Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own X-Men. But I wish like heck that I did!!! *sob* Stupid marvel comics....Okay, just joking y'all! ^_^ Now please don't kill me? I DO however own all and any original characters, sooo..LEAVE 'EM ALONE OR I'LL ATTACK YOU WITH MY FLAMING GREEN JELLO!!!!!!!!!!! O_o -_-; I get a little overprotective, neh?

Notes: Okay, this is set before On Angel's Wings. I had to change my timeline a bit, and due to my own blasted confusion, I've booted Joyride up BEFORE this story. Yes, I know Joyride didn't really happen before On Angel's Wings, but it's less confusing to me if I do that. ^^ Oh, and these [ ] indicate thoughts. These ^ ^ indicate telepathic conversations. Thanks!

Oh yes, and I apologize ahead of time for Rahne, Kurt, and Sam's accents. ^^ And if one of my new characters has one of your character's power, I DIDN'T KNOW!!! ^.^ Okay, continue!



Sobbing could be heard down the hall. A worried mother ran into her daughter's room, scared to death of what she might find. Sunlight streamed through the window, brightening the room. But the sight of the little girl almost cancelled it out entirely. She was lying on the floor, her small hands clutching at the carpet as her tears soaked it. She sounded as if she was in pain, but her mother could see nothing wrong. She rushed over to her daughter and held her in her arms.

"Honey, what's wrong? Can you tell mommy what's wrong?"

The little girl let out a soft howl of grief, then sobbed, "He's dead! They killed him mama, he's dead! Daddy's dead..." She broke down, burying her face in her mother's shoulder. She didn't see the look of horror and pain that came across her mother's face. The mother stroked her daughter's dark brown hair absently, trying to calm down for her daughter's sake.

[Why did I let him leave?] she moaned inside her head.

**********************

Professor Charles Xavier took one last look at his deceased friend. He knew it would be his last chance to say goodbye, since the widow wouldn't want him at the funeral. She would blame him for her husband's death.

"I'm sorry, Jax...so terribly sorry," Xavier said quietly. "I'll do what I can for your family...but I'm afraid it won't be much." He paused for a long moment, then leaned over and took a dog tag necklace from around his friend's neck. There was some information on one side, like most dog tags. But the other side had the X insignia on it. Xavier had thought his friend foolish for wearing it, but now he respected him for it. It hadn't been an easy choice, and it may have even been what killed him.

As Xavier pocketed the necklace he let out a heavy sigh. "I don't blame your wife one bit Jax. Maybe it was my fault..." His voice trailed off as he closed his eyes sadly. "Goodbye, Jax." He then turned his wheelchair around, leaving his friend behind.



**10 YEARS LATER**



Rahne wandered around the hallways of the mansion, looking for something to do. She had already been told off by Roberto and Amara for trying to join them, which did NOT have a good effect on her already sour mood.

[Nawt like they was doin' anything fun,] Rahne thought crossly. ['Oo would want ta be with those blokes while they was flirtin' anyways?]

Rahne let out a long sigh. Iceman, Berserker, Jubilee, and Spyke were in a training session with Wolverine and Storm. Scott and Jean had disappeared, once again leaving the others with no notice. Rahne had a sneaking suspicion they were out checking something for the professor, but then again, maybe Jean was just cheating on Duncan. And Kitty was gone too. But then again, Rahne already knew Kitty had gone to meet Lance at the park. She had no idea where Kurt, Rogue, Jamie, or Sam were. And she was REALLY wishing hard for some company right about now.

As if on cue, Sam walked around the corner, a smile lighting up as he saw Rahne. "Wahll hey there Wolf-girl. Whatcha doin' here all by yer little- lonesome?"

Rahne's face lit up. "Sam!! Ah'm so glad you're 'ere! A bonny little lass like me don't stay quite so bonny when she has not a thing ta do." She looped her arm through his, smiling up at him. "How'd you like ta play Frisbee outside, laddie?"

Sam grinned, then replied, "On one condition ma'am...don't catch that there Frisbee with your slobbery ol' mouth." Rahne pretended to be offended and smacked his arm, causing him to blast off right through a nearby door, dragging Rahne right with him.

**********************

Professor Xavier had asked Wolverine and Storm to do the training session without him. He had picked up a reading on Cerebro, and wanted to research it a bit more. The only problem was, Cerebro wasn't picking anything else up on the reading. It was almost like it had been a glitch. But the Professor knew better than that. The same thing had happened seven years before, when an entire district in New York City had a power outage. Cerebro had picked that up, and then failed to get anything else. Now it was happening all over again. Hundreds of radio signals were being picked up by one receiver in Central Park...and all at the same time. Mutant powers were definitely at work here, but Xavier couldn't figure out who this mutant was.

Kurt walked by the open door, trying to alter his image inducer again, when he noticed the Professor. He entered the room and stood by him.

"Another mutant?" he asked, a bit excitedly.

Xavier nodded. "Yes, another...however, Cerebro can't pick any more information up. Just the fact that there's some form of mutant activity in Central Park."

Kurt thought a moment. "Well...couldn't you just send someone over to Central Park to check it out?" he asked.

"I already have," the Professor replied. "Jean and Scott are there now. But they haven't been able to find anything either..."

**********************

Scott sighed, thoroughly exasperated. "Can't we just call this mission finished? It's next to impossible to find anything here! Besides, I've got a History project due in two days that I need to finish."

Jean stroked her chin, thinking deeply. "Normally, we could look for someone who looks different, acts different, or is running away."

Scott laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, and there's about 200 people who fit all of those categories."

Jean sighed. For a normally upbeat guy, Scott was really turning into a pain at the moment. "I'll try my telepathic powers," she said quietly. But after a few short minutes, she realized that wouldn't work either. "Too many people..." she sighed again. Scott rubbed her shoulders, trying to comfort her.

"Don't sweat it Jean. If Cerebro can't pick anything else up, there's no chance we can either."

Jean looked disappointed. "I guess you're right."

"Great, let's get back to the Institute!" Scott nearly ran to the X-Van. Jean hung back for a moment. Only a moment, but long enough for a girl with a pair of headphones on to bump into her.

"Whoops. Sorry!" the girl apologized.

Jean smiled slightly, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it." She barely glanced at the girl, and then followed Scott.

But the girl watched Jean for a long time. Something about that red-haired girl struck a familiar chord in her. The two were about as different looking as could be. Jean had long red hair, a fair complexion, and dressed conservatively. The girl had shorter dark brown hair streaked with silver, a slightly tanned Oriental complexion, and dressed in tank tops and baggy pants. But deep down, that girl felt like they had something in common. Maybe Jean would have felt the same thing, if she had looked at the girl a little closer. Because if she had, she might have noticed that the headphones the girl wore weren't connected to a radio or CD player...and that a small antennae was attached to them.



((hoo hoo!! Somebody please tell me they caught something there! Pweeeease?? ^_^ R&R, I need MAJOR input!!))