One month. One month is all it takes, to flip the world of an entire group of people upside down. One month for a person to go missing. One month for that person's family to experience despair, hopelessness, and misery. Jean Grey is gone…
-The Brotherhood Mansion-
It was early, well… early to a member of the Brotherhood. The sun had been up for a few hours, and knocking echoed throughout the new lavish mansion.
Todd hopped down the stairs in frustration, "The hell comes here before breakfast," he got to the ground floor and in one solid leap he was in front of the door, "Seriously, am I the only one who answers doors around here?" he asked placing his hand on the knob.
But, before he could give the knob a turn six very familiar Adamantium claws shot through the door encircling Todd's head in a very familiar fashion.
"Lance! It's for you!" he exclaimed hopping away from the door.
Lance quickly descended the stairs, a baseball bat firmly in hand, "Damn reporters ruining my sex-life, with what's her name," Lance mumbled as he got closer to the door.
The door then exploded into tiny splinters revealing an irate Logan, "Where is she!" he exclaimed, with his claws dangerously close to Lance's major arteries.
"Upstairs," Lance said glaring at the Canadian.
Scott then stepped in through the doorframe, "Why the hell is she up there?" he asked, optic red energy emanating from his visor.
"I'm married to her!" Lance exclaimed with a small tremor. Suddenly, Logan was flung off of Lance's body and into Scott, sending both men into the wall. "Took you long enough," Lance said glaring at Todd.
Todd shrugged, "Why are they here?" he asked taking a defensive stance.
"They're looking for Jean," the occupants of the room looked to the top of the stairs to see Wanda in her bathrobe and fuzzy bunny slippers.
"Sheila? Whoih are we arguing with Wolvie and Blinky?" St. John yawned out.
Raven walked out of their new kitchen a cup of coffee in hand, "They think we kidnapped Jean," Logan opened his mouth, but was quickly cut off, "If you bring Freddy into this, I will not hesitate to shove my hand down your throat and rip out your testicles. Mmm Peruvian beans," she said, her eyes never leaving the two intruders.
Logan growled at the woman, but promptly walked out of the door, Scott following closely behind.
Todd hopped to her side, "Have… have you ever done that before?" he asked, making sure there was a safe amount of distant between them.
Raven smirked, "Really good coffee," she said, making her way up the stairs.
"Come on yo!" Todd hopped onto the bottom step, "Is it physically possible!"
"Todd!" Lance exclaimed.
"What?" Todd asked.
"Just go to bed," Lance said beginning his trek back up the stairs.
Todd threw his arms up, "I'm not tired!"
Wanda walked down the stairs, "Come on I'll make you breakfast," Todd stared at her for a moment, "Fine, I wont use magic," she said in anger.
"Good, oih was beginnin' to worry," St. John said rubbing his hands together.
Todd looked up the stairs, then to Wanda, and finally to the gaping hole that used to be their door, "Why did we have to move next door to the X-geeks?" he asked in annoyance.
-A few minutes later at the X-Mansion-
Charles sat at his desk, going over his paperwork, when the door was thrown open. Logan and Scott walked into the room.
Logan threw himself onto one of the armchairs, "I can't find her anywhere Chuck, not even at the Brotherhood place. It's like her scent just disappeared," he said.
Scott shook his head, "Where could she have gone?" he asked worry apparent in her voice.
Charles sighed, "I do not know Scott. With her power she could be anywhere, and we would never be able to find her," he explained.
"You ever figure out what was agitating her?" Logan asked, with concern.
Charles nodded, "She seems to think that she had children."
"Children?" Scott asked, "As in more than one?"
Charles nodded in confirmation.
Logan stood up, "Why would she think something like that?" he asked stretching out his bulky muscles.
"I'm not quite sure," Charles said barely above a whisper, "Scott will you take the rest of your squad to the Danger Room for training?"
Scott nodded and then walked out of the door.
Logan waited a moment until he was sure they were alone, "I checked out all three of them," he said with a growl.
Charles sighed, "Should I fear the worst?" he asked.
Logan shrugged, "They smell off, tampered with… it's hard to explain. They are who they are, but different," he said.
Charles nodded, "I would like you to keep an eye on them," he said.
Logan nodded then walked out of the room.
Charles turned his chair to face the window. He looked down on the grounds, and saw Anna training her squad. He then took a closer look at three students in particular, three, who over the last month seemed rather inseparable. Almost… too close.
-A few hours later in Warren's room-
Warren sat on his bed toweling off his shoulder length blonde hair. He then stood up and stretched out his wings making sure they were dry. A small smirk came across his has, as he leapt towards the door and swiftly locked the door. He then walked to the center of the room, and fully extended his wings. He looked at each appendage with a widened smirk.
Then, something truly amazing happened. His wings began to shine with an almost metallic sheen. Soft pure white feathers slowly began transforming into hard cold chrome feathers.
Warren let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding then relaxed his new metallic wings into their resting position. The sound they made was akin to a sword being unsheathed.
"I think you should go by Archangel now," a very feminine voice came from behind him.
Warren quickly turned around to see Laura sitting on his windowsill.
"You really shouldn't transform here," she said with a smirk, "What are they made of?"
Warren's wings shifted back into their original form, "Organic Steel," he said running his hand through his hair.
Laura peeked an eyebrow, "Like Piotr?" Warren nodded in confirmation, "Why doesn't your healing factor, get rid of the upgrades?" she asked.
"Maybe you know who, is better than we gave him credit for," Warren said with a shrug.
A knock came at the door, "Warren, can ah speak to ya?" Anna's voice came from the other side of the door.
"Don't let her absorb you," Laura said in a whisper just before she leapt out of the window.
Warren then walked to the door and unlocked it.
Anna walked into the room and examined the resident angel, "Ah hate to bother ya with this," she spoke as she walked to the bed and sat on the edge, "Ah just can't talk to Kitty about it, and…" she paused for a moment, "Ah trust ya."
Warren smiled as he sat next to her, "You can always trust me, Anna," he said placing an arm around her shoulder, "Now, is the Quicksilver thing bothering you again?"
-Meanwhile at the Brotherhood Mansion-
Pietro sat on the edge of his bed wearing his uniform. The top half of his uniform was pulled down to reveal his lithe chest. Wanda sat behind him, wearing a sports bra and a pair of track pants. She rubbed his shoulders.
"Wanda?" Pietro asked barely above a whisper.
"Yes, Pietro?" she responded.
"You and I are friends right?" he asked in a more audible voice.
"Of course," she said, "Why? What's on your mind?"
"I'm still in love with her," he said, with a hint of shame in his voice.
Wanda began digging deeper into his shoulders, "She was your first true love, you never forget the person that was first in your heart," she said.
"Is… this how you feel about Jean?" he asked.
"Since the day I attacked her at the mall," Wanda said with a small smile on her face.
Pietro's head shot up, "You've been in love with Jean since then?" he asked, now facing her.
Wanda shook her head, "It was a school girl crush… that evolved into what I feel for her now," she explained.
Pietro got to his feet and stretched, "I promise to help you find her," he said as she walked to the door, and out into the hall.
Wanda turned to an open door on her right, "Did you find her?" Wanda asked.
"I don't quite understand why we don't help the X-Men," Karima said, leaning against the door frame.
Wanda simply stared at her, visibly pressing for an answer.
Karima sighed, "My sensors can't find her. I've flown over the city," she paused for a moment, "There are mutants in the mansion, our house, and under the streets, but none of them even resemble Jean."
Wanda stood up, "Thanks for your help," she said then walked out of the room. She turned to the right and headed down the hall, towards her room.
"What do we do now Sheila?" St. John asked as they continued their journey.
Wanda paused in front of a door and walked in, "I'm going to keep my promise to you."
-Meanwhile downstairs-
Lance walked through the front door and looked up at the stairs. He glared at the stairs for a few moments before he began coughing.
At that moment Todd and Freddy walked into the room.
"You don't look so good," Todd said as he hopped to Lance's side.
"Want us to make you some soup?" Freddy asked him with a smile.
Lance shook his head, "I'm just gonna go to bed and pass out for a few hours," he said as he began a long and perilous journey to the bedroom he shared with the woman he loved.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Todd asked.
"Oh yeah," Freddy said with a nod.
