Non Mutant Hero: A Human X-Factor Sequel By Orkoad Based on characters and situations created and/or owned by Marvel Comics, DC Comics Sunbow Entertainment, Kids WB, Monkey Punch Publications, Nickelodeon entertainment, and John Proft. Special thanks to Red Witch for the use of her character, Spyder.

Chapter 28: Home Again

Jack sat up with a yawn. The last few weeks seems so bizarre they could easily have been a dream. He gave a groan as his eyes slowly cracked open. They slowly wandered the sunlit room, the morning rays cutting threw the darkness, giving the room a tinted color. After a moment his eyes floated up to the wall behind his bed, the sight making him smile, seeing the warn and scuffed red, white and blue shield that hung over his head. He sat up, his eyes working threw the blur of morning vision. The smile on his face seemed to grow as he took a deep breath.

"I'm home." He said in a quiet tone. It was strange to him however to see that forge was not in the bed across from his. It was Saturday and usually his roommate slept in for hours. He shook the thought away. No way was he going to worry about anything. He had been to an alien planet, heaven and hell, and prison all inside of a month. He needed a break more than anything, he thought as he stood up and headed for the shower.

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Jack yawned as he walked downstairs, fully clothed as he wandered with a groan into the kitchen. At the end of the island table I the middle of the kitchen was a small pile of letters, where the students would look them over to find their mail. Jack yawned as he sorted threw them,which was difficult with one hand, when he stumbled over a letter addressed to him, from his college.

Quickly he tore it open and his eyes scanned the single sheet of paper within.

"Dear Mr. Carson, we regret to inform you that dew to recent events, we are immediately canceling your school year. We send you wishes and hope you will find many more opportunity's in your future..." Jack couldn't read any more, he had done nothing wrong and still he seemed to be punished for simply mistaken identity. He had to take alot of crap in his life, and it was all starting to really pile up. He slumped into a chair in the corner, the letter slipping from his hand as he stared out into space.

"Problem bub?" A voice asked from somewhere nearby, jack didn't look up to find out. When Jack didn't reply, he heard the sound of footsteps walk up to him. Jack slowly looked up to see Logan looking down at him, a beer in free hand. Logan seemed to try his best to give him a smile, but that smile fell the minute he saw jack's hands, or hand, the lack of a right hand make his eyes go wide for a moment. "What happened kid?" he asked in shock. Jack said nothing, his eyes falling back to the floor. Logan gave a weak groan, grabbed a nearby chair and took a sat backwards on the chair, leaning forward as he took a sip of his beer.

"I don't think I can take anymore Mr. Logan, it's to much..." Jack said in almost a whimper. Logan bit his lip, he had known jack along time, and he's known jack to take alot of crap no kid should deal with, and in all those years, he had never seen jack break down like this.

"Look kid, I've been around longer than anyone, I seen alot of people deal with alot of crap, and in all that, you kid, you are the only person I've seen take it all and never complain, never once. I've complained over less." Jack wiped the tears that had started to form. "I have to tell you kid, you deserve to complain once and awhile kid, but you don't, you've never complained. Your a tough kid, and..." Logan took a breath, "and I got to admit kid, I'm glad I met you." Jack's eyes went wide in amazement, but it seemed to bring him back from the edge of depression. JAck had to nod.

"Thank you Mr.. Logan." Jack said with a small smile. Logan took a breath.

"Don't get used to it kid, your goin back to work tomorrow." Logan grumbled as he stood up and put the chair back. Jack smiled, nodding as he watched Logan walk out. After a moment, jack stood up, opened the fridge and pulled out a , and sighed. So he wasn't going back to school, so what, no matter what happened, he always had a place to go, he'd never be homeless, he always had a home, and that's all he really needed.

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Jack looked at his watch. It read 11:04 am. It was somewhat early but other than Logan he couldn't find anyone in the mansion. It felt weird to him. It could have been some kind of weird kidnapping or something like that, but jack decided after mulling over it for about an hour, that he just didn't want to worry about it. If they were all still gone after another two hours, then he would decide to worry.

For now Jack felt it was time he got back to something he let go of long ago. Jack wouldn't be going back to school, which meant he had a lot of free time on his hands, and he felt he couldn't spend it in a better place than the place he stood in right now. The danger room. He let go of an old dream for far to long. He took a breath, and he was off, running down the gauntlet of traps and challenges he set up earlier. He had made sure to make it somewhat random so he wouldn't be ready for some of the traps. He was way out of shape however, and was quickly beginning to feel it. After another hour he was feeling it even more.

Granted the challenges he set up were more than the average person would use as exercise, he wanted to put himself up against harder things, but after afew close calls, he finally tripped over an elevated curb of metal, and stumbled. He looked up, eyes wide in fear as a massive slab of metal came falling towards him. No safeguard in the world would be able to stop it in time, and there was no time to get away. He closed his eyes tight, waiting for the end... But the end never came. He looked up timidly, and gasped, to see the slab hanging in the air, as if an invisible giant hand held it in the air. A moment later it was sent sailing hard into the wall tot he far left. Jack shivered alittle as he searched the sky of the danger room, and found the reason. The man in crimson and purple, hanging in the air as if he was master of it, as he slowly descended to the ground, standing over him. Jack didn't know what to expect, but was surprised to see the man hold out his hand.

"You are a curious man, Mr. Carson." The man said. Jack was apprehensive, but took the hand and let it pull him to his feet.

"Magneto... Right?" Jack asked. He had met the master of magnetism once or twice before, around the time X had died, but never really talked to him. He had heard that the man had come to the mansion to aid in the x-men's training exercises and other things, but it had been along time since he had been in his presence.

"You would be correct my boy, it was time you and I had a discussion." Magneto said as he waved a hand, and two metal chairs morphed out from the ground, like liquid metal shifting at the command of it's master. Magneto motioned for Jack to sit as he did himself. Jack nodded nervously and took a seat opposite him.

"You seem worried." Magneto said evenly.

"Shouldn't I be? I've heard you had a kind of hatred towards humans... I happen to be a human..." Jack said evenly. Magneto smiled.

"What I failed to realize for so long is that I to am human, simply... sightly different." Magneto replied. Jack nodded.

"Okay... What did you want to talk to me about?" Jack asked. Magneto sighed and slowly pulled off his helmet, the removal of his helmet made him seem to change from a towering demon like figure, to an almost kind looking young man.

"I have come to the mansion to attempt to repent for my past sins. I would like your help with this." Jack was confused.

"How could I help?" Jack asked.

"Well, I have done simply nothing other than help train the x-men and new mutants. I would like to do more. You are human, and as such you are the only human I can come to and talk to about such things." Jack rubbed his head.

"So you want my advice?" Magneto nodded. This was weird for jack, he never really thought himself an expert on anything. Then an idea occurred to him.

"What's your real name sir?"

"Eric." Jack nodded, it seemed weird to call an older person by their first name, but he knew to most it wasn't an odd thing.

"Okay Eric... When was the last time you just had some fun, not fighting anyone, not worrying about things, just... Took some time to have fun?" Eric rubbed his chin in thought.

"I don't know if I've actively tried in some time." Jack couldn't help but smile.

"well sir, maybe you would want to take in a movie?" Eric thought more on the thought.

"I don't think I've ever simply taken in a film. Would you recommend one?" Jack couldn't help but smile wide.

"I can think of several, are you familiar with Godzilla?"

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Jack couldn't help but smile at the thought of the once greatest enemy of the human race, going off to the local best buy for DVD's. He homed magneto remembered to not use his powers around them, otherwise he'd come home with blank DVD's. But his thoughts gradually drifted to worry. It had been over 3 hours and he hadn't seen another person in the mansion. He scratched the back of his head as he slowly walked around the mansion, he walked slowly but over the time he was able to cover the entire mansion with no one in sight. He was about to start going threw the professors office next, when he felt something ram into him hard.

He coughed as he sat up from the collision, and looked up to see what had hit him. He smiled wide at the sight of the small purple dragon that had come to perch on his knee, cackling happily like a puppy that had found it's master.

" Lockheed, its good to see you again little buddy." The small creature spat a puff of smoke and flapped his arms in joy for a moment, his tiny arms reaching out for a small hug. Jack hugged him back as best he could.

"Do you know where everyone else is?" Jack asked. The little creature nodded and started to flap his wings, hovering in the air as jack climbed to his feet. In a moment, jack was running after the small creature, which lead him out into the back yard. When jack hit the steps that lead to the left garden, on one side of the pool, he slowed, looking around. The area was simply empty. It was strange to him, and he felt like something weird was going on as Lockheed floated back to perch on his shoulder.

"Well... Where is everyone?"

"SUPRISE!" Jack jumped at the loud statement. Suddenly everyone in the mansion had leapt out. Even Steve, cable and spider-girl were there, wide smiles on everyone's faces as rogue ran up to him, handing him a plate with a slice of cake in it.

"what... What is all this?" Jack asked. Xavier smiled as he came out from within the crowd.

"Dear boy. I know you have been threw alot, but have you truly forgotten the date?" Jacks eyes wend wide at the realization. He had forgotten his birthday. He turned 20 today and after being transported to an alien world, running threw hell, and then prison... It had completely slipped his mind.

"Y.. You guys remembered? H.. How did you even know? I never told anyone my birthday?" Rogue looked away, blushing slightly. Xavier snickered at her reaction.

"A student felt obligated to sneak into my office and peek at your private records, but they got no other private information." he assured jack. Hack slumped into a sitting position on the steps, looking down at the slice of cake, and took a bite. He winced alittle but did his best to hide his disgust.

"Who made the cake?" He asked.

"Well... I ah... Ah had some help from Jean, Spyder and kitty." Rogue said nervously. That made Jack blush some, and it forced him to take another, bigger bite. He forced himself to forget the taste and instead focused on the care that went into making it, and it seemed to taste alot better.

"Its amazing." he said brightly. Rogue blushed even redder, as others started to walk up and give jack his congratulations. And with that the party was in full swing. It was a great time, and jack loved it mostly cause it gave him a chance to talk to some people he hadn't been able to in along time. The first person he decided to talk to was the professor, only he had some bad news to talk to him.

"Professor... I um... I got a letter... The college kicked me out." He said sadly. He somehow felt as thought he failed the professor. Xavier rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Son, while it is a terrible loss, you need to know that you are always welcome here, but be warned that now that you have so much free time, Mr. Logan will have much more work for you." Jack smiled, nodding.

"Ill do my best sir." Xavier laughed a light smile.

"I have no dought." He said as he patted his shoulder, and went off to the party. Jack smiled at the good feeling he had, and went off to the next person he wanted to talk to, spider-girl. She looked strange to him in a party setting. She was out of costume for the first time that he was aware of, but her face was a normal cream color, not grey as she knew it normally was, her eyes no longer glowing red, instead they were a shimmering blue.

"Ollie?" he whispered, looking up at the tall, definition of female beauty.

"yup, surprised, big brother?" She asked with a smile, her platinum blond hair shimmering in the sunlight.

"What.. What are you doing here?" Jack asked. Ollie smiled.

"Well, long story short, cable and I lost our way back to the future, but since history said we visited the mansion for awhile, we felt that since we can't go back, we may as well stay here." Jack nodded in understanding.

"I um.. I'm sorry but, I didn't get a chance to finish that book you gave me." Jack said sadly. Ollie rested a finger at the bottom of his chin, forcing him to bring his eyes back up to hers.

"To be honest Jack, that book had nothing to do with your future, I just... Knew it would be something you'd like." She said with a slight blush.

"well what I did read I liked, but I kind of got sidetracked..." He said with a smile... Before it faded in a moment of realization.

"y... Did you know.. I mean.. When you... Younger you... Died... Did you know it would happen?" Ollie looked away for a moment.

"I couldn't say anything, it would have changed time... The thing was... Because cable and I were now stuck here we couldn't see what we were and weren't changing and.. I um... When she died I died for awhile... Kind of... Its more accurate to say I disappeared." Jack felt awful for a moment.

"I.. I'm sorry Ollie... I really am." he said... Before glancing over to the young Ollie, who was in a deep conversation with the boy he had met at the hospital when they found her. "does anyone know who you are... I mean... Everything about you?" Jack asked. Ollie thought for a moment.

"The professor does, he had to, other wise it would have been impossible to hide it from others, I couldn't hide behind my costume forever." She said with a smile. The dirty part of jacks mind couldn't help but think that he could have been okay with that.

"Anyone else?"

"You, Cable, and that's it."

"Have you... Said anything... To your.. Other you?" Ollie looked over to her younger self.

"Just alittle bit, I figured she needed alittle push in the right direction. I know its alot for you big bro but... She needs her big brother right now, she may not want to admit it, but she needs you to guide her down the right path." Jack nodded, feeling a sense of parental responsibility about it.

"Is there anything else I should know about the future?" Jack asked. Ollie gave him a playful slap in the face, nothing hard, just something teasing.

"Jack Carson, you know the rules, no telling." Jack smiled and nodded, and waved as Ollie walked out to the party. Jack sighed a weary sigh as he looked around for other people he missed talking to. And soon he found one of his best friends, slumped in a chair in the corner, a beer in one hand and his signature cigar tucked into his bill.

"How have you been Howard?" Jack asked as he sat down beside the four foot duck man.

"Lousy kid, it's hell babysitting without your stupid shaved ape ass to help out." Jack nodded, smiling. Howard's surly attitude somehow felt refreshing.

"I have to ask Howard, you could have left years ago, after that crap with Kang, things have been quiet, what kept you here?" Howard gave a grumble as he took a sip of his beer.

"Few things kid, first there's that little hellion," He said, gesturing over to little Ollie, "Then... There's that lil hellion," He said, this time gesturing to the gravestone in the center of the clearing on the other side of the pool, x's grave."

"And that's it?" Jack asked, nudging his friend.

"Awwww, don't make me say it."

"I'm makin you say it you surly duck." Jack snickered.

"Fine kid, I can't leave, this is my home... Plus... bev would never let me go even if I wanted to." That made Jack laugh alittle. It felt good to laugh, and his smile grew as Beverly walked over to them, gently caressing her fingers over Howards cheek.

"Want to get a drink, ducky?" She asked in a cheerful tone. Howard gave a fake growl as he stood up and walked off with Beverly.

"Glad to see you again jack." Beverly said with a kind smile. Jack just smiled, nodding his thanks. Jack sat there for a moment, just looking out at the party. Suddenly he was tackled, falling backwards onto the grass.

"BIG BROTHER!" A very familiar voice called out in joy, squeezing his sides hard enough to almost crush him. Jack smiled, sitting up and hugging back.

"I missed you too Ollie." he said with a smile, pulling her up to sit on his knee.

"Your getting to old, you know that kid?" He asked with a smile. Ollie nodded cheerfully. "How are you feeling?" Jack asked, remembering the last time he really saw her was after carrying her out of hell.

"Better... Kitty, Rogue and Lockheed helped alot." She said cheerfully as she still hugged her older brother. She looked up at him, looking serious. "I.. Want to thank you for... Asking them to keep me out of trouble and... And for saving me." She said, her tone almost guilty.

"Ollie, I love you and that will never change... If I can do anything to... To keep x's memory alive, its to keep you safe." She nodded, hugging Jack still.

"You remember how we met?" She asked. Jack chuckled.

"Hard not to, you almost got me killed, kid." She grumbled, and punched his shoulder, which hurt more than she meant it to, but Jack hid the pain.

"You dummy, I mean... When it all started, it was just the three of us." Jack nodded with a small smile. "I love it here but... Sometimes I miss those times." Jack gently ran his fingers threw her hair.

"Me to kiddo, me too." Jack said absently... Before he pulled her off him alittle to look in her eyes.

"Ollie... I love you but... You know how.. How I cared for x, right?" Jack asked nervously. Ollie smiled a sinister smile

" you mean how you were her booooooyfriend?" She asked teasingly.

"Yeah... Like that. Well.. That was along time ago... And I miss her, and I know you miss her too... But... Well... How would you feel if... If I found another girl?" He asked nervously. Ollies mood instantly changed, but she seemed to think about it.

" What about x?" She asked.

"Ill always love her and ill never forget her. But... Well... What if I fell in love again... Ill still care for x but..." Ollie put a hand to his lips.

"Jack, I know I act like a kid alot, but I'm not that child you found on the street anymore. I act like one around you alot cause well... Your my brother, its a habit I can't break but... I know how some things go, x is gone, and she's not coming back, I understand that. But you do need to get on with your life." Jack nodded, he forgotten that she had grown up some while he was away. Her smile suddenly turned sinister again. "And I notice how you blush when a certain skunk haired girl walks by." Jack blushed.

"Shut up, dummy." he said shyly. She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Be happy big brother, and happy birthday." She said with another bone crushing hug, and ran off. Jack sighed. He hadn't felt this happy in along time. Rogue walked by as ollie ran past. But Ollie stopped as she saw Rogue walking up to Jack, and made a teasing kissing sound, which made Rogue blush. Ollie ran off before anyone could scold her. Rogues blush didn't diminish as she walked over to jack and sat down beside him.

"hah Jack." she said nervously. Jack smiled as she sat down.

"Hey Rogue. I wanted to thank you for everything." He said with a smile.

"I.. I can never stop thankin yall, you.. You gave me tha one thing ah always wanted." She said, looking around to make sure no one was looking, then pulled off her glove, and gently stroked his cheek with it, admiring the feel of his skin." Jack blushed red at that.

"I... I just felt like it was the right thin to do." Jack replied nervously. She was still blushing as she slipped her glove back on, and handed him a small wrapped box.

"Happy birthday, jack." She said sheepishly. Jack took the box and slowly peeled off the wrapping as best he could with one hand, and opened it. It was a small watch, with no numbers or clock hands on it. Jack looked up at her, confused.

"what is it?" He asked, confused.

"Ah um... Ah had forge... Make your armor again, I ah.. I thought yall'd wanna... Get out and play hero again." Jack blushed as he looked down at the watch, amazed at what she had done for him. She gently ran a finger over the watch strap, causing him to look back up at her. "I ah... Also talked to the prof. And he ah.. Said it was okay if ah made some changes... It's got some new stuff, and... Ah new look... It's got tha x-men symbol now." Jacks eyes went wide.

"r.. Rogue I... I don't know what to say, this is the greatest gift I've ever gotten... "

"Anna." She replied.

"what?"

"Ma name... Its Anna... " Jacks mind was on fire in amazement. It was a long known throughout the house that no one, not even the professor knew rogue's real name, and to learn it, from her own lips, was like he had returned to heaven for a moment. "And if y'all ever tell anyone all kill ya." Jack smiled, feeling like she meant it. But he couldn't stop smiling.

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The next day jack was walking into the mansion with a yawn after a hard day of Logan's chores, and took a seat into the living room. Scott, Kurt and the new girl, Illyana, were surfing threw the channels. When he sat, the new girl noticed and ran over to him, and bowed. It was weird to jack, but he didn't speak right away, she spoke before he could try.

"Mr. Carson, I vant to thank you for.. Helping me and my brother, along time ago." Jack nodded, remembering the events of when Kang had attacked, it was alittle jumbled, but he didn't really remember doing anything that directly helped her. But he wasn't about to argue with this adorable little girl.

"It's alright, Illyana, I'm just glad your both safe." He said shyly. Illyana bowed once more, kissed him on the cheek, then ran off. Kurt and Scott snickered.

"She's been ranting about wanting to thank you ever since you got back." Scott said with a smile. "She said you were the one who made magneto change his ways and brought her here." Jack was suprised by that, but wasn't sure he really wanted to know. Suddenly the tv news caught their attention.

"In other news, the mystery man known only as "the torch," Was once again spotted leaving the scene of a gang shoot out, rumors of this torch being Johnny Storm of the fantastic four, were proven untrue, as Mr. storm has multiple abilities for every time this torch has appeared on the scene." Jack stood up, and looked closely at the screen. He didn't know why, but he felt he had seen the man on the screen before.

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Creed roared in anger as he tossed his newspaper to the floor, the cover story about Jack's case ending with his freedom. Creed slammed his fist on the desk as his intercom buzzed.

"Mr. Creed, your 10 o'clock is here." Creed gave one last light growl, before he relaxed himself, fixed his tie, ran his fingers threw his hair, and tapped the intercom.

"Send him in." He said evenly. A moment later a tall, middle aged man walked in. His hair slick with hair gel and greased back. His eyes hidden behind a pair of silver shimmering sunglasses.

"You had something to discuss, Mr.. Creed?" Creed smiled as he looked up at the man.

"You share the friends hatred for the mutant menace, right?" The man nodded.

"Get to the point, creed." Creed's smile faded, replaced with a stern indifference.

"Mr. Gyric, what would it take to get your sentinel program up and running again?"

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Night fell on the mansion, and the entire student body was exhausted, and easily found their way to slumber. Kitty shifted in her sleep, as if suffering from a dream. She tossed and turned, moaning out in a unsettling sleep. Her movements were so sporadic it shook Lockheed, who was asleep at the foot of her bed, onto the floor below, forcing him awake and looking up at his master as she struggled in some sort of terrible trance.

Just then there was an odd sound, like a rock falling into a puddle, but what could make such a sound. Lockheed suddenly saw something shifting in the darkness. It moved like a shadow, but had a mass to it. He swore he had seen it before... But where? He floated up over it, following it, but the tracking fell short as the shadow slipped under the doorframe and out of sight. In a flash, the little purple dragon fluttered up and nudged his small beak against kitty's cheek.

The small show of affection had the desired effect. Kitty's eyes flew open wide. She gasped, as if finally free for some dark prison.

"Like, what was that... A nightmare?" She asked herself as she sat up, looking down at the tiny friend that had settled in her lap, poking her belly lightly, impatiently. "What's wrong?" She asked the little creature, but was only answered in a series of grunts and pointing with his beak. She followed his gaze to the door, but saw nothing. She looked back at her little friend, seeing something in his eyes. Something was wrong, and he didn't know how to tell her. After another moment of confusion, kitty sighed, gently petting her little pet.

"Well, it like, couldn't have been anything to bad... I'm goin back to bed. Goodnight, Lockheed." She said as she laid back down and fell back into dream land. But Lockheed was to scared to fall asleep. He knew whatever he saw was something terrible, something dangerous, and soon, very soon, the X-men would find out just how dangerous the mysterious shadow would be.

End of chapter

Next chapter: Adjustments