"You wanna...climb down that?" Storm said as they looked down the crack leading to the elevator shaft.
"I want to do anything to find the Professor so they can fix us." Logan said.
"I think we should wait here. The Professor will head straight for Cerebro. He'll know where we are." Storm said.
"Uh...guys?" Becky asked looking behind her.
"Just a second Becky. Ro, how do we even know the Professor knows we're missing? For all he knows we're still looking for Becky." Logan argued.
"Guys..." Becky said with a tremble in her voice.
"Logan I don't think we should take any more chances. I say we wait somewhere safe until they find us." Storm said.
"Guys..."
"That's your problem Ro. You never take chances." Logan said.
"I'm taking a chance with you." Storm said folding her arms.
"Guys..."
"What's that suppose to mean?" Logan asked.
"It means what's to stop you from packing up and leaving again?" Storm argued.
"Not this again. Ro I love you! I'm not going anywhere." Logan insisted.
"How can I be sure?" she asked.
"Guys!" Becky yelled.
"What?!" they yelled at once. Then they paled seeing the large rat creeping up on them and hissing.
"Not again." Logan growled popping out his claws.
"Becky honey? Back away. Slowly." Storm said. Becky nodded, trying to get away from the rat. She didn't know what it was about her that attracted so much trouble. Luck of the Irish indeed. So far she was lucky she hadn't been eaten. And her luck wasn't about to change now. For the rat, sensing she was the weaker one, suddenly pounced on her. Logan yelled and charged the rat. But Becky shrieked, using her power to such an intensity it made Logan and the rat cover their sensitive ears.
"Becky stop!" Storm yelled pulling the frightened girl away.
"Storm get out of here!" Logan yelled before getting knocked down by the rat's big tail. Then he got to his feet and swiped at the rat, kicking it in the face. The rat hissed and snapped at Logan.
"Can't you fry it like the spider?" Becky asked Storm.
"I'm afraid to hit Logan." Storm said, not wanting to cause him pain even though she knew he would survive.
Meanwhile the Professor was watching this all in his minds eye. He opened his eyes and got up, taking off the helmet. He left Cerebro and found the others, watching Tony and Hank and Wendall work on gathering parts.
"They're in trouble." he told them. He led the way to the elevator, Remy and Rouge on his heels.
Logan roared with rage as he started to hack away at the rat, who only nipped and bit back at him, tried to scratch and overpower him with its claws. Logan made it follow him under a table where he ducked behind a table leg, waiting for his shot as the rat sniffed him out. Once the rat got close, Logan surprised him by coming out and giving him an uppercut that knocked it back. The rat shook himself then dove on top of Logan, knocking him to the ground. Storm was about to intervene, when Rouge, Remy and the Professor came from the elevator.
"Professor!" Storm yelled.
"There!" Xavier said pointing to the rat.
"I got it." Remy said conjuring a playing card and charging it with kinetic energy. He carefully aimed then sent the car flying. It hit the rat and cut it in two.
"Hey watch it Gumbo!" Logan yelled as Storm and Becky ran towards him. Storm helped him up and said,
"He can't hear you Logan."
"He'll hear it later." promised Logan.
"You could have killed 'em!" Rouge snapped at Remy.
"Easy Cher. The Gambit never misses." Remy assured her. The Professor handed a magnifying glass to Rouge and told her,
"See if you can find them."
Rouge nodded and carefully knelt on the floor. She looked around before seeing the three of them jump up and down and yell at them.
"There they are! Hey guys!" she cried.
"Hang on Mes amies. We'll get ya'll right as rain in no time." Remy said.
Later, after watching the fifth apple explode in the path of the ray's laser, Logan said, arms folded over his chest,
"We're going to be this size for the rest of our lives."
"They're trying their best Logan." Storm sighed as he began to pace.
"Mm..." Tony said lifting up his safety glasses on top of his head.
"Well we have a nice way to make apple sauce." Hank joked.
"Maybe the laser is too hot. And the heat is causing things to implode before it's mass can be reduced." Wendall said after making a few calculations on the computer. Tony looked over his findings and said,
"Worth a shot."
He made a few adjustments to the machine and then said,
"Okay Hank set it up again."
Hank got another apple and set it up before backing away quickly.
"Think it'll work this time?" Rouge asked wringing her hands.
"Thomas Edison once said, 'Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.'" Hank quoted.
"And I never give up until I succeed. Tony Stark." Tony said before pushing a button. The laser fired and there was a distinct difference this time. The apple merely disappeared. Tony and Hank stepped forward and looked at the spot through magnifying lenses. Sure enough there was a tiny apple. They shared a similar smile.
"It's go time." Tony said.
"Rouge." Hank nodded. Rouge nodded and went to the table where they had sat Logan, Storm and Becky. She used a playing card to move them to the floor. Logan helped Rouge and Becky down and looked up at the machine Stark had taken mere hours to create.
"Logan?" Storm asked him.
"Yeah?" he said looking down at her.
"Whatever happens, I'm glad I took the chance to tell you how I felt." she said. He merely smiled softly and wrapped her hand in his, bringing it up to his lips to kiss it.
"So. How long have you been together?" Becky asked nervously, trying to think of anything else.
"Feels like a lifetime." Logan said squeezing Storm's hand as Storm held Becky's. Then Storm took a deep breath as Tony took the controls.
"Cross your finger and toes everyone." Tony said. Rouge held the Professor's hand while Remy took her other. She gave him a warm smile. Tony pushed the button. The laser shot out, and the next thing everyone knew Logan, Storm and Becky were standing before them, full sized.
"AHH! You did it!" Rouge cried jumping up and down as Logan Rouge and Becky cried out happily hugging each other. Then they exchanged hugs all around. Logan did a double take when he noticed Stark looking at him funny.
"What?" he barked.
"Is it my imagination, or were you shorter?" Tony asked. Logan rolled his eyes as Storm said,
"Thank you Tony."
"Thank me by grabbing a long hot shower. Cause you three are ripe." Tony said waving a hand and coughing.
"Where's Annie? Where's my baby?" Becky asked.
"Oh you're Annie's mother! Come we'll take you to her." Xavier said taking her arm.
"Thank you. Thank you all." Becky said before the Professor led her out. Logan nodded wrapping an arm around Storm's shoulders. Remy looked at them and smiled,
"Does the Gambit's eyes deceive? Or did you two find some quality time together?"
"Long story." Storm said.