The Never Ending Story #1

The Savage Lands

Dedication: To ma sista and fwend UNADDICTED annie ^-^

Notes: The song "Whenever, Wherever" is by Shakira. All rights for the song belong to Shakira.







"Lucky you were born that far away

So we could both make fun of distance

Lucky that I love a foreign land for

The lucky fact of your existence

"Baby I would climb the Andes solely

To count the freckles on your body

Never could imagine there were only

Ten million ways to love somebody

"Le do le le le le

Le do le le le le

Can't you see

I'm at your feet



The Xavier Institute for Gifted Children, Rogue's room

12:45 (12:45 pm)

Day 1

"Whenever, wherever, we're meant to be together."

"Rogue...Rogue..."

"Ah'll be there and you'll be near, n that's the deal my dear."

"ROGUE!"

Rogue blushed bright red as the headphones settled around her neck.

"H-how long've ya been there?" She stammered.

"Long enough," Logan growled. "C'mon, suit up, one-eye wants us at mission control."

Rogue slowly unfolded her legs and stood up. "Why?"

"I dunno. That's what we're goin' for."

"Fine. Gimme a sec. Ah gotta change."

"Hurry."

Rogue put the headphones on her bed and reached for her uniform.

She started to pull off her shirt when she noticed that Logan hadn't moved.

"Logan, Ah'm sorry but aren't you supposed to leave when ah change?"

"Oh.yeah.right.sorry.meet me in 15 minutes..."

He shook his head and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.



++++++++++



The Xavier Institute for Gifted Children, Mission Control

13:01 (1:01 pm)

Day 1

"There you are! What the hell took you so long?!"

"Ah'm only five minutes late. Cut me some slack."

"Empires have risen and fallen in five minutes, Rogue."

Rogue snorted. "Oh, what, you're a historian now?"

Logan growled. "No, but-"

"Cut it out you two!"

"Oh I'm sorry Scooter. Forgot it was time to play follow-the-leader."

"It's Cyclops to you. And this isn't a game, this is-"

"I was being sarcastic," Logan mumbled.

"So, what are we here for?" Rogue interrupted.

Cyclops pointed to the monitor beside them.

"You know how Cerebro functions right?"

Both teammates nodded.

" You know how it detects new mutants?"

They nodded again.

"Well, we've been noting some strange activity in the area that it was rumored that Magneto was."

Rogue paled.

"What kind of 'strange activity'?" Logan demanded.

"We've been detecting new mutations."

"What's so strange about that?"

Cyclops glared at Logan.

"If you'd let me finish, then I could tell you."

"Fine.go on."

"The strange thing is that the mutations are showing up in adult humans who did not have the X factor in their DNA."

Rogue looked puzzled.

"But if they don't have the X factor, then they're not mutants."

"I said they didn't. That's what's strange-dozens of people who didn't have the X-factor before- their DNA is changing to include it."

Rogue shook her head.

"But that's impossible!"

Logan growled. "Not where Magneto's concerned."

Cyclops nodded. "The mutations are showing up in a small village a little to the South of Magneto's territory. It's more than probable that Magneto has something to do with it."

"So why'd you tell us all this, Squinty?"

Cyclops scowled at Logan.

"Your mission is to take a little trip over to the area and check things out."

Rogue shook her head.

"No! Ah don't want to go anywhere near Magneto!"

"Rogue, the chances are you won't run into him. "

"But there's a chance that we might!"

Cyclops nodded.

"But you're the only ones for the job. I have to stay here to monitor the equipment, Jean and the professor are at the conference in Washington, Remy's on his vacation, and 'Ro and Hank are on a recruit mission in Russia."

Rogue looked like she was about to be sick, but she nodded weakly.

"Good. And of course Logan will be with you?"

Logan growled. "Wolverine to you, bub. "

"Fine then. Wolverine, are you going?"

"Of course."

"Good. You can take the small jet."



++++



X.I.G.C. jet , Somewhere over the South Atlantic Ocean

19:05 (7:05 pm)

Day 1

"You okay kid?"

Logan looked worriedly at Rogue, who was leaning her head against the window.

She moaned.

"Ah...ah'll be fine,"

She whispered without turning her head.

Logan patted her uniform-covered shoulder with his free hand.

"Don't worry, I'm sure nothing much'll happen. "

Rogue smiled weakly at him.

"Something always happens where ah'm concerned, shugah."

"Well, mebbe this time's different."

A small beeping caught Logan's attention.

"Hey look, the radar picked up something. It's land! Rogue, check the map please."

He gave Rogue the coordinates.

"Shugah, there's no land on the map. You must've given me the wrong coordinates.

Try again."

He repeated the coordinates to her. She shook her head.

"That's not right...there's no land on the map."

They looked at the dark land stretched out below them.

"Oh...wow."

Rogue breathed softly.

"...Magneto's got his own continent."

Logan finished her sentence.

"It's not on the map...a secret continent..."

Logan whistled.

"Wonder how he managed it."

At that moment the engine sputtered.

"Dammnit!"

"What? Logan, what's wrong? Tell me!"

Logan flicked a couple of switches.

"Rogue, we're having a lil' engine trouble."

Rogue swallowed nosily.

"You're kiddin' me right?"

"I wish I was."

Rogue took a deep breath.

"Can we make it to that village?"

Logan glanced at screen again.

"I...don't think so..."

Rogue blanched even further.

"You're bullshitting me, right? Don't tell me we're gonna crash."

"I wish I could..Rogue."

The engine coughed again, and Rogue lowered her head into her hands.

"We're gonna die, I knew it, we're gonna die and no one will ever even find our bodies."

Logan paled.

"Shut up Rogue, you're makin' me nervous. "

Rogue began to cry.

"No, no, no, darlin' don't cry. I didn't mean to, I'm sorry, Rogue, can you do me a favor? Can you keep your eyes open for a field or clearin' or somethin'?"

"W-what f-f-for?" Rogue managed between sobs.

"We have a better chance at getting' out alive if we have nothin' to hit."

She raised her head and wiped her nose.

"Ah'll try."



++++++



The Savage Lands 19:15 (7:15 pm) Day 1

"There!"

Logan looked frantically to where Rogue was pointing.

"Where? I don' see nothin'!"

"Right there-that big treeless patch."

"Oh yeah."

Both were silent for a few moments.

"Rogue, do up your seatbelt right now."

He waited for Rogue to comply with his orders before continuing.

"When I say duck, you gotta scrunch up real tight and get all your limbs in as close as possible. As soon as the jet stops movin' get outta the plane and start running for it."

"Why?"

Logan sighed.

"Cuz the jet could blow up. If there's any fuel or stuff left at all then it'll ignite when the electricity screws. If we're still in here at that time then we're as good as dead."

Rogue whimpered.

"Grab the 'mergency kit if you can."

Rogue picked up the bag.

"Check if everything's there."

Rogue unzipped the bag and looked inside.

" Ah think it's all here shugah," she said shakily.

"Good. It looks like we'll need it. Rogue, I'm gonna tell you to duck soon, you remember what to do?"

She repeated the instructions to him as the jet neared the clearing.

"Good.get ready."

She bit her lip as the bald patch of earth loomed up in front of them.

"DUCK!"

++++++