Jean and Logan led the group; Logan focusing on the scents of Mastermind and Sinister and Jean focused on their daughter.
"What is it with bad guys and underground caves?" Marie muttered.
Kitty laughed while Logan and Jean exchanged looks. As they walked further on, Logan stopped, raising his hand up, halting everyone behind them. "What is it?" Jean asked as Logan looked around.
"A trap," he answered merely.
Suddenly, the lights flashed on and the X-Men realized they were surrounded by several men holding guns at them. "FoH," Bobby muttered.
"Well, well, well," Sinister said as he approached. "The X-Men. What a surprise."
"Where's Rachel?" Jean demanded.
"Safe…for now. Just as Magneto," he mused.
"Magneto?" Ororo asked, her eyebrows rose.
"Yes." Sinister pointed to his left and the X-Men saw a large glass chamber where the unconscious Magneto, Pyro and Mystique were. But no Rachel.
"You bastard," Scott snapped, lunging forward. But Jean held out her arms and stopped him.
"Such hostility," Sinister chuckled. "I have one more surprise for you."
The watched as Sinister's eyes fell upon something behind them. Turning around, they saw Mastermind, holding a ray gun, and grinning at the X-Men. "Hello X-Men," he sneered. Firing the weapon, it hit Jean square in the chest and her back hit the rocky wall with a grunt as she fell to the ground.
"Jean!" Logan yelled. As he moved in her direction, the humans stepped up and pressed the muzzle of the weapon against his chest and cocked the hammer. Glaring at them, Logan growled in his throat, his eyes changing slightly, but he didn't move any further.
Logan saw Jean slowly, and painfully, getting to her feet as Kitty gasped and pointed over their heads. "Guys, what's that?"
They looked up and Logan's eyes widened. It couldn't be…
"Looks like Phoenix," Hank noted.
"I thought there was only one Phoenix," Peter commented.
Hank nodded and Logan said, "There is."
Ororo looked over at Jean and replied, "Then that means…"
Logan looked at Ororo and saw her concerned expression. "That Jean is no longer Phoenix."
"It's impossible though," Hank said. "Phoenix cannot survive without Jean." He looked at the weapon that Mastermind was holding. "That weapon…" he pondered.
Emma watched as the firebird started to form into a human shape. "It's impossible," she whispered.
Betsy watched as Phoenix turned into another version of Jean, resembling Dark Phoenix. "He ripped Phoenix right out of her."
Scott shook his head. "No, not Phoenix. Dark Phoenix," he said grimly.
The watched as Dark Phoenix, in the form of Jean, stared at the real Jean as she recovered from the blow.
"Dark Phoenix, goddess!" Sinister cried. "I came forward to serve you. To deliver you the woman that has imprisoned you for all these years." Sinister pointed at Jean. "Jean Grey."
Dark Phoenix turned sharply at Jean, her eyes darkened and the flames licked her body, as she glared at Jean.
"She's going to kill her," Marie said.
"She can't," Ororo replied. "If she does that Phoenix dies as well."
Scott shook his head. "I don't think it cares."
"We have to do something!" Bobby cried.
Logan nodded and extended his claws, slashing the first guy closest to him. Ororo's eyes turned white as lightning sizzled above their heads. Hank grabbed the closest human, who fired several shots, but Hank was too fast. Moving quickly, he grabbed the weapon, bent it, grabbed him by the shirt and tossed him into a dozen other men. Kitty grabbed Marie and used her powers to disappear within the ground while Bobby put up a frozen ice shield that blocked the advancing bullets as Scott used his optic blasts to blast through it and knock out the other men on the other side.
Jean looked at Dark Phoenix and slowly backed up. "I didn't do what he said I did," she tried to explain. "You can't do this."
"What?" Dark Phoenix hissed.
Jean swallowed hard. "If you kill me, then you do too."
Dark Phoenix smirked. "That's a risk I'm willing to take." She hurled a fireball at Jean but she dived out of the way in time and Dark Phoenix threw another one. Jean blocked it with her powers and threw it back. Dark Phoenix caught it and blew it up in her hands. She grinned as she approached Jean and punched her, hard. Jean fell to her knees and Dark Phoenix kicked her. The impact was so strong, that Jean heard the bone crack, as she was flipped in the air from the impact and landed on her side painfully. She groaned in pain and as she got on all fours, spit out blood as Dark Phoenix grabbed her by her hair. Jean broke the grip and punched her back then brought her knee up to her face.
Emma grabbed the gun out of the man's hand and punched him then used the gun and fired it at another guys knee caps, taking him down. Once the gun was out of bullets, she threw it down and turned around to see Mastermind watching them, grinning. "Jason!" she screamed, walking up to him. "Stop this!"
He laughed at her. "Why would I?" he challenged.
"Dark Phoenix will kill Jean!"
Mastermind shrugged. "And when that happens, I will have Dark Phoenix's powers and control."
Emma shook her head. "You know as well as I that the crystal was destroyed. Phoenix is unstable."
Mastermind smirked. "Not when I'm through with her."
"You're so thick headed!" Emma fumed just as Betsy came behind him and hit him on the neck, rendering him unconscious.
Peter grabbed two of the men and threw them together, knocking them out. Watching Ororo, Scott and Logan fighting beside each other, his attention switched to the chamber. Looking around, he spotted a pipe and picked it up. Forming up, he turned his body around twice and let go of the pipe. It hit the chamber and shattered the glass all over. Instinctively, he and the other X-Men ducked as the humans got hit with pieces of the glass. He ran over to the chamber and checked on the Brotherhood, awakening them.
Jean hit the wall again, but this time heard a pop in her shoulder, as she slid down to the ground. Phoenix threw another fireball at her, but Jean was able to move out of the way. Growing frustrated, Dark Phoenix threw other one. Jean blocked it and threw it back, hitting Dark Phoenix. "See?" she said, taunting her. "You're not as strong without me." Dark Phoenix growled and threw another one, once more, blocked by Jean. "Remember what you told me when you surfaced. We're one." Shrieking, Dark Phoenix threw another one followed by another, both missing Jean. But Dark Phoenix knew Jean was tiring; she was human. While Dark Phoenix could keep going, Jean could not. The more Dark Phoenix threw, the closer they got. Jean noticed the advantage that Dark Phoenix had and she leapt at her, tackling her to the ground and they rolled around, trying to get on the offensive, landing blows in the gut and face as they thrashed around. It finally ended with Dark Phoenix pinning Jean to the ground and holding a mighty fireball in her hand, raised above her.
Jean exhaled. "Go ahead." Dark Phoenix frowned. "Kill me." Dark Phoenix looked at her curiously and Jean saw her opprunity. "Even though there's a side of you that's tainted by human emotion and pain, you showed me what's worth living for in life." She watched as Dark Phoenix's eyes began to return to normal. "Phoenix is an entity filled of love and life that protects," Jean said, almost in a trance like voice. "Sinister and Mastermind have been tricking you. Using the human side of me to get to you."
Just as it seemed that Phoenix was about to back up Sinister thundered, "Kill her!" Something triggered in Phoenix as her eyes darkened once more. But the hesitation gave Jean enough time to use her powers and thrust Dark Phoenix off of her. Jumping to her feet, she dived out of the way as Dark Phoenix threw another fireball.
Marie and Kitty entered a dead end to the cave and looked around in the darkness. "We could use some light," Marie muttered.
Hearing a noise, they watched as the cave became lit up slightly. The spark was then thrown and it lit up the cave and there standing in front of them, smirking, was Remy. "Gambit taught you ladies could use some help," he said.
Kitty leaned over to Marie. "He is so hot," she whispered.
Marie elbowed her in the gut and smiled sweetly at Remy. "That's sweet."
"What're you doin' anyways?"
"Looking for Rachel," Kitty answered, rubbing the spot where Marie nudged her.
Remy raised his eyebrows. "You tink she's in the cave?"
Marie nodded. "No way would Sinister keep her any further than an arms link away. She's got to be here."
Suddenly, they heard weeping coming from within the cave. The trio exchanged looks and Marie followed the sound, with Remy and Kitty bringing up the rear. Marie finally reached the source of the crying and kneeled down next to the little girl with the long red hair. "Hey, it's okay." The little girl looked up at her, her green eyes filled with tears. "We're friends," Marie said as Kitty and Remy caught up to her.
"Really?" the little girl asked.
Marie nodded. "Yes. What's your name?"
"Ra-Rachel," she sobbed.
Kitty knelt next to Marie and whispered, "There's no way that can be Jean's child. She's almost eight years old."
Marie noticed that it was true. Jean's daughter would be no older than four years. This girl was eight! But the resemblance was so scary. "We're friends of your mothers," she said.
Rachel sobbed louder and then did the unthinkable and jumped out, hugging Marie tightly. They exchanged looks as Rachel cried harder and muttered, "Mommy's gone," over and over again.
Logan slashed the man's chest then pushed his lifeless body away as he went for another. Once he went through at least a dozen men, he was face to face with a smirking Sinister.
"Are you going to fight me?" Sinister asked, laughing.
Growling, Logan lunged forward and slammed his claws into Sinister's stomach. But nothing happened. Logan's fist went straight through. It wasn't Sinister at all. He smiled as Logan watched the image of Sinister disappear. He looked around, panting, and shouted, "Sinister! Show ya self!"
"Think you can find me?" Sinister taunted, his voice carrying through the thin air and echoing throughout the cave.
Marie, Remy, Kitty and Rachel ran down the cave like hallway until they reached other fork. Marie sighed. "I think we're going into circles," she said. "Everything looks the same."
"Well duh!" Kitty snapped, rolling her eyes. "It's a cave! Of course everything will look the same!"
Marie exhaled in anger as she turned and gasped. Rachel, the once eight year old, now appeared to be sixteen. Before she could say anything, they heard shouting and an explosion. Rachel quickly took off, the trio following.
Once Scott blasted the last standing human they all gathered together, regrouping, as they saw Jean grunting as Dark Phoenix had Jean in a chokehold by using her powers. Jean's feet were off the ground and she was clutching her throat, gasping for air. Acting quickly, Scott used his powers and hit Dark Phoenix, releasing the hold on Jean. She hit the ground and gasped for air, coughing violently. Scott then proceeded to run up to Jean, but Logan stopped him.
"Logan!" he snapped.
"No, wait," Logan said, watching them carefully.
Jean stared at Dark Phoenix. "We're not the enemy," she told Dark Phoenix as she punched her. Jean snapped her head back and hit Dark Phoenix as well.
"You talk non-sense," Dark Phoenix hissed.
Jean shook her head and held open her arms. "I don't. And I can prove it to you."
Dark Phoenix raised her eyebrow and regarded Jean. Dark Phoenix suddenly shaped back into a firebird and it screeched. The X-Men covered their ears as Jean closed her eyes and held her breath, expecting the worse. The firebird lunged at Jean and consumed her body with its flames. As the X-Men stood up straight, the sound disappearing, they watched as Jean was left standing, powerful, but unbalanced.
"Jean?" Logan said, hopefully.
Jean turned to them, her eyes their normal color, and smiled at them softly, all of her energy drained from her body. "It worked," she said hoarsely. As Logan began to walk over to Jean, they heard clapping. They all turned sharply and saw Sinister standing there, still smirking as he had before. "Jean Grey, you never disappoint me," he commended. "You all survived but the Brotherhood escaped." The X-Men looked around, realizing it was true, and turned back to face Sinister. Jean created a fireball, but Sinister held up his hands. "Ah-ah. You wouldn't want to do that now."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Give me a good reason."
"Rachel Grey," he said, smiling when he saw her reaction. "That's right, your daughter, remember her?"
Logan walked up beside Jean. "Where is she?" he demanded.
"Here." Sinister said as Rachel, now in her early twenties approached.
Logan's eyes widened. "Uh, Jean….do you want to tell me something?"
Jean shook her head. "He must've done something," she tried to explain.
"She's in her twenties," Logan pointed out.
"I know," Jean said. "It has to be a spell or something."
Sinister turned to Rachel and pointed at Jean as Remy and the others ran up to the group, knowing they were too late. "She's the one that killed your mother!"
Rachel turned to Jean, her eyes blackening and her body being surrounded by flames. "Oh no," Jean muttered, rolling her eyes.
Both Logan and Jean backed up as Rachel stepped forward. "You have to get out of here," she told Logan.
He shook his head. "Not leaving without ya darlin'."
Jean turned sharply towards him. "Logan!" she snapped. "Please, do this for me."
Logan hesitated before finally nodding and turned to grab the X-Men and race back to the jet.
Jean turned and faced her daughter, who possessed Dark Phoenix's powers as well. As she threw a fireball, Jean realized her powers weren't too far evolved. A good sign. Jean easily blocked the attack and threw one of her one, hitting her square in the chest. "Not a lot of practice, huh?" she taunted. Rachel gave out a shout and punched Jean, sending her to her knees. Growling lowly, Jean did the same, throwing a right hook. Rachel's head snapped back and when she slowly turned to face Jean, who backed up shocked at her actions; blood ran down her cheek from the cut. Rachel smiled as Jean's eyes widened at the sight of Rachel's wound healing itself until it was completely gone. She threw a fireball at Jean and it hit her square in the chest as she hit the wall and fell to the ground unconscious.
Logan and the others quickly ran into the jet. "Logan," Emma snapped. "Why are we leaving Jean?"
He glanced at Scott and Ororo firing up the engines as he answered, "She's fighting our daughter."
Emma's eyes widened as Betsy replied, "That's impossible."
"Apparently not," Logan drawled.
"But…Jean's only been gone for three years," Hank said. "The woman in there appears to be at least twenty."
Logan nodded. "I know. Jean seems to think Sinister has something to do with it."
"Fascinating."
As Logan moved to the back of the jet, Marie grabbed his arm. "Where're you going?"
He smiled painfully at her. "To save my family." He turned back and saw all eyes on him. "Don't wait up," he said before he ran down the ramp of the jet and back towards the cave.
Rachel stood over Jean and smirked, forming a fireball over her head, and preparing to strike Jean with it. "Good bye, murderer."
"Hey!" Rachel turned quickly to see Wolverine standing a few feet from her, his claws extended, and his eyes boring into hers. She grinned. "Think you can stop me before I kill her?"
Logan's eyes widened as Rachel brought the fireball down…but it hit nothing. Rachel spun around to see Jean standing there, the firebird hovering above her, as Jean's dark eyes met Rachel's. Jean extended her arms and the firebird screeched, and then looked upon its prey: Rachel.
"No!" Logan yelled.
But his words were drowned out by Rachel's screaming as the bird consumed her, inside and out. Then the flames died down and Jean's eyes returned to normal as Logan retracted his claws, staring at Jean in disbelief. He walked a few feet before the smoke cleared. Standing there, in between Logan and Jean, was Rachel. Three year old Rachel holding her teddy bear and looking at her parents. Logan smiled and exhaled in relief as he ran to her and hugged Rachel tightly. Jean watched and smiled, knowing that her body was drained of all of her energy. Finding that she couldn't walk to her family, she dropped to her knees. Feeling something drip from her nose, she wiped it and found blood on her hand; her nose was bleeding as her eyes rolled back in her head.
Logan saw Jean and frowned, his heart racing. "Jean?" Leaving Rachel he ran over to Jean just as she collapsed. Moving his hand around her X-Men uniform, he searched for a pulse. "Jean!"
"What's wrong with Mommy?" little Rachel asked.
Logan shook his head and ripped open the top of Jean's uniform and pressed his ear to her chest. As he was doing so, the entire cave rumbled. Logan looked up franticly and his eyes darted left and right. "No," he whispered painfully. The cave was unstable. What made it worse was that Logan noticed one of Sinister's machines was beeping, flashing 'Overheated' on the panel. "No, no, no." Logan looked back at Jean and then at Rachel. He knew he wouldn't be able to carry Rachel and Jean out of the cave in time; and it was about to go nuclear.
'Go'
Logan frowned. "Jeannie?"
But he didn't hear her again. His eyes darted side to side and he looked down at Jean as the machine began to spark. He kissed her softly then stood up quickly and grabbed Rachel, hauling ass as the machine began to fry.
"Where is he?" Scott snapped.
Ororo shot him a look. "Be patience! He's coming."
Kitty pointed down at the cave. "Guys, look!"
They looked out the cockpit window and saw as the cave began to rumble. "Oh no," Ororo muttered.
"There he is!" Betsy shouted, spotting Logan running out of the cave.
"Lower the jet!" Marie said.
Scott did so and Ororo lowered the ramp. Once Marie gave them the heads up, she pulled it back up and Scott took off as the cave exploded below them. Once they were in the clear, Ororo unbuckled her seat belt and went to the back. Seeing Logan, she hugged him and noticed Rachel sitting in the corner playing with her stuffed animal as Scott came behind her.
"Where's Jean?" he asked feeling a sense of dread deep within his heart.
Logan looked up at him and didn't say a word. They already knew. Jean was gone.
Please review and tell me if you'd like to see another sequel