Chapter 6: The maiden and the minstrel knight
My name's Marie, but not many people know that. And I like it that way. It's a kind of insulation in a way. To keep people at arm's length keep them from getting too close to me and potentionally hurt me or worse, me from hurting them.

There's only a handful of people I've ever let get that close to me since my mutation manifested. Kitty. Remy, Jubes and most importantly Logan is the only ones. It seems I should have kept my mouth more firmly shut that day in his truck and not have let him know it. It would make this so much easier to bear. No, that's not fair of me. I know he's hurting so much from knowing what he was like in his past that he probably doesn't even know what he's doing.

But I don't get how he can be so blind to everything he's done since then. Maybe there's something he hasn't told us but still. Whatever he did back then he has payed back many times over and often by risking his own life to save people that at best were complete strangers to him and more often than not to save people that would be more than happy to crucify than to say "thank you". That's as far from a selfish, cruel bastard as you can get.

Well, if I have to beat him up to make him see reason that's what I'm gonna do. He was my knight when I needed one so badly even if I've never seen myself as a maid in distress needing to be saved. No matter. Time to turn the tables here. My turn to be the Knight even if he tries to avoid me as best as he can. Not good enough as he's soon about to find out.

Some hours later
Okay, he had hidden himself better than I thought but he must have given up on hiding now because he is...getting ready to leave?

"Logan? What are you doing?"
"Getting ready to leave. What does it look like?"

Okay, that's a progress. He's actually talking again.

"It looks like you're running again."
"That's what I'm doing best. Now beat it."
"No way. You're no quitter Logan and you know it. So you're staying put here and help us in dealing with all of this."
"I can't do that. This is my fault and who knows what else my presence can cause here."

He starts the engine but before he gets the chance to roll away I jump onto the bike behind him.

"Marie! Get off."
"Nope. No can do. You're crazy if you think I'm gonna let you run away on your own. Someone's gotta kick or talk some sense into you."
"And that's you?"
"Can you see someone else here?"
"Well, when you put it that way." he says and we drive away.
For how long? I don't know. Will we ever be back? I don't know that either. Only time will tell.

Meanwhile in Jerusalem
The man known as Apocalypse looks at Scott Summers and Ororo Munroe with some glee evident in his eyes before saying

"Do you still doubt that I can do what I claim? The X-men are shattered to the wind. You two are here, a few left at the now destroyed mansion and two just left, shattering the team even more."

"As if it was you that was responsible for all of that." Scott answered but his resolve was weakening. Was he right? Was it him that was responsible for it all?

"It is. I'm the one that founded and made sure the lab Wolverine was serving in was running. With help of my aide Mr Sinister. And I know all of you. So much that I know how you will react given certain circumstances. That's how I knew how Wolverine would react if he thought he had been a guard at the lab. Which of course he wasn't. That's just a memory implant. That's how I knew Rogue would go with him when he decided to run away. That's how I'm invulnerable to your powers. But enough talking. Now it's time to start the next phase in getting the prophecy fulfilled."

"No way. No one can manage things like that."
"No, not ordinary men like you. But like I said, I'm very very old. When you're centuries or even millenia's old you learn patience. In a way mortals cannot even begin to comprehend."

With that Apocalypse snaps his fingers and the shackles that's holding Cyclops firmly attached the wall retracts and he falls down onto the floor.

He quickly get to his feet though and fires a blast towards Apocalypse. He's stunned that he was able to do it this time but even more stunned when Apocalypse don't even react when the blast hits him square in the chest.

"Consider that a proof, Cyclops, that I can play you and what remains of your pitiful team like a piano if I want to".

With that Apocalypse grabs Cyclops by the wrists and drags him off to another room, tieing him up on what looks like a medical bed. But with quite a difference in the kind of equipment than what Cyclops is used to seeing.

"Not that you needed the proof since you're soon one of my faithful servants. This equipment will see to that. You're powerful Scott and will make an excellent ally."

Scott feels a sting in his right arm as needle is piercing his skin.

"The procedure takes some time though so I will be seeing you in a couple of months." is the last thing Scott hears before everything goes black.