I own nothing of the Marvel/Thor/Avengers franchise/universe. The characters used in this work of fiction are theirs and all other original characters are my own. I do not plan to make a profit or to infringe on theirs. So don't sue me. Thank you. [I'd like to thank my beta, Kerry, for helping me rewrite this chapter on such a short notice. She'll hopefully be helping me with the rest of the story.]
Toting around her large bag down the corridor of the institute was something she was quite accustomed too. This time was quite different though. She'd since 'graduated' as some might call it. She'd finished up her undergrad and had only a semester left before her master's program was completed. She had gotten the call about Charles and Scott while she had been in the middle of a huge presentation about the ideology of the newest modern art pieces to step into the gallery she ran in Chelsea, New York. She'd just started her senior year of her undergrad. When she'd seen that number… Logan's number, she knew something had to be up. Hastily excusing herself she'd picked up right before it went to voicemail.
"Ayleah…"
"The only reason you'd call me is if something bad has happened. I've seen the news, Logan. All the mutants waiting in long lines for a cure. Riots. What the hell is going on?"
"They're dead."
Her heart sank. "Who?"
"Scott and the Professor." Her eyes went wide right before an uncontrollable tick started at the corner of her left eye.
"Hold on for one second." Pressing her cell to her chest she returned to the ante room that held a few of her colleagues and the newest pieces they were going to display. "I'm sorry but something has come up. A death in the family, or rather, two. I'm going to be away for a while." One of her associates, Jenny, who also happened to be her roommate at the time, looked at her with concern. She was the only one in the room that knew she was a mutant. She saw the small tick that no one else noticed.
"Leah, who is it?"
"My god-father and brother-in-law. I don't know the cause of death yet. I just know I'm going to be away and no, I don't know for how long. Do you think you can hold down the fort for me?" She was surprised at how steady and controlled her voice was. She completely ignored everyone else in the room except for Jenny.
"Of course. Call me later ok?" Turning to everyone else in the room, Jenny proceeded to get their attention away from Ayleah and to continue where she had left off. After she was sure things were somewhat settled with the gallery, she left the ante room and raised the phone back to her ear.
"Talk and talk fast. I'm one breath away from teleporting myself there right now."
"It wouldn't do you any good." Again, her heart sank. The anxiety was starting to kick in. She had barely made it into her office before her legs gave way. "We've been hit hard. Jean is alive. We think she killed Scott and she killed Xavier right in front of me. She disintegrated him and then left with Magneto."
"I'll fucking kill her." The deeper octave of her voice held so much malice, even Logan felt a little uncomfortable on the other end.
"She'd kill you too kiddo. I can barely deal right now. If something happened to you as well…"
"She can't kill me. I'm going to find her and kill her with my bare hands!" The furniture in her office started to shake and rattle as her anger increased. "I'm going home to pack some stuff and then I'll be there. You can't stop me."
"Don't you dare come here!" She was about to teleport to her apartment but his yelled order stopped her. Sniffling a bit, she wiped the few tears that had started to fall.
"I have to Logan. I can help. I can protect you guys." She was pleading with him now… she never did that.
"I'm telling you to keep your ass put and don't come near the institute. If she… if the Phoenix sees you, and you two go at it, others will get caught in the crossfire. Just please. Stay there. Stay safe."
Her heart was pounding violently in her chest. She looked at the state of her office. No longer were things shaking and rattling. Everything was floating. Sighing in defeat, she teleported back to her apartment and plopped down onto her bed face first. "If I don't get a call or a text from you every 6 hours I'm going to show up."
"You won't even know where I am." She could hear his smile over the phone.
"You're in the kitchen of the institute right now grabbing for a beer. One of Scott's beers that he always told you to keep your hands off of."
"Damn, you're good. Alright, I'll contact you every 6 hours. Promise." She could hear the top coming off of the beer and the sound of quick chugging. "I'm gonna breeze through these. I'll keep you updated. I definitely won't be here for much longer. We're gonna move on Magneto and try to get Jean back."
Lifting up onto one elbow she got serious. "If you don't want me and her to go at it, you're going to have to kill her."
She heard him choke a bit on the beer before responding. "What?!"
"She burns like the sun Logan. That's how she killed Charles. Your healing ability might be the only way to best her and kill her."
"Who says we have to kill her! Can't you lock her mind up again like the Professor did? You're just as strong as he is if not stronger!" He was yelling at her but she kept her calm and ran her hand through her hair before turning onto her back.
"At this point it would be pointless to try. Charles pushed that demon to the deepest recesses of her mind when she was a child. Her barriers were lower and weaker back then. If he were alive now, I doubt he'd be able to put those walls back up. Also, there's the fact that she's aware of what she's doing. All the killing, the attacks, you really think Jean would be able to cope with that? The aftermath would trigger this all over again. You have to kill her." Sighing in defeat and getting overwhelmed by the pain that was increasing in her chest, she wiped at her eyes again. "You need to find a way to stop The Brotherhood. They're going to try to stop that pharmaceutical company from making the cure. There is going to be blood. There is going to be more death and you are going to kill her Logan. If you don't I will, and anyone else who tries to stop me, including you. I love you Logan, but…"
"Yeah yeah no need to lay it on thick." She can hear him starting on his second beer. "Think you could poof yourself into my room? I've missed our sparring between the sheets." He was being an ass, like usual, which was what she loved most about him.
"Thanks but no thanks, sugar. We broke up for a reason ya know."
"You never actually made it clear why you called things off between us. I had it bad for you. Still do."
"You still love Jean. You always will."
"Yeah well… I'll call you in six hours. Be prepared. Storm might call you too."
"Alright."
"I love you, kiddo."
"Back at you old man." She hit the end button and hocked her phone clear across the room. It should have smashed into a million pieces but she'd stopped it just before it hit the wall. It hovered there before plunking onto her dresser. "Fucking fuck everything."
Things escalated quickly after that. He kept his promise as best he could. Six and a half hours went by then seven. It had been too much for her to hold out. When the call came from Ororo, she was prepared. She was dressed to kill. Literally. She had a duffle bag next to her feet where she sat on her bed. Answering on the third ring she had already teleported right behind her. "We need you here. Kitty is in trouble!"
"I figured as much." Storm jumped and almost zapped Ayleah with a bolt of lightning in the process. "Whoa, chill."
"How? Never mind. Get into that building and find Kitty. She went to find the mutant that they used to make the cure. One of Magneto's men went in there to kill him."
"On it." She was gone and in front of Kitty in an instant. The girl was running right towards her but she was looking behind her. "Holy shit!" The large … whatever it was, it was barreling down the hall right behind Kitty. Kitty turned around and phased through her just in time. Without missing a beat, she grabbed Ayleah's hand and dragged her along with her down the hall.
"Long time no see!" She was out of breath but she didn't break stride as they both ran and phased through wall after wall. "This way!" They halted at a door and they slowly phased in. Near the window stood a boy in plain white hospital garb. She could see Kitty was struggling. "I feel weird."
"We just ran through like ten walls. It's warranted."
"No. I feel like I want to pass out." She listed to the side a bit and Ayleah caught her by the shoulder. "You… you don't feel that. I feel like someone's pulling my strength right out of me."
"I'm sorry." The small voice was barely heard as the boy looked at Kitty and Ayleah. "It's my fault."
The crashing and banging outside meant that the Juggernaut was close behind. "We need to get him out of here Kitty. Can you manage it?"
"I can't… I can barely move my legs. What? Are you ok? You aren't feeling weird?"
"Uh… I guess not. Strange huh?" Awkwardly Ayleah looped Kitty's arm around her shoulders and walked towards the boy.
"How are you not affected? They told me all mutants would lose their powers." She had her hand on his shoulder and chuckled lightly.
"Funny thing about that." She leaned down to whisper into his ear so that Kitty wouldn't hear. "I'm not a mutant." She heard his quick intake of breath and turned around in time to see the Juggernaut crash through the door. She teleported the three of them out and away from the fight outside before he could blink.
She intentionally left the scene. She didn't want to see Jean. She didn't want to see what she had become. She didn't want to see the look upon Logan's face after he'd killed her. She placed Kitty in her room at the institute and left Jimmy, aka Leech, in an empty room so he could rest as well. She texted Ororo and Logan to let them know where Kitty and the boy were. She couldn't stay. She was going away. She had to. She couldn't risk turning into what Jean had become. Not the Phoenix. Something worse… Something otherworldly.
