Sage couldn't sleep. She had tossed and turned but it did nothing to calm her mind. Despite all the training Charles had put her through she didn't feel ready for what tomorrow would bring. She had lost her parents and the possibility of her friends dying terrified her. Giving up on sleep, she rolled out of bed and silently made her way through the mansion to the backyard.

Sage silently sat down on the stairs and gazed up at the sky. When she was younger she had been taught that those die look down from above. Sage didn't believe in God but she hoped her parents were watching, she hoped that they were proud.

"I miss you." Sage murmured quietly into the night before standing and heading back to bed.

BREAK

The next morning Sage woke up to Charles shaking her awake. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she noticed that he look tired. She sat up and hugged him tiredly. Sage nuzzled into his chest absorbing his warmth and the smell of him. Charles always smelled of books and tea. It made her feel safe, like she was finally home. Charles was her home now, she had no other family and if he allowed her to Sage would stay with him.

"Time to get ready, meet us at Hank's lab" Charles instructed before giving one last squeeze and exiting the room. Sage quickly did her business, threw on some clothes and made her way to the lab. Upon arrival she was met with everyone crowded around the door on it was a note from Hank with instructions, Charles ripped it down and pushed open the doors.

Inside was a disaster area. Shattered glass, broken furniture, and things thrown about. Charles began to make his way through the mess and Sage was quick to follow.

"What the hell happened here?" Erik asked, sounding slightly concerned. Partly for Hank's well-being but mostly as to how he could have made such a mess. Sage couldn't blame him, she to was concerned as to how Hank had managed this.

Charles reached the crate and opened it, revealing a folded pile of suits. Sage grinned at the sight of them.

"Hank has been busy." Erik commented.

"Do we really have to wear these?" Alex questioned, causing Sage to laugh quietly.

"As none of us are mutated to endure extreme G-force or being riddled with bullets, I suggest we suit up." Charles answered. He quickly distributed the suits and everybody changed into them silently. After everybody was dressed we made our way to the airfield to find Hank.

BREAK

Sage stared at the jet in front of her in awe. She knew Hank was a genius but this was amazing.

"Wheres Hank?" Raven asked. All of us turned to her not really sure how to answer her question when Hank's voice echoed through the building.

"I'm here." Hank called out, walking towards us. He looked different. As he came into the light Sage saw that he was covered in blue fur, Hank had turned into some sort of animal.

"Hank?" Charles asked, sounding puzzled.

"It didn't attack the cells, it enhanced them. It didn't work." Hank answered, looking disappointed.

"Yes it did Hank, don't you see? This is who you were meant to be, this is you. No more hiding." Raven reassured him, placing a hand on his face.

"Never looked better man." Erik complimented with a clap to Hank's shoulder. Hank let out a snarl and grasped Erik by the throat, choking him.

"Hank!" Charles called out.

"Don't mock me." Hank threatened.

"Hank, put him down immediately please. Hank, Hank!" Charles commanded. Hank released him and Erik dropped to his knees.

"I wasn't." Erik spoke, looking up at Hank with honesty in his expression.

"Even I gotta admit you look pretty bad ass. I think I got a new name for ya, Beast." Alex commented with a smirk. He looked impressed by Hank's new appearance.

Hank growled in return.

"You're sure you can fly this thing?" Sean piped up, breaking the tension.

"Of course I can, I designed it." Hank answered.

With that reassuring statement everybody climbed into the jet and strapped themselves in. Sage had sat between Charles and Erik, feeling the safest between the two of them. Feeling the jet begin to take off she closed her eyes and offered one last thought to the God her parents had believed in.

Please keep us safe

BREAK

"Looks pretty messy out there." Hank spoke from his place in the pilot' seat. Charles raised a hand to his temple and closed his eyes. A sign that he was using his telepathy, Sage had learned.

"The crew of the Aral Sea are all dead. Shaw's been there." Charles told us.

"He's still here, somewhere." Erik declared with certainty.

"He set the ship on course for the embargo line." Charles informed us.

"That ship crosses the line and our boys are gonna blow it up and the war begins" Moira added.

"Unless their not our boys." Charles said sounding like a man with a plan. Closing his eyes once more to use his telepathy.

Suddenly alarms began blaring and Sage saw a missile heading straight towards the jet. Beast let out a growl and swerved out of its path by twirling the ship. Sage let out a shriek and felt Charles and Erik cross their arms over her, keeping her firmly planted in her seat. The missile collided with the Russian ship that had been about to cross the embargo line causing it to explode. For now, the war had been halted but it wasn't over yet. They still had to stop Shaw.

"A little warning next time Professor?" Hank asked sarcastically causing Sage to huff out a laugh.

"Sorry about that, are you alright?" Charles apologized and glanced over the team checking for injuries.

"That was inspired Charles." Moira complimented while flipping some switches in front of her.

"Thank you very much but I still can't locate Shaw." Charles replied.

"He's down there, we need to find him now." Erik said with conviction.

"Hank?" Charles asked.

"Is there anything unusal on the radar or scanners?" Hank questioned Moira.

"No, nothing." Moira answered after glancing over the machinery in front of her.

"Well then obiviously he must be under water and we don't have sonar." Hank replied.

"Yes we do." Alex corrected, Sage grinned at him, already following his thought process.

"Yes we do." Charles agreed from his spot next to her. Charles, Erik, Sean, and herself quickly un-did their seatbelts and made their way towards the end of the jet.

"Hank, level the bloody plane!" Charles commanded.

"Whoah, you back right off." Sean told Erik, pointing at him causing Erik to raise his hands in a mock surrender.

"Beast open the bomb bay doors!" Sean yelled. The doors opened and Sage could see the ocean rushing past them.

"Remember! This is a muscle, you control it! You'll be in here the entire time! We'll see you soon, on my mark! 3, 2, 1, go!" Charles yelled over the sound of the wind. With a shout Sean jumped out of the jet towards the water. Stepping forwards Sage gentley nudged Erik out of the way.

"I need to get out there Charles." Sage spoke up. She knew that she could at distract the ships and back up Sean should he need air support. Charles looked at her for a moments, seeming conflicted for a moment before nodding his acceptance.

Sage reached out and gave Erik a quick side hug and wished him luck. She then took a few steps back for a running start. Looking up she smiled at Charles before sprinting forwards and launching herself out of the jet. Sage called on her fire and felt it engulf her, she flew just above the surface of the water before heading towards the ships.

She flew towards the Americans and noticed some of the men gaping at her on the decks below. Grinning, Sage waved at them and continued on her way. Getting to a height she felt comfortable with she turned to watch Erik lift the submarine. The wheel descended and she could see Erik perched upon the wheel. Slowly the submarine was pulled out of the water. Sage let out a whoop and twirled in the air. Erik had done it. The jet slowly made its way towards an island and Sage started towards it.

Suddenly a tornado appeared and the jet was sucked into it. The sub and jet were tossed onto the beach and Sage felt her heart drop. Within seconds Sage was hovering above the beach, looking for survivors. The teleporter, the man who made tornadoes, and Angel quickly exited the sub and stood watching the jet. Sage moved to hover in front of it protectively. Allowing her flames to flare around her suddenly in a show of power. Angel flinched slightly and the men looked less confident, causing Sage to smirk. Looking back at the jet she saw that Alex, Hank, and Erik had joined her outside. Erik gave her a nod, silently telling her that everyone was okay. Turning back towards the three standing opposite them Sage summoned balls of fire to appear in her hands.

The battle had begun.

AUTHOR NOTE: Thank you to peoplers for pointing out that there was an issue with the chapter, hope you guys like it now that you can actually read it.