Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.


"You let her escape?"

Emma rubbed the sides of her head with two fingers to each, even as she reined in the urge to lash out to the one who slandered her the pain pierced her being as she winced with gritted teeth. There would be time for that later, right now she waited for the little cocktail of just the right kind of painkillers to numb the ache of her ravaged mind.

"Look about you and ask yourself if this looks as though I let her escape." Emma hissed, accepting the glass of ice water an aide brought.

Furniture was smashed, a grande piano sat lodged within the wall easily five feet from the floor, and the entire exterior wall had been...she didn't want to think about that having heard reports of just what the original Phoenix was capable of. Let her escape indeed, that there hadn't been any deaths was either a miracle or a benign act of mercy. Sipping her water and looking down the five stories that hung between her and the street below, already scaffolding was being set up to disguise the event from the milling public.

"It was your job to keep her...entertained." The white haired man noted.

Watching him walk up to the piano to play a few abused notes, Emma wondered if it would just fall on him and save her the bother. That he would dare speak to her in such a tone showed a complete disregard for her place as both the White Queen of the Manhattan Branch as well as being on the board of the Hellfire Group.

"Had you not been doting on your sister you might have had the chance to dare apprehend her." Emma said with her back still turned to him.

A rush of wind had him at her side, spinning her about to face him while grabbing her by the fabric of her bustier to lean her out over the edge of the missing wall. Laughing aloud, Emma let the figment fade leaving him standing there fuming in rage with his clenched fist holding nothing at all. Sitting off on an overturned bookcase with her leg crossed, the expression on his face as he looked to her was worth the pain that had her mascara running with a few stubbornly spilt tears.

"Pietro, you may be fast, but I am as fast as thought itself." Emma warned.

"This doesn't change the fact that this is your fault Emma, you couldn't keep a child trapped in this little fantasy you wove for the both of you." Pietro snapped harshly.

Smiling against showing just how deeply that barb had dug, Emma rose and headed off to the door with one last glance to the room and the destruction wrought by her onetime ward. Something had helped to shirk off all her carefully crafted work, helped to remind the girl of just who she really was. For a second eyes far older looked back at her, there one moment and gone the next.

"You've found the men whom we sent after her?" Emma asked instead.

"Yes, two are still under our medical care while the other is waiting downstairs." Pietro replied with a dismissive shrug.

"Wonderful, I think I shall go have a talk with the man." Emma cooed, slamming the door behind her.

Pietro stood there at the edge looking out into the night, the creak and groan heralding the grande piano slipping from it's precarious perch to fall in a shattered wreck of splintered wood and snapped strings. He had debriefed the man earlier but Emma did what Emma wanted as it was so often heard around the Club. Three women had come to the girls rescue, one that could wield electricity from her hands effectively tasing the two guards at his command. That it was all a coincidence was absurd, a bit of luck maybe but someone must have been waiting for this chance, someone or something.

"Sebastian will be here soon enough to sort this mess out." Pietro said to himself, rubbing his eyes and thinking it was again time to check on his sister before vanishing in a blur of inhuman speed.

A rooftop away with a view of the missing wall a shadow moved soon joined by another as two figures embraced hands. Were any left to hear it they would have described it as a popping noise, a bamf for lack of a better word. Inky smoke drifted on the evening breeze as the only proof they had been there.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"I'm home and I brought friends!" Illyana yelled throwing open the door to the Rasputin household.

Alexandra was helping Jubilee learn the finer points of pie crust as Ororo washed the blueberries that would become their dessert. The trampling of feet echoed through the house as three girls rushed in, Illyana, Abby and Rachel. After a few texts back and forth Ororo had decided it was well and fine for Rachel to come right along with Abby so long as Layla had given her permission. The girls looked to the flower dotted face of one flustered looking Jubilee, Illyana pulling out her phone in lieu of her camera and snapped a photo.

"Who're ya sending that to squirt?" Jubilee asked, using a fork she'd set aside to scratch her itchy nose.

"Everyone." Illyana grinned impishly, hitting send.

"Can I help?" Rachel asked taking a few steps into the kitchen and looking around.

"There are cookies that still need to be baked." Alexandra said with a nod to a bowl of dough under a tea cloth.

With both Abby and Illyana taking Rachel along, the three of them washed their hands at the sink after Ororo made room for them. Putting the colander of fresh blueberries out on the counter, all the rest of the ingredients for the filling sat ready as soon as the crust was up to snuff for Mamma Rasputin. A rush of girls racing past saw the dough fallen upon, wondering just how much of it would find its way to cookies or be munched away on as they rolled it out and cut it up. Putting the kettle on, she watched the antics of the three girls and was glad to see Rachel so warmly welcomed.

"Excuse me." Ororo said in parting, one last lingering glance at the classic country kitchen filled with such simple and wholesome activities as baking with family.

The creak of the wooden screen door was a rustic charm even as it clattered against the frame, the serpentine pattern of faded paint a treat to run her fingers over as she walked out through the tall, shaggy grass in good need of a cut. The sun was chased onwards to the horizon by the clouds blowing in with their promise of rain. The day was darkening but there was still enough light to enjoy the scenery. Wandering about the farm of the family that had invited her to join them, Ororo looked forward to the future that would in years to come bring the sound of grandchildren rushing about keeping their parents busy.

Smiling at the thought, she wondered just who little Mikhail and Hailey would take after of their parents as she remembered the sleeping children Jubilee had held in that not quite a places that was the Astral Plane. Looking above and thinking of that revelation, she thought of another then.

"You need not worry Charles, all is well in hand. Your dream and the children, they are back there baking pies and cookies. Back at the school likely doing their best to give Logan some grey hair yet. We all shall keep this family we have found safe, and just maybe some night when you have time again you can stop by so I can tell you about it." Ororo whispered to the wind that blew at her back.

She hadn't expected an answer but it came just the same, even if it wasn't from Charles himself. The X-men, her X-men had arrived home safe as she heard the ring tone for Kurt playing the high sea theme from the latest in a long line of pirate movies. Taking the call, she had just enough time to enjoy the silly thought of what the bill would likely be with her being so very far away from home. Even though it truly felt her home away from home with the welcome she received every visit.

"Ororo." Kurt greeted.

"What have you learned?" Ororo asked.

"Just everything we feared, and the extent to which young Rachel really may take after her mother. An entire wall was destroyed to make her escape Ororo, five stories above the street below." Kurt informed with a hint of apprehension.

While Ororo knew Jean had always been a powerful telepath, the awakening of the self professed Phoenix had unleashed her. That Charles had admitted to his mistake with Jean, as good intentioned as it was, could it mean that Rachel had this power at her beck and call and if so to what extent did she know to wield it. It was a thought for later she realized thinking of the child back in the house baking cookies like any other girl.

"I have more bad news Ororo." Kurt announced.

"Do tell, please." Ororo beckoned and was thankful he couldn't see her look of apprehension then.

"It appears Pietro and Wanda Maximoff are in...collusion with the Hellfire Group. I had no idea who they were until I spoke with Henry." Kurt informed.

This time she couldn't hide her hitched breath and worry from the call, names she hadn't ever expected to hear again. She had known them years before for a brief time, a time when it was still not uncommon to see Erik around before both he and Charles had parted ways. Brother and sister, the twin children of Erik, she remembered Pietro as an overprotective brother while Wanda was a fickle girl around who accidents always seemed to happen.

"Thank you for letting me know Kurt, I'll be returning after dinner. If there is any pie left I will try to bring you a piece, Alexandra is having Jubilee bake it herself." Ororo said softly channelling the peace of the place to help sooth her fretful worries.

"Danke sher Ororo, I have one question before I let you go..." Kurt posed after a moment of thanks.

"I can well imagine and for the moment I would like to see if we cannot settle this matter ourselves. At the same time I think maybe it is time to call Warren, Betsy is not alone in having a father hold a membership with this Hellfire Club it would seem." Ororo replied calmly though well prepared to make that phone call to the likes of Director Fury if worse came to worse.

"Enjoy dinner Ororo, I believe Logan is planning a cook out for the kids tonight." Kurt said with a hint of his jovial self returning.

"Please refrain from burning down the school while I am gone, as I recall Logan can be rather excessive when it comes to that one charcoal grill and starting it." Ororo sighed, a few students not as lucky to quickly regrow their eyebrows as their assistant Headmaster.

"I will keep the fire extinguisher handy, goodbye Ororo." Kurt said with a chuckle.

"Goodbye Kurt." Ororo managed with a chuckle, hanging up and looking again to the scenery.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

"Logan, put the lighter fluid down and no one has ta git hurt!" Marie yelled.

Camping their way across Canada and into Alaska had shown her just how well he and St. John would have gotten along had their paths been decided that awful day at Alkali Lake. Throwing her a cocky smirk along with a raised eyebrow that might just have to be grown again anew, he dangled the bottle between two fingers and snatched it back at the last second.

"I. Said. Gimmie!" Marie hissed each word with a finger thrust at him to punctuate her intent.

"Gotta start the barbie babe." Logan growled throatily as he looked down at her enjoying the view past the hem of her T.

The murmur from the students gathered around had them placing bets on the outcome, even a bit of cash passing hands to Remy who was playing bookie. If she wasn't so busy trying to do Smoky a favour she'd throw a tenner down on herself for 'Kicking some Canadian Back Bacon into submission'.

"Logan." Marie said working her own version of 'The Look'.

"Roguey." Logan grinned using another girls favourite nickname for her.

"Gimmie." Rogue said as she pressed herself against him taking the bottle of lighter fluid in hand.

She could see his nostrils flare taking in her scent, enjoying the musky aroma of the aftershave he wore that mingled with just his own being of manliness that could still make her go weak in the knees with just the right playful smile and a bit of saucy talk. Even still he wouldn't let go of the bottle but she was about to solve that with just a little help from her friends as she caught the hem of his jeans with her thumb just like she was ready to pants him and have her way. Instead her calvary came with a few expertly thrown ice cubes at the 'non regulation hoop' to slide right down the crack of his so very toned ass.

"Sonova...!" Logan yelled as the first frigid ice cube hit his bare flesh.

Snatching the lighter fluid and throwing it to Kurt, there was a Bamf and the ball was in play for an improvised game of keep away. Logan was too busy scowling at Tabitha and her friends to notice, amazing what the promise of a slip of flesh would get a girl to do Marie giggled while giving a thumbs up.

"Alright, all bets are off. Remy, give the kids back their money. Lets get this cook out goin'!" Marie yelled.

The whole thing had been dreamed up to keep from the kids just everything that had happened, the students more perceptive that most gave them credit for with rumours already finding their way to her office. Since she wasn't really a teacher she was the one they came to for answers to their worries and fears along with whatever wild speculation. The X-men couldn't exactly be a secret when the jet was hidden under the basketball court after all.

"Jubilee's Pregnant and Ororo just adopted her." Marie had said to Tabitha, resident gossip queen after she had finally come looking for answers herself.

It was the perfect reason why Ororo was away, the truth in fact, but enough to distract them from the latest student to join the school and her likeness to a teacher some still remembered. The cook out was her piece du resistance, nothing better to distract teens than a barbeque along with a scheduled water balloon fight later. Between some friendly competition and their raging hormones from all that wet, clingy clothes, they'd be forgetting all about the X-men before long.

"That was outright dirty." Logan said as he turned his ire on her.

"I thought ya liked a...dirty...girl..." Marie breathed the last words.

"Why I hear it, our bunk mate from last night is roomin' with a couple o' my favourite little Darlin's tonight...what say we go down to our new home and you can show me just how dirty you can be." Logan growled as he stepped in to wrap her up in his embrace.

The thought of the boathouse as theirs and theirs alone, their own little slice of the lake with that window in their bedroom looking out over the lapping waves, it was enough to send a tingle down her spine that begged her to feel his lips crushed against hers. It was enough to let her pretend just for tonight there wasn't a place where the Phoenix was chained in battle against the Professor, that there was a cabal of mutants who had dared steal away the daughter born out of the ashes of Alcatraz, and forget that everyday she could lock lips with Logan was a blessing.

"I'll take that as a yes." Logan chuckled after they broke to find their breath.

"That's what I call readin' mah lips Sugah." Marie laughed, giving one last peck as she eased out of his arms.

"Ah hell..." Logan said with a look beyond her.

"Wha...aieeamgoingtokillwhoeverdidthat!" Marie shrieked at the volley of water balloons that struck them.

"You looked like you could use a coolin' off!" Tabitha yelled with her band of merry misfits readying another volley.

Breaking off in a mad dash with Logan at her back likely enjoying the view, she ran to another nearby bin of water balloons to stock up. More students followed suit and it looked like they were all going to work up an appetite. Laughter and idle threats joined the late afternoon as it fell to the evening. It wasn't long before the hoses were pulled out from Ororo's garden, fortifications set up and a few of the faster students rushing back into the house to find more balloons to reload.

"They sure as hell ain't doin' what I think they're doin' are they?!" Marie shrieked.

"That's a catapult if I ever saw one..." Logan answered.

"Oh hell no you ain't that old Mister!" Marie barked.

"Shop class two summers ago, Hank was doin' a combined credit when he was in for a vacation. Mixin' physics with a little history and hands on fun as he called it." Logan recalled with a chuckle.

"You let them build a catapult!?" Marie gasped.

"Only cause Ro was over on the West Coast doin' some work o' sorts." Logan laughed, watching the kids load up for a barrage of balloons.

"Where did they even git that stuff!?" Marie yelled.

"I might o' saved it down in the one woodshed, never know when something like that would come in handy." Logan snorted.

"You so owe me a bubble bath after this Bub." Marie growled as the sky grew dark from the incoming volley of watery death.

"Guess we're fightin' in the shade." Logan quoted.

"Pardon me, I need a ladies opinion at the grill." Kurt interrupted after a bamf.

"Sonova...!" Logan roared as both Kurt and Marie disappeared scant seconds before the balloons found their mark.

Rising with his hands raised in defeat, Logan looked to the gathered kids finding it was just about damn near the whole school at this point. Running a hand through his hair and picking out broken bits of balloon he eyed them all with 'The Original Look'.

"Yer all cleaning this mess up..." Logan started as the entire student body groaned.

"Tomorrow...soups on folks, get it while it's hot!" Logan roared to their cheers, leading the way to the tables that had been left alone around the grills.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-

Standing at the edge of the missing wall, he ran a finger along the edge and rubbed the ash between his fingers. Pulling out a handkerchief and wiping them clean, he threw it with the rest of the filth and rubble that still littered the room. At his side Pietro remained quiet, watching and waiting until he was called on. Stepping over a ruined grandfather clock he noted the time and gave a nod, heaving a sigh as he noticed the shattered piano he gave the impression of noting the waste of a fine instrument and the final discordant cry it must have let out.

"Quite the tantrum." Sebastian noted.

Pietro just nodded and followed behind as Sebastian left to head on back to his parlour where Emma waited. She was dressed far more conservative this time, a creamy white pantsuit with a matching briefcase on the table beside her cracked open with folders and reports for her to read. Looking up from one as they entered, she set it down and enjoyed her tea while they settled.

"It appears you were overconfident Emma." Sebastian scolded like one might a troublesome child.

"She had help to break my thrall, I wonder if Charles himself didn't have a hand in this." Emma noted, going back to ignoring them and reading the report.

"What a wasted potential that man was, him and Erik both with their little crusade." Sebastian said with a tutting of his tongue, a maid coming to pour him a glass of wine and then having a nod to Pietro.

Accepting the offered glass and having a seat, he knew about their 'Crusade' better than most having been caught in the very middle of it for years as a boy. With only his sister whom he could trust, the events at Alcatraz had come as a great comeuppance to the man who had dared come into his life as his mother lay dying of pneumonia in the hospital a world away.

"How many times did we all nearly pay the price for their arrogance?" Emma asked with an arched and exquisite eyebrow.

"Jealousy doesn't becomes you Emma, still mad he beat you to that one child you had so much interest in? What was her name?" Sebastian said holding her gaze as he enjoyed a sip of his wine.

"Katherine Pryde, and I haven't given up hope yet." Emma hissed as she threw the file with the rest.

"Hope does indeed spring eternal doesn't it? Now tell me, just how did a child end up escaping after all that?" Sebastian asked with a wave to what had once been his prizes suite.

"Do the names Marie D'Ancanto and Jubilation Lee, pardon, Jubilation Rasputin mean anything to you?" Emma asked.

He had been playing games with Emma long enough to know when she was having her fun, wondering just how these two would be tied to his Phoenix hatchling that had so handily fallen into his lap. Such a creature wasn't meant to run free and he had thought to have crafted the most beautiful gilded cage for it only to find it had taken flight when he had been away dealing with his petulant, upstart of a son.

"Enlighten me Emma." Sebastian said.

"Respectively the Guidance Counsellor and a mechanic under the employ of the Charles Xavier School for Gifted Children. A little further digging found they were former students, Miss D'Ancanto only recently returned while the now Missus Rasputin is...oh how very interesting." Emma noted as she read from another file, having searched what information she had on the school first after her 'talk' with the man who had failed her.

"Don't keep us waiting Emma." Sebastian said with genuine interest.

"You remember that lovely bank we acquired years ago when I weaselled out of a petty little man how he had his employer killed to take it over? Did I ever tell you the name of the poor couple he had killed?" Emma asked.

"No, but I take it they also happened to have a daughter?" Sebastian asked, having another glass of wine poured.

"I wonder if she even knows the reason her parents were killed, the poor thing. I think I am going to have to arrange a meeting, do have Tessa arrange it would you? Somewhere nice but discreet." Emma said with a dismissive sniff to Sebastian as her mind ran with ideas.

Sipping his wine with a smile, Sebastian thought how interesting things were already turning out and he hadn't even put himself to task. In his long life he had learned patience and the enjoyment of games, and one thing that all members of his Inner Circle had was a fierce competitive streak he could nurture and exploit to his needs.

Emma's own horrid childhood had her ever looking for children to nurture and care for, even as she tried to put on a facade as cool as her family name. It had been the reason he had thought her perfect as jailor to his little hatchling, but in hindsight he had to really wonder if she were right. What reach did Charles really have now? Calling his aide, it was a thought for later as Tessa showed herself in to tend to business as always.

-=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=–=+=-