And Move On


By Kryptonite


_____Starting To Get Safe_______________________________________


Huh? Tori lifted her bloody and bruised head. She peered through the haze over her eyes into the dark.


Shh. We need to get you out of here. Tori barely made out a tall, dark haired figure before it crept around to untie her numb hands. Tori went to stand and fell down, dropping straight into the person's arms.


I can't walk. Tori muttered, her legs tingling like crazy and bending like rubber.


I gotcha. He picked her up and cradled her to him, trying to keep her arms and legs from hitting anything. Don't say anything. He set her down and came back with an metal object a few seconds later.


He put a finger to his lips and brought the helmet over her head. What little vision she had was blocked out. The boy picked her back up and started tiptoeing forward. What seemed like forever was really only ten minutes.


He buckled her limp form into a seat in some form of transportation. The roaring of helicopter whirling rotor blades told Tori what they were in. She fell asleep once her body told her they were holding steady in the air.


Let us be safe.'

~~~~~


This is degrading. Scott muttered.


We wouldn't have to do it if you had run away. Wolverine and Jean had picked Scott up in the jet somewhere on his way to the feeling of... something that told him which way to go to find Tori. They were forcibly bringing him back into the mansion.


Hello Scott. Get it out of your system? Storm teased from her position next to Kurt on the couch.


Shad up. He muttered.


Be nice. She shot back.


Why? No one answered his question as he sat heavily on the opposite end of the couch.


She'll be fine Scott. Professor Xavier will find her. Scott simply pursed his lips and stared stubbornly ahead. She'll be fine. Everyone gave Scott a wide berth that night, not wanting to get caught in his path of anger.

~~~~~


Tori woke up slowly to a boy crouched in front of a fire. He was feeding a few twigs into the blaze but it didn't seem to need it. He must have felt her gaze because he spoke.


My name's Pyro. Pyro looked over his shoulder.


Why are you doing this? He looked away for a moment and then back to her face.


I couldn't let him. When he didn't volunteer any more information, Tori slowly sat up scooted closer to the warming blaze.


Thank you. She said after a few more moments of silence. He handed her a nutrition bar.


You're welcome. The two sat in a comfortable silence in the middle of the woods in front of a fire that wouldn't get out of control any time soon.

~~~~~


I know she's okay.


Then why are you acting like you want to tear somebody's head off?


Scott confided in the older man. Because it's my fault they have her. If we hadn't gotten in that discussion', as she'd say, she wouldn't have been out walking.


And this makes you wanna kill people, why?


Because I can't do anything to help her.


But you said you know she's okay.


Just wait until Jean gets in trouble and if you really care about her you'll feel the same thing.


Hopefully she'll never be in this kind of a situation. Scott stood abruptly from the table.


Hopefully.


Scott. He paused at the door, but didn't bother to look back at Wolverine. She'll be fine. He nodded once and walked out the door, down the hall, up the stairs and into her room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

~~~~~


We need to move as much as possible. We can't keep the copter forever.


I know. I have no problem with that as long as we get as far as we can in this thing. Tori patted the side of aircraft.


Deal. John/Pyro agreed.


Come on, let's get going. I want to get home. To Scott.'


Hop in. I need to teach you how to fly. We'll make better time that way.


Well hurry it up and teach. Tori smiled over at Pyro as he got the helicopter ready to leave.


Let's do this.

~~~~~


Scott?


Rogue sneaked a peek around the door, ready to duck back if anything came flying at her. She saw his unconscious form, sleeping deeply on top of the sheets.


Shaking her head, she came in and shut the door quietly behind her. Once she got to the bed, she took Scott's shoes off and managed to get him under the comforter before she walked back out of the room to Bobby.


He okay?


Sleeping like a baby. I wish we knew if she was okay or not. The two curled together in silence.


She'll be okay. She's a tough kid.


I still wish we knew for sure. The couple fell asleep like that.

~~~~~


It was two weeks later before Tori and Pyro came stumbling through the mansion's front door.


Tori? Scott's feeling of safety and comfort had been getting larger and larger and he felt like he was about to explode with good feelings when she walked in the entrance.


Scott? She stumbled out of Pyro's hold and into Scott's waiting arms. I missed you so much. John started backing up, trying to fade into the wood work when Bobby and Rogue grabbed his arms.


John? It's so good to see you again! Pyro tried not to do a double take when Rogue touched his arm with her bare hands.


Hello John. Thank you for bringing Tori back. If you don't mind, I'd like to see you in here for a moment. Xavier motioned behind him in the direction of his office.


Yes sir. John muttered, moving towards the Professor sitting in his wheelchair.


John. He turned to see Tori snuggling into Scott's chest, staring straight at him. Thank you. Pyro simply turned and followed Charles Xavier into his office.


Let's get you down to the infirmary. Jean said, smiling gently at the girl.


Yes ma'am. Tori mumbled as sleep took over, threatening to make her drop right then. Scott picked her up and carried her after Jean. Tori snuggled in, took a deep breath and went to sleep, right then and there.

~~~~~


You saved her. Professor and ex-student had sat in a very uncomfortable silence for a few minutes.


I guess you could say that. John, in his nervousness, started playing with his shark lighter.


Charles held out a hand. Relax, I'm not going to hurt you.


I know. John looked down at the ground and consciously willed himself to put the lighter back in his pocket.


I see you got rid of some of your anger? It came out as more of a question than a statement.


I just can't do what Magneto wants me to do. John refused to look into Xavier's kindly eyes.


And what's that? When John looked up he had tears in the corners of his eyes.


I can't kill them. No matter how much I hate them.

~~~~~


I know Magneto believes in Mutant Superiority and that a war is coming, but can he really mean to kill them? Jean was repulsed at the idea and her actions and words made that clear.


It means that Magneto has become desperate. John was unable to tell me more at the time as he was physically and mentally exhausted. Fortunately, he was able to get me two types of helmets such as Magneto wears. He says that Magneto's whole base is made of the metal.


What good'll that do? Wolverine asked, arms folded over his chest in his usual I've-decided-to-grace-you-pathetic-mortals-with-my-presence-so-I'll-try-to-participate looks.


If the Professor can find away around the metal, he'll be able to track Magneto and know what he's up to before he does it.


Vat's a good thing, vight?


Yes Kurt. That's a good thing. Wolverine said sarcastically.


Shut up Logan. Storm said before Kurt could say or do something he'd regret later. We have enough to worry and fight over with Magneto, we don't need to turn on each other.


She has a point. Truce? Logan stuck his hand in the general direction of the blue man.


Truce.


Now that that's settled. We need to know more about what Magneto's been up to.


And Pyro can tell us. Wolverine added.


Exactly. But we aren't precisely the highest on John's list of people to trust.


We can fix that, he just needs to get a few good nights sleep and a few meals under his belt. He and Tori went through a rough time getting out of Magneto's compound.


Very tough. Scott had stayed during the entire examination and winced in pain at the old, yellowed bruises and half healed cuts that showed.


Is Tori gonna be okay?


Yes, I believe she'll be perfectly fine with a little sleep and a sense of security again. At the word security' Jean turned to Scott and smiled lightly. She should return to normal in a few days, a few weeks at most.


That's good. Everyone relaxed for a few seconds and listened to the sounds of the mostly slumbering school. I believe that we should all go to bed and get some rest. We can think more about this in the morning.


A round of good night's was heard as the teachers departed to their respective rooms. Scott opened the door silently and got ready for bed the same way.


Night Scott. Tori murmured. She rolled over and Scott gently brushed his lips against her forehead.


Good night Tori. Welcome home.