Author's Note: Here's the prologue to a fanfiction detailing the life and deaths of Jean Grey. Future Chapters will be divided into three 'Acts' entitled; Beginnings, Tragedies and Requiem. Some creative liberty taken, as well as some deviance from comic canon.

Lost Fragments – Prologue

The first time she had cried- really cried- was when she was cradling the lifeless, broken body of her best friend in her arms; watching the light, the joy, the happiness fade in her eyes.

Scarlett smears, macabre freckles, peppered the frozen smile on her lips, (she had been giggling at Jean's inability to catch a ball) and her still rosy cheeks. She lowered her head, cupping her friend's cheek, her cold, cold cheek in her warm hand. "Annie…. Please...open your eyes."

A faltered heartbeat. The weak, stuttered intake of breath. The soft trickles of blood which meandered down the crevices of her face.

"Jean…"

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of her name. She whipped her head round. Nobody. She could hardly see through the thick, hot tears that pooled in her eyes.

"Jean…..I'm so scared."

"Annie…?" She looked down at the crumpled body. Her lip trembled, "Annie..?"

"Jean…I'm going now. Tell mommy I said goodbye." The gentle words echoed around her mind... Annie hadn't moved. Wasn't even awake.

"Annie?" She shook her desperately. "Please don't go- Annie!"

Nothing.

Just an emptiness, a void where the voice had been.

She brushes a strand of brunette hair behind Annie's ear. Puts the pink headband back into place.

"Annie! Jean! I have some cookies on the stove-" The sound of glass smashing against concrete. Seconds pass. Jean can't even move. Can't move an inch to see Annie's mom collapse to her knees. A scream, an endless scream that shatters the cold, winter air and ricochets around the block.

Jean can feel her pain. It floods her mind with its presence. She can't understand what is happening. Jean can hear her thoughts, feel her emotions. Her chest tightens, and a lump forms in her throat as she tries to swallow the nausea that threatens to rise up into her mouth. Gravel bites into her bare legs as she kneels in the middle of the road, no longer caring that curious faces are emerging from behind closed doors, closed curtains. Annie's blood has started to pool around her, lapping at the hems of her skirt, soaking her socks. A hand upon her shoulder causes her to look up slowly, eyes awash with tears, lip trembling, mucus streaming from her nose. The kind face of Mr Robinson, the Richardson's next door neighbour, meets her gaze.

"C'mon sweetheart." He chances a glance down at the weight in Jean's arms. He grimaced, swallowed, (his Adams apple bobbed in his throat) then continued in a thick voice, "Let's get you inside."

She shoved his offered hand away, pushed away the corpse, wiped her bloodied hands on her skirt and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

Hair cascading down her back as she ran, she clenched her fingers into tight fists. Sobs wracking her body, she pushed herself further and further away from her dead friend. Didn't look back.

She would never forget this day. Would never forget this moment. Even in the grounds of the Xavier Institute, with the sun grazing her back, with Scott by her side. If she ever let her mind wander- even for a split second- her mind would trace the memories of her childhood back to this incident. She could never forget the way Annie's small, fragile frame hit the hood of the car, crumpled, and soared over the windscreen. Never forget the sickening sound of bones, of skin meeting steel. The sound of laughter being ripped from Annie's throat. The whimper as she lay broken in the car's path.

She ran up the driveway; the cruel replay of Annie's death playing over and over in her mind. The haunting scream chased her, biting at her heels as she stumbled up the porch. Fumbled with the door handle, before thrusting it open, and dashing up the stairs.

A glimpse of her mother in the kitchen, holding a tray of muffins in her gloved hands, "Jean, what's the matter? You're home early-"

Tripped up the last step, and fell onto her hands and knees. Didn't bother getting back to her feet. The carpet rubbed painfully on her skin, piercing though the anarchy in her mind. Nudged her bedroom door open, and crawled in.

She curled up into the farthest corner of her room. Pulled her knees close to her chest.

Scared, frightened, confused. Annie's face. Annie's dying thoughts. The car speeding off into the distance. No-one, anywhere to help as Annie lay dying. Images and words colliding, overwhelming her senses. So confused.

And in the middle of it all, the thoughts of everyone in the street whirling around her head. With nowhere to hide from the noise, she clamped her hands over her ears and screamed into the silence.