Chapter 4

The next day, Phoenix found herself sitting on the bench overlooking the cliff by the lake. The sounds of the rhythmic laps gently kissing the rocks below, nearly sent her into a meditative state. She had gotten the sleep she needed and felt better, but the trauma of what happened the day before still settled within her. She didn't think any of that would change.

A gentle breeze feathered her hair and the snap of winter hung thickly with it. The patrons of the mansion were all alive with activity, decorating it for the holidays. It was a tradition that was foreign to her. She was aware of the holidays and what they stood for, she just wasn't allowed to participate in them when she was in the labs. And so, when she escaped, she never thought twice about trying to delve into something she never had.

She caught a delicate scent on the breeze and realized she wasn't alone. She turned her head for a moment to see a beautiful red head walking up to her. She moved her legs to allow Jean to sit beside her.

"Not a fan of the holidays?", Jean said announcing her arrival. She didn't want to startle Phoenix.

Phoenix shrugged. "Never had a chance to celebrate them. It doesn't seem like it'd be something I'd want to get into."

Jean paused before sitting down, remembering Phoenix's story. "Do you…know about them?"

Phoenix chuckled. "Yes. I am aware of the traditions. But it wasn't like they had lab decorating contests…", she said and smirked.

Jean nodded and glanced over at Phoenix a few times. Phoenix held her silence. Jean was used to this. In the few times she had talked to her, Phoenix wasn't one to just have idle chit chat.

"Go ahead and ask.", Phoenix said, finally breaking the silence. Jean had to remind herself that Phoenix was an empath.

"When did you want to work in the Danger Room?", Jean asked.

"If you don't have any plans this afternoon…", Phoenix said leaving Jean to pick up the hint. Jean shook her head. Their plans were made.

"Scott said that you are coming along great.", Jean said, keeping the conversation going. Phoenix heard Jean's voice change the moment she said Scott's name. She hear the familiar sound of blood rushing underneath skin. When she glanced over, she noticed the soft blush on Jean's cheeks.

Phoenix started to remember the previous day in the Danger Room with Scott and Logan and started to piece together the story. Phoenix got her reason for the tension.

"Scott is your mate?", Phoenix asked directly. Jean was taken back by the direction of the conversation and the familiarity she asked the question.

"Uh… yeah. Yes, he is.", Jean said quietly. "How did you…"

"Other than the emotion? Your heart raced when you mentioned his name.", Phoenix said, not breaking her concentration on the lake.

Jean looked down and blushed a bit. She wasn't used to being this exposed to someone who barely knew her. It wasn't considered polite to use any kind of mental powers so early in the friendship, but Phoenix wasn't educated in the formal. She had to use her abilities to survive, and as such, wielded her empathy like a weapon. Phoenix didn't deliberately do it to hurt Jean. It was just the way it was with her.

"Does Logan know?", Phoenix asked after a few moments passed. Jean's eyes widen a bit and then she looked down.

"That situation is complicated….", Jean said letting the conversation drift off. She was hoping that Phoenix would let it go.

Phoenix laughed. "No it's not. Humans say things like "it's complicated" for two reasons. One, the pursuer isn't told up front because of spared feelings.", she said tossing a stick out over the cliff.

"And the other?", Jean asked.

Phoenix turned to Jean and looked at her in the face. Her intense eyes cut right through the façade Jean held up. "The other, you complicate them, because you genuinely feel something for your pursuer and want to spare the feelings of your first amour.", she said and turned back to the lake. "Either way, you lack the fortitude to step up and simply state what you want clearly. I think you enjoy the drama."

Phoenix was abrasive. Jean had to keep telling herself that it was due to lack of socialization. If she didn't keep reminding herself of that fact, the conversation would have gone in a completely different, and offensive direction.

Jean didn't say anything at first. "No one marries the bad boy, Phoenix", she mumbled. Phoenix let it go. Jean simply just didn't understand the beast within.

"Scott and I are psychically connected. I wouldn't expect you to understand.", Jean added. Phoenix raised her eyebrows for a moment.

"Are you assuming that I can't be connected to a person?", Phoenix asked bluntly.

Jean paused for a moment, reading Phoenix's face. "Uh… no, that's not what I meant."

Phoenix turned her body towards Jean, reading her hesitation. She reached out and placed a hand on Jean's leg to calm her. "It's all right."

And just like that, things were back on track with them. Phoenix realized that it wasn't enough. She could feel the anxiety within Jean as she sat there in silence watching her named counterpart. Phoenix sighed and closed her eyes.

"It's not something I bring up a lot. I was connected to someone…a while ago.", Phoenix started the "Olive Branch" story. "He was a project, like myself. We became close and…"

Phoenix stopped. As she closed her eyes, she could clearly see his face. And just like that, the wound she thought she healed four years prior, had reopened up as fresh and raw as the day it happened.

"He was your mate?", Jean asked finally. Phoenix could only nod. Jean watched as Phoenix swallowed back her tears. "What happened?"

"We found a way to escape for a while…", Phoenix forced herself to say the words. The tongue felt heavy and numb. She shook her head for a moment, to clear her mind. Her face grew dark and cold. "NORTECH discontinued his project."

Jean gasped coming to the gruesome realization. "They…they killed him?" Phoenix didn't say anything and simply let her head fall.

Phoenix turned away for a moment and wiped the tears off her face. "Don't think for a second that we weren't bonded. He and I were as close as you and Scott. I may not have the telepathic abilities that you have, but the pain of losing him is something I live with every day."

"I'm so sorry.", Jean whispered. It sounded so hollow when she said it. What else could she have said? She had no idea how deep Phoenix's pain ran.

Phoenix turned to Jean and looked confused. "What are you sorry for? You didn't take him from me. You didn't even know he existed until I told you."

"It's not that. I'm sorry that you had to go through that.", Jean said placing a comforting hand on Phoenix's shoulder. And normally Phoenix would have shrunk back at the thought of another touching her, but she could feel how genuine Jean felt for her. And even though Phoenix hated pity, it felt comforting from Jean. As if Jean herself could actually feel what Phoenix went through that very minute. In those few seconds, their friendship sealed itself.

"And I apologize if I offended you.", Phoenix paused and looked at Jean. She had to learn to curb that tongue of hers. She was never going to fit in, if she kept attacking anyone that offered her friendship.

Jean looked at Phoenix confused for a moment. She bounced from something so tender and serious to the beginning of the conversation. Jean took that as ending the talk about Phoenix's past, for the moment, anyway.

"You have a rare gift, Phoenix. You don't have any hesitations in cutting through to the heart of the matter. And as much as what you said did offend me, I needed to hear it.", Jean said and smiled.

Phoenix returned with a soft smile of hers. She could hear soft footsteps behind them both and the lingering scent of leather and cigars. She debated on leaving them both alone to sort out whatever mess was about to happen.

"Scott was lookin' for you.", Phoenix heard Logan's voice call out. Jean looked over at Phoenix and inclined her head.

"I'll catch up with you a little later. Thanks for the talk.", Jean said and began to walk away. Phoenix watched the distance between the two of them and smirked to herself. The line had already been drawn.

"You gonna tell me what that was all about?", Logan asked Phoenix directly. He learned, over the few weeks she was there, that you had to be direct with her. If you wanted to know something, you had to cut to the quick.

Phoenix hardened her face. "Bonding." Logan read the threat in her eyes and let the conversation go at that point.

"We should schedule some Danger Room time together.", Logan changed the subject.

"I've got Jean this afternoon. We can have a go as soon as you're ready after that.", Phoenix said softly. Logan nodded.

"Come on. Head on up to the mansion. There are some people you need to meet.", he said walking beside her. The wind picked up again and Phoenix drew her hoodie close to her. He caught a faint scent of sandlewood and amber; a very deep and earthy scent. He wasn't sure if it was a perfume she was wearing or if it was natural. He found himself smelling it a bit longer than he should have. Phoenix didn't seem to notice.

"More people?", she asked finally.

"Yeah. Remmy and Marie just flew in and I know Peter and Kitty are due in tomorrow. That's four more on the team for the Charity Dinner.", Logan said walking towards the front of her. And that was when he could see the tear streaks on her cheek and smell the saline on her skin. He wasn't sure if she had been crying because of the day before or if it was something Jean and her were talking about. He vaguely could hear the conversation as he made his way down the path; something about NORTECH and another project. He knew he'd hear about it in due time so he kept his questions to himself.

Phoenix stood up and put her hands into her pockets. "Listen, Logan…", she said softly. "When the Professor is comfortable with the level of safety for the Senator, you and I are leaving for Alkali Lake."

"What? Why?", Logan asked shocked at the casualness that Phoenix held the topic.

"You want to remember? That's the best place for us to go.", Phoenix said and turned to head towards the mansion.

"I don't understand. What does Alkali Lake have to do with you?", Logan asked placing a hand on her arm. She didn't jerk back. Her comfort level was starting to rise, with everyone. It was something Logan noted and amazed him on how quickly it happened.

"I told you, egos brought me to life. Doctor Richard Edward Brock, a prodigy of the late Professor Thornton, started NORTECH. Professor Thornton told Brock that there wouldn't be a snowball's chance in hell that he could ever perfect what Thornton did. Brock took it to heart, so he took everything Thornton did and built upon it. This includes the layout of the place. NORTECH is identical to the facility at Alkali Lake. If Brock was going to complete his revenge on being scoffed, he had to make sure everything down to the last detail, was identical. This included the building that spurned me.", Phoenix said reading Logan's face.

"But we aren't alike.", he noted.

"No. He took the idea and built off of it. I'm the idea of what you are…just a more embellished you.", Phoenix explained.

She watched Logan look out over the lake for a few moments before she called out, "You comin'?"

Logan put his head down for a moment before nodding. He followed her up the path towards the mansion. Up until then, Logan knew that their pasts were intertwined together, but he didn't actually realize how much so until Phoenix's explanation. Phoenix was built to kill from the moment the sperm hit the egg, and he was pretty sure that even the human parents were picked for various skills before conception. There was something else, though. Every time she looked at him, he could faintly detect an accusatory note in her eyes. She said she didn't hate him, but she wasn't exactly telling everything, either.

He shook it off and figured that when they went to Alkali facility, she would open up a bit more. He followed her back to the mansion in silence.