3 hours and 42 minutes after Laura had buried Logan, she and the other children had made it across the border. The hours of walking made all of them tired, but Laura stayed back, still mourning the loss of Logan. None of the other kids tried to talk to her. They'd seen her when she was upset, and it wasn't pretty.
As soon as they were across the border, they stopped. According to the voice on the other end of the radio, this was where they were to meet. Laura took this time to sit and wipe away the remaining tears. The group waited a few moments in silence. The tension could be cut with a knife. Laura looked at her hands. The claws were retracted, but she extended them just a bit to look at them. She was the reason Logan was dead. He was gone forever. He wasn't coming back. And it was all because she had to be born.
The child shook her head. That was no way to think. Both Logan and Charles would say that. Charles was another person who was dead because of her. "No. Stop it. It's not your fault" She told herself.
A twig snapped, and everyone stood, ready for a fight as someone approached. Laura's claws extended, and the person stopped. They had on a hooded jacket.
"Woah, it's ok. I'm here to get you guys." The person said. Judging by the voice, it was a woman.
"Take off the hood." One of the boys said, still cautious. The woman did so, revealing fiery red hair. She couldn't have been older than 20.
"Come on. It's not safe out here." She said, motioning for the kids to follow her. After their long day, they didn't argue. They simply followed her. Laura stayed towards the front. It was clear that the woman was on edge, looking around carefully for any impending danger. But Laura smelled nothing, save for the smell of dirt and blood on the kids and herself. There was also a hint of lavender mixed in, which she got from the red haired woman.
"You're a mutant?" One of the kids asked. Laura glanced back at him. It was the heavier one with the Wolverine toy.
The woman didn't look back. "Yeah. All of us here are. It's a safe haven for mutants." She replied.
"How many mutants are here? And where exactly is here?" Another kid asked. For children who had been quiet for nearly 4 hours, they sure were talkative now, Laura thought to herself.
"Multiple. Less than we'd like, and more than most people want alive." The woman said, moving aside some brush to reveal a pebble walkway. Their footsteps were audible, which pleased none of them as they walked. A house came into view, and the kids eyes widened.
"Welcome home." The redhead said with a smile, seeing their reactions. One of the older ones read the plaque on the pillar connected to the iron gate around the mansion.
"Jean Grey's school for higher learning." The boy looked at her. "Jean Grey? The Xmen?" He paused. "Are you Jean Grey?"
The woman laughed, unlocking the gate and leading them to the house. "No. But she's here, and you'll meet her in a minute." She walked them inside, unlocking the door. A man was walking by, and stopped when the door opened.
"You're back in one piece, Cher." The man said with a Cajun accent, walking over with a smile and kissing her. She smiled.
"Easy, Cajun. We have guests." She said. The man noticed the kids standing in the doorway for the first time.
"We'll come on in, mon friends. Dis here is a safe place. I'm Remy. Remy LeBeau. You already met Hope."
Before she could answer, someone called her name. "Hope?" Someone asked as the descended the stairs. Hopes smile widened and she walked over to the woman, hugging her.
"Hey Mom." She said. The older woman had red hair too, even more red than Hopes, if that was possible. She looked at the children.
"Welcome. I'm Jean Grey."