XMen Phoenix: Hellfire and Brimstone

by Darkangelluss

Years after Jean Grey's Death the Phoenix returns, but not as her or anyone who ever held the title before, Who is the new Phoenix and what does it have to do with one of the X-Men's deadliest adversaries?

X-Men: Hellfire and Brimstone

by: Vincent J. Coletti

Prologue

"Logan, I want you to understand something, Jean Grey is dead!" I meant it to be a statement, I tried to portray that, but he took it as much worse. I said her name, I told him she was dead, I knew what that meant but at this moment that wasn't my concern, he was. Logan jumped in the air with a grace that defied reason, his movements slick and graceful. I heard the unmistakable sounds of his claws coming to bare. You might be wondering who I am about to be impaled by the X-man known as Wolverine, that's easy my name is Phoenix. I guess I am not the first person to have that title but I am currently the only one.

The claws tore into my shoulders with a relative ease, Adamantium can do that to flesh. He snarled as he pushed me back to the wall locking his claws, which were now sticking out the back of my shoulders and into the wall behind me. I almost chuckled wondering what the people in the next room must be thinking with the yelling and three knives sticking out their wall.

There was pain, I doubt I even screamed, but there was pain, and there was blood. I could feel it burning out of the wound and my white T-shirt was turning a dark red color, Logan's bare chest was covered in it as well.

This had been coming for weeks, our constant arguing and the anger with me that had nothing to do with who I was but more what I represent. He was angry, he was sad, and he was lonely. In his mind all he saw was Jean. He loved her like nothing else in his life and somehow I was the reason she is not here. I never wanted this. I didn't ask for any of this. When you're a child and someone asks you what you want to be when you grow up, no one tells them I want to be a God. I wanted to be a police officer. That dream came true, but this nightmare was not my idea.

Logan was flinging words directed at me but I couldn't hear him. He was beautiful in this primal animal like state, though that could be the pain in my shoulders or a 24 year old gay man's lust I don't know, but looking in his eyes I think I finally understood him better than I had. Jean was the only one he cared for, killed for, lived for. She was his passion, his end, and in all honesty I was the reminder of her legacy.

The burning in my shoulders built to a brazier. Wolverine kept yelling, I couldn't understand him even though he was right in the front of me. All I could do was clench my teeth until the pain turned to anger. He was pissing me off, and when you are the current host for the very power of creation, that is not something you should do.

I almost passed out from the burning in my shoulders but I held firm and psychokinetically retracted his claws. As I lifted him from the ground and slammed him back to the other side of the room I realized something, the pain was gone and the burning, that wasn't from the wound that was from the fire, the fire of being Phoenix.

He tried to move but he knew he couldn't, I could erase him from existence, every trace of him, wipe everyone's memory of him, change the face of the entire planet, that was within the scope of my abilities, I could destroy this planet and rebuild it a million times over, that is within the scope of my abilities, I know that now, and the thought that scares me is what I would do if Logan wasn't here to stop me.

"Logan I have taken your jives, I have let you order me around and make me feel like I am the worst thing in this galaxy, but I want you to understand one thing and one thing only..."

"What's that kid that you're a fucking..."

"That I love you." He stopped struggling and I think I started crying. "In the past few weeks you have put me through so much hell, but I see you, I see you to the very core of your being and I know you are in pain, but you have been strong for me when I couldn't find the strength, you talked me down from ledges impossibly high and without you I don't think he..." I was once told by Charles Xavier that the Phoenix is the ultimate avatar of truth, and only when one comes face to face with the truth does he truly accept the mantle of the Phoenix, as my telekinetic shield around Logan faded I realized he was right. He stared at me and I saw myself through his eyes, I wasn't myself any longer.

It is nearly impossible to explain what it is like to realize that you are no longer yourself, that although you exist, someone else is you, speaking with your mouth, using your flesh. I was there but I wasn't in control. Hundreds of People have been host to the Phoenix, across time, across space, but in end only one of them could have calmed the raging sea that is Wolverine.

"I don't think he would have made it through the last few weeks without your help." She moved...I moved towards him, she put her hand on his face and her green eyes reflected on his. "Logan he needs you, because you out of everyone know what he has to battle everyday for the rest of his life, because only you know the only thing that can tame the passion of the Phoenix, is the fire of love, that's why I sent him to you, to the X-men." She, I moved closer to him, he closed his eyes as their lips touched.

I awoke kissing Logan, a sudden chill ran through me forcing me to open my eyes and stop. I was me again, I was here and although I didn't want to pull away, every beat of my heart lived for that moment, I forced myself to release him.

He opened his eyes when I stopped kissing him. He was so calm now, so gentle. It was a side very few ever see in him. His eyes were full of tears. I know I had some myself, and despite my strength I was trembling. I couldn't look into his eyes any longer, I had to turn away.

"I...I'm sorry Logan." I didn't know what else to say, what could I say? How do you explain what just happened, how do you explain to a man like Logan that you love him, and you need him to love you too. I started to walk away. I stopped as I felt his hand on my shoulder. I turned, looking into his eyes, those damn eyes.

"Don't...don't go." he said. His voice cracked, it was so masculine, and so gentle at the same time. I looked down as he put his other hand on my shoulder. I shook my head knowing this was too good to be true for me.

"I'm not her Logan, I'll never be her, and I can't bring her back for you..."

"I'm not asking her to stay, I'm asking you." Finally I looked up and I again saw myself in his eyes, I was not Jean Grey, not even the Phoenix, I was Chase Pryor, and this is my story.

End Prologue

The crowds surrounding the anti mutant rally were overwhelming, both sides carried signs as they awaited Senator Katherine Pryde. The tension was thick and the air heavy. The emanations were almost too much for him, but Chase Pryor was never one to back down. He looked at his fellow officers as they stood watch. Sam, his partner had mixed feelings on the mutant populace, while Mark just hated them. He knew this, down to his very core, he never read their minds but he couldn't block out the thoughts they projected as they stood around him. Being a mutant, being a telepath, was especially difficult for him. He leaned against the wall folding his arms, his auburn hair swaying gently in the slight breeze. So many people, so many minds, so many emotions mixed together all around him. He blocked out most of them, he had to or he would go mad, it was something Professor Charles Xavier had taught him. He had only been with the X-men for a little over two years. He was never actually an X-man, just a student when his parents sent him to Xavier's School for Higher Learning. There he learned to control not only his telepathy, but empathy and telekinesis. Today he needed that control more than ever. Half the people in the crowd he wanted to punch, the other half he wanted to be a part of, but no one at work could know. The laws of New York forbid mutants to be part of law enforcement. He found it funny, being gay he was just recently able to be comfortable at his job after New York passed an anti discrimination law against sexual orientation, only to fall victim to a law prohibiting his mutation.

He looked over at the faces in the crowd, Security was tight, Senator Pryde could have nothing less, she too was a student at Xavier's, the X-men called her Shadow Cat. She became a pioneer in mutant-human relations. He looked at Mark, he was slim, blonde hair, his lips a shade of dark pink. Big lips, the kissable kind, although he would never tell Mark that, he was almost as confused about homosexuality as he was about the mutant dilemma.

"I'm going to do another sweep, I'll be back in ten." Chase said.

He started to walk away from his position as Mark knodded.

Chase made his way through the crowd, the voices built to a crescendo in his mind. But this was his job. Chase became a policeman when he was 21. For the past year he had been studying to become a detective. He never used his gifts to help him, it was tempting but he was taught responsibility. As he concentrated on closing his mind to the thoughts around him one stood out far beyond the others, a vicious thought, Chase stopped and concentrated on it, flashes of a bomb, an explosion and death became visages in his mind. The only other thing he could make out was a name The Brotherhood. They were mutants on the wrong side of right, their road to hell was paved with good intentions but they almost undid everything Charles Xavier worked for. But in the end their leader Magneto gave in to Xavier's judgment and disbanded the brotherhood. Since then mutants have been seen in a better light, although the debate will always rage and there is much room for improvement.

The thoughts lead Chase to the under hatch of the Elections building in Winchester. The building was in a central location and if an explosion happened it would be the prime place to plant a bomb. He followed the thoughts through the dimly lit basement where two others joined in Chase's scan. One was definitely a mutant, the other a common terrorist, reminiscent of those that took down the Two Towers. The third was foreign he didn't even speak English. Chase reached down to contact for backup but the metal in the basement was interfering with the radio, he could leave and come back but it might be too late by then. He breathed in deeply; he would have to take them down himself. He stood just outside the metal door. It had a small window that gave him sight on one of the terrorists, the foreign one. The other two were just inside the door, if he timed it right he might be able to get all three. He clenched his fists and started to concentrate. He didn't really need to use his hand to bring his telekinesis to bare, but the emulation helped him direct his mind for bigger challenges. He mustered as much power as he could and reared his arm back, his palm outstretched. He then pushed it forward and with massive force the door creaked and snapped as it pushed through the room. Two of the terrorists went down with the door, the third just stared in awe. Chase hadn't used his telekinesis as much as he used too, it was taxing on him but he ignored the pain and walked in concentrating on the foreigner. Within moment the foreigner winced in pain as Chase assaulted his mind with a psi-blast. It took concentration, which opened the door to the mutant who came up behind him and grabbed him.

"Arm it dammit!" The mutant said as electrical impulses flowed into Chase.

The mutant's powers were almost forcing Chase into an unconscious state, he set up a psychic shield around him to take the brunt of it, but he felt weaker still. He managed to break one of his arms free and elbowed the mutant, he then turned around and assaulted him with a head kick. Three hours daily training with Sgt. Lorenzo came in handy. When he turned back to the foreigner, it was too late. He heard the click of the button and the man's voice muttering something he couldn't understand.

All those people, all those deaths, the passing thought of the mutant who was getting up and running was that he had already planted the brotherhood on the internet to take blame, causing mutants all over to be blamed. There would be anarchy and the Mutant Registration Act would be reignited.

Chase heard another beep from the bomb. It was about to explode. He had no time, he had no choice, he couldn't let it happen, he knew he didn't have the power to stop it, but it was instinct to him, Chase was a hero, he was protector. The explosion went off within a few moments. He could barely get the telekinetic shield over the bomb. The force was immense and Chase cringed as sheer pain sliced its way to his very core. Blood started dripping rapidly from his nose as his arms pushed the explosion back. In the end there was no doubt he was going to die. He could feel the building shake all around him and the fire had encompassed the whole room. That was the last thing he saw as his eyes burned and melted in the blast. He used his psionic senses to see the rest of what was happening. Even as he felt his skin blister and peel to reveal white bone, he refused to give up. He used his psychokinesis to temporarily hold himself together, hoping he could lessen the blow, but that too was never going to happen. He would have cried out had his mouth not been incinerated. His fate was sealed and so were the fates of so many. Then it was as if time had slowed to a crawl and for a moment he sensed the universe. In the fire around him an image became visible, first a fiery bird and then a woman, bathed in flames. Her hair was as red as the fire that created her. She wore a white skin tight outfit with a gold sash and a bird emblem in the flames.

Am I dead? Chase thought. He could almost sense the woman's smile.

You are closer to death than any human has ever been and closer to life than any mutant will ever feel. She said.

I don't understand.

I am here to give you a choice.

What do you mean, what kind of choice?

You are dying, much as I was when I was given the same choice. But you will be able to save those you love.

I...guess I don't have any choice.

Perhaps it seems that way from your perspective, but this choice I offer...this fire, it can also burn as well as heal, and it always consumes. It will show you the greatest that humanity can offer, and the most evil heart it has.

I don't know what you're talking about.

You will when the time comes. Beware the hellfire, Chase, remember your future is not written in stone but in flame.

Outside, Kitty's limousine pulled up to the crowd. The explosion rocked the building and soon debris started to plummet as the cement gave way. The crowd would die, she could phase through it but she couldn't save them. It was then a brilliant burst of fire encompassed the building. Her mouth opened as she pulled her sunglasses off to get a better look. The flames got brighter and brighter until they fanned in all directions and in the center was a familiar sight to her.

"Oh my God, Phoenix." She said.

The mind is an endless array of corridors, memories are fluent, tangible; memories can be held or viewed. They be blinked out of existence or they can be brought to the forefront of thought, memories define humans, make them who they are but sometimes memories can play tricks.

"I have to Scott, to keep in control every second of every moment, not slipping not even for an instant...what if the next planet that suffers my wrath is Earth, how could I live with myself...I love you, I'll always love you..."

"JEAN!"

There was a pounding light that exploded his skin, and he felt himself die, but that wasn't him, he knew that, it was a woman, but he couldn't tell the difference because it felt like he was there, in that red and gold skin tight outfit and he was a woman. Other memories filtered through the endless sky of his mind, battles he had never taken part of. People he had never met.

"I have one last request mom, I know the name Phoenix has too many stigmas attached to it, but I hope I brought something good to it, and I want you to have it..."

Someone else was there, red hair, different outfit. There were too many memories, too much pain to see, for any human. But of course Chase wasn't quite human any longer.

"Chase." There was a voice, was that his name...Chase? If he was Chase, then who was Jean? Who was Rachel, Emma and who was Phoenix? The voice was calming to him, comforting, familiar. He tried to scream out to the voice but there was no reply. He felt himself get heavier and he heard beeps and groans, he became aware of voices, other voices around him, but they were hard to discern as the memories kept swimming around him.

"It is definitely the Phoenix, can't you feel it Professor." The voice was ice cold, almost like an icy diamond.

"While I haven't had the kind of experience you have had with the Phoenix Force, I do sense it, it seems to be in turmoil, like it is out of place..." That was the kind voice in his head, fatherly, it was the calming voice.

"His blood work came back, he's human, what's funny is his DNA is dead on for Jean." This one was gentle but intelligent.

"No. That's not possible, Rachel, Jean, Madelyne, they are all gone." This was worried, scared almost.

"I don't know what to tell you Scott, but his DNA is a perfect match. I have run through the test at least three times. Whoever he is he shares more than a few chromosomes with her."

"He actually used to be a student here, but I have very little memory of him...he is aware of us...Chase open your eyes, you are safe here."

Chase struggled to open them, like he had been sleeping for ages but when he did it was like he was a new born babe. He suddenly became aware of everything, an asteroid hitting Mars, his ex boyfriend making love to some Italian who was going to leave him after they finished, a woman in Mexico being shot. He cringed with a pain beyond any he had known. His telepathy was nothing like this.

"Too...too much...ah...in my head..." His voice was cracking as the computers in the lap started to flicker.

"Chase...I need you to trust me, your mind will adjust, you need to give it time, let me help you." The Professor moved inside his head like a thief, finding whatever nooks and crannies he could to enter. He used his telepathy to calm Chase down, Beast let out a small sigh of relief as the computers in his lab stopped flickering.

His mind calmed, slowly but surely and the pain subsided.

"Chase can you tell me what happened," Professor Charles Xavier said.

The Professor's voice was subtle yet firm. As Chase scanned the room he seen very few familiar faces, in fact with the exception of Scott and Hank everyone was very new to him. The woman in white stared at him intently, with an ease that defied description he suddenly knew everything about her...he fought her more than once...but he never fought her at all. The White Queen, she calls herself. Chase raised his hand to his forehead.

"I don't remember to much Professor, more like images, fragments...Senator Pryde is she..."

"She's safe...everyone is safe thanks to you." The Professor said. Chase shook his head.

"No not me, I died...I think...I burned...who...is Phoenix? Am I Phoenix?" Chase turned his head to Emma. "Are you Phoenix?" Emma swallowed hard.

"I..." She turned and ran out of the lab as Scott followed.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Phoenix...well the name stirs up a lot of emotions."

"I see so many things...what's happened to me." Chase looked down at his clothes, he was wearing a skin tight blue outfit with golden yellow gloves and thigh high boots. There was a gold bird emblem on his chest.

"Mr. Pryor, do you remember a Doctor Jean Grey when you went to school here?"

"Yes, she was like me...she was me...I mean she was telepathic and telekinetic." Chase put his hand on his head trying to clear the cobwebs that clouded his memories.

"Chase I can sense your fatigue, why don't we continue this tomorrow, I'll have Storm take you to your room."

"No I should go to the precinct they have to know..." He said.

"They do, I'll see to it...Ororo, would you please show our guest to his room."

Storm walked the young man from the lab to the elevator. Beast turned to the Professor folding his arms.

"You didn't tell him." Beast said.

"That the news pegged him as the mutant terrorist after finding him unconscious at the scene...you didn't sense his pure confusion. It seems as if the memories of the Phoenix is fragmented in his psyche, he is having trouble distinguishing between his own memories and those of his predecessors. This does not bode well Hank."

"You're telling me, Jean was barely able to contain the full force of the Phoenix, I don't see him being able to do any better."

The Professor put his hand up to his brow, it was a slow movement, but one that went instantly noticed.

"Find out as much as you can about him Hank, we need to know who we are dealing with."

"He doesn't trust me."

Storm looked at him candidly as they made their way through the upstairs halls. The other children looked at him in awe. They could all sense it. They had felt its presence in the school before, silence fell over the halls of the school as others became aware of his existence.

"Whatever do you mean?" Ororo said as politely as she could, she too noticed the stares from the children.

"None of you do. Whatever I am, I must have hurt a lot of people." Ororo stopped and let out a sigh as the memories of her best friend flooded through her. Jean and she had gone through much together.

"On the contrary Mr. Pryor, the Phoenix saved this galaxy, this school, and all its inhabitants a thousand times over. Jean spent her life and her death trying to honor the name Phoenix, as did her daughter." Chase looked down at this. He was still utterly confused about what had befallen him, about what was happening to him. Storm too his hand as they stopped in front of a door and clenched it tight.

"Thank you Storm." He said lowly.

"You remind me a bit of her. This is your room, if you need anything please do not hesitate to contact me." She was kind, probably one of the most comforting voices Chase had heard since he woke up. As he entered she closed the door behind him. He walked slowly towards the mirror, the outfit reflecting in it. He didn't want to stare at it anymore, flashes of a million voices in his head cried out when he concentrated on the bird shape in the center of his chest. He closed his eyes as he tried to drown out the people of D'bari. Finally they stopped and when he opened his eyes he was wearing a pair of jeans and a white shirt.

"Wow." He muttered. He fell on the bed letting the softness of the comforters embrace him. How long was he out? Three days. The answer came to him as quickly as he thought it. Three days ago he was a police man, now he didn't know what he was.

He wanted to sleep, to let go, but something wouldn't let him, something was hungry inside of him. As with most of his gender, sex was always in the back of his head, it felt like his sexuality had been increased dramatically. He couldn't stop wanting to feel. Even as his mind started to relax he felt like he could reach out and crush the moon in his hand.

He tossed and turned for what seemed like hours, it was dark outside, the sun had gone down and everyone in the mansion was either asleep or pretending to be asleep. Chase's eyes snapped open. He was covered in sweat. He walked wearily to the window and stared out. The grounds were huge, much larger than he remembered. The stars shined brightly in the sky even as a shadow caught his attention on the roof of the building across from him. The form was wearing only a pair of boxer briefs, doing a form of Tai Chi. His movements were so graceful.

Isn't that me aching for him, fierce, brave...W...Wolverine.

The voice in his head didn't belong to Chase.

"L...Logan?" Chase said slightly. He had never met the X-man before, only seen him in passing. A pounding started in Chase's heart, it got faster until Chase collapsed to his knees barely able to breathe. He closed his eyes tightly and even as he started to force his eyes to open he knew he was no longer in the room. The gravel beneath him, the smell of liquor and cigarette smoke, he forced his eyes open and was barely able to stand. He was astonished as he looked around. He was at a gay bar he frequented called The Unit.

"Wh...why am I here..." Before he could say it he just felt hungry, he could sense the feelings coming from the bar and he was feeding on them. They were so intoxicating he could do nothing but move forward into the bar. People stared at him, he walked more confident than ever before, like he owned the bar, like everyone in the bar should bow to him. Why shouldn't they, was he not in top shape physically, was he not handsome with his unkempt auburn hair, his piercing green eyes, was he not the very embodiment of passion, of creation, of life.

No that's not me...or is it.

The music pulsed through the bar and as soon as Chase got the rhythm, he caught it like a insect in a web. He smiled even though he didn't mean to. He approached the dance floor as eyes immediately became fixed on him. He found someone he wanted, he was rough looking but large and solid built, handsome black hair. Just what Chase needed. He started to dance with him, in moments they were all over each other, kissing, touching, Chase unbuttoned his pants and placed the other's hands on his crotch. The intense sensation of passion, of being seen, doing something taboo, it was so much more than Chase could fathom. As they started to have sex right there on the dance floor it became apparent that Chase was no longer in control, no longer able to withstand all the feelings that were inside of him. Finally after the two men exhausted their seed Chase zipped up his pants and walked off the dance floor, alleviated but still ravenous. It was then a hand grabbed his arm and swung him around.

"That was my boyfriend." The hand hit Chase squarely in the face. He stumbled back even as the sensation wrapped around his body. Being hit was a new experience, one that he reveled in.

"Well then I guess you should have kept a tighter leash because obviously you weren't man enough to keep him by your side." Chase was no longer reacting to the man's words. He was reacting to his thoughts, thoughts of violence, of ripping Chase to threads. Chase smiled at this. He wanted to egg him on, wanted him to get angry, to suck the anger right from his mind.

"You're just asking for it." Chase licked the blood dripping from the side of his mouth.

"No but maybe you are, want a taste, your boyfriend like it." The man's eyes narrowed. He had two friends with him that were equally as angry. The man punched Chase, and the other two closed in and started hitting him as well. Punches, kicks, Chase went down not even bothering to cover his face as it was pummeled. He heard as others tried to get the three off of him but it was too late and they all started to back up on their own as he rose. Bathed in fire, the cuts, the bruises gone, his outfit now a red and gold skin tight outfit like the one he saw in his memories right before she died. The man who was just hitting him spoke.
"What the...what the hell are you!" Chase's stare could silence the dead and his voice echoed with an otherworld like glee.

"I am fire...I am life incarnate...I am Phoenix."

Chase awoke with a knock on the door. He sleepily got up from the bed, and opened the door to see Scott Summers staring at him with crimson red glasses,

"S...Scott...what time is it?"

"The Professor needs to see you; he's down in his office." He said. Chase nodded, barely aware. He went to his bathroom and splashed some water on his face. He was wearing the same white shirt and jeans he had last night.

Scott ushered him downstairs and into the office where Emma, Hank, and the Professor were all at the other end of the table. The looks on their faces did not bode well.

"What's up..." Chase said scratching his head. Scott picked up a newspaper and threw it on the table in front of Chase. Gay bar burns down, no evidence of arson, at least five dead and several more injured, possible mutant attack.

Chase's face turned a ghostly white as he picked up the paper and dropped it moving backward against the wall of the office. Lights started to flicker and the furniture started to move, the nightmare Chase had. All his life Chase respected everything about the law, he respected others, the thought of what he had done, and with the emotions in his chest and the voices in his head, something had to snap.

"Oh my God, Professor...I didn't...no no no...I didn't I swear I..." It was happening too fast for him to stop. He could feel the pressure and the voices of Emma and The Professor in his head, almost forcing him into unconsciousness, were he a normal telepath he would be gone by now, but Chase was no longer normal. Scott was about to lift his visor.

"We have to do something."

"No Scott, let Emma and I handle this, we can stop him without harming him." Chase, was cowering in the corner one moment his hands trying to comfort his head, the next the table was thrown out one of the windows and he was standing upright in the same red and yellow outfit from his nightmare.

"Stop me Professor, you can't stop me. You once told Jean Grey that there can be no greater gift than when a student surpasses their teacher. Well behold Charles Xavier, behold your gift, behold the power of the Dark Phoenix!" Chase raised his arms as a familiar fire bird image started to take shape, that was when he felt himself thrown on the ground. When he turned Wolverine was on top of him, one arm holding him still by the neck and the other about to impale him with claws. Chase could barely speak.

"Do it Logan, please, while you can, I don't know how long I can stay in control." The auburn hair, the green eyes, the pleading voice, he was in exactly that same situation a few years back and it didn't turn out that well then either.

Chase.

Chase was in a field of flowers. A meadow he used to visit at his uncles. It was his favorite place. He used to come up there every summer. He was looking out at the rolling clouds and the sunny blue sky. The Professor was with him, standing next to him.

"She's ravenous, almost scared, but she's here for a reason." Chase said.

"But for what Chase tell me?"

"I don't know Professor, I only get flashes, something about hellfire..." The moment ended and Chase realized he was on the floor with Wolverine still on top of him.

"Logan, you can release him, it's okay." The Professor said.

"Like hell it is Chuck, nothing is okay when that thing is on earth."

"Logan, it's alright...I'm satiated, at least for now."

"I only let friends call me Logan kid, and you're not one of them." He got up none the less and Chase followed never taking his eyes off Wolverine.

"Scott, Emma, Hank, could you take Chase to the Danger Room, I think it would be prudent to help him gain more control over his emerging powers, Logan please stay here." They may not have understood why but they did as he instructed. Chase gave Wolverine one last look as he left the room, he was now in his blue version of the outfit.

The Professor lead Logan to his office where he turned in his wheelchair, Logan had just shut the door.

"What the hell's going on Chuck? There are kids all over the school talking about him, you are not seriously going to let him live?" Wolverine was very assertive.

"Logan as I remember you stabbed Jean several times in the ice over Antarctic, and she just kept getting back up, in the end if Phoenix doesn't want to die, he won't." Logan just shook his head.

"I thought this was all over, Jean is gone, Maddy, Rachel, the cuckoos, all gone." The Professor tilted his head slightly.

"He…seems to have some sort of connection with Jean…though I am not sure what…he also mentioned something about….Hellfire." Logan's eyes got darker.

"No, Sinister, Cassie, all of them are gone…you know it's impossible to keep shutting these psychos down when they keep coming back up."

"Logan, I think I am going to send the two of you on a mission, to Russia."

"Me and Phoenix, hell no Chuck, I'll check out the Hellfire Club on my own." Logan said as he started to turn.

Logan, he needs someone to watch him, who is strong enough to….do what needs to be done should the need arise.

"I ain't no babysitter Chuck, that's Scott's job."

"Yes but he seems to have a…attraction to you."

"You gotta be shittin' me the kid's a fudgepacker?"

"His sexuality not withstanding , yes, but more than that he needs someone and if anyone knows how to get through to the Phoenix, it is you." Wolverine just shook his head, arguing would do no good, after all these years with the X-men he knew this.

"Alright Chuck we'll play it your way, take the kid to the last place we fought the Hellfire Club, I got it. When do we leave?"

"I am having dinner with the Senator, and I think Chase needs some training so in about a week."

It was a few days and there had been no incidents with Chase. The grounds were at peace and the Professor's office put back together, Chase needed some air. He had been training with Emma Frost in the Danger Room for the past few days, perfecting the use of his powers, more likely to keep control of them. Chase walked down the stairs as several students glanced at him. He was wearing only a small bikini brief on his way to the pool. His body perfectly proportioned, his hair, his eyes, the huge bulge in his briefs. Phoenix had the perfect specimin. He was always lean, but now he was almost pure muscle, like a swimmer, his pecks well defined, his eyes a deeper shade of green than he had ever seen, and his hair was almost a fire red.

He passed the office of Hank McCoy on his way outside. Hank gasped as he saw the man's ensemble. Chase just smirked sensing the thoughts.

"You know Mr. Pryor there is a dress code here, there are kids underage." He said tinkering with a few test tubes. Chase stopped and entered Hank's office.

"I'm sorry Mr. McCoy, I just like the looks, I would go nude if I could." Chase said sitting on Hank's desk.

"Why?" Hank asked raising his furry brow. The man was like a huge panther to Chase.

"I don't know, it's like I need to feel it...so where's the Professor?" Chase asked telekinetically lifting a paper weight.

"He and Scott and Emma went to have dinner with Senator Pryde." Hank said taking the paperweight from the air and putting it on the desk. Chase just looked down and smiled.

"There's just nothing to do, at least nothing fun...do you like to have fun Mr. McCoy?"

Hank just turned slightly, the man was actually flirting with him. Chase slid off the desk and went to Hank rubbing his hand on the X-man's chest. How would it feel to make love to Hank, a big beast inside him. Chase's empathic powers started to manifest as he could not keep his sexual desire in check. Hank couldn't help but feel turned on, as Chase broadcasted his emotions on to the teacher.

"M...Mr. Pryor, I don't like men...in that way." Hank said unable to keep composure. The office door closed thanks to Chase who started unbuttoning Hank's shirt.

"You've never been curious..." Chase said knowing full well the answer.

"I...just...ugh..." Chase started moving his hand to Beast's pants which were already showing visible signs of an erection.

"You've had to be so gentle with the women you were with, because you might hurt them, but you don't have to be that way with me, I can take the Beast Hank, give him to me, rip me apart from the inside." Chase said about to touch Hank's throbbing member. Hank then pushed him back grasping his desk to restrain himself. He looked at Chase angrily.

"I...oh my God, I'm sorry Mr. McCoy...I just...I was always very horny but I just now...it's like I hunger for it...I feel so fucking much..." Hank calmed down as he seen the tears in Chase's eyes.

"It's okay Chase, as far as I know you are the first host of the Phoenix to be a man, let alone a gay man, there are bound to be some...differences...just be mindful, you are empathic as well as telepathic, you can channel your emotions onto someone, like you just did." Chase bit his lip.

"I'm going to go lay out for a bit, hopefully a swim will clear my head." Hank nodded and started writing in a notebook as Chase left.

subject sexual appetite, unsatiable, seems like the Phoenix is using sex as an outlet for it's need of new experiences.

Chase had been sun bathing for at least an hour. He didn't hear anything, and for the first time since he had become the Phoenix he didn't sense anything either. It was a moment of absolute piece that was relatively short lived as a car slammed on top of him.

The waiter gave the four of them a knowing look and then nodded one more time to the Senator. Professor Xavier smiled at seeing his student excel at her dreams, it made him proud.

"So when are we going to discuss the unicorn in the room." Kitty said.

"I never got that phrase," Emma said. Scott laughed a bit as he sipped his water.

"I assume you mean Mr. Pryor." The Professor said softly in his usual monotone voice. Kitty nodded. "He's recuperating."

"You never could lie well Professor, I was able to get him released into your custody but the judge is going to want to know the status, he is after all the only witness alive who can testify what happened."

"There were others?" Scott asked. Kitty nodded.

"Three others, one was a known terrorist, the other two were mutants. The DNA hasn't turned up much else."

"Did he kill them?" Emma asked.

"I doubt it Scott, Phoenix usually doesn't do anything so menial." The Professor answered. Kitty snickered.

"Well considering she...it's responsible for the death of a few billion people I didn't think so either."

"So the question is was he here to burn or to help." Emma said. She knew full well the extent of what it was that Chase had inside him, she had been with it for only a few minutes but it was enough to give her a lasting imprint on her.

"I think the bigger question is why him, why now. You guys said the Phoenix was gone, without Rachel, Jean, Madelyne and the Cuckoos, there's no one else that it could inhabit."

"Kitty the Phoenix is omnipotent, it could resurrect any of those you just said, my concern is why it chose Mr. Pryor." The Professor took another sip from his glass.

"Professor, I don't think the Phoenix chose him at all." Scott said, from a long silence.

"What do you mean darling?" Emma said holding his hand.

"What I am saying is that from what you said when you were in his head and what he said, Jean appeared to him, not the Phoenix, she gave it to him."

"That is an appropriate estimation Scott, but we are no close to finding out why now then we were a week ago."

"I'll keep the judge and the feds off of you for as long as I can but you have to get something soon, they are not going to let this go, he is a material witness and some even think he is the terrorist, I know he didn't bring down that building because I know what the Phoenix Effect is, but not many other people even know what an Omega Level Mutant are let alone trying to understand the essence of the Universe made flesh."

"Thanks Kitty, we will do what we can, I am sending Logan with him."

"Is that wise, he does seem to have a crush on the poor boy." Emma said smirking. Kitty winced.

"You mean he's gay?" Emma nodded, Kitty turned to the Professor.

"Yes it seems that this is true, he seems to have a connection to Logan, after all he is the one that seemed to draw him." Kitty then recieved a text message, she picked up her phone and her eyes glanced up.

"Well it seems the press got a hold of his location, there are news vans on their way to the mansion."

"This does not bode well, Scott prepare the van, we need to leave." The Professor said motioning for the waiter to give him his check.

Hank McCoy was the first one outside when he heard the sound of crashing metal. He found a car laying on one of the chairs and Magneto hovering overhead.

"Erik please tell me you didn't do that."

"Is Charles now harboring fugitives, he deserves no better for what he tried to do to all those mutants." Magneto's voice was stern and Hank shook his head.

"You don't know the details Erik you shouldn't ass..." The sound of metal cut Beast off as the car exploded into a litter of debree, and standing where it was hovering was a very much alive Chase Pryor wearing a familiar Blue and gold Phoenix outfit. Erik Lensherr, froze in place as he recognized the emblem.

Flashes ran through Chase's mind, like the last time Magneto and the Phoenix collided talons, where he had killed Jean Grey, those memories were fresh.

"Erik Lensherr, this is going to be fun." Chase said smiling.

"I don't understand." Magneto said.

"Last time you killed me, this time, I think I should return the favor." With that Chase's arms opened wide as the Phoenix Effect came together behind him, fully formed since he had been there.

"Oh dear." Hank said.

The Professor and Emma both reeled in pain as their minds were on fire, it was the only thing it could be, the unfettered fury of the Phoenix.

"Scott...drive faster..." The Professor said, Scott was already going over a hundred in a 45 mile zone.

The senior students knew the drill they got the younger ones out of the mansion but even they stopped to watch the most amazing and frightening sight, the Phoenix in all its glory. But still Chase knew, this was only a smidgeon of what was felt inside the great M'krann Crystal. His power was a song within him, one that could not be ignored.

Magneto protected himself with his magnetic shields, he was using all his strength but he knew it would do little good in the end. He hadn't killed Jean Grey, that was an imposter but he doubted the current host for Jean's avatar would listen. The raptor's claws broke through his shield with contemptuous ease. Magneto unleashed a massive electromagnetic blast into the raptor, all Chase could do was smile.

"That the best you got? This isn't even worth my time, I'm not even breaking a sweat."

"I don't know who you are but you have not tasted the full effect of Mag..." His mind was becoming scrambled as he felt a presence invading it. "How...my helmet..."

"Your helmet may stop me from affecting your mind but since I control all molecules I just made it go away." Magneto realized the helmet was disintegrating on top of him.

"Now Magneto let's play a game, just you, me, and the Phoenix!"

"Chase stop!" Logan was the one who said it, if it were anyone else the reaction might not have been so great."

"He killed her Logan, you would protect him?"

"No he didn't kill her...read his mind...better yet you fucker, read mine."

Chase had seen the truth, but even more so he seen the other students running from the grounds, he seen the way he looked in Magneto's mind as well as Logan's and the students. It was that moment that caused Chase Pryor to cry.

"I won't do this...I won't do this...you hear me, you can't make me do this!" There was a blinding light and all the damage was undone, Magneto floated over head with his helmet back on, Chase was on the ground in his bikini briefs shivering. Hank rushed over to him and wrapped a blanket around him carrying in the house.

"I don't understand.."

"That's your problem Lensherr, you don't understand, you never did, like try using the door to visit instead of flat out attacking a member of this school, but this time, you bit off a little more than you can chew, this Phoenix doesn't play like Jean." He said as he turned away.

The Professor, Scott and Emma made it back to the mansion to see Chase in Beast's lab holding on to a scalpel, Logan was there as well. Magneto was in the waiting room as Storm gathered the students back into the mansion.

"What's going on here..." The Professor said.

"I won't do this anymore, I won't..."

"Chase calm down it was Magneto's fault..." Hank said consolingly. Chase shook his head, sweating and crying at the same time.

"I was going to kill, him worst the way I was going to do it would have caused him so much pain, I wanted to rip him apart but keep him alive while doing it...this is too much, a week ago I killed 5 people for no reason except I liked the way it felt and today I...scared the hell out of every student here...I am not worth this..."

"Chase, try and calm down we will find a way to help you..." The Professor said, Chase was blocking his telepathy.

"You can't help me Professor, you have no idea what it is like, even you Frost, you spent five minutes as Phoenix, I have been Phoenix for a week, and I am done, I am hanging on by my fingernails and I can feel the Phoenix taking control and part of me welcomes it...I am ending this before someone else gets hurt..." With that he shoved the scalpel inside him, he keeled over and slid to the ground wincing in pain, Logan was the first to get to him, when he turned the boy over there was nothing, no scalpel not even a wound, just some blood on the floor. Chase looked up at him in one of the most horrible realizations. "I can't even kill myself." Logan perhaps for the first time since meeting Chase felt sorry for him. He tried to take his own life, where Jean always let someone else do it for her. There was strength in that which Logan knew. Chase just looked at the people in the room. Emma was hanging on to Scott, the Professor next to Beast looking at him. Chase just nodded and smiled. "I'm going to bed, I'm sorry, I truly am."

When he got to his room Storm was waiting for him, he looked away from her. She was folding some clothes and set them on the nightstands, walked over to Chase and ever so gently hugged him. He cried, he let it all out, and Storm just held him, much like she had to do to Jean some nights. The Professor, Hank, they were trying to treat the Cosmic element, the Phoenix, but Storm she knew that sometimes the best thing that you could do was treat the human element.

"You have a lot of burden in your shoulders little one and I do not envy it, but you are not alone in burdening it, we are all here to help you." Chase just cried and slowly he fell asleep in her arms, cradling him like a mother.

"Chase Pryor." He didn't know if he heard it, the voice sounded lost in a fog.

"We found him." This was another voice, not masculine or feminine, just a voice.

"We lost him for years and now…"

"We had to lose him so the Phoenix could find him, now that it has we have found him." Other voices littered on the fog.

"This whole thing was a gamble a foolish gamble, we have no idea what will happen, this was supposed to be a controlled experiment…"

"We never had control, nor would we, this was not an experiment, the only thing we controlled was the outside elements in his life."

"He was bred for one purpose and on alone, to give us control over it."

"It should have been a female.."

"I thought after the last two we learned our lesson, beside men are so easy to control."

"Wait…he is here…"

"Who?"

"The Phoenix is here, he brought it straight to us."

"No…this is not the time yet, we are not ready for you…leave."

There was a mind numbing pain in Chase's head as he screamed as loudly as he could. Wolverine was the first one to break open the doors, claws out and ready.

"Kid…" He said heaving.

"Funny little man." Logan's eyes widened, what was talking was not Chase, that was the Phoenix. He smiled as he raised his arms and a flame surrounded him, encompassing him, and he was gone. The Professor and Emma ran in to see the tail end of the incident.

"What happened?" The Professor asked.

"He screamed and then he disappeared," Logan said. "It wasn't him anymore Professor, that was the Phoenix."

Chase opened his eyes to a place he had never seen before, there were rocks floating and pure emptiness around him, nothing but space. He was flying in space. He gasped several times before realizing not only was he flying but he was breathing, he was actually able to live in it. He scanned the vast array of the solar system, smiling to himself. Never had he felt such an incredible feeling. He was freer than any living being in the universe, he was the universe. He flew straight through a star seeing the very beginnings of life. But he still wondered what he was doing there, why he woke up in space. Then he realized the Phoenix was hungry, it needed energy. It flew into a collapsing star and ate it. Now Chase was in control, the Phoenix was sleeping inside him. The connection between him and his essence was strange, they were one, but yet not. He stopped as he neared Earth. Such a strange world, prejudice, hatred, he could undo I all, he could do anything. But in the end he knew whatever he could do is nothing that he should do.

Logan got back to the mansion around 5 am. He took Scotts bike looking for Phoenix, he knew he wouldn't find it. Logan made his way to his room, the students were all in bed, the Professor and Frost were using Cerebro to try to find Chase. He opened his door and threw his jacket on the floor, that's when he recognized a new scent in his room, it was Chase sitting on his bed.

"Everybody is looking for you." Logan said. He could see Chase's outline on the bed.

"They'll become aware of my location in about five minutes. I wanted to talk to you."

"Is that really you or that thing inside of you?" Logan said almost angry.

"Is there a difference, I mean I am Phoenix. There is no way around that."

"You're just a kid." Logan said sitting next to him. Chase's voice was low, human, not at all what Logan had experienced.

"Hey I am 25 I think I am a bit more than a kid, of course you are over a century old so I guess I would be a kid to you." Logan smirked.

"I don't like people reading my mind."

"You would know if I did, I just know because Jean knew." Logan stopped breathing for a moment at the sound of her name.

"So let me get this straight, you have all those memories in there?"

"Yeah, they feel like my memories, like I experienced them all."

"So you.."

"She never told Scott, the day you kissed. She loved you, but her heart was always his."

"That why you came to my room to use Jean to get me to be nice to you." Logan said getting up angrily.

"No…I feel safe with you."

"Why?" Logan asked.

"Because I know when it comes down to it, you have the balls to do what the others can't…and because you look incredibly sexy in a white t-shirt." Logan smiled. That was unexpected. "One good thing about being Phoenix is I get to be as honest as I want, someone doesn't like it, I erase them." Logan didn't smirk at this. "It's a joke Wolverine."

"Ha ha."

"I know where the Hellfire club is, but they aren't the way you remember them. I have to go to them, they know why this has happened."

"Why what happened?" Logan said.

"Why I am the Phoenix, why Jean chose me…I would love to go back to my life, but I can't, I can't even sleep, when I dream my nightmares become reality."

"Your life is crap, so what Jeannie took it."

"If you only knew Logan…do you want to know what it is like to feel every living molecule of every living person, every feeling, every emotion, every ounce of pain, of awareness, I know it all, nothing secret, nothing sacred, and the worst part is every time I feel, the Phoenix uses that to experience something new. For me, I am new to it, the Phoenix likes that."

The Professor and Emma ran up to Logan's room. Chase just turned slightly.

"I didn't kill anyone. I ate a star, it was good." The Professor and Emma just looked at each other amazed at how calmly he said it.

The X-men waited another two months before setting their plans in action. If the Hellfire club was behind this, no matter what they would be ready for the X-men. All they could do was make sure Chase was well trained in both his powers and frequent psychological evaluations from both Emma and Beast. Storm was the one that really brought the Professor to the decision to send him. She kept saying how Chase was handling the Phoenix, how he had started to accept it in his life, and he had gotten control of his passions, at least as much that could e expected. Ororo said Chase was an amazing man with reserves of inner strength she had rarely seen.

Logan was making some last minute checks on the jet. Professor X and Emma came out to see him, Chase was already seated in the plane.

"You sure you don't want come along?' Logan said. The Professor smiled and shook his head.

"You guys will be fine, it has been a month and no incidents. Besides we are going to pay a visit to Chase's parents and his home town." Logan nodded.

"What do you guys hope to find?"

"I am not sure, but we will let you know."

The X-jet started its lift off procedures as Xavier and Frost turned to wave their goodbyes.

"You didn't tell him?"

"We still don't know exactly who Chase Pryor is, until then I don't want Wolverine's choices to be clouded."

"Thank you for coming with me." Chas turned and looked at Wolverine. For a moment with the auburn hair and the green eyes he thought Jean was staring at him.

"Wasn't really my choice kid." Chase looked down and smiled.

"Regardless…thank you." Logan just looked straight ahead. Chase let out a sigh. "This is going to be a really boring trip if you won't even talk to me."

"You want to talk, talk. That doesn't mean I will listen." Chase shook his head.

"Fine why don't I go in the hold and shoot myself out of an airlock…oh wait that won't work I'll just be back a few minutes later." Wolverine tried not to let it show but he was smiling. The boy's sheer glibness was something refreshing, something even Jean didn't have.

"Look kid I know you mean well, but I don't trust you. You go through more mood swings than Lady Deathstrike and at least with her I don't have to worry about entire galaxies being eaten up for the fun of it. You go from scared boy to all powerful god in an blink of an eye, and now you're just like plain joe blow…so I don't get you." Chase cleared his throat and licked his lips. He realized Wolverine was right. He would never be the same. But it as also something he didn't regret. Because of him thousands of people were alive. He sacrificed any life he could have had, for a life of constant control. He unbuckled his belt and started to walk towards the back of the ship. Then he stopped.

"You know Wolverine, Jean sacrificed herself on that starship to save the people she loved. Maybe it was a good decision but she never regretted it. I didn't have that, I didn't have people I loved in the audience to help me make that choice. I just had what I thought was right."

It took Professor Xavier and Emma Frost to make it to the home of Jon and Marie Chase in about two hours. Beast had already been there for some time. They were welcomed with the usual things, tea, coffee, a pound cake. Everything seemed normal about them. Nothing that would make Charles believe that their son was anything but a young man who was a mutant. But there was something oddly familiar about the house. The way the mother and the father acted to each other, their touches, their looks. The way Chase's father was stern with Xavier. On the wall they had pictures of their children, they had a daughter Sarah who also had a family of her own. Mr. Chase went on about how proud he was of his son and how he didn't believe the media.

Ever since the incident at the mansion, press had been coming to their home as well as the school.

"Mr. and Mrs. Chase I was never at the school when your son was a student there."

"Oh he was so happy to go, when he got done with his training he was so different, so in control. So happy." Mrs. Pryor said. Beast put his hand on his head.

"You say he went to the school for two years, and although I remember him, I just don't remember anything out of the ordinary about him. Like I should."

"My son is ordinary. We have had to deal with is mutation, him being gay, there is nothing wrong with my son." Mr. Pryor said.

It was then that Charles Xavier finally placed it. The inflection and the voice, the stray thoughts he picked up as he was talking to them. It was as if he was staring at an exact copy of John and Marie Grey, Jean's parents.

Emma mind scan them…now..you need to see this. Emma Frost did not hold back at all and used her prowess to invade the minds on their hosts, every memory, every experience was opened to her and she saw exactly what Charles had wanted.

It was at that moment the two parents' eyes started to glow and within moments both the Professor and Emma were reeling in pain. That was until Beast knocked the two parents unconscious with a well placed hit to their heads.

"Are you two alright?" Beast asked helping Emma up.

"This is bad…"

"This is worst than Bad Emma." Charles said.

"Will someone tell me exactly what is going on, not all of us are psychic."

"The parents, every action, every decision….someone grafted the mind templates of John and Marie Grey onto them. Down to their childhood experiences. How they handled their son…everything." Emma cleared some strands of hair from her face.

"What?" Beast said with his eyes widened.

"They are John and Marie Grey although the names were changed and the past different, that's why I recognized their actions, their mannerisms. Someone made these people exactly like Jean Grey's parents."

"This is all starting to make sense and not in a good way." Emma said standing up.

"Well what happened to them? They were all coffee and tea and then die."

"A supplanted personality. A telepath, albeit a strong telepath can surgically alter a mind and plant a sub-personality, one that will only take control when certain conditions are met."

"What happens to the original personality?"

"Hank the original people who were John and Marie Pryor, were destroyed when they were grafted with the Grey personalities and then those were destroyed when the new personality took over." Beast was stunned when Emma had said this. Two people who were never given the chance to live.

"Cassandra Nova, my sister is the only other person in the world with that kind of power."

"Besides yourself Charles." Xavier gave Emma a look when she said this. She smiled. "I'm just saying."

"But she's dead, along with the rest of the Hellfire Club." Beast said.

"Maybe she didn't get to see her little experiment come to fruition." Emma stated kneeling and touching the still bodies of the parents. "Their minds are gone, totally wiped to stop evidence."

"I still don't…"

"Hank. Jean is the ultimate Avatar of the Phoenix. No one, not cable, the cuckoos, Emma, Rachel or Madelyne ever had the amount of control Jean Grey had over the Phoenix Force. Sinister tried to duplicate it with Madeleyne and he failed. She went nuts because although her genetic imprint was Jean her personality was not."

"So you're saying Chase is some sort of clone?" Beast said.

"More than that…if he was cloned from Madelyne or Jean, and then raised in this family, with parents exactly like Jean's you have both nature and nurture all in one shell. From the time he fell off his first bike to the time he came to our school, it was all just the natural evolution of who he was, his life is an exact parallel of Jean Grey's." The Professor started to pick up his communicator.

"He was eerily annoying. But I do have to say much more fun than Jean ever was." Emma said.

"Maybe that's because he wasn't interested in Scott…wait does that mean Jean and Logan…"

"Were you blind? But no Logan and Jean never…but that's why Logan has an effect on the boy." Emma said.

"So they created another hero for the Phoenix?"

"No Beast they created a perfect host. Someone the Phoenix would be drawn to. Someone that it could bond with."

"Okay I get that Charles but for what, so we could have someone with that kind of muscle on our side?" Beast started scratching his head.

"It's possible he's a sleeper like these two were. They are going to wait till just the right time and then destroy who Chase is and replace it with whatever sleeper personality they planted in him. Trapping the Phoenix in a body of someone more in line with what they need…another black Queen."

"I need to call Logan."

"No need Brother…you won't be alive long enough to tell him anything." The three turned as the shadow crept over the table and the dining room, he was massive as they remembered him…Juggernaut.

Logan and Chase got to Russia in about four hours. They were staying at a small hotel near the abandoned Hellfire Club mansion that was the burial ground of the last battle between Cassandra Nova, Rachel Grey and the X-men. Sebastion Shaw and Mr. Sinister also met his demise at that battle as well as Seline and the rest of the inner circle.

The Hellfire club had been the X-men's worst enemy. They were insidious, they were the reason Dark Phoenix was created in the first place. Their resources were unlimited, and the new Hellfire Club had been stronger than ever. Brought together by Cassandra Nova they were unbeatable, but the X-Men beat them, it cost Rachel her life, but they were stopped.

Chase had checked in while Logan went up to their room. They had two beds and one room, seemed it was all that was left, much to Logan's dismay. Chase was wearing a heavy sport coat and jeans, he changed his costume by rearranging the molecules in his uniform, much the way Jean used to do the same. Logan felt oddly comfortable with Chase, he reminded him so much of Jean. That was something that scared Logan although he would never admit it. Jean never would betray Scott, Logan knew this, that's why he was almost glad she was gone. The constant ache was over. But then Jean could not be had by any man. She was Phoenix, and that calling put her so far above humanity than a human above an amoeba. Chase was different though. In the months since he had been at the school as Phoenix, he went from a shy boy to a strong individual. He accepted the Phoenix but he accepted he was also human and the Phoenix.
Chase threw his bags on the bed and laid down. Logan was looking at the window.

"Log…Wolverine…why don't we go to dinner, I am famished."

"You can go if you want to kid I'm fine, tonight we'll head to the mansion."

"What do you hope to find there, if the Hellfire Club is here they are hidden even from the Phoenix."

"I'll sniff them out, they can't hide." Chase breathed in.

"Look, I have been stuffed in a mansion for three months, hounded by the press and Magneto, had more psycho evaluations with the White Queen than anyone…the least you could do is have dinner with me, it's my first time in Russia…besides you could make sure I don't incinerate anyone." Logan just glared at him. "Kidding." Logan just shook his head.

"Fine. I'll take a shower." Logan said going into the bathroom. Chase just stared out the window as a tear escaped his eye. What I wouldn't give to join him. Chase thought.

They had rented a car and gone to a nearby restaurant. It was easier if they had blended in, tactically the Hellfire club was notorious for stopping them in direct confrontations. But this time they had the Phoenix on their side.

"I am not sure what this is but it's delicious." Logan had been pretty silent the whole. Chase dropped his fork on the plate. "Logan, look, I'm just a guy okay, and I need some conversation and I know you hate me but at least give me the time of day...I am trying I really am." Logan could almost hear Jean in the back of his head saying how unfair he is being.

"The food's good kid." Logan and Chase talked candidly, it was the first time the two of them really talked. He was surprised to find out about Chase going into the military and being discharged for being gay. It was late when they got back to the hotel.

"My dad used to take me to the fair near our house, I don't know why but I loved the Merry Go Round. I just felt like nothing could harm me there, the horses would protect me."

Logan stopped in his tracks and the normal stare he had turned into an angry stare.

"Why did you say that to me?" Chase shook his head.

"What do you mean?"

"That was Jean's memory, she said the exact same thing to me, what kind of game are you playing?" Chase searched his soul although he knew it was Jean's memory, it was also his, before he ever became the Phoenix.

"Logan this happened years ago before I even knew any of the X-men and it happened to me…I" Logan got out of the car and Chase followed close behind him inside the hotel and up to their room as soon as the door closed Logan ripped off his shirt revealing his broad shoulders and a white wife beater.

"I don't get you, and I don't want to." Logan said.

"Logan, I want you to understand something, Jean Grey is dead!" I meant it to be a statement, I tried to portray that, but he took it as much worse. I said her name, I told him she was dead, I knew what that meant but at this moment that wasn't my concern, he was. Logan jumped in the air with a grace that defied reason, his movements slick and graceful. I heard the unmistakable sounds of his claws coming to bare. You might be wondering who I am about to be impaled by the X-man known as Wolverine, that's easy my name is Phoenix. I guess I am not the first person to have that title but I am currently the only one.

The claws tore into my shoulders with a relative ease, Adamantium can do that to flesh. He snarled as he pushed me back to the wall locking his claws, which were now sticking out the back of my shoulders and into the wall behind me. I almost chuckled wondering what the people in the next room must be thinking with the yelling and three knives sticking out their wall.

There was pain, I doubt I even screamed, but there was pain, and there was blood. I could feel it burning out of the wound and my white T-shirt was turning a dark red color, Logan's bare chest was covered in it as well.

This had been coming for weeks, our constant arguing and the anger with me that had nothing to do with who I was but more what I represent. He was angry, he was sad, and he was lonely. In his mind all he saw was Jean. He loved her like nothing else in his life and somehow I was the reason she is not here. I never wanted this. I didn't ask for any of this. When you're a child and someone asks you what you want to be when you grow up, no one tells them I want to be a God. I wanted to be a police officer. That dream came true, but this nightmare was not my idea.

Logan was flinging words directed at me but I couldn't hear him. He was beautiful in this primal animal like state, though that could be the pain in my shoulders or a 24 year old gay man's lust I don't know, but looking in his eyes I think I finally understood him better than I had. Jean was the only one he cared for, killed for, lived for. She was his passion, his end, and in all honesty I was the reminder of her legacy.

The burning in my shoulders built to a brazier. Wolverine kept yelling, I couldn't understand him even though he was right in the front of me. All I could do was clench my teeth until the pain turned to anger. He was pissing me off, and when you are the current host for the very power of creation, that is not something you should do.

I almost passed out from the burning in my shoulders but I held firm and psychokinetically retracted his claws. As I lifted him from the ground and slammed him back to the other side of the room I realized something, the pain was gone and the burning, that wasn't from the wound that was from the fire, the fire of being Phoenix.

He tried to move but he knew he couldn't, I could erase him from existence, every trace of him, wipe everyone's memory of him, change the face of the entire planet, that was within the scope of my abilities, I could destroy this planet and rebuild it a million times over, that is within the scope of my abilities, I know that now, and the thought that scares me is what I would do if Logan wasn't here to stop me.

"Logan I have taken your jives, I have let you order me around and make me feel like I am the worst thing in this galaxy, but I want you to understand one thing and one thing only..."

"What's that kid that you're a fucking..."

"That I love you." He stopped struggling and I think I started crying. "In the past few weeks you have put me through so much hell, but I see you, I see you to the very core of your being and I know you are in pain, but you have been strong for me when I couldn't find the strength, you talked me down from ledges impossibly high and without you I don't think he..." I was once told by Charles Xavier that the Phoenix is the ultimate avatar of truth, and only when one comes face to face with the truth does he truly accept the mantle of the Phoenix, as my telekinetic shield around Logan faded I realized he was right. He stared at me and I saw myself through his eyes, I wasn't myself any longer.

It is nearly impossible to explain what it is like to realize that you are no longer yourself, that although you exist, someone else is you, speaking with your mouth, using your flesh. I was there but I wasn't in control. Hundreds of People have been host to the Phoenix, across time, across space, but in end only one of them could have calmed the raging sea that is Wolverine.

"I don't think he would have made it through the last few weeks without your help." She moved...I moved towards him, she put her hand on his face and her green eyes reflected on his. "Logan he needs you, because you out of everyone know what he has to battle everyday for the rest of his life, because only you know the only thing that can tame the passion of the Phoenix, is the fire of love, that's why I sent him to you, to the X-men." She, I moved closer to him, he closed his eyes as their lips touched.

I awoke kissing Logan, a sudden chill ran through me forcing me to open my eyes and stop. I was me again, I was here and although I didn't want to pull away, every beat of my heart lived for that moment, I forced myself to release him.

He opened his eyes when I stopped kissing him. He was so calm now, so gentle. It was a side very few ever see in him. His eyes were full of tears. I know I had some myself, and despite my strength I was trembling. I couldn't look into his eyes any longer, I had to turn away.

"I...I'm sorry Logan." I didn't know what else to say, what could I say? How do you explain what just happened, how do you explain to a man like Logan that you love him, and you need him to love you too. I started to walk away. I stopped as I felt his hand on my shoulder. I turned, looking into his eyes, those damn eyes.

"Don't...don't go." he said. His voice cracked, it was so masculine, and so gentle at the same time. I looked down as he put his other hand on my shoulder. I shook my head knowing this was too good to be true for me.

"I'm not her Logan, I'll never be her, and I can't bring her back for you..."

"I'm not asking her to stay, I'm asking you." Finally I looked up and I again saw myself in his eyes, I was not Jean Grey, not even the Phoenix, I was Chase Pryor.

Juggernaut was taken down mostly by Emma in her diamond form. Charles scanned his mind he had no memory of why he was even there.

"This is bad, she could have gotten to anyone."

"Is his mind gone?" Beast asked.

"No I was able to remove the supplanted personality before it could destroy his mind totally."

"We should get out of here, I hear sirens in the distance."

"We need to get to Russia, I can't contact Logan or Chase, let's get to the mansion."

Chase woke up in Logan's arms. Nuzzling the hair on his chest he yawned.

"Good morning." Logan said smiling.

"Morning." As they started looking around the room it was in disarray, chairs and table were destroyed, burn marks were on the walls and there were cracks in them as well.

"I don't think we are going to be getting our deposit back." Chase said. Logan smiled and kissed him.

"Last night…kid that was amazing. I never thought…"

"Sex with a God could be so great?" Logan smiled.

"No actually sex with a guy." Chase sat up.

"You've been alive for over a century and you never once did anything but women?" Logan put his arms behind his head.

"Nope."

"Wow I deflowered Wolverine…what the fans must think." They both laughed, Logan was happier at that moment than he had in a long time.

"How do you feel?" Chase breathed in heavily.

"Like a million bucks, and you were amazing I mean that whole against the wall thing was just…"

"And what about you and the whole Phoenix effect burning the room, while we were in the air?"

"There are definitely some benefits to being the Phoenix." Logan smiled again. "Logan…what are we gonna' do?"

"We're going to stop the Hellfire Club and then go back home."

"Just like that? I mean about us, is this a one time thing or…" Logan gave him a hug and pulled him back down to the bed.

"No, I really don't care what people think, I wouldn't have done this with just any guy."

"I think that's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"It's true kid. I think I have waited my whole life for you."

"Is it because of her…"

"With Jean it never worked. With you it did."

"What did she ever see in Scott, he is so annoying." Logan laughed. There was a knock at the door.

"That's probably the hotel manager wondering about all the noise last night." Chase got up and put on his boxer briefs. He opened the door and before it was even half open there was a shot, from a shotgun. Chase flew back with incredible force as blood splattered on Wolverine and the room. Logan jumped off the bed screaming. He was feral and he was no longer in control. It wasn't just the Hotel manager, the hotel was full of people with guns and swords, they were no match for Wolverine but they all shot at him, all tried to kill him. It only took Logan a few minutes to kill everyone, he was bleeding, bullets were popping out of him left and right. He was hyperventilating. All he could see was Chase shot, over and over again. A hand touched his shoulder he immediately tried to stab it but his claws retracted before they could. It was Chase wearing his blue Phoenix costume. He came to his senses hugging him, crying.

"It's okay Logan, it's okay."

"I thought…." He buried his face in Chase's chest.

"It'll take more than a few bullets to kill the Phoenix." Just then the hotel rocked with an explosion. It decimated the Hotel. When the smoke cleared there was just wood and debris.

"Do you think we killed them?" Mr. Sinister said.

"What a pity, maybe they weren't as strong as we thought." The voice was Seline, now disfigured from her last encounter with the X-men. They had been watching the whole night from miles away.

"Well at least we got a show, I do have to say I would love to have studied the Phoenix's effect on Wolverine." Just then the sound of another explosion and debris shot out from all over as the Phoenix Effect lit up the country side.

"Someone is pissing me off." Logan said, now dressed in his Wolverine uniform

"You and I both." Before they could move both were thrown on the ground as two clones of Wolverine impaled them. Logan yelled. The clone on top of Chase didn't last long as he was incinerated. He then turned his attention to the one on top of Wolverine who he incinerated.

"You have clones?"

"They could never…" Logan gulped as he saw several hundred in front of him all wearing a black version of his costume. Chase looked at Wolverine's stomach, he was holding it as blood poured from the wound, he has internal bleeding, the adamantium claws tore through his adamantium skeleton. They all jumped on them, Chase telekinetically threw Logan further away knowing he would have died had he stayed.

The claws tore at Chase, there was blood, so much blood and as three were killed three more took their place. He must have been stabbed hundreds of times, until finally the last clone was incinerated. Logan ran back to find Chase holding his stomach on his knees.

"You ever do that again…"

"I was saving your life, remember I'm immortal, I don't die unless I want…but I recommend I not go through that again for a very long time."

"Too late." The voice was one Logan knew well. Mr. Sinister.

"Essex….I killed you."

"Well I got better. And you Chase, what a remarkable specimen, I didn't think you had it in you but you have total control of the Phoenix."

"What are you talking about." Sinister was joined by Seline and Cassandra Nova, both only a shadow of what they looked like when Logan last met them. Nova was hooked up to an oxygen chair and Seline was burned beyond recognition.

"Logan get away from him." The voice belonged to Charles who was joined by Beast, Storm, Emma and Cyclops courtesy of a portal from Slipstream.

"Chuck?"

"Looks like the cat's out of the bag." Seline said.

"What are you talking about?" Chase said angrily.

"We did it right this time. Years ago I cloned Madelyne Pryor, I thought she was just going to stay dead so I started cloning a boy. When Madelyne woke up Because of the Phoenix that was the spark I needed. But Madelyne was flawed. She looked like Jean but even she could not contain the Phoenix Force and it went straight back to Jean. So I thought what better way to gain control of the Phoenix than through Jean Grey. I took an egg from Marie Grey and put my specimen inside it then implanted it in a woman."

"Cassie here was just waking up and Nathanial knew she'd be more powerful than you Xavier. So he used her to make exact duplicates of the Grey's and put them in the minds of a happy couple." Seline was laughing.

"So then all we had to do was wait. We made sure Cerebro picked up Mr. Pryor after he came of age…taking him to your school. We waited far too long though, the Phoenix kept resurrecting Jean. After we found out how Jean became Phoenix from the Avenger's computers, we orchestrated something similar to see if that could happen again…and it did."

"So…" Logan was almost in tears. Chase looked up at him, he was still weak from the battles but he stood up.

"I don't care what I am a clone, of you have no right…" Chase's eyes glowed and he held his hand outstretched towards the three but nothing happened.

"Kid what are you waiting for…" Logan said.

"I don't…"

"That was the trigger and now little Chase becomes our Black King."

"No…no…I am the Phoenix…..my mind…"

"We needed you weak, and thanks to what Logan did when Jean last became Phoenix we knew exactly what to do to suppress the Phoenix Force inside you allowing our sleeper to come to life."

"Logan kill me…." Chase said as he started screaming.

"I can't kid…..I"

"Logan run I can't…"

"X-men." Charles said and they all knew their jobs. Emma blocked Nova's telepathy by being in diamond form and disconnected her from the oxygen tank. Storm hit Seline with a lightning bolt and Cyclops cut through Mr. Sinister with his blast.

"This was all too….argh…." Charles put his hands on his head as shear pain ran through him. The bodies on the ground turned to a gelatin like substance that started moving together forming someone the X-men knew well…Apocalypse.

" It was you the whole time!" Logan yelled holding Chase who was unconscious.

"I learned of Sinister and Nova's experiment but you killed them years ago before it came to fruition…I was formless and used their dead bodies to give me a place to rest."

"I can understand Sinister but why you?"

"The Phoenix is the only thing that has ever stopped me from my destiny, now I will have a new body to inhabit, one of a living God. Phoenix Destroy Them!"

Chase stood up no longer in the blue costume but a black and gold one.

"As you wish." He said.

Logan was the first to feel his wrath as he grabbed the mutant and threw him. Beast was able to catch him. Storm shoved a gale in Phoenix's direction with Cyclops blasting the center of it.

Apocalypse looked barely the thing they had come to know, he was now just a psychic spirit given form through the molecules of dead mutants. The winds didn't last very long as Black Phoenix dispersed the air and hit storm with a massive mind blast, she fell with Beast playing catch with her too.

"Okay this is getting tedious." Beast said. Emma couldn't change from her diamond form knowing that she was blocked from all telepathy. Also knowing her diamond form was the only thing that could contain the Phoenix. She lifted a rock up and threw it at him. Black Phoenix changed the rock to solid gold having it crash on the ground.

"Charles." Emma said as he entered Phoenix's mind. His mind was an array of corridors, all closed to him. As he neared the center of it he saw the Phoenix, chained and bound, around it the smoky essence of all the previous hosts. It was only a moment before Black Phoenix slammed him out of his head. The effect made Xavier start convulsing. Emma ran over to him changing to her regular form to try and keep Xavier's mind together/

"Oh good, I get to kill you both at the same time." Black Phoenix raised his arm about to strike when a familiar voice caught its attention.

"Enough…if you're going to kill someone kill me first." Logan said.

"Do you really think I won't?"

"I know you will. But if you do, do it because you want to. Do it for the new experience." Beast was beside him.

"Logan…what are you doing…"

"I'm giving Chase a fighting chance." He whispered he stepped closer to the Black Phoenix who landed in front of him. "Do it because it makes you feel good, it makes you feel powerful. You're the God. The Phoenix."

Charles woke up with a little help from Emma.

"What's he doing?"

"I…am…" Black Phoenix started shaking.

"You want a new experience Phoenix, well you stay in there and there won't be anymore, Apocalypse will bleed you dry and you won't ever feel again."

"Stop it…" Black Phoenix said grabbing him by the throat and lifting him off the ground.

"Start with me. After all I meant what I said, I waited my whole life for you and without you…I don't want to go on."

"Why…"

"Because Chase, I love you."

"I'm not Ch…I…I'm not Ch.." Logan was released as the Black Phoenix started realing in pain.

"Kill them I said!" Apocalypse screamed at the entity. "You are the Black King, the host of Apocalypse you are…"

"I am Fire, I am Life Incarnate, I am Phoenix." His costume was all white with gold. He flew up. "I burn away what doesn't work…and you…you don't work in my universe." His eyes glowed orange as the Phoenix Effect surrounded him. It grabbed the entity Apocalypse. "You had your chance, the X-men stopped you, I stopped you…now mutants need a world without you, one where they make their own choices. Enjoy your death Apocalypse, you won't be coming back." Apocalypse screamed in pain and then simply ceased to be. Phoenix looked at the X-men. As it floated down to them it changed to Jean Grey.

"Thank you…I knew you would win."

"Jean…" Charles said as he smiled at her.

"Hello Charles, Emma, Beast…Scott." He smiled a bit as she looked at him.

"Hello little sister." Ororo said hugging her.

"Is it over? Is the threat of Apocalypse finally over?"

"Both of us are."

"What?" Beast said.

"It's time Phoenix left mutants alone to find their own way. It's not the time for a Phoenix, it's time to embrace the future for all mutants."

"Does that mean we will never see you again?" Charles asked.

"I will always be watching, you are my family, just as the stars are my children. You gave the Phoenix her heart, her soul, and her purpose."

"What about Chase?"

"The body is but an empty shell now, he…sacrificed himself so that Apocalypse could not use him…he gave up his mind so I could take control…I must leave Earth X-men, there are other places that require the Phoenix…Farewell."

Logan was already at the Blackbird before the X-Men realized he was gone.

"You were going to leave without saying hello?" Jean said to him.

"Hey Jeannie." He gave her a hug.

"I guess I am not the Phoenix you were looking for." Logan looked down.

"Male or female, I still love you." She touched his chin.

"Logan Chase wasn't me, he had aspects of who I was, but he forged his own destiny…and he loved you more than I ever could."

"And now he's gone, so I keep losin'." She smiled as best she could. "Can I see him?"

"He's sleeping, in the White Hot Room, waiting for his time…but Logan I promise, you will see him again…and you two will be together…that's a promise from Jean and the Phoenix." She gave him a kiss.

"Goodbye Logan, until I see you again." With that The White Phoenix of the Crown, the deity that is creation left the planet that gave it a name and a soul and reached for the stars.

Epilogue

When he awoke nothing was familiar, he looked around trying to get his bearings. He was wet, slimy and nude like he had just been given birth. He could feel himself breathing and the cold of the stone floor below him. Dust permeated the air around him. His eyes finally opened as his senses reached out for anything tangible. There were people coming, he couldn't read them, his mind still fuzzy. He coughed up some pink mucus as he tried to stand but immediately fell. His muscles were atrophied from little use as he heard his own voice."

"Log…Logan…" Two hands grabbed him helping him up as a form started slapping him, trying to get him to stay awake.

"Hey, come on we need to get out of here, she already knows where you are."

"Who….who are…you…"

"You know me Chase we have never met in the flesh, but you know me, my name's Rachel Grey…and welcome to hell."