I'm hungry…anyone out there got some sushi? OMG! So like halfway through this chapter, the Starbucks I was sitting in CAUHGT ON FIRE!!! HOLY CRAP! Mmmm….hot firemen saving lives…it's not so bad. The lady behind the counter was getting hysterical and told everyone to run from the building. I was the last customer out cuz it took me a minutes to pack my lappy…lol. I'd die if I lost this computer.

Ok so this chapter is directly diving into X3. Some things will be slightly skewed so PLEASE don't message me and tell me I got it wrong. I've seen the movie. I know how they chose to portray it. But, for all of you who have read the thirty-some chapters before this know that there is more comic book crossover than movie crossover because I like adding my own flavor to things. Don't expect there to be any similarities in my story and the movie except the cure because that is the plotline I'm running with. In actuality, The Phoenix, was an entirely different plotline in the comic books than the movie. Here we go!

"I can't believe this," Storm snapped as she turned the television off. She stood from the couch where Logan still sat inside Xavier's office. 'They're calling it 'the cure'. This makes me sick!" Storm threw the remote at the wall and it smashed into several pieces.

"I understand you're angry," Xavier began. "But please, try to stay calm. We need to understand the situation better, not only for ourselves, but for our students. They will need answers, the truth, not media propaganda." The door to the office opened and Rouge stepped inside followed by Bobby, Kitty, and Peter.

"We heard," Rouge said as they stepped all the way inside. "I can't believe Warren's father would do something like this…how is it possible."

"We aren't sure. I'm going to contact Hank and see if he knows anything useful." Xavier said. He saw the hungry look in Rouge's eye. He briefly scanned her thoughts and found enough despair in her to nearly bring him to tears.

"This cure isn't going to solve the world's problems. They think that by removing the mutation from mutants there won't still be diversity?" Kitty said in an angry huff.

"They act like we're a cancer…" Bobby stated with a growl. "It's not mutants who have caused the problems…it's them!"

"Calm down Bobby," Xavier said. "I understand, believe me. You're all having doubts. But we cannot exhibit anger and hatred toward humans. If we do we will become exactly like them."

"So what if we do end up like them," Storm said venomously. "It would be no more than they disserve to provoke us."

"Enough!" Xavier snapped harshly. It was enough to make them all jump, even Logan. "We have the ability to do more harm than imaginable. As soon as we grow arrogant in that, as soon as our hearts are tainted with hatred, we will use those powers like weapons. I won't stand for that. From any of you. Do you understand?" he asked sharply. Everyone hung their heads in shame and nodded. "Let's relax tonight and discuss this in the morning after I've spoken with Hank." As the group began filing out of the room a blonde haired angel stepped inside.

"Look who finally decided to show up," Bobby muttered and slammed his shoulder into Warren's as he passed. Xavier waited for everyone to leave and Warren to step completely inside after receiving death glares from everyone. Warren briefly made eye contact with Logan who stood in the center of the room.

"I'd prefer if you left," Warren said quietly. Logan crossed his arms and stood still.

"Logan," Xavier said through his mind. "I know you're angry with him for hurting Rebecca, but let me speak with him before you nail him to the cross."

"Don't give me ideas…" Logan though briefly before walking past Warren, his stern eyes never leaving Warren's until the door shut.

"How…how is she?" Warren asked. Xavier resisted the urge to laugh at that moment. He prided himself on being able to control his emotions, but at that moment he felt himself caught between being angry for Rebecca and pitying Warren. He quickly read Warren's mind, seeing the reason he stayed in San Francisco. It was then he decided on pity. 'He was scared to face her after abandoning her'.

"She is as well as can be expected. You need to go to her. I believe you'll find her in the courtyard." Warren nodded before slipping from the room hoping he wouldn't run into the others on his way.

X

Rebecca trailed her fingers along the smooth marble of the gravestone. She shivered and winced as she read her name. It was like something out of a horrific nightmare.

"Strange thing; looking at your own grave. It's like facing death." Rebecca said with a bitter chuckle. "It's a wonder…I'm starring death in the face and all I can think about is my life. All the things I've seen, all the things I've done. The people I've loved and lost. Things I regret, things I wish I'd done…or not done. You faced death…what did you think about?" Rebecca turned her head and saw Gambit leaning against the railing to the patio a few feet away.

"Mostly 'bout how much it sucked," he said casually. Rebecca wasn't amused. She turned to look back at the gravestone. "Why'd you do it Cher?" he asked as he pushed himself off of the wall with his foot. "Why'd you bring me back?" He approached her slowly. He'd been at the mercy of Artemis's wrath once before, he wasn't eager to anger her again, even if she went by a different name now.

"Blood is difficult to wash from your hands…no matter how hard you scrub." She said quietly. "I felt guilty. Your death was my fault…at least that's what I convinced myself. Be grateful Gambit, I won't often tap into my power to call on a soul." She felt Gambit place a hand on her shoulder. He stepped toward her and turned her face to meet his.

"I am," he whispered. He slid his hand around her waist until she was pressed against him. "Now dat I got a second chance…I'm ganna do some tings' different." His hand fit perfectly in the small of her back, his forehead pressed against hers. Her breath grew heavy and he could tell she was trying to pull herself away. He knew he had a power over her; it was in his nature, he only hoped he had reached her heart.

"Am I interrupting?" a voice said harshly. They both turned and saw a winged man standing at the railing of the courtyard.

"Yes," Gambit said but Rebecca pushed him away. "Can I help you?" Gambit asked irritably.

"You can get your hands off my girlfriend," Warren snapped and walked down the steps toward them. Rebecca felt her temper rising.

"Leave Gambit," she said not meeting his eyes. "You need to go…please." Gambit scoffed and walked passed Warren glaring daggers at him. Warren watched the Cajun leave before turning back to Rebecca. He felt his heart beat faster, his adrenaline pumping as he saw the woman before him. His throat began to tighten and his vision blurred.

"Rebecca," he breathed and walked toward her. Rebecca looked up at him and slammed her fist into his jaw.

"Bastard!" she spat as he stumbled backward. Warren looked at her in shock. "You have the audacity to come here and call me your girlfriend." She said slowly, each word restrained and sharp as though speaking to him caused her physical pain. It did.

"Rebecca…I don't…I don't know what to say. I thought…we all thought you were dead. It nearly killed me…you have to believe me if I'd known you were…if there was any sign of you being alive I would have come for you."

"There were plenty of signs Warren," she said spitting his name out like a bad taste. "Logan found me. He looked for me. He searched endlessly for me. You were the one that was supposed to go to the ends of the earth for me. You were the one that was supposed to protect me.

"You told me you loved me and damnit I believed you! I was waiting for you to come and rescue me…and you didn't." Tears were pouring from both of their eyes. Rebecca felt the pain stabbing at her heart. It was as though someone had reached into her chest and squeezed the air from her lungs, the blood from her heart. She felt her insides sinking under the weight of some unseen force.

"I'm sorry," Warren whispered. "I'm so sorry. I don't…I've never been a fighter. I've never stood up for anything before. You're the first woman I've ever loved. I didn't know what to do. I felt lost without you. Rebecca, I died inside when we thought you were dead."

"Is that all you care bout?" she asked. "Your pain? What about my pain? When has it ever been about me? I'm not taking the backseat on this one Warren. I'm not just going to forgive you because you say you're sorry. You abandoned me when I needed you the most. You know what…no…it was before that. At the ball, all you could Talk about was how I was supposed to conform to the woman your father wanted me to be. It was never enough for me to be myself around you. So many times I felt I had to lie to cover up the pain I was feeling because it would hurt you. It was always you crying on my shoulder, but when I needed your shoulders for support you crawled into a hole to lick your own wounds.

"I was the outlet for your suffering. I was your listening ear, your crying shoulder, the one to make your life easier, but there was no reciprocation. Not any more Warren. I'm standing up for myself. I can't carry your burdens anymore. You need to learn to carry your own burdens now, but as long as you're stuck under your father's thump you'll never be the man I need." She stood a little taller and walked past him. He didn't try to stop her and part of her wished he would. With each step she took past him she felt a new chapter unfolding in her life. Rebecca Thatcher was no longer the burden carrier to the world. She was no longer the doormat. She was stronger…at least she hoped she was.