Breaking News: So after a bunch of work, I've finished at least the rough drafts on what I refer to as the "bridge chapters." These are the chapters that carry Apex from leaving Weapon X to the beginning of X-Force. So that's what you'll be seeing posted over the next week or so, hopefully you'll like them. Special thanks to Cheshire and Canucklehead for their patience and edits. Also, in terms of major edits, I did a lot of work to chapter 12 so if there was a place to start, I might suggest that.

Don't worry about Cheshire's arc. That's been saved and I will be reposting it once these bridge chapters are over. For continuity, those chapters will be taking place after these "bridge chapters" and sometime during the start of x-force. Expect to see them reposted (along with the newest chapters, which are awesome) sometime in the next two weeks (I hope).

Sorry if this causes any confusion or impatience, but I think it will all be worth it in the end.

Now back to the story...

After Greer had found Apex a seat in the rear of the plane and the rest of the team had followed them on and secured Logan for the flight back, Greer was almost immediately swarmed by her friends.

No...my family.

They all asked her a million questions and wanted to know what had happened to her, but thankfully the Professor urged them to give her some space and that everyone should take their seats so that they could all get home.

Greer mentally thanked the Professor as the plane began to take off. She was still trying to process that it was all over...that she was free...not to mention Colton now sitting quietly in the rear of the plan.

Everything was going smoothly until the Professor approached her during the flight. Greer had tucked herself into a seat far enough away from everyone else while still giving her a view of Colton. When the Professor approached Greer did her best to stay awake long enough to thank him.

"Greer, I'm glad that you are alright. Jean informed me as best she could as to what happened tonight. I want to help you deal with this trauma but you don't need to feel any pressure until you are ready." Greer simply nodded her head silently...she was just so tired...

"Thank you Professor. For everything. For find me and for - for saving me." Greer felt she was beginning to lose it. She turned her head, so no one else would see her like this. She just wanted the nightmare to be over...was it all really over?

"It's alright Greer. Everything will be alright. Jean told me what she could about what Weapon X did to you and Logan. Rest assured, I am confident that I can help Logan and replace the mental blocks I had in place for you and you'll be able –" Greer was too shocked to react at first. One second she was talking quietly to Xavier, trying to keep her composure, and the next Apex had the Professor lifted out of his chair by his jacket, his growl filling the plane. The look on his face as if he was ready to toss Xavier from the plane at 30,000 feet.

"Colton, no!" Greer had bolted out of her seat and had both hands on Apex's arm but it was like trying to move a mountain.

At this point everyone except Scott (who was occupied flying and yelling what the hell was going on) were out of their seats and shouting at Apex to put the Professor down or they would put him down. Apex didn't seem to be very concerned as his eyes remained focused on the Professor's.

"You were the one. You were the one controlling her." Apex's voice was barely audible but full of spite and disgust. At first Greer didn't understand what he was talking about...but she quickly realized that to Colton, Xavier was her Admiral.

"Colton it's not like that. The Professor helped me. He was helping me. No one is trying to control us. I promise." Greer was doing her best to keep everyone calm but she could tell that if Colton made any move to harm the Professor, there would be nothing she could do to stop - or protect - them.

"No more collars. No more control. You. Will. Not. Control. Me." Apex drew the Professor closer to his face, a deep growl defining every word he said.

"Colton I can assure you - " The Professor was trying to remain calm but he was having a hard time maintaining his cool facade as he realized that his attempts to penetrate Apex's mind were proving futile at the moment.

"YOU'RE LYING!" Apex roared, causing everyone to take a few steps closer to attack as Greer silently begged them to remain calm and give her a chance.

"Colton, you need to listen to me. I asked for the Professor's help. He saved me. Just like you saved me at the Facility. The Professor can help you. He has helped all of us. Please, don't hurt him." Greer continued to softly but firmly speak to Apex until his eyes finally dropped down to hers and saw the concern she had for both him and..."the Professor" he was holding.

Looking around the plane and seeing how all of the mutants were staring not only at him, but at the Professor, concern also etched into their faces, he looked back to Greer.

"But he wants to control you. To control us. I thought we were going someplace...free." Greer heard him struggle with the last word.

"We are. I promise. But first, I need you to put put the Professor down." Taking one last look at Xavier, Apex gently placed him back in the chair, his eyes remaining on Greer.

With the Professor safe, Greer hurried to Apex's side while tossing warning glares at the rest of the plane. Xavier quickly recovered and did his best to deescalate the situation.

"Colton, I assure you, you are among friends here." Xavier gave a look that led to everyone heading back to their seats. "I know I can't ask you to trust me yet, but in time I know I can help you - both of you." Greer was always amazed at the depth of the Professor's compassion for his fellow mutants and mentally thanked him for not judging Colton too harshly on his outburst. 'Thank you Professor. He's just scared...I think. I'm not sure how much outside of Weapon X he really knows. I'm the only person I think he actually has at the moment. He was just trying to protect me.'

'I understand Greer. You both have been through quite an ordeal. He will need you for the next few weeks. But if you could do me the courtesy of convincing him not to eviscerate anyone at the Institute in the future, it would be greatly appreciated.' Relieved, Greer nodded her head and taking Apex's arm led him back to the rear of the plane where they could sit together in silence until the Mansion.

...

Greer spent the remainder of the plane ride seated next to Apex in an attempt to keep everyone calm. Greer knew that if she could hear the rest of the X-Men whispering, so could he. Greer had hoped that Jean would at least be of some support but from what she could see Jean seemed to be distracted – the look on her face as if she was having an argument with an unseen party. She didn't look like she was winning...

"I should not be here. This is a mistake." Greer put her hand back on Apex's arm. He had been silent since the episode with Xavier and was looking out the window, but Greer knew that he was taking everything in. Analyzing every detail. Measuring every angle. It was what he did.

"Just ignore them for now. You can't expect them to just get forget everything and pretend nothing happened. But don't worry, you're not the first stray we've brought in." Apex turned from the window to give Greer a more careful look at her choice of words but she just...smiled.

He'd never seen her smile before...It was gone quickly.

Greer leaned back in her chair and tucked her feet underneath herself as her tail draped around her. She was exhausted. Not physically. But mentally.

Apex watched her until she closed her eyes. Her hand never left his arm. Apex was hyper-aware of the contact. She had first done it to lead him onto the plane. No one - no one had ever touched him before. Not like that. It was...

weak. The Admiral's voice sounded in Apex's head. "Different." He said mentally in response. No one answered.

Apex shook his head and turned his eyes away from Greer's hand and back out the window. Greer may be convinced that he would be able to stay with her teammates, but he was not so convinced.

While he felt no guilt or worry for his safety...a sense of pensiveness weighed on him. He had thought carefully of what Greer had spoken of. About life in the Mansion. A life without orders or collars or missions. It sounded too good to be true. It sounded

weak

Apex remained silent the rest of the way.

...

As the jet landed in the hangar Greer noticed the tension radiating off of Apex.

"We'll just let everyone else get off first. Then we can head inside and I'll help find you a room. Everything is going to be alright." Apex gave Greer a quick look before eying everyone as they slowly got off of the jet. Everyone moved with too much purpose. In pairs...in teams. It was too precise...

"Something is wrong. We should leave through the wheel well." Greer just shook her head and again took Apex's arm in her own.

"You don't need to be afraid -"

" I am NOT afraid." Greer took a deep breath of patience. Her body might have healed but Greer had never felt so hollowed out. She just wanted this nightmare to be over and for that to happen she needed to get off this jet, settle Colton, and get back to her room.

But to do that, she needed to get Apex out of his seat...

"Colton, I need you to trust me. Alright?" Apex finally took his eyes off of the ramp the rest of the X-Men had exited from to meet Greer's eyes. Obviously seeing something he needed, Apex got out of the seat and allowed Greer to lead the way out. She felt like she was trying to pull a very heavy suitcase through too small an aisle but slowly she got Apex to get off the plane and down the ramp to the hanger.

For a moment Greer wondered why everyone was standing around like that and where Scott was.

"Greer, I need you to trust me." Xavier's voice rang in Greer's head right before what felt like a massive force pushed her to the ground.

"Tigra!" Apex moved to cover Greer but before he could take more then a step in her direction Scott moved from behind the ramp and taking off his visor blasted Apex to the back of the head. Unprepared, Apex dropped to his knees from the force of the blast as both the Professor and Jean leveled Apex with a psychic blast, leaving him unconsciousness.

Greer turned fast enough after being pushed psychically by Jean to see both Jean and the Professor level Apex with their combined force.

"What are you doing?!" Greer ran to Apex who was not moving. The back of his head still smoking from Scott's blast. The rest of the X-Men were slowly moving closer and Greer felt a sudden panic set in.

"Stay back!" Greer raised her claws and she stood protectively over Apex.

"Greer, it's alright. I promise. We just need - " Jean had her hands extended as she tried calming her friend down but Greer just kept glancing at the slowly tightening circle. Her breathing becoming erratic.

"What do you want! Stay away! Stay - "

'Sleep.' Greer heard the Professor's voice tone in her head and knew nothing else.