Disclaimer: Don't own anything 'cept for the plot and any characters you don't recognize.
AN: Hey, I really appreciate all of the reviews, but I crave more so keep 'em coming! Sorry the update took so long, I don't really have a lot of time to write, sorry! I'll try harder next time!
Haley and Marie looked up in alarm at the question. Alex had come with them?
"She's still in dere?" Remy whipped around to face Scott, who had been her team leader. Scott sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"She disobeyed my direct orders. She left the team when I distinctly told her not to. I don't know where she went, but I think it's safe to assume that she is the cause of that," he gestured towards the burning remains of the compound. Ruby eyes flashed.
"So yah left her?" Marie had beaten Remy to the punch, rounding on the older teen and taking a few menacing steps closer. Scott looked guilty, but he tried to defend himself.
"She took out her comm. link. I didn't know where she went, and I figured she knew what she was doing and could take care of herself. She obviously had her own plan in mind before we even went in there," he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Guys, guys! We aren't going to be any help to her if we just keep arguing," Jean pointed out.
"Well, what should we do? Go in after her?" Storm asked.
"Well, if so, I think Pyro's one step ahead of us," Bobby stated, finally pointing out to everyone the missing pyromaniac.
"Wha-yah think he went back in?" asked Sam. Marie turned to the open door of the cockpit and beheld the blazing building.
"If he went in, ah sure as hell am too." But Jean placed a gentle but firm hand on her arm, holding her in place.
"Wait. John's abilities make him impervious to flames. As far as I can tell, you aren't." Marie ripped her arm from the telepath's grasp.
"So?" She continued to walk down the ramp and off the jet.
"Marie!" Haley called, but she was torn between going after her and staying with Lizzie. She looked down at the unconscious blonde and bit her lip. She looked up at Remy and he nodded before turning and following the brunette.
"Hey, wait up! Remy be comin' wid yah!" Marie didn't slow down.
******
Alex started coughing, the acrid smoke from the fire she had caused seeping its way into her lungs. She let her head fall back against the concrete after trying for the umpteenth time to lift the metal beam that had collapsed down on top of her, effectively pinning her in place. She thought back on to how she had ended up in this position…
Flashback
After ditching the goody two shoes that called themselves the X-Men, she had made it to the control center with little difficulty. It seemed as if most of the security was occupied at the moment…she snickered, probably with one or more of the infiltrating teams of X-Men. She noticed there was only one man guarding the door. Using skills she had learned from Remy over the years she snuck up behind him without making a sound. Not even a minute later he fell to the ground, unconscious, from a swift quick to the head.
"Fools," Alex muttered as she walked into the room that housed all of the equipment used to keep the base up and running. It was just too easy. Running over to one of the many consoles she checked the security cameras that were stationed around the base. She had to make sure Remy and the X-Men had gotten everyone out before she blew the place. Scanning them she noticed that only the staff, most of who happened to be unconscious, remained. "Time to blow this place sky high…"
End Flashback
Unfortunately, she had miscalculated and ended up too close to the resulting explosions. She had not realized the fire would reach the generators so fast, thus causing immense explosions that began taking apart the building. It was collapsing quickly as it burned to the ground. With Alex stuck inside.
******
John brought up an arm to shield his face from the searing flames that licked at his clothes as he entered the collapsing compound. His eyes were beginning to water from all the smoke in the air.
"Alex!" he shouted, blue eyes frantically scanning his burning surroundings in a desperate search for the auburn haired girl. He stumbled into the next room, nearly tripping over a collapsed beam.
******
"Storm, can you put out the fire?" Scott turned to the older woman. She shook her head, brow furrowing.
"No, I'm afraid the resulting steam would burn much worse." Scott ran a hand through his hair, not knowing if there was anything they could do.
"Could she have survived that?" Asked a quiet voice. Haley was standing by the open cockpit, staring out at the blazing ruins of the building that once held her captive not too long ago. It was the first time she had left Lizzie's side since she had entered the jet. She went from worrying about one sister to worrying about another. A strong hand landed on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Grey eyes searched the Russian's steely blue ones as she looked for reassurance. "Could she have survived those blasts?"
"Da. I think so. From what I have seen your sister is very strong-willed. She's a survivor," Piotr answered. They both turned their gazes towards the burning building, waiting for those they cared for to come out of the blaze.
******
"Step back," Remy told Marie, seeing as the doorway had collapsed, blocking their way in. He kicked at the debris, sending sparks flying through the air. Immediately upon entering the building there were assaulted by the acrid smoke. Marie started coughing from the onslaught. Remy shrugged off his trench coat and turned to hand it to her.
"Cover yer mouth wid dis." She took the coat gratefully, using it to protect herself from smoke inhalation as she followed Remy through the base.
******
"Anyone else think they're taking a long time?" Bobby piped up from the back of the jet. All he received in response was a glare from Kitty, for being insensitive.
******
Alex's vision was starting to fade to black as she was giving up her struggles with the beam holding her captive. She just had to accept her fate; that she was going to die in the burning building. Her powers made her resilient to fire, but the smoke inhalation would slowly cause her to suffocate. In the end she had caused her own death. Damn it. Karma was a bitch. Before Alex closed her eyes and succumbed to the darkness, something jarred the beam lying atop Alex, the shifting causing her to let out a low groan of pain.
"Shit!" The man swore as he tripped, and Alex thought she detected an Australian accent.
"John…" she called out to get his attention, but it only came out as a mere whisper and then she fell into a coughing fit once again. Luckily for her, John heard the faint sounds and bent down to investigate.
"Shit, Alex!" He swore again as he took in the sooty and bloody mess that was the auburn haired girl. He quickly realized that it was the beam that was keeping her pinned down. Grabbing an edge he tried to pull it off her, only to find he wasn't strong enough. It barely budged. "Alright," he took a breath, trying to crouch low to get away from the worst of the smoke, "you're going to have to help me here. I need you to push with me, 'kay Alex?" She nodded her head to show she understood, and tried to muster up whatever strength she had left. "On three." John proceeded to count to three and the two tried to lift the beam together, but it was no use. Alex just didn't have the strength anymore. John was starting to panic, but he tried to conceal the growing panic, not wanting Alex to see. "Think, John, think."
"Now don' be hurtin' yerself dere, Johnny boy," Remy smirked at his friend as him and Marie came upon him and Alex. Looking down, he spotted his Mississippi friend. "Alex, what you be gettin' yerself into dis time?" He tried to hide his worry over how beaten up his friend looked.
"Shud up," she managed to cough out, smiling up at him. Her eyes passed over him to Marie, who stood slightly behind Remy. She frowned, upset that her sister put herself in danger in order to come back for her. She should be safely on the jet with the X-Men.
"Oh, don' even think it, Alex," Marie kneeled next to her older sister, "ya would do the same fer meh." Alex rolled her eyes, knowing this to be true.
"Alright, enough with the chit chat. We don't have much time here, mates. Remy, I need your help to lift the beam." Remy nodded and placed himself on the other side of Alex. Remy's gloves helped protect him from the heat that the steel beam had collected. With a grunt, the two men lifted the beam away from the southerner and Alex slithered out with help from her sister. They dropped the beam back to the ground when she was safely away.
"Now let's get outta here," Marie helped her sister up, supporting most of her weight. She noticed Alex was cradling her ribs. Hopefully they were just cracked and not broken. John was going to take Alex from Marie, seeing that it was difficult for Marie to support all her weight, but he noticed the protective grip she had on her sister and knew that she wouldn't let him help. Remy led the group back the way him and Marie had come.
Unfortunately, when they reached where the entrance had been it was blocked. Falling debris had caused it to cave in. There was no way out, at least, not this way. But Remy didn't think they would be able to make it to another exit across the building. Not with all the smoke and the condition Alex was in.
"Remy, ya think it's time to blow this joint, so to speak?" John asked, referring to Remy's powers. Remy nodded, pulling out a few cards.
"Stand back, everyone." John pulled the girls back, not knowing how large the blast was going to be. The two put Alex between them to shield her. Charging up the cards, Gambit threw them at the debris, aiming at the center. He turned around and covered his head with his arms as the debris exploded. The building shuddered with the blast. Looking up he saw a decent size hole for them to exit. He could feel the building shaking even more. They needed to get to the jet.
He took Alex from Marie, hooking an arm under her knees and shoulders. It would be faster if he carried her. Marie shot him an indignant look, but he just ignored it.
"Let's go. The buildin's gonna collapse any minute." The three hurried from the building, racing to the jet. Once they boarded, Marie glared at a gangly teenage boy, who promptly gave up his seat. She motioned to Remy, who gently lowered Alex into the seat and buckled her in. She rolled her eyes at them.
"Ah said ah was fahne," but her voice didn't come out as strong as she would have liked, ending in another cough, which aggravated her injured ribs. Turning away from the two she discreetly wiped away a trickle of blood from the side of her mouth as Storm lifted the jet off the ground.
