dWriters note:
Disclaimers: Samantha, Blaze, A.K., Lynx, Vapor, Rattler and Nightdemon belong to me but mail = you borrow or give them new life. The rest belongs to someone else.
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Sweet Sixteen
22 years earlier
Her body hurt, she was laying on the ground, coughing blood, the man who looked at her, his eyes met hers.
"Why? I loved you," she said with a voice so weak she barely heard it herself.
"You're a mutant! Who would care if a mutie gets killed?" he whispered back as he rose and she saw how his boot moved very rapid against her face, everything turned black.
"Samantha!" Mikes voice. Her older brother home on summer holiday from school in LA, he is a mutant too. They hadn't thought about the possibility that she also was a mutant.
She heard how her brother fights his way through the bushes. He got to her, knelt next to her his yellow cat eyes filled with concern.
"Samantha? Dad! I've found her! Who did this? Samantha, who the hell did to you!" For the second time she blacked out.
'The promising young jockey Samantha Wilde at the Wilde Stables was two days ago thrown of during a training race. The surgeons fought several hours to save her life, but the wounds proved to be fatal. She died at the age 16. Now for the weather scene…'
Samantha heard it on the news a week after she run away from home.
* I'm dead, wonder what Dad paid them. * The coffeehouse where she had stopped was empty except for her; the old woman who stood behind the counter came and sat down next to Samantha.
"It's a shame with that rider, she was exceptional, she went to England, won the Grand National this year. She was something special."
"Yeah, she was," Samantha, answered a bit awkward.
* How can I speak about myself? *
The woman looked at Samantha saw the cuts and bruises that covered her face. A glimpse of comfort strokes her face as she rose and stretched for the coffee.
"Well now, would you like some more coffee? You have a long way ahead of you, I know so."
"Yes please," she said with a smile.
'You're a mutant!' Deans' voice always echoed through Samantha's' head at night when she lay awake beneath the starry sky, indeed she was a mutant, she had touched Dean and he was struck with energy. She had been having her first period, angry and it had hurt. It had nearly knocked him unconscious. Samantha had tried to help him; he had slapped her and left the stable.
Later that day when she was out riding her favorite stud, he turned up with a couple of his friends and motorbikes, they had started to chase after Samantha and when the horse stepped wrong, it had fell and Samantha was thrown of. They had started to beat her up, kicking. He had stayed behind, saying those terrible words. The day after that she had taken her new jeep registered on a Samantha Demi, her mothers maidens name. The drivers' license and ID's also said Samantha Demi. She had crossed the border too Canada last night.
* I'm looking for something, I guess. Maybe I find something. *
Samantha woke up in the middle of the night, sensing people around her!
"Stay still, mutant!" a harsh voice cut into her mind as she stood up. Something pricked her on the shoulder; Samantha turned her head and saw a man in military outfit, he was holding a syringe in his hand.
"Relax, you can not fight it." Samantha felt how everything became very foggy around the edges. She tried to fight it of no success, she felled down to the ground.
She woke up in a very cold place, and something was holding her down as she opened her eyes.
People in surgical masks were walking around her, she looked at them as she tried to get free, and one mask pushed a button. The table she was strapped on rose to a vertical position that made her feel dizzy. She looked down and realized she was only wearing a tank top, briefs and fucking dog tags. Wires went everywhere, they were connected to her head, the went under the tank top, everywhere, needles was positioned in her wrists elbows, ankles and groins, she felt stinging in the chest as someone set another needle.
"This mutant is very interesting, she is already responding to the Dioxadan, tapping into it, using it." The voice came from behind; Samantha felt how the pain extended, she moaned.
"It's ready for the incisions now, doctor."
"Well, hook her up to the oxygen and lower her down into the liquid. Let's get started." Samantha felt how the ice-cold green liquid flowed over her and made her gasp, then the real pain started she screamed, but it only became bubbles, the pitch-black unconsciousness came as a relief.
Present day.
Logan woke nearly screaming, claws out from a nightmare, not the usual one, though very similar. Cold sweat covered his body, he felt very frozen; the blankets was lying in a heap down at his feet. He knew that it would take him ages to fall asleep again. He sat up on the narrow motel bunk, drew his hand through his damp hair, rubbed his knuckles. He only wore a couple of very worn training trousers. It was over twenty months since he left the Mansion, he was supposed to call Chuck last night, he hadn't. He didn't want to talk to them not even Marie. What he had found at Alkali Lake was terrifying, almost a hundred disks and as many CDs with presentations and tapings of different 'projects'. He had only watched three of them and decided that he could look at them later, and maybe with someone. And the rest of the time? Thinking, meeting the few old friends he had, knowing that they would understand, then working four months on an oil platform, worked on a couple of lumberjack camps several months.
He walked to the window and saw that the snow still felled and that he would have to use the jeep he rented at least a few more days. The bike he had borrowed, he hadn't stolen it, from Cykes was strapped on back. *Wonder if Cykes still mad at me about Jean, probably not. He didn't seem to be the bitter type. Marie… I have to tell what she is, a sister not a girlfriend or lover. * She probably knew, she had a large chunk of him inside and Scott had spoken about a new kid who loved her like crazy.
He changed into his jeans, the Indianhead buckle as always, pulled on the shirt and last the jacket. Then he packed the things he had into the bag and went downstairs.
"Planning on a early start?" the girl behind the counter asked on French.
"Yes, I woke up and felt for driving before everyone else wakes up," he answered on the same language, as he gave her the key.
"Bon Voyage, monsieur!"
"Merci," he answered and went out the door. The jeep stood there covered with snow, it would be a long ride back home. Strange, how soon it had taken him to miss that place he thought at as home.
He drove off in the ice-cold morning, when he stopped for gas he called to the mansion.
"Scott Summers," One-eyes voice.
"Hey, Cykes, it's Logan. Is the Professor around?" cut to the point.
"No, he and Jean are in D.C. talking to the Senate. Rather said thanking them for not passing the law. Have you found anything?"
"Yeah, a lot of data but I haven't looked it all through yet. Didn't feel for looking at it alone, it terrified me, and most of it is in-coded."
"Did you find anything about yourself?" Cykes asked with a sad tone.
"Maybe, it's almost two hundred CDs and records. Anyway, I'm heading back home, damn! My money is ticking out. Say hi to Rouge from me!"
"Okay, be careful! If you're able to!" The phone biped and died.
He went back to the car when he sensed something, bad, that he recognized. He looked around and the only thing he saw was a woman stand next to her car, talking with someone in the backseat, she looked at him and he felt how her look sent chills down his back.
He drove off; top speed, he wanted to put as much distance as possible between himself and that car.
Four days later at the Mansion.
The woman known as Blaze or Amanda York woke up in the dark winter morning, she started to stretch her arms grinned as she remembered the sore shoulder. An ugly thing called Nightdemon had torn it apart in a bad confrontation. She was supposed to have her first lesson this morning she suddenly realized and thought about running away. She went into the shower and let the warm water cleanse her body and then she started to dress.
* A Biology lesson, oh shit, it doesn't matter how much I have prepared it. It will still become a misery. *
A silent knock on the door broke her thoughts.
"Yeah? Come in. Oh hi 'Ro," she said when Ororo Monroe came in and closed the door. Her eyes fell on the ageless woman's clothes: she was wearing a school tank top and boxers, the pale parallel scars running down her spine barely visible. All of her own clothes had burnt in the fire. Ororo had offered that they would go to town this morning and buy her a new outfit.
"You ready to prep breakfast soon?" she asked as Amanda next to her bed and dressed, the clean clothes flew from the wardrobe and landed in her outstretched hand. The long gray hair seemed to braid itself and swirl up in a pen knot. The long gracious fingers touched the crystals running up her arms, she didn't wear much make up, her gray lips was only exotic to most men. The blue shades whirled from the bed table and landed on her nose, she smiled with the pearl-white teeth:
"Ready."
Ororo found it interesting to prepare breakfast with Amanda. She made coffee and made the table at the same time, cups and plates and such as flew through the air.
"'Ro, take this," she said and a bottle of milk flew threw the air.
"Where to?"
"The second row. Are we supposed to go just after lunch?"
"No, I think we wait until tomorrow. Jeannie and the professor will be back this morning. Jean has apparently been sick every single morning."
"Should one congratulate or pity her?"
"Pity her in the mornings, congratulate in the afternoon."
"Good Morning! Isn't A.K. up?" Scott came in through the door and opened the refrigerator.
"Apparently not, he probably thinks that his bed is a very nice place, but matter of fact so do I. I hate Monday mornings! " Rogue yawned as she entered with Lynx who looked very fresh.
"I don't have a problem with mornings," he said with his low voice.
"Being this cheerful in the mornings ought to be illegal," A.K. said, his green hair tousled and the red eyes was even more red than usual. A.K. stood for Alexander Krycezi, the young man Amanda had saved from death several years earlier; he had lived with her for eleven years.
"A.K. has entered the room!" Storm said with a smirk.
They fixed the remaining things for breakfast as the first kids came in.
"Miss York! Miss York!" One of the youngest boys came to the teachers' table, the seven years old Daniel Harrison.
"Yes, Daniel, what is it?"
"Is professor Xavier coming home today?"
"Yes, but I thought that a boy like you already knew that," Amanda said implying on his telepathic gifts.
"I wanted to know that Mr. Summers wasn't kidding with me again. He thought about a large chocolate cake beneath the sofa in the recreation room, I only found dust."
Amanda looked at the very innocent looking Scott who barely could hide his grin.
~ It is not nice too fool children, ~ Amanda sent him.
"I didn't know you could do that!" Scott said surprised.
"Well, a woman has to have secrets," Amanda said with a superior face.
The rest laughed and continued with breakfast, then they went to their classrooms.
"Good luck! If you need any help I'm next doors," Ororo said as Amanda opened the door to the classroom. It was Alex class; he smiled toward her and flirted with her.
"Good morning! Those of you I haven't met; my name is Amanda York or Blaze. You can call me Amanda or Blaze. Now I'm interested to know your names!"
The class presented themselves, Amanda made them laugh at the way she memorized their names, pens suddenly moved over the black board drawing something personal for them all, a red eye from A.K., a white strand of hair from Rouge, a flame from St John, a ice-rose from Bobby, spots from Lynx and so on.
"Is that everybody? Okay, today's subject will be…"
"Welcome back, Professor, Hi Jean!" Scott said when he went out on the snowy yard to greet them; he hugged and kissed Jean, shook hand with Xavier.
"I'm glad to be back, has everything worked out fine?"
"Yes, except Shy, she was thrown off a horse yesterday and broke her arm, Amanda took care of that. But otherwise everything has been just fine. The others are still teaching but they'll be here as soon as they can. Logan called four days ago, he is heading back, he used the word HOME," Scott said and smiled. "I thought he would be here by now."
Jean took Scotts' arm and wrapped it around her shoulders; he smiled against her and kissed her again. "I'm actually glad that the big bully is coming home. I was quite mad at him when he didn't show up at our wedding."
"I hope he comes to stay, that he found the answers he was looking after."
"Hi Professor," Storm said as she entered the hall, she hugged him and Jean.
"Ororo, how has the day passed for our new teacher?"
"I think she showed them some of her telekinesis while she asked about their names. I think she handled it very good."
Amanda came downstairs talking with Rouge and Lynx, the both youngsters walked hand in hand, they were headed for a short period in the Danger Room. They said hi to the professor on the way, Amanda walked to the elevator.
"Amanda!"
"Professor, has your journey been good?" she said now forced to some forth and speak.
"Yes, the plane was a bit late, but that one have to count on. How was your lesson?"
"That you have to ask the students. I was on my way downstairs to check on some tests I started last night, could I rejoin you later on the lunch?"
"Of course! See you at lunch. She seems to take her obligations as heavy as you, Jean. Those who educated her must have been very good. It's a shame. Well, I will go to my rooms and unpack, I suggest you do the same," the professor said and turned.
Scott took Jeannies' bag and walked with her upstairs to their room.
"What are you worried about?" Jean suddenly asked, noticing her husbands' wandering thoughts.
"What? Oh, Logan, I really think that he would be here by now."
"Logan is a grown up man, I think that he is capable to take care of himself."
"Yeah, guess so."
Jean took a long shower a slight bun on her lower stomach revealed certain things, a child, still not aware of itself. Scott had gone to a lesson, so she was alone in their large room, she looked towards the corner where the crib would stand she smiled and touched her belly.
~ Little one if you hear me, I love you. ~
Amanda touched the microscope, checking blood samples from Lynx.
* Strange, his blood seems to be very clogging. Whoa! Maybe this is his battery, * she though as she saw a crystal group come into vision. She started working then she looked at the clock. * Quarter past eleven, lunchtime. I've to take the injection too, better be there in time for once, * she thought and started to pack the things together. She rolled up her sleeve and placed a band around her arm.
She heard steps and upset voices outside the door. Lynx? She hastily slipped the band off, she hadn't told anyone, only A.K. knew, she wanted to keep it that way.
"Ah'm alright Lynx! Promise, let me down!" Scott opened the door leading Lynx who carried the really angry Rouge in his arms. She was bleeding from her temple and Lynx carefully sat her down on the medical bed.
"What happened? I told you two to be careful in the Danger Room."
"She sort of got something in her head. A brick, I thought that she was prepared for something like that," the very sad-looking Lynx said. Amanda didn't say anything just examined the wound, cleaned it up.
"I'm going to X-ray this, Lynx and Scott, the other room if you please," Amanda said and shoved the men out. "Lie down, it wont take long, are you feeling nauseated or dizzy?"
"No, nothing like that," she answered with that beautiful southern accent.
"Close your eyes," Amanda said as she started the X-ray. "Now we just have to wait a few sec. No fracture, I see you lucky; a brick is something that I wouldn't like to get in my head. Keep calm for a week because you probably have a concussion. No Danger Room or gym exercise. Use the shower in the back; I'll go fetch your clothes."
"It's time for lunch," Rouge said when she went to the shower.
"Yea, I know. Lynx, she'll be fine, if she complains over a headache bring her down here. I'm going to fetch her clothes."
When the four of them got to the dining-hall professor Xavier awaited them, Jean came down now dressed in green. A smell of food entered the room as the students who had prepared lunch came out. Corned beef and spaghetti, it smelled very appetizing.
"Ah, Amanda, please sit." The professor turned his talking to her as he usually did, she didn't feel so uncomfortable with it now as she had in the beginning.
They spoke about her lesson and the fact that she wanted to have the self-defense class for the girls.
"Scott, your lessons in self-defense?"
"Yes, we spoke about that last night at dinner, I would gladly leave them over to Amanda, professor."
"Very well then, you will… Logan?" the professors' eyes turned to the door.
"Charles," Scott said looking toward the door seeing no one. "Charles?" he said more demanding.
"He is in danger."
"Logan?"
"Yes, he needs help. Amanda, Scott, prepare the Blackhawk, Ororo fetch Lynx and A.K. Jean, tell Rouge, St John and Bobby that the five of us will be teaching the rest of the afternoon."
"Charles, does he need medical treatment?" Amanda asked wondering if she was supposed to bring a med kit.
"Yes. I'm going to the Cerebro to pinpoint his location."
Logan heard the dripping, it wasn't water that dripped, it was his blood. The woman had given him something that made his healing factor go haywire. He had unsheathed his claws; well, let's say it really wasn't a good idea. He had tried to think about Xavier, no result of course, who the hell was he kidding! It was over… well a long distance anyway.
~ Logan? Logan, do you hear me? ~
~ Yeah, Chuck, I'm in deep shit, they got me. ~
~ I know, the X-Men are on their way. They are crossing the boarder to Canada as we speak. Hold out. ~
Wolverines head tilted down, he knew that he was loosing a lot of blood. They hadn't bandaged the wounds or anything, in fact they had cut his right leg up. His vision wandered with black spots now, he wanted to sleep.
Cyclops landed the Blackhawk; the new aircraft took twelve without problem. Lynx orange eyes wandered over the snowy forest, they stopped at the building in the clearing.
"I would think they are over there," Blaze said. "Five humans, one mutant. He isn't feeling to good."
"There will be five humans not feeling to good soon," Storm said with cold voice, her eyes turning white as she took control over the weathers.
"Show Time!" A.K. said as he somersaulted forward. Lynx moved with him not somersaulting though. The web-strings stuck to the front door with a thud.
"Knock, knock!" A.K. roared as he pulled the door of its' hinges the surprise was easily read on the humans faces, and the next second they pulled up different sort of weapons. Blaze loaded up her crystals, a blue energy ball left her arms, she smiled evilly as two of the attackers smashed into the wall. A.K. threw a web-net over one of them, he found himself glued to the wall, Lynx, on the other hand, leaped with that cat elegance into their midst knocked the remaining two unconscious.
"Logan!" Storms screamed his name; she had laid eyes on the motionless form on an examination table in the other room. Blaze and Scott ran after her, Scott carried the med. kit in his left hand. Logan was in the closest comatose, his face was very pale, his breaths was ragged, he had lost a lot of blood from the injuries; a surgical made cut went from his toes to his knee and the lower of his arms were heavily bruised by the inner bleedings and the blood dripped from his knuckles.
"We have to stop the bleeding. Give me some compresses and pressure bandages," Amanda said, she worked quickly, and she prized her telekinetic gifts that allowed her to dress the wounds faster.
"The IV bags, and needles." Scott gave her them, she picked a vein in the bend of his left arm. Storm placed her hand on Logans' forehead, it felt damp and he actually opened his eyes when Storm whispered his name.
"You're safe now."
"Oh, really?" a voice said from behind. Blaze felt how her blood chilled; she recognized that voice from hell! "I see that you brought me another of my old subjects. Long time none seen! Take them!"
Disclaimers: Samantha, Blaze, A.K., Lynx, Vapor, Rattler and Nightdemon belong to me but mail = you borrow or give them new life. The rest belongs to someone else.
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Sweet Sixteen
22 years earlier
Her body hurt, she was laying on the ground, coughing blood, the man who looked at her, his eyes met hers.
"Why? I loved you," she said with a voice so weak she barely heard it herself.
"You're a mutant! Who would care if a mutie gets killed?" he whispered back as he rose and she saw how his boot moved very rapid against her face, everything turned black.
"Samantha!" Mikes voice. Her older brother home on summer holiday from school in LA, he is a mutant too. They hadn't thought about the possibility that she also was a mutant.
She heard how her brother fights his way through the bushes. He got to her, knelt next to her his yellow cat eyes filled with concern.
"Samantha? Dad! I've found her! Who did this? Samantha, who the hell did to you!" For the second time she blacked out.
'The promising young jockey Samantha Wilde at the Wilde Stables was two days ago thrown of during a training race. The surgeons fought several hours to save her life, but the wounds proved to be fatal. She died at the age 16. Now for the weather scene…'
Samantha heard it on the news a week after she run away from home.
* I'm dead, wonder what Dad paid them. * The coffeehouse where she had stopped was empty except for her; the old woman who stood behind the counter came and sat down next to Samantha.
"It's a shame with that rider, she was exceptional, she went to England, won the Grand National this year. She was something special."
"Yeah, she was," Samantha, answered a bit awkward.
* How can I speak about myself? *
The woman looked at Samantha saw the cuts and bruises that covered her face. A glimpse of comfort strokes her face as she rose and stretched for the coffee.
"Well now, would you like some more coffee? You have a long way ahead of you, I know so."
"Yes please," she said with a smile.
'You're a mutant!' Deans' voice always echoed through Samantha's' head at night when she lay awake beneath the starry sky, indeed she was a mutant, she had touched Dean and he was struck with energy. She had been having her first period, angry and it had hurt. It had nearly knocked him unconscious. Samantha had tried to help him; he had slapped her and left the stable.
Later that day when she was out riding her favorite stud, he turned up with a couple of his friends and motorbikes, they had started to chase after Samantha and when the horse stepped wrong, it had fell and Samantha was thrown of. They had started to beat her up, kicking. He had stayed behind, saying those terrible words. The day after that she had taken her new jeep registered on a Samantha Demi, her mothers maidens name. The drivers' license and ID's also said Samantha Demi. She had crossed the border too Canada last night.
* I'm looking for something, I guess. Maybe I find something. *
Samantha woke up in the middle of the night, sensing people around her!
"Stay still, mutant!" a harsh voice cut into her mind as she stood up. Something pricked her on the shoulder; Samantha turned her head and saw a man in military outfit, he was holding a syringe in his hand.
"Relax, you can not fight it." Samantha felt how everything became very foggy around the edges. She tried to fight it of no success, she felled down to the ground.
She woke up in a very cold place, and something was holding her down as she opened her eyes.
People in surgical masks were walking around her, she looked at them as she tried to get free, and one mask pushed a button. The table she was strapped on rose to a vertical position that made her feel dizzy. She looked down and realized she was only wearing a tank top, briefs and fucking dog tags. Wires went everywhere, they were connected to her head, the went under the tank top, everywhere, needles was positioned in her wrists elbows, ankles and groins, she felt stinging in the chest as someone set another needle.
"This mutant is very interesting, she is already responding to the Dioxadan, tapping into it, using it." The voice came from behind; Samantha felt how the pain extended, she moaned.
"It's ready for the incisions now, doctor."
"Well, hook her up to the oxygen and lower her down into the liquid. Let's get started." Samantha felt how the ice-cold green liquid flowed over her and made her gasp, then the real pain started she screamed, but it only became bubbles, the pitch-black unconsciousness came as a relief.
Present day.
Logan woke nearly screaming, claws out from a nightmare, not the usual one, though very similar. Cold sweat covered his body, he felt very frozen; the blankets was lying in a heap down at his feet. He knew that it would take him ages to fall asleep again. He sat up on the narrow motel bunk, drew his hand through his damp hair, rubbed his knuckles. He only wore a couple of very worn training trousers. It was over twenty months since he left the Mansion, he was supposed to call Chuck last night, he hadn't. He didn't want to talk to them not even Marie. What he had found at Alkali Lake was terrifying, almost a hundred disks and as many CDs with presentations and tapings of different 'projects'. He had only watched three of them and decided that he could look at them later, and maybe with someone. And the rest of the time? Thinking, meeting the few old friends he had, knowing that they would understand, then working four months on an oil platform, worked on a couple of lumberjack camps several months.
He walked to the window and saw that the snow still felled and that he would have to use the jeep he rented at least a few more days. The bike he had borrowed, he hadn't stolen it, from Cykes was strapped on back. *Wonder if Cykes still mad at me about Jean, probably not. He didn't seem to be the bitter type. Marie… I have to tell what she is, a sister not a girlfriend or lover. * She probably knew, she had a large chunk of him inside and Scott had spoken about a new kid who loved her like crazy.
He changed into his jeans, the Indianhead buckle as always, pulled on the shirt and last the jacket. Then he packed the things he had into the bag and went downstairs.
"Planning on a early start?" the girl behind the counter asked on French.
"Yes, I woke up and felt for driving before everyone else wakes up," he answered on the same language, as he gave her the key.
"Bon Voyage, monsieur!"
"Merci," he answered and went out the door. The jeep stood there covered with snow, it would be a long ride back home. Strange, how soon it had taken him to miss that place he thought at as home.
He drove off in the ice-cold morning, when he stopped for gas he called to the mansion.
"Scott Summers," One-eyes voice.
"Hey, Cykes, it's Logan. Is the Professor around?" cut to the point.
"No, he and Jean are in D.C. talking to the Senate. Rather said thanking them for not passing the law. Have you found anything?"
"Yeah, a lot of data but I haven't looked it all through yet. Didn't feel for looking at it alone, it terrified me, and most of it is in-coded."
"Did you find anything about yourself?" Cykes asked with a sad tone.
"Maybe, it's almost two hundred CDs and records. Anyway, I'm heading back home, damn! My money is ticking out. Say hi to Rouge from me!"
"Okay, be careful! If you're able to!" The phone biped and died.
He went back to the car when he sensed something, bad, that he recognized. He looked around and the only thing he saw was a woman stand next to her car, talking with someone in the backseat, she looked at him and he felt how her look sent chills down his back.
He drove off; top speed, he wanted to put as much distance as possible between himself and that car.
Four days later at the Mansion.
The woman known as Blaze or Amanda York woke up in the dark winter morning, she started to stretch her arms grinned as she remembered the sore shoulder. An ugly thing called Nightdemon had torn it apart in a bad confrontation. She was supposed to have her first lesson this morning she suddenly realized and thought about running away. She went into the shower and let the warm water cleanse her body and then she started to dress.
* A Biology lesson, oh shit, it doesn't matter how much I have prepared it. It will still become a misery. *
A silent knock on the door broke her thoughts.
"Yeah? Come in. Oh hi 'Ro," she said when Ororo Monroe came in and closed the door. Her eyes fell on the ageless woman's clothes: she was wearing a school tank top and boxers, the pale parallel scars running down her spine barely visible. All of her own clothes had burnt in the fire. Ororo had offered that they would go to town this morning and buy her a new outfit.
"You ready to prep breakfast soon?" she asked as Amanda next to her bed and dressed, the clean clothes flew from the wardrobe and landed in her outstretched hand. The long gray hair seemed to braid itself and swirl up in a pen knot. The long gracious fingers touched the crystals running up her arms, she didn't wear much make up, her gray lips was only exotic to most men. The blue shades whirled from the bed table and landed on her nose, she smiled with the pearl-white teeth:
"Ready."
Ororo found it interesting to prepare breakfast with Amanda. She made coffee and made the table at the same time, cups and plates and such as flew through the air.
"'Ro, take this," she said and a bottle of milk flew threw the air.
"Where to?"
"The second row. Are we supposed to go just after lunch?"
"No, I think we wait until tomorrow. Jeannie and the professor will be back this morning. Jean has apparently been sick every single morning."
"Should one congratulate or pity her?"
"Pity her in the mornings, congratulate in the afternoon."
"Good Morning! Isn't A.K. up?" Scott came in through the door and opened the refrigerator.
"Apparently not, he probably thinks that his bed is a very nice place, but matter of fact so do I. I hate Monday mornings! " Rogue yawned as she entered with Lynx who looked very fresh.
"I don't have a problem with mornings," he said with his low voice.
"Being this cheerful in the mornings ought to be illegal," A.K. said, his green hair tousled and the red eyes was even more red than usual. A.K. stood for Alexander Krycezi, the young man Amanda had saved from death several years earlier; he had lived with her for eleven years.
"A.K. has entered the room!" Storm said with a smirk.
They fixed the remaining things for breakfast as the first kids came in.
"Miss York! Miss York!" One of the youngest boys came to the teachers' table, the seven years old Daniel Harrison.
"Yes, Daniel, what is it?"
"Is professor Xavier coming home today?"
"Yes, but I thought that a boy like you already knew that," Amanda said implying on his telepathic gifts.
"I wanted to know that Mr. Summers wasn't kidding with me again. He thought about a large chocolate cake beneath the sofa in the recreation room, I only found dust."
Amanda looked at the very innocent looking Scott who barely could hide his grin.
~ It is not nice too fool children, ~ Amanda sent him.
"I didn't know you could do that!" Scott said surprised.
"Well, a woman has to have secrets," Amanda said with a superior face.
The rest laughed and continued with breakfast, then they went to their classrooms.
"Good luck! If you need any help I'm next doors," Ororo said as Amanda opened the door to the classroom. It was Alex class; he smiled toward her and flirted with her.
"Good morning! Those of you I haven't met; my name is Amanda York or Blaze. You can call me Amanda or Blaze. Now I'm interested to know your names!"
The class presented themselves, Amanda made them laugh at the way she memorized their names, pens suddenly moved over the black board drawing something personal for them all, a red eye from A.K., a white strand of hair from Rouge, a flame from St John, a ice-rose from Bobby, spots from Lynx and so on.
"Is that everybody? Okay, today's subject will be…"
"Welcome back, Professor, Hi Jean!" Scott said when he went out on the snowy yard to greet them; he hugged and kissed Jean, shook hand with Xavier.
"I'm glad to be back, has everything worked out fine?"
"Yes, except Shy, she was thrown off a horse yesterday and broke her arm, Amanda took care of that. But otherwise everything has been just fine. The others are still teaching but they'll be here as soon as they can. Logan called four days ago, he is heading back, he used the word HOME," Scott said and smiled. "I thought he would be here by now."
Jean took Scotts' arm and wrapped it around her shoulders; he smiled against her and kissed her again. "I'm actually glad that the big bully is coming home. I was quite mad at him when he didn't show up at our wedding."
"I hope he comes to stay, that he found the answers he was looking after."
"Hi Professor," Storm said as she entered the hall, she hugged him and Jean.
"Ororo, how has the day passed for our new teacher?"
"I think she showed them some of her telekinesis while she asked about their names. I think she handled it very good."
Amanda came downstairs talking with Rouge and Lynx, the both youngsters walked hand in hand, they were headed for a short period in the Danger Room. They said hi to the professor on the way, Amanda walked to the elevator.
"Amanda!"
"Professor, has your journey been good?" she said now forced to some forth and speak.
"Yes, the plane was a bit late, but that one have to count on. How was your lesson?"
"That you have to ask the students. I was on my way downstairs to check on some tests I started last night, could I rejoin you later on the lunch?"
"Of course! See you at lunch. She seems to take her obligations as heavy as you, Jean. Those who educated her must have been very good. It's a shame. Well, I will go to my rooms and unpack, I suggest you do the same," the professor said and turned.
Scott took Jeannies' bag and walked with her upstairs to their room.
"What are you worried about?" Jean suddenly asked, noticing her husbands' wandering thoughts.
"What? Oh, Logan, I really think that he would be here by now."
"Logan is a grown up man, I think that he is capable to take care of himself."
"Yeah, guess so."
Jean took a long shower a slight bun on her lower stomach revealed certain things, a child, still not aware of itself. Scott had gone to a lesson, so she was alone in their large room, she looked towards the corner where the crib would stand she smiled and touched her belly.
~ Little one if you hear me, I love you. ~
Amanda touched the microscope, checking blood samples from Lynx.
* Strange, his blood seems to be very clogging. Whoa! Maybe this is his battery, * she though as she saw a crystal group come into vision. She started working then she looked at the clock. * Quarter past eleven, lunchtime. I've to take the injection too, better be there in time for once, * she thought and started to pack the things together. She rolled up her sleeve and placed a band around her arm.
She heard steps and upset voices outside the door. Lynx? She hastily slipped the band off, she hadn't told anyone, only A.K. knew, she wanted to keep it that way.
"Ah'm alright Lynx! Promise, let me down!" Scott opened the door leading Lynx who carried the really angry Rouge in his arms. She was bleeding from her temple and Lynx carefully sat her down on the medical bed.
"What happened? I told you two to be careful in the Danger Room."
"She sort of got something in her head. A brick, I thought that she was prepared for something like that," the very sad-looking Lynx said. Amanda didn't say anything just examined the wound, cleaned it up.
"I'm going to X-ray this, Lynx and Scott, the other room if you please," Amanda said and shoved the men out. "Lie down, it wont take long, are you feeling nauseated or dizzy?"
"No, nothing like that," she answered with that beautiful southern accent.
"Close your eyes," Amanda said as she started the X-ray. "Now we just have to wait a few sec. No fracture, I see you lucky; a brick is something that I wouldn't like to get in my head. Keep calm for a week because you probably have a concussion. No Danger Room or gym exercise. Use the shower in the back; I'll go fetch your clothes."
"It's time for lunch," Rouge said when she went to the shower.
"Yea, I know. Lynx, she'll be fine, if she complains over a headache bring her down here. I'm going to fetch her clothes."
When the four of them got to the dining-hall professor Xavier awaited them, Jean came down now dressed in green. A smell of food entered the room as the students who had prepared lunch came out. Corned beef and spaghetti, it smelled very appetizing.
"Ah, Amanda, please sit." The professor turned his talking to her as he usually did, she didn't feel so uncomfortable with it now as she had in the beginning.
They spoke about her lesson and the fact that she wanted to have the self-defense class for the girls.
"Scott, your lessons in self-defense?"
"Yes, we spoke about that last night at dinner, I would gladly leave them over to Amanda, professor."
"Very well then, you will… Logan?" the professors' eyes turned to the door.
"Charles," Scott said looking toward the door seeing no one. "Charles?" he said more demanding.
"He is in danger."
"Logan?"
"Yes, he needs help. Amanda, Scott, prepare the Blackhawk, Ororo fetch Lynx and A.K. Jean, tell Rouge, St John and Bobby that the five of us will be teaching the rest of the afternoon."
"Charles, does he need medical treatment?" Amanda asked wondering if she was supposed to bring a med kit.
"Yes. I'm going to the Cerebro to pinpoint his location."
Logan heard the dripping, it wasn't water that dripped, it was his blood. The woman had given him something that made his healing factor go haywire. He had unsheathed his claws; well, let's say it really wasn't a good idea. He had tried to think about Xavier, no result of course, who the hell was he kidding! It was over… well a long distance anyway.
~ Logan? Logan, do you hear me? ~
~ Yeah, Chuck, I'm in deep shit, they got me. ~
~ I know, the X-Men are on their way. They are crossing the boarder to Canada as we speak. Hold out. ~
Wolverines head tilted down, he knew that he was loosing a lot of blood. They hadn't bandaged the wounds or anything, in fact they had cut his right leg up. His vision wandered with black spots now, he wanted to sleep.
Cyclops landed the Blackhawk; the new aircraft took twelve without problem. Lynx orange eyes wandered over the snowy forest, they stopped at the building in the clearing.
"I would think they are over there," Blaze said. "Five humans, one mutant. He isn't feeling to good."
"There will be five humans not feeling to good soon," Storm said with cold voice, her eyes turning white as she took control over the weathers.
"Show Time!" A.K. said as he somersaulted forward. Lynx moved with him not somersaulting though. The web-strings stuck to the front door with a thud.
"Knock, knock!" A.K. roared as he pulled the door of its' hinges the surprise was easily read on the humans faces, and the next second they pulled up different sort of weapons. Blaze loaded up her crystals, a blue energy ball left her arms, she smiled evilly as two of the attackers smashed into the wall. A.K. threw a web-net over one of them, he found himself glued to the wall, Lynx, on the other hand, leaped with that cat elegance into their midst knocked the remaining two unconscious.
"Logan!" Storms screamed his name; she had laid eyes on the motionless form on an examination table in the other room. Blaze and Scott ran after her, Scott carried the med. kit in his left hand. Logan was in the closest comatose, his face was very pale, his breaths was ragged, he had lost a lot of blood from the injuries; a surgical made cut went from his toes to his knee and the lower of his arms were heavily bruised by the inner bleedings and the blood dripped from his knuckles.
"We have to stop the bleeding. Give me some compresses and pressure bandages," Amanda said, she worked quickly, and she prized her telekinetic gifts that allowed her to dress the wounds faster.
"The IV bags, and needles." Scott gave her them, she picked a vein in the bend of his left arm. Storm placed her hand on Logans' forehead, it felt damp and he actually opened his eyes when Storm whispered his name.
"You're safe now."
"Oh, really?" a voice said from behind. Blaze felt how her blood chilled; she recognized that voice from hell! "I see that you brought me another of my old subjects. Long time none seen! Take them!"