Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does.

Authors Note: The Phoenix Saga has always fascinated me, and the fact that it chose Jean as a host fascinated me too. When I read a 'What if' issue on Storm possessing the Phoenix, that did it for me. I wanted to write a story about Ororo and the Phoenix force, and all the manifestations that she would go through wielding it. I hope I have some of these facts right for all of you Phoenix fans, I did my best. I am researching every aspect of the Phoenix force, and am trying to translate that information to this story. I Hope you enjoy!

Chapter One

One Evil For Another

Every life has a purpose, a destiny that is chosen for them at birth. Rather it be accepted or denied, makes no difference. We all must face our own fate, as I am now facing mine. In this moment, I am the force of the world around me, the universe consuming me. With the flick of my wrist, flashes of lightning or burst of flame, the clock ticks against me. I dread this world, what was once beautiful, and bountiful by the ways of the land, is now a fest pool of blood and life loss, life I have taken away. The agonizing pain in knowing that I take immense pleasure from others pain, and have very little remorse makes me feel soulless. Is it really me? Am I truly this evil? Still, I hold so many lives in my hands, both with the power of good and evil, but are controlled by a mind with conscious evil, evil I have no control over. I have never felt so caged in all my life. I would rather live through the death of my parents and abundance of rubble covering my child sized body a thousand times over than this hell I live now. I must choose a side to reign, and I battle with finding the good that once held my heart. Why did I allow them to talk me into sacrificing myself for her? Although, she is and forever will be my best friend, my sister, I hastily put myself in her shoes, only making the situation worst. I only did it…because…He asked me. Had it not been for Him, I would have never done this. No one woman, person, is worth the entire damnation of the world, and yet I have made the ultimate sacrifice. He now looks to me, heart weakened, and eyes open. He now knows, the love I once had for him, he figured it one moment too late. There is very little in my life I regret, this is a repentance I wish I could undo, and I would walk through the fiery pits of hell to change it. A wishful dream, soon dispelled by reality, my reality.

Everything has a purpose, but what purpose does this serve? Death, or life, a proposition rarely challenged. I am the world last, and only hope, and their redemption shows no purpose. As much as I am their savior, I am also the condemner. I am the evil master to this land, delivering my deadly lashing to the backside of this Earth, and soon the universe. Now, it is my life being taken away. Rather I choose to allow life to live, or take it all away; my fate has already been ordained. A selfish need is washing over every bone on my body. The need to live, no matter the cost, my work is not done here. I have so much I still need to do, need to experience…children, matrimony. All of that no longer matters…my time has come…to it's end.

"Forgive me Logan" she whispered before closing her eyes, for the last time.

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She hovered above them, clad in only the skin she was born in, engulfed in a beautiful presentation of flames; her thigh grazing hair blew about like white ribbons of silk, also engulfed in infernos. She was undoubtedly the most beautiful being they have ever seen, but with that admiration came a bone chilling fear that stole the color from their skin. What have they done? Were they so selfish that they would sacrifice one teammate to save another? Once again, Scott Summers has led the team to oppose on a selfish act in order to save the one woman he loves. Unfortunately, they only traded one evil for another, a much worse evil. She was judgment, to BURN away the absolute. She is now the spark of all creation, but she is also the FLAME that can consume it all. Always being linked to the universe, Ororo Munroe has become an existence in all realities of the omniverse.

"Scott, what have we done?" Jean asked, secured in the arms of her love. Ororo eyed every one of her teammates, a smile etched across her beautiful face. She descended to them, gracefully planting her petite feet on the Earth that now reverenced her, the consuming flames dying away, completley. She sauntered over to them, the entity that now possessed her, making her even more seductive as she swayed her glorious hips from side to side with each step. Eyeing them all, she stopped in front of Cyclops, Scott Summers, awaiting the challenge that was slipping from his lips.

"Stay away from her!" He demanded, shielding Jean from Ororo.

"Ah, you senseless, selfish man. Now, what makes you think, that after being in this body, that I would want to even consider taking Jean Grey back?" She asked looking quickly to Jean, then back to Scott. "If I wanted Jean, I would have her" Scott grits his teeth, his anger boiling to the very visible surface. "Ororo is a child of the Earth, the universe, with the means to bend them at her fingertips" She looked at her hand, then back at the X-Men. "I have over looked this earthly being. Alone, her strength is vast, but together, we are inexorable" she finished, her milky eyes now flaming over with power.

"Why do you need her? You've lived all this time without Storm or Jean?" Jubilee said, running to the front of the group.

Ororo cupped the younger woman's face with one hand and spoke, as she chuckled at the audacity of the young mutant.

"If I recall, you fools called me to her, to save Jean" Ororo roughly released Jubilee's face, waving her off. "You humans did this. I suppose…I owe you my gratitude" she said mockingly. "I have told you, I will not return to the cold dead realms of space again!" She said as she brought her arms forward, as if she were reaching out to them. "I have the power to create, and the power to destroy" She created a beautiful flaming flower, and in that same hand, she destroyed it. "I have the power beyond the isolation of good and evil. The power only God can experience, that power is now mine!"

"Storm" Logan whispered. She snapped her head to him, and smiled sinisterly.

Logan ran to Ororo, a sickness coating his stomach.

"Storm, please" He begged, reaching for her.

She used her power to grab Logan, an unforeseen force strong enough to bring him to her effortlessly. Logan struggled against Ororo's hold, gaining a chuckle from her,

"Your meaningless struggle amuses me" she said with a smile. "You are wasting my time. You have provided me with enough annoyance and frustration" Ororo easily tossed Logan to the remaining X-Men, mock satisfaction playing at her features. She extends her hands, causing the Earth to shake and separate beneath them into nothing but fissures and gravel. The once solid foundation was now pathetic; a trick Ororo thought would be comedic to show. She then conjured up enough force to attack the X-Men, stunning them briefly. She wanted them aware, but unable to fight. Her evil chuckle could be heard through the ears of all the X-Men, as her body strengthened and a flame once more overcame her.

" Here me X-Men, and here me well" Her once softly accented voice, now boomed with power as the entity consumed all that was left of her. "Ororo Munroe is no more. I am eternal made flesh, fire and blood. I am Phoenix!" The mythical bird embraced Ororo, spreading its wings and taking flight. She enveloped herself with her wings, and disappeared, and with her desertion, the Earth once more calmed.

The X-Men began gathering themselves, some slower than others.

"We must go after her" Jean said trying to gather herself, but was quickly stopped by Cyclops.

"No Jean! You stay behind" Cyclops voice sent Gambit over the edge. 'How dare 'dis son of o' bitch demand shit?' Gambit walked over to Cyclops, contemplating what spots would affect him the most. Gambit punched Scott in the gut, driving his fist deep into his abdomen, taking Cyclops' breath away.

"Y' son of o' bitch!" Gambit yelled, standing over the curdling Cyclops. "Look at what we done! We created a helluva mess. For what? Ta save y' precious red head" Gambit said looking at Jean Grey with disgust. "As long as Jean is alive , right? Y' threw Stormy ta da wolves" Gambit spat at Cyclops, pure hatred running through his veins.

"Stop it! Both of you!" Rogue demanded. "Now, is not the time to fight!" she said glaring at Gambit.

"Fuck dat!" He yelled.

"She's right Gumbo. We gotta fix this" Logan said, walking up to the rest of the group.

" 'Y no betta den him" Gambit said pointing from Wolverine to Cyclops. " 'Y wanted Jean alive too Wolverine"

"You didn't?" Cyclops asked coughing, struggling to get precious air back into his lungs. Gambit sighed, running his sweaty palms along his chiseled jaw.

"O' course I wanted her alive, but not if it meant Stormy's life, ain't worth it" Gambit said honestly. " 'Y two selfish boys, fightin' ova' da same woman, don't care 'bout nothin' but y' selves and Jean. MY precious Stormy is out dere, out her fuckin' mind 'cause o' dis Phoenix. How we 'sposed ta stop her? Kill her?" Red on black eyes met steel grey eyes briefly before continuing. "She did dis for Wolverine" he paused, catching his tears before they threatened to fall. " I swear, if she…we..get outta dis alive, Stormy and I are leavin' da team, for good " Gambit declared lighting a cigarette and walking away.

Jean felt responsible for all of this, if she only kept the Phoenix at bay, if she only could have fought long enough to talk some sense into Scott and Logan. What had they done? Cyclops stared after Gambit, biting down on his teeth so hard, his jaw began to protrude, clearly, Gambit hit a sore spot. Wolverine looked to be controlling a fit of rage, begging to be released to the surface. Regretting decisions now, wouldn't bring Ororo back. Jean had to make this right, no matter the cost, Ororo didn't deserve this.

"Enough of the blame game, we must go to Ororo. We must get to her, while she still has a glimpse of herself left, before the Phoenix locks away every bit of her self-consciousness, then it will be too late" Jean said, snapping everyone out of their self-pity.

"How?" Jubilee asked insecurely. "We weren't strong enough to fight you as Phoenix, we definitely can't dream taking on Storm as Phoenix"

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Jean still felt connected to the Phoenix; she could still feel the emotionless twinge pull at her being. She sat in the war room with the rest of her team, in her old uniform, her blood red hair gently tumbled around her shoulders and down her back. She couldn't focus; thinking about Ororo was all she could do, and silently praying to God that they could save her. The Phoenix is a selfish, emotionless, unpredictable entity, and those same characteristics began to take on the identity of the host, the longer the Phoenix possessed it. Jean knew what it felt to be insane, to forget who you really were, and lose all of yourself in something that had no pulse, no heartbeat, and was as cold as the contradicting frosty glaciers that consumed it's flaming black whole of a heart. Jean knew what it meant to know the need of self-sacrifice, and although Ororo has risked her life for her and she for Ororo on many occasions, this was different circumstances. This was NOT sacrifice, more like eternal damnation.

Jean knew, the only way to save Ororo, was for her to save herself. The only one strong enough to save Ororo is Ororo, all the X-Men could do, is help her. The Professor went on and on, about the history of Phoenix, but it was all text book, no facts.

"Professor, with all due respect, but, those scholars don't understand the Phoenix like I do, and now Ororo" Jean stated boldly, standing to walk to the front of the room, gaining everyone's attention. Scott watched his fiancé' closely, wondering where she was going with this.

"The Phoenix is not just about resurrection. It's also about power, greed, depletion, it depends on it's telepathic link, and universal link"

"But, Ororo's powers won't work out in space, so there is no universal link" Jubilee said prematurely. Jean shook her head, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth.

"You underestimate Ororo. She uses electromagnetic fields as a SOURCE. Electromagnetic fields exist all over, no matter how small, they are all around us, and she possesses the power to control them. Ororo can do something as simple as creating a rain cloud to water her plants, to taking the very air from your lungs. She is far more powerful than we have given her credit. That is partly why the Phoenix chose her. Ororo also has a very strong will, she can withstand the power of many telepaths, including Professor, and I. She has omega level potential, potential she has yet to tap into, that is until now. She has so many tools the Phoenix finds useful, she was an easy offer to the Phoenix, the answer was chosen before you even presented her up to it." Jean stated matter factly.

"Then how are we supposed to stop her?" Rouge asked wearily. The more Jean informed her, the more nervous she became, this almost seemed impossible.

"Well, we can't" The Professor was going to object before Jean held up her hand and continued. "Ororo has to do this, she has to find the will to survive"

"How can we expect her to do that, when you couldn't?" Wolverine asked boldly. Jean was taken back by the question, and almost didn't want to answer.

"Jean did have the strength; she's here, isn't she?" Scott chimed in, defending his love.

"She's here 'cause of Stormy, give credit to de' right person mon ami" Gambit stated shuffling his cards.

"It wasn't about strength with Jean" Professor interrupted. "It was a question of sanity and urgency. Jean made the best decisions she could at the time, even when it meant her life" He looked to Jean, the memory causing his emotions to be exposed, and then quickly pushing them back. "With that time, she has learned and adapted to the Phoenix. I took her spirit to survive, and as she said, it will take Ororo's spirit to want to live, for her to survive"

"Her spirit?" Gambit threw his chair back as he stood to his feet. "She ain't got no spirit now!" Cyclops stood up also, frustrated with Gambit's outburst, although he understood his anger. He wished Gambit would control himself long enough to help them with this.

"We must stop this fighting!" Jean shouted. She hadn't expected her emotions to take the best of her, but she couldn't help the anger that was flooding her mind. "Even though Phoenix doesn't understand emotion, it feeds on misery and anger, pulsating from it. We must go into battle on the same page, and with a clear heart, otherwise we might as will dig Ororo's grave" Jean slammed her hand on the table, he ruby red hair tussling around her shoulders and face. "No one, and I mean NO ONE, wants Ororo alive more than I" she shouted as a tear escaped one of her green eyes. "Had I…If I could have only…" The Professor rolled beside Jean, grabbing her hand tenderly. "I cannot, and will not live with myself if she doesn't survive this, so failure is NOT AN OPTION!" Jean stomped over to sliding double doors of the war room, and turned back to her broken team. "I don't know what it will take, but you people resolve your issues now. You have one hour" she left the room, leaving the team behind.

"Jean is right. Pull yourselves together my X-Men. This is about more than your hurt feelings, and selfish desires. We fight for mutant equalities, yes, but we fight for one another harder than we fight for anything else. Ororo is indeed an invaluable member, and child of mine, and like with Jean, I will be with you on the battlefield. Remember why you are on this team, and then remember why we are a team in the first place. There will be no deaths today, and if I must go alone I shall, but Ororo deserves a chance" Professor left the remaining X-Men in the war room. So much was running through their minds.

Logan put his head in his hands; never had he regretted anything like he regretted begging Ororo to allow the Phoenix to possess her. He would shed his heart to change this, and he WILL if it meant saving Ororo. That act of selflessness made him love Ororo more than ever, and he still didn't understand why he had asked. Although he always cared for her, today was truly a new day, and surely, a day too late.

" I just want dis ta be over" Gambit cried. It was like dropping a penny in a vacant room. His cry was sudden, unexpected, and it wrecked at everyone's heart. It was morbid, and pitiful, like a child crying for its mother. Rogue ran to him, and enveloped him in her arms, falling with him as he fell to the floor, in complete defeat. Logan covered his mouth, realization hitting him like a ton of bricks.

' The Cajun loves her' It never was a sisterly-brotherly bond for Gambit, he was in love with Ororo. Logan watched Gambit cry for only a moment before walking to him, extending his hand. Gambit's demonic eyes looked to Wolverine, and reluctantly took his hand. Rogue instantly released him as she watched the exchange. Wolverine pulled Gambit into a hug, holding his trembling head to his shoulder.

"I didn't know Gambit" Wolverine whispered in his ear. Gambit almost pushed Wolverine away, but couldn't conjure up the strength to do so. Cyclops looked away, unable to face the truth that hit Logan moments before. "I promise, we will bring her back" Gambit's limp arms wrapped around Wolverine's shoulders, squeezing him in a deathly vice grip.

"We betta mon ami" Gambit released Wolverine, wiping his face in one slow swoop. Gambit pushed his shoulder length auburn tresses away from his face, walking out of the war room to the black bird. He had enough of this, it was time to get his Stormy back! Logan looked after Gambit, smelling his pain, his anger, his anguish. Gambit was just as lost as Ororo, this had too many lives at stake. Jean was right ' Failure is not an option'. The rest of the team filed out, going to the black bird, a sense of urgency in their footsteps. As they all assembled in the black bird Kurt spoke, needing to send them off with the Ultimate Helper.

"Before you we go off, let us pray" Kitty grabbed Kurt's outstretched hand, and then stretched out her hand and Jubilee grabbed it and so on and so on until all of the X-Men were hand in hand.

"Make it quick Kurt" Bobby demanded.

"No! Make it meaningful" Kitty corrected. Kurt gave a steady nod, and began his prayer.

"Our father thou art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us of our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen" with that, they all said 'Amen', and with a heavy heart, Cyclops started the engine of the jet.

As they began their journey where Jean sensed Ororo, the heartbeats of the team raced against their chest. The ultimate battle was before them, and no one knew how it would end, but everyone knew how it MUST end, and prayed that this God Kurt prayed to, will show Himself and make this impossible battle won, and let it be a testimony to not just them, but everyone in the world. As they got closer to their destination, the skies became dark.

"She knows we are here" Jean said aloud.

"How do you know?" Scott asked looking to Jean.

"She told me" Jean said pointing to her head.

TBC