with a song she was working on for her next release.

Alison shouted out her goodnights to fans before being rushed off stage. From there she spent time signing autographs for fans who bought VIP tickets, answered a few questions, and said goodbye before rushing out of the stage.

By then most of the fans were gone. The stadium was empty save for those who were on clean up duty.

“Alison!”

Alison’s head jerked to see Jeanne-Marie standing by the stadium’s fence drinking out of a bottle of water.

Alison ran towards her, tackling Jeanne-Marie in a hug.

The laughed tiredly. They were both sweaty and exhausted from the past few hours.

“You were amazing!” Jeanne-Marie whispered.

“As were you!” Alison smiled. “The lights you created were perfect.”

“Please they were all your idea, I just followed the instructions.”

“Well you followed them perfectly.” Alison kissed her cheek.

She leaned back and pushed a lock of loose hair out of Jeanne-Marie’s face. “Why don’t you and I got out and get something to eat?” “That would be wonderful, let’s go back to the hotel first so I can shower and—”

RING!

RING!

RING!

Jeanne-Marie’s phone lit up in her jumper’s pocket.

“One moment.” She released Alison from her hold and dug into her pocket. Scowling when she saw the contact’s name.

“What do you want Mac?” She said. “Also how did you get my number?”

There was some muttering and Jeanne-Marie gave an exhausted sigh.

“I’m not on Alpha Flight anymore and since when was that my problem.”

More muttering from the other line.

“I’m in Pheonix, surely there’s someone else…” She gritted her teeth. “Fine, I’ll be there.”

She pulled the phone away from her ear and slammed the hang up button with a huff.

“What was that about?” Alison asked.

“Madison’s brother is back, something…something…they can’t find him…something…something…Michael’s been kidnapped.” She said. “They need a speedster and since Jean-Paul won’t answer any of their calls, the responsibility falls onto me.”

“I take this means their won’t be a dinner.”

“No.” Jeanne-Marie shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Alison told her. “Canceled dates, world ending threats, and Alpha Flight is what I signed up for when I started dating you.”

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” Jeanne-Maire placed her phone back into her pocket. “What’s your next stop?”

“Maryland Heights.” Alison told her. “After that we’re going to Nashville.”

“I’ll try to stop at one of them.” Jeanne-Marie kissed her girlfriend’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Alison told her as Jeanne-Marie began to fly. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

“No, this is my battle darling!” Jeanne-Marie shouted. “Besides I don’t want you meeting Alpha Flight unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

And with that she was gone.

To Alison’s disappointment, Jeanne-Marie wasn’t in Maryland Heights, and she hadn’t heard a word from her since arriving in Nashville. The morning she got on her flight to Georgia she received a text.

JM <3 <3 <3: Sorry I couldn’t make it last night.4:44am

JM <3 <3 <3: I was exiting the house, and I got a call from Storm about Attuma flooding New York.4:46am

Alison: I saw that on the news, figured you were tied up.5:02am

Alison: Are you all right?5:02am

JM <3 <3 <3: I’m fine.12:31pm

JM <3 <3 <3: Just a broken heart.12:33

Alison sighed, as much as she loved her career, she couldn’t wait for this tour to be over.

Towards the beginning of September, Alison arrived home earlier than initially planned. Unfortunately for her, Jeanne-Marie and a few of the other X-Men were in space. She had to wait a few more weeks for Jeanne-Marie to return.

When Jeanne-Marie walked through the door, cape flowing behind her, Alison tackled her into a hug.

“Alison, I wasn’t expecting you for another week!”

“I missed you too much!” Alison cried. “Our venues in Florida cancelled so it sped up the process.”

“I was thinking now that you’re back we could go to the park, or a new roller-skating arena opened up, of course I imagine you also want to do dinner…” Alison glanced at the bags on Jeanne-Marie’s eyes. “Or maybe you want to take nap?”

“Mon amour, I have missed you so much I have no intention of wasting any more time than we already have.” Jeanne-Marie tossed her cape to the side and began to take off her suit. “My first order to business is a shower, care to join me?”

“Of course.” Alison took Jenane-Marie’s hand as they raced to the bathroom.

After the shower they began to make plans.

In October Alison was set to start work on a new album, but that didn’t mean they weren’t going to take advantage of the weeks they did have. Jeanne-Marie would do everything to get out of X-Men duty and Alison likewise. They’d spend their brief time together watching movies, going out, and of course in bed.

They would spend every waking hour dedicated to each other.

Which was why Alison was taking advantage of her girlfriend’s slumber, to adjust the lyrics for her new songs. She reworked the chorus of her newest melody, only to be interrupted by something soft brushing against her neck.

“Hey!” She giggled dropping her pencil, which was quickly swallowed up by the bed.

“Good morning…” Jeanne-Marie continued to move her lips down Alison’s neck.

“It’s not morning.” Alison said. “It’s two.”

“Then why are you still up?” Jeanne-Marie asked.

“Because I’m working.” Alison told her.

“How dreadfully boring.” Jeanne-Marie’s hands moved down Alison’s waist, playing with her top. “I can think of so many fun things I’d rather be doing…”

“We just finished up a few hours ago…” Alison’s words drifted off into a moan as Jeanne-Marie nibbled against her neck.

“You’re point?” Jeanne-Marie muttered as she tossed her own shirt to the ground.

“You make an excellent argument.” Alison tossed her work materials aside and laid down on the bed.

Jeanne-Marie’s lips nuzzled on the skin of Alison’s neck as her fingers slid slowly up her chest.

“I’m going to miss you so much once we go back to work.” Alison sighed as their lips connected together.

“Me too, my love, me too.” Jeanne-Marie sighed as she began working with the buttons on Alison’s nighty.

“Are you sure you’re comfortable with this?” Alison agreed as she slid her hands around Jeanne-Marie’s back. “After the last tour, my career is only getting better and it’s only a matter of time before I’m back on the road again.”

Jeanne-Marie sighed. “And it’s only matter of time before the X-Men decided to shoot me into space again.” She said. “However, I don’t want to spend our few fleeting moments of free time thinking about that. I want to spend it with you.”

“Yes but…” Jeanne-Marie pressed a finger to Alison’s mouth silencing her.

“You’re worrying isn’t going to help anything, you know that right?”

“Yes, but I’m just going to miss you so much.” Alison told her.

“And I’m going to miss you just as much.” Jeanne-Marie said. “But I don’t want to miss you when I could be enjoying you. Let me enjoy you while I still can.”

“Alright.” Alison said, kissing the side of Aurora’s face. “Let’s do it.”

“I knew you’d listen to reason.” Jeanne-Marie began to fiddle with Alison’s pants. “Now take these off.”

Alison laughed. “Anything for you.”

Maybe she and Jeanne-Marie wouldn’t be able to spend their every waking moment together. It was just one of the many sacrifices they’d have to make to be together. Alison figured she could learn to be okay with that.