XXXXXX

The city of Manhattan is in ruins. Fires light the night sky: buildings, cars, nearly everything has been lit aflame. An explosion goes off and a huge fireball goes upwards towards the sky.

Colossus and Rogue charge into frame, pursued by an unseen assailant.

"This way!" Colossus shouted.

Rogue looks up and sees Storm flying overhead.

"Storm!" Rogue yelled.

Storm flies to the ground as lasers go off around her.

"Stay together." Storm looks around and sees that two people are missing. "Where's Bobby and Kurt?"

"I don't know, we got split up."

Lasers continue to go off and causes yet another explosion causing a car and other debris to come towards the three of them.

"Watch it!"

Storm uses her powers to spin out of the way. Colossus grabs onto Rogue, allowing them to metal up at the same time as debris comes at them, and bounces harmlessly off them.

"Are you crazy!" Rogue yelled at Colossus, angry and concerned at the same time.

"I was just trying to protect you!"

As Rogue reverts back to normal, she sees a pair of boots and looks up to see Logan standing over her.

"Logan?"

"How much time?" He asked.

"Two minutes, tops."

"What the hell is she thinking?"

"Good to see you again, too."

Logan casually strolls over to where Storm is crouched, watching approaching searchlights.

"Logan! What are doing here?"

Logan lights his cigar with a burning piece of rubble.

"Enjoying the scenery. You?"

Elsewhere, Civilians are running in between the burning houses trying to get away when they start disappearing into blue puffs of smoke. Nightcrawler is teleporting them to the safety of a steel bunker. As he does, Iceman is freezing incoming missiles headed for him.

He looks over as Nightcrawler teleports the last person.

"Hurry, Kurt! We're running out of time!"

He is now oblivious to a missile headed straight for him.

BAMF!

Nightcrawler quickly teleports Iceman out of the way just before the missile strikes. Iceman gasps when he realizes what just happened.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

Rogue and Colossus trail Logan. Nightcrawler and Iceman run to where Storm is and they all meet up.

"Kurt, did you get everyone to safety?" Storm asked.

"Yes."

"All right, everybody in position."

Before they can form up, a mortar explodes mere feet away. Everyone takes cover for a moment before Storm addresses them all.

"We stay in formation, no matter what. Let's go!"

They run out into the open and a massive Robot towards over them.

"Well, this shouldn't take long." Logan said to himself as he threw his cigar away. He then turned to Colossus. "Hey tin man, how good's your throwing arm?"

"It's decent." Colossus responded.

"Logan, we work as a team!" Storm yelled.

Logan ignored her.

"Throw me. Now!"

Colossus grabs and spins Logan around once and throws him up to the robot as hard as he can.

SNIKT!

The rest of the team could hear the sound of metal and wires being ripped apart before the robot's head plops to the ground, Logan riding it the whole way. When it comes to a stop, Logan leaps off and dusts his shoulders off.

"Class dismissed."

The X-Men regroup, and Manhattan fades away, becoming the Danger Room, a massive hologram chamber.

"Simulation complete." Said a computer's voice.

"Hey Colossus, nice throw." Logan complimented.

"Thanks."

Storm addresses the team.

"Alright everyone, much better this time around. But we still have some work to do. The next session will be next week, same time."

Nightcrawler, Iceman, Rogue, and Colossus then all turn to exit the room. Logan goes to leave as well but Storm rounds on him.

"What the hell was that?"

"Danger Room session." Logan replied, sarcastically.

"You know what I mean. I was trying to teach these kids something, Logan!"

"I think I taught 'em something."

"It was a defensive exercise."

"Well, you know what they say—"

"No, I don't know what they say. This is a school, you can't just come and go as you please."

"Hey, Ororo—I'm just a sub." Logan walked around her and headed for the exit. "You gotta problem, talk to Scott.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, in one of the bedrooms on the second floor of the mansion, Scott Summers was sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked like he hasn't shaven in weeks.

"Scott."

Scott looked up and around the room.

"Scott…can you hear me?"

"Jean?" Scott asked himself.

In his mind's eye he sees Jean at Alkali Lake, drowning.

"Scott!"

The lake parts slightly.

"I'm still here…"

Scott shook his head, as though shaking the thoughts away. He got up, grabbed a bag, and leaves. He walked down the hall, entered the elevator and took it down to the garage.

As soon as he got to the garage he pressed a button that opened the door. Just then, he heard a voice. A real voice this time.

"Scott."

Scott turned around and saw Charles Xavier, in his wheelchair, staring at him

"There was a danger room session for the kids, you never showed. I had to ask Logan to cover for you."

"Well it's about time he did something around here." Scott said bitterly and sat down on his motorcycle.

"Where are you going?" Xavier asked.

"It's been almost three months, Professor, and I still…I can still hear her inside my head."

"I know much of a toll Jean's death has taken on you. It's part of the grieving process to expect those we have lost to return to us Scott."

Scott shook his head.

"I have to get out of here…to many memories."

"Are you sure that's the best decision?" Xavier asked.

"You're the psychic, you tell me." Scott said.

"Sometimes the mind must figure out things for itself." Xavier said, telling Scott what he had once told Logan.

"Then that's what I'll do." Scott started up his bike, and drove it out of the garage, leaving Xavier with a worried look on his face.