Author's Note- Sorry about the weirdness yesterday. Apparently there was a problem on fanfiction yesterday, but it looks like it's finally fixed. Thanks for the heads up and patience, folks!

Chapter Twenty-One "Jean Grey – The Phoenix"

Jean murmured in her sleep, slipping deeper into the confines of her dream. Her life had been filled with so much drama, whether it was her feelings for Scott, her urges to be with Logan, or struggle to resist the power of Dark Phoenix. It drove her to the point of mental exhaustion, but she managed to keep it all under control.

Until one day, it all slipped.

Her bed crumbled from underneath her body, and she fell into an infinite plunge into the abyss. Jean's emerald eyes widened as images of her disarray life flashed before her. In the distance, Scott reached out to her, but before she could respond, another woman's hand fell into his grasp. Jean plummeted further as her eyes swelled with tears at the remembrance of the woman's bleach blonde hair, bright blue eyes, sultry figure, and snow white outfit.

Emma Frost. Despite their years together, Scott left Jean to be with her. Perhaps he had enough of the troubles the Dark Phoenix caused. No. That wasn't the case. The light dissipated as she tried to wipe her face clean of her tears. The actual truth was so much harder to accept. Jean held her hand over her face before she glanced at her slender figure hidden behind her green silk gown.

Scott just didn't find her attractive anymore.

The darkness around her grew stronger, threatening to swallow her whole, but she didn't care. She pulled her knees to her chest and sighed. Her eyes closed, perhaps to hide her shame. She was ugly, and the darkness could help hide it.

"Don't listen to him. Any sane guy would have to be completely blind to not see how beautiful you are."

The voice pierced the void and brought a small ray of light around her frame. Jean opened her eyes and brushed her hand across her skin, which was oddly warm all of a sudden. She felt the same sensation run through her cheeks, turning it a shade to match her crimson locks. It was a feeling she experienced before with Scott, but this presence was different. Not as stern but more light-hearted. Softer. Gentler.

Jean brought her gaze back up and realized she was still falling. Now standing from her with his back turned, Logan carried a somber look in his eyes. Jean screamed at the top of her lungs, but silence grew between them, as if her voice had abandoned her. Logan shook his head, oblivious to Jean, and walked away. Had she not denied him countless times, he may have stayed with her.

It was her fault. Her own undoing.

The dark void readied to swallow her whole and bring her suffering to an end, but a hand reached down, grasping hers sternly yet gently. Her tear stained emerald orbs peeked up and found a young man bathed in light with a smile on his face. The tendrils latched around her body hissed harshly as if the light burned away at their skin. Slowly but steadily, Jean felt herself being pulled from the darkness. The light faded, allowing the man's face to be seen. His short chocolate hair matched his eyes, and despite everything that had happened, the smile on his face remained intact.

"Don't worry, Red. Chase me away as much as you want, but I can guarantee I'll stay with you until the end. It might be dangerous, but I'm too stupid to avoid danger."

The one man who stayed by her side despite the imminent danger was none other than Peter Parker.

Jean's eyes shot open, and she rose from her bed in a pool of sweat. Her heart threatened to jump out of her chest, prompting her to place her hand over her breast in an attempt to calm it down.

"That dream again," she said barely above the hint of a whisper.

Her hand fell to the side and landed on a small lump in the bed. Jean's lips curled into a smile once she turned and found a sleeping Peter Parker next to her side. His bare chest rose and fell with each breath he took, but the smile on his face remained intact. It seemed like yesterday when the X-Men saved Spider-Man's life, and in a show of gratitude, he wound up kissing Jean on the spot.

After her break-up with Scott and brief departure from the X-Men, Jean ended up renewing her friendship with Spider-Man, otherwise known as Peter Parker. They grew close and eventually started dating, causing an uplift in Jean's downed spirit. Peter had something nobody else had. He may not have been the strongest, and in the eyes of the Phoenix, he was but an ant fighting the sun.

However, his earnest feelings and undying will to stay with Jean through it all told her that his love was far more valuable than anything in the world. Perhaps, it was strong enough to help confront her demons and the Phoenix Force. Only time could tell. For right now, as she nuzzled her face in between the crook in Peter's neck, Jean could only bath in the light that chased away her darkness.

Sorry, once again. I've been juggling a lot of things, but I am coming along on the follow-ups. So instead of keeping you all waiting, I figured a fresh update was needed in the mean time. I'm not too big a fan of this one, but I hope you liked it. Reviews and requests are appreciated! Excelsior, fellow fanatics!

P.S.- Once again, a new poll is on my page. My Jessica Drew x Spider-Man story is near completion. Just give a quick vote, and tell me which story you would like to see started as soon as it's done!

P.S.- P.S.- Someone made a request for me to feature a female version of Gambit in this story. I'm interested, but I don't know how you would respond. Tell me what you think in a review!