Emily Shorn

Chapter 1

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A new mutant arrives at the institute in the usual fashion: saved from certain death by current members of the team. However, this isn't just any mutant. It's Emily, and her powers were the tipping point in Xavier and Magneto's falling apart. Between learning to control her increasing powers and a rising romance with Logan, Emily is fitting in well. But not everything is as it seems. Set in the Ultimate X-Men universe immediately before the Cable arch.

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Logan walked down the main hall of the school. He was quiet, using his practiced stealth in a more constructive way than ever: to keep from disturbing the others in their private mourning. At least that's what he was calling it. One of their own flipping out and having to be put in a psychic coma wasn't really something to sneeze at, and it being Kurt, well, that made everyone a little edgy, especially Rogue.

As he passed her room, he tried to listen for her inside. He could smell her scent, but there was barely a noise to confirm her presence. He stopped for a moment, listening as hard as possible. Her heartbeat rang in his ears. It was slow, but not so slow he feared she'd done something stupid. Silently he continued to the elevator.

It was pointless, really, for her to be so hard on herself. She was stronger than Kurt. Logan could tell that. Just because they had both been cut down by Weapon X didn't mean she would freak like he did. Logan grimaced. Come to think of it, he wasn't really the perfect model of the outcome of Weapon X either. As he entered the elevator, he made a silent promise, something he rarely did, and never did lightly. He swore he wouldn't leave the mansion again, not until the girl was feeling better.

The elevator whirled its way down to the basement levels, making much too much noise in Logan's opinion. He stepped out of it as quickly as possible. Any sound at this point just didn't seem right. After a few turns, he entered the briefing room where Xavier sat waiting.

"You wanted to see me?" he asked. Even though he knew Xavier couldn't read his mind, it still made him edgy that the guy could send him messages.

"Yes, Logan," Xavier called. "Please, sit."

He settled in the front row, not his usual place, but seeing as how he was the only one down and probably the only one called, he didn't see a problem doing it this once.

"How are you?" Xavier asked.

"Everything's tense here," he confessed. "I can smell the unease. Nobody's happy about this."

"I didn't ask about everyone," Xavier returned. "I asked about you."

Here it comes, he thought. "I'm fine," he lied.

"Logan, I know you pride your ability to block emotions, but this is a little too much even for you." Xavier shifted slightly, something Logan had discovered meant he wasn't going to let the topic slide.

"Look, I'm just a little worried," he said, trying to play it down. "Rogue's all shut up in her room. Darlin' won't come out for the world."

"She's upset," Xavier replied. "Not only does she have to deal with Kurt's illness, but her powers have returned. She was getting very used to being able to touch again."

Logan scowled slightly. He never liked the Professor talking about others' emotions like that. Describing things in a way that said, I know because I looked. Silently he was grateful that Xavier actually had to ask him how he was.

"I want to help her," he said, "but I don't know how."

"She just needs some time," Xavier told him. "Give her a little while. She'll-" Suddenly he jerked. He cried out, grabbing his head. At his side, an astro image appeared. It was sketchy, like it didn't really have the right feed. The half formed figure ran in place, stumbling at points, but always continuing.

"Xavier," a female voice called. Logan thought he recognized something in it, but it was too scratchy and he had his hands full with the panicking psychic. "Xavier, please help me." The form leaped over an invisible blockade and continued running. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, yes, I can hear you," Xavier called shakily. "Who are you? Where are you?"

"In the Savage Land," the figure cried. "Please, I don't know how much longer I can keep them back." Just then she screamed, hit by some unknown object, and tumbled to the ground. On impact, her form broke apart and disappeared.

Xavier could barely control the spasms that caught him through what must have been an intense psychic link. When he didn't recover immediately, Logan turned his mind to the upper floors. Jean, he called. With their history, he rarely actively sought a psychic link to her, but this was an emergency.

What is it?

He heard the reply and then felt that annoying itch at the back of his eyes that meant she was trying to look through them. He let her.

Oh God.

Logan was partially aware of the summoning she sent to the rest of the team while he tried to keep their Professor upright.

"Charles, can you hear me?" he asked. The man moaned. "Xavier?"

The briefing room doors burst open, and the rest of the X-men rushed in.

"What happened?" Scott called.

Good old Slim, Logan thought, always right on his game. He didn't like the guy much, but he had to give him that. Logan pulled out of his private thoughts as Xavier finally regained his voice.

"Go to the Savage Land," he said hoarsely. His tone rejected any argument. "There is a woman there, running from something. Find her. Save her. Go now." At his last command, everyone raced back out the door. Jean stayed behind.

"Professor, how did you sense her?" she asked. "The Savage Land's too far away, even for you."

Knowing this didn't concern him, Logan rose and headed after the rest of the team. As he crossed the door's threshold, he heard the man's response.

"I don't know, Jean. Just go. Please, just go."

Everyone changed into their uniforms quickly. How they had all gotten so used to latex suits, Logan would never understand, but there they were, assembled in front of the X-Wing, as shiny as ever.

"The Professor's really worried," Jean said as they entered the jet. "We need to get there as fast as possible."

"Can you use your powers to speed things up?" Scott asked. He strapped into the pilot seat. "Storm, give her a hand with air resistance."

The two women nodded, strapping in next to each other. Jean got that look in her eye, the one she got when she was inside someone's head. Logan wondered if it was just her connecting to Storm. If she was connecting with Xavier, too, they might have Cerebro's power on their side. He strapped himself in, tensing for the G's they were about to hit.

They shot off straight out of the gates. The force pressed everyone into their seats, squishing the fabric a good two inches. Mildly Logan wondered if they could keep this speed up the whole way. If they could, it was going to be a miserable ride.