Save Me II

Disclaimer: These characters are Marvel's (except Brenda). Oh, and I got the idea of Phoenix coming out of the grave all doom and flame from Phoenix Endsong comics. You should read it, it's freaking amazing!!

Prologue

Brenda ran even faster, jar in hand. She determinedly stalked her prey. She refused to let them elude her this time. Springing from behind a tree, she caught a firefly in her jar with a clap. She bounded away to show off her bounty.

"Look, Daddy! Look what I caught!" she squealed with delight.

"They're beautiful, darlin'," Logan said gruffly. "Make sure you let them go; we don't want them to die like the others, do we?"

"No!" shrieked Brenda. He watched her bound off with a smirk. She opened the jar, watching the fireflies fly off, green eyes opened wide in amazement. A pang gripped Logan's heart, just like every time his daughter reminds him of Jean.

"Come on Brenda. It's late. Time to go to bed."

"OK, Daddy!" With a bright smile, she grabbed her father's hand and went inside.

When they got to Brenda's room, Logan tenderly tucked her into bed.

"Good night, darlin'," he said, kissing her on the head. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Daddy!" With a content sigh, she nestled into her pillow and closed her eyes. As soon as Logan closed her door behind him, she opened her eyes. Sniffing the air, she sensed her father walking away. She quickly got up and opened her window. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she slipped out of her room. Silent as a shadow, she ran to the courtyard to come face-to-face with her mother's grave. Using her telekinesis, she reached down to what was left of Jean's body.

"Good night, Mommy. I love you, too," she whispered.

Suddenly, with a huge whoosh, the courtyard erupted into flames. Frightened, young Brenda bowed down to the shaking ground. She moaned through her sobs as the heat around her became more intense. She hid her eyes from the flames as the fire started to burn ever closer.

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Logan had just finished washing his face for bed when he sensed that something was wrong. Deciding he might as well check on Brenda before he turned in, he walked down the hallway towards her room. He opened her door just to find her gone with the window wide open.

"Not again," he groaned. He started towards the front door. As soon as he stepped out, he smelled smoke. "Brenda," he breathed, and raced towards the courtyard. What he found there left him breathless.

The entire courtyard was aflame. His daughter lay huddled in front of Jean's grave, sobbing. Brenda seemed to be on fire, but, strangely, the fire didn't seem to be burning or hurting her. Jean's tombstone was glowing and the ground in front of it was quacking and bucking.

"Brenda!" he shouted. "Brenda, honey, come here! Get out of there!" Brenda didn't move. He felt a telepathic power entering his mind. Thinking it was Brenda; he opened up, ready to comfort her. Shocked, he realized that it wasn't Brenda; but it was still so familiar…

He desperately tried to get to his daughter, but the fire blocked his path. A giant firebird appeared out of nowhere behind Brenda. With a hoarse shout, he decided that a couple of burns where a small price to pay for his daughter. He started to trek through the flames to get to his daughter. The flaming bird spread its wings and enveloped Brenda so that she was no longer visible.

"Logan…" he heard in his head.

"No, it can't be," he whispered.

Brenda sat on the ground inside the bird's great embrace, shivering and sobbing. "There, there," a voice hissed in her ear. "It's alright. Mommy's here."

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Logan stopped cold.

"Logan…save me…"

"W-what…" Logan started to shake. "Can it be…"? Then, louder, "Brenda!!"

Out of the flames, carrying Brenda in her arms, came Jean. "Logan, quite! Our baby's sleeping!"