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!
Chapter 48: United
"It will be difficult for you two, not only the age difference or the time you spend fighting crime, but being SO different." Professor Xavier explained, " Not to mention Scott being your teacher."
"I'm eighteen." I smiled, " And the other stuff, it all falls into place."
"I love him." Scott smiled at me.
"What about The Hollow?" Professor asked me.
"...." I was silent.
"We're coming up on the Blackbird." Storm said, waking me from my sleep.
I looked out the window and saw that there were two planes following us and we were coming up on Genosha as I looked. I tried to shake my grogginess, but I just couldn't. The dream, wasn't a dream, it was a conversation I'd had. Professor was wary of Scott and I because of our age and our unconventionalism. I did wonder how he would take it when he heard that we're engaged. The same way I feel, I'd guess. Shocked. I'm not domestic. I'm not someone's husband! An assassain, maybe. A powerful entity? On the weekends. But I wasn't a husband.
Storm looked at the screen and saw the planes following us, " Not again." she said, looking over to me, " Are you alright? You talk in your sleep."
"Could you recognize any of it?" I asked, blushing.
Storm nodded, " You don't mumble. I heard the entire conversation." she smiled, " You speak the truth, you know. You're old enough now."
"Does it shock you? Scott and I?" I asked.
"I always thought he and Jean would be together forever, but I am glad that you make each other happy." Storm smiled, " There is one question you did not answer."
"I don't know." I whispered.
"Are you alright?" Storm asked.
"Either way I answer that question, it'll be a lie. Sometimes I can feel it. I can hear it. Telling me to do stuff, but I tell it no. We work together. I can feel it now. Hungry. Bored. Sometimes when Scott looks at me, I swear...I can feel it telling my soul how happy the future can be." I confessed.
"What about other times?" Storm asked, looking at me, concerned.
"It says that we're all we need. We can't be beat." I said darkly.
"Grim." Storm said, " How do you control it?"
"I tell myself that it's only one more minute. If I can just hold on for another minute, then everything will be alright." I said, " Is that the Blackbird?"
"Yes." Storm smiled, " It is." she looked at the screen, " The ships are gone. There won't be time for talk when we're down, they're waiting for us."
I nodded, " Talking's overrated." I smiled.
As a part of Cyclops' squad, we were to scope out the place. Since I had lost the ability to fly, I was strictly a ground kitty. As I walked, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and Iceman walked beside me. There was a hush in Genosha that I was getting used to. Silence had my number. It was hard to believe that underneath the town, there was a fortress. Cyclops watched me, as if there was something I should know.
"Look ahead!" Shadowcat shouted, pointing a few yards ahead.
I looked and saw a lone woman. Red hair, creepy disposition, and glowing...Jean.
"Jean?" Cyclops said, staring at her in disbelief.
Cyclops [ Storm! We have a problem!]
Storm [What is it?]
"Nothing I can't handle." I said, walking front of everyone.
"Pane." Cyclops said.
I waved my hand, " I'll catch up." I said, " Find the machine, disable it."
The group left, reluctantly, and Jean flew into the air and I walked forward. Jean laughed and I stood beneathe her, waiting for her to do her worse. Suddenly, I couldn't move. I started to levitate and she moved closer to me, closing her eyes and touching my head, her fingers moving over my brain. I felt her invade my mind, trying to find something.
"I could release you." Jean said softly, " Stop your pain...take away all your worries."
I could feel her go deeper and I felt it, there, the power. She felt it too.
"We can do it." Jean said, trying to tap into my power.
I opened my eyes as she unleashed the Hollow and I saw her get hit with a beam and go hurtling back, only to stop a few feet away from where we were levitating. I waited to fall, but I didn't. I looked down at Cyclops, who stared up at us. Jean looked at him too. She tried to throw him, but I put a telekinetic shield up and stopped the interaction.
"Don't touch my boyfriend." I growled.
"You're a total rip-off." Jean said, tilting her head to one side.
"The black flames, weren't my idea." I smirked, " I figured, eventually, it'd all come down to this."
"This? Your doom?" Jean smiled innocently.
I opened a hole in the ground and slid Cyclops down into the hole, assuming it wouldn't take him as long to get to the revivification machine, " Nope. The darkness I've kept locked up escaping."
Jean smirked at me. I knew why, she wanted to test baby brother out. She raised her hand, but so did I. You could feel the energy coming from both of us. Electricity crackled between us, causing an eruption that sent us both hurtling back! I crashed into a building just after seeing Jean do the same! As I crawled from the debris filled building, I saw Jean doing the same.
The Hollow
I shook it off and flew into the air, throwing my hand in front of me, causing her to fly back through the building and land on the other side! I flew through the building, causing the side of the building to open as I flew through and close once I had left. I looked around, trying to see her, but I couldn't. I looked up to see her wave her hands and I flew through the window I'd just come out of. I laid there, waiting for Jean. When she landed next to me, I sent my mind out, connecting with hers and suddenly I was on the Astral Plane. Jean stood a few feet away, hugging her legs against her chest. Fire was all around her and I looked back to see myself wearing all black with black eyes and flames around me. The other me nodded to Jean. I walked over and stood outside the flames. I looked back and the other me nodded and I touched the flame and it burned for a minute! He whimpered in pain before seeing pieces of her life!
"Pane?!" Jean asked, standing.
I still had my hand in the flames, tears streaming from my eyes, " Jean. (chuckle) This is really hot." I moaned.
Jean looked around, then back at me, " I can't...I...I just can't." she cried.
"We can." I said.
Jean put her hand in the flame and suddenly, I was looking up at her.
"Thank you." Jean said.
I shook my head, " No time. The team...You have to help them!" I panted, laying back down.
"Are you okay?" Jean asked.
"I'm bonding." I said, " Go."
Jean nodded and flew away.
"What a rush." I smiled as my head spun. Suddenly, I was seeing things. There was a guy standing over me. It was myself. Then there was another me. Triplets. One decked out in black, the other decked out in white. I laughed harder than I had before. I was seriously pyscho, but who cares, right? I just watched the dark me bend down.
"Come on, just let go. I mean, if you let go, then someth...one else will take your place." Dark me said.
"Don't listen to him, " the light me said, " It is all a trick. You can control it, don't let the power overcome you."
"Hey, shoo. I'm workin." Dark me spat.
"I cannot let you do this." Light me said.
"Think about it. Is this a world you want to be in? Is this a world that you want to see people live in?" Dark me asked, " It's not fair. Not to you, to them, to anyone. Just let go."
"Think about Scott!" Light Me said.
"Think about your mother..." Dark Me smirked.
"Yeah," Light me said, " She died so that you could live. Do you really wanna give that up?"
"Yes. This world took her from you. You can be with her, forever." Dark Me said.
"Forever." Light me said, " Consumed by the ethereal flames. Trapped in darkness."
"Bathed in beautiful light." Dark Me taunted.
"Without love." Light me frowned.
"Without pain." he said.
"Wow...are you guys real?" I asked goofily. I sat up and frowned at Dark Me, holding my hand out, " Wanna feel the fun?" I said, watching him be sucked into my body.
"You did the right thing." Light me smiled.
I sucked him up too, feeling oddly warm, " Oh my Mutantness." I smiled, standing. I heard a gigantic boom and a flash and levitated into the air, " Time to go." I said, flying towards the fight. In the air, I felt a pain so big I almost fell from the sky.
Pane <Scott?>
Scott < Jean says fly to the side.>
Pane <Are you hurt?>
Scott
Suddenly the ground sparked and fire erupted the streets and I wasted no time flying down into the hole she had created for me.
Storm, Colossus, Gambit, and Wolverine struggled to kept up their defenses as I passed. Storm fried some of Apocalypse's forces while swooping them up with her miniature hurricane. Colossus threw Wolverine through a crowd and as he slashed through them, Wolverine winked, then went back to killing. Gambit simply threw his kinetic cards and finally flew into more action with his bo staff, taking out as many of the soldiers as he could. I made my way to Cyke's team, where Shadowcat was kicking ass, running through the soldiers and kicking their asses from the back. Iceman was on his ice-sled and freezing people left a right while Nightcrawler BAMF-ed in quick succession, knocking the soldiers around! Jean was doing her best to shield the students as they made their way across the battlefield and on into the cavern ahead. I stopped as I saw Scott laying beside her. I landed and noticed that the little wound he talked about was a big hole, blood everywhere.
"Hey." Scott smiled, coughing, " What took ya soo long?"
I smiled, " I had to kick so crazy chick's ass." I said, smiling to Jean, who smiled back. I started to cry softly, " Come on, Summers, ya pansy. It's just a little mortal wound."
"Hehe..." Scott coughed, " I love you."
"I love you too." I said, feeling him slump. I laid him back, " Jean, what happened?"
"Apocalypse." she said, " Mystique and Apocalypse."
I rose, black fire rising from my already dark costume, " Where is he?" my voice taking a dark plunge.
Jean walked over to me and slapped me softly, " Snap out of it!" she said, " You have to stay with us. We're a team!"
"I can't." I said angrily.
"You have to." Jean said slowly.
I looked up and around, " Get Everyone to the next room." I said quickly.
"In the middle of a battle?" Jean asked.
I let my mind go and it crept through the room and everyone stopped.
"What..." Jean asked looking around.
The X-Men gathered around.
"What in the Goddess..." Storm said, looking around, " Scott..."
"Don't touch him." I growled, " Go to the next room. I will take care of these thugs."
"What about you and Slim's body, bub?!" Wolverine growled.
"We'll be right behind you!" I said, causing the tunnel to shake, " Last chance."
They looked at me and the tunnel shook again and began to crumble. They scattered to the next room and I pushed Scott's body under the hole Jean had made. I unfroze the thugs' molecules and sped them up, quicker and quicker until they began to blow up, one by one! The tunnel came down behind me as I walked back to Scott. I watched the whole scene unfold as we sat under the hole, his head in my lap. I caressed his hair and touched his temple. I began to rub his temple, then all of a sudden, I was on the astral plane! I walked on the void that was the Astral Plane. I stopped at the sight of Scott. My heart lifted.
"Pane, what're you doing here?" he asked, running and hugging me. I savored his hug, then we parted and he looked at me strangely. I looked down to see the blood all over me, " Is that my blood?"
"No." I answered.
"How can this be?" Scott asked, holding my face.
"I've come to put you back." I said quietly.
"How?" he asked.
"I'm going to use the Hollow." I said.
Scott shook his head, " No. If you unleash it..." he said.
"It's the chance I'm gonna take." I said, " You're not leaving me that easily. Til death don't we part."
"Can you do it?" he asked.
"I can do anything." I said quickly. Suddenly I was back in my body, holding Scott. I laid him on his back and began to wave my arms above him. I concentrated on the hole in his chest. So many molecules, just clown into the air. Suddenly, his body began to rebuild itself and I concentrated on his soul. His Astral self. Moving is back to him. Suddenly, he gasped and his lifeless body filled with what it was missing. I hugged him tight, as if it was the last time, kissing his forehead.
"Are you okay?" Scott asked.
"You're asking me that?" I chuckled, " I'm tired." I said, falling backwards.
Scott got up and swung my arm around his neck, " Don't worry, baby, I got you." he smiled, as we made our way to the next room. I was in and out of consciousness, but I saw the gigantic room and the X-Men fighting Apocalypse while Mystique got away. Jean stood in front of what seemed like millions of resurrected people. She was leading the Juniors. Julian broke from them when he saw me on the ground.
"Are you okay?" Julian asked.
"Scott?" I asked, groggily, " Where..."
"He had to help, Rogue and Gambit almost got demolished." Julian said, " You look like they should look."
Sofia ran to us, " Is he okay?" she asked.
"Yeah." Julian smiled up at her.
I looked between them and smiled weakly, " Go." I said. Julian and Sofia ran back as the fighting began and Jean stood in front of the generator, the resurrection machine. I tried to stand, but I couldn't. As I tried again, Wolverine jumped in front of me and took the blast from Apocalypse and his flew across the room, crashing to the floor.
"I missed." Apocalypse smirked.
"Bite me, Old man." I said, finally getting to my feet. Apocalypse sent a blast of energy at me and it hit me dead in the chest and I levitated in the air, " Thanks." I smirked, settling back into the ground. Apocalypse looked surprised and was thrown off his feet by a red beam.
"Help Jean." Cyclops smirked, " I love saving you."
I nodded, " Yeah, you got a real Messiah Complex." I said, walking slowly towards the battle between the ressies and the Juniors.
"Need clearance." Julian asked, hovering beside me, " I can make it happen."
I concentrated on the cluster of people directly in front of Jean and they parted like a giant see and then I looked at him, " Me too." I smirked, walking through them and to Jean's telekinetic shield. I walked straight through and Jean turned, startled.
"How..." Jean began.
"After this, we're going home. And me and Scott are taking a hot bath." I said, turning to the fight. The shield drowned out the noise. There was silence.
"Scott's..." Jean said happily, " But I can't...there's too many minds attached to this machine."
I grabbed her hand, " We can." I smiled, reaching out to the machine as Jean did. Together, we focused our energies on the machine, causing it to explode! Jean stood in front of me, taking in the flames, " Thanks." I panted.
The telekinetic shield dropped in time to see the bodies drop and Apocalypse vanish into another tunnel. I sighed to myself and sat down right where I was. Scott walked up and sat beside me, his arms around my shoulders, " Bad day...started bad, stayed that way." I said, leaning my head on his shoulder.
As I laid on the bed, waiting for Scott, I knew it wasn't over. I was glad to have Jean back, but something bad was coming. Worse than today. Scott and I were about to have our sexa-pa-looza. Yup. All night. Everything was alright here at the institution. Something told me that it wouldn't last. Scott came and laid next to me in his boxers and I snickered.
"What?" he asked.
"You're so cute in your boxers." I said, running my hands over his abs as I laid on his chest.
"So, about the marriage thing..." Scott said, " Are we really..."
"Yeah, ummm, but does it have to be soon?" I asked.
"No." he said, " We can wait. So," he smiled, " about sexa-pa-looza..."
"Can we postpone? I'm beat." I said, " I could still do that thing with YOUR back..."
"Thank god." Scott said, kissing my forehead, " I can't move."
I chuckled, " I love you too." I said, falling asleep.
Well, if you liked it please tell me so I can start work on the next one. I really need feedback, especially if you like it. If you don't, I need advice and suggestions, please.