Bittersweet Homecoming

Jean stopped in her tracks, as they walked towards the car. They were leaving the amusement park, ready to go home. She placed her hand on her temple, feeling a pain shoot through her head. "Jean? Are you alright?" Scott asked cautiously.

Jean began shaking her head slowly, "Scott, something's wrong. Something's happened!" She looked at him with a look of shock, "Scott, you have to have the Professor call the institute! Something terrible has happened!" Jean panicked.

Charles looked at his cell phone as it rang. He answered it, "Yes Logan?" He asked.

Charles stopped, immediately knowing what Logan had called about. He sensed Elizabeth's pain, and unconsciousness. "Prof! Sabertooth broke in; Betsy's out! You have to come back to the mansion ASAP!" Logan panicked.

"We'll be right there, Logan." Charles gasped.

Logan carefully laid Elizabeth on an empty bed in the infirmary. He saw the blood pouring out of her wound on her left rib cage. He grabbed gauze, and bandaged Elizabeth's wound. He looked at her face, and rubbed her forehead. "Oh, Betsy! I'm so sorry!" He lightly said.

Her body began convulsing. Hank rushed into the infirmary. Charles soon followed. "She's in shock!" Hank said.

Hank began treating her. "I couldn't get to her soon enough!" Logan sighed.

"Logan, what happened?" Charles asked.

"Sabertooth. He broke in. I was in the danger control room, and Betts was takin' a nap in her room. She said she sensed it; she called me, to let me know. He got to her before me. He said he came for her." Logan sighed, trying to stay calm.

Logan glanced at Elizabeth, watching Hank treat her. He looked at Charles. Charles placed his hand on Logan's arm, "You did what you could."

"I've stabilized her, Professor," Hank sighed, "Unfortunately; the shock has placed her in coma. I'll monitor her."

"Elizabeth?" Peter panicked, rushing into the infirmary.

Peter looked at Elizabeth. He saw her lying in the bed, hooked up to different monitors. "Dr. McCoy? What's wrong?" Peter asked.

"She's in a coma, Peter." Hank sighed.

Peter stared at her. He then looked at Hank with a confused look on his face, "Dr. McCoy, is she going to be okay?" Peter asked.

Logan sighed, and pulled a chair up next to Elizabeth's bedside. He rested his chin on his folded hands, staring at her. Charles looked behind him, and saw the others staring from the observation window leading into the room. Rogue cautiously walked in, staring at Elizabeth's body. "Prof; you may not know this, but-", Rogue began.

Rogue stopped herself, not knowing what to say. She knew that the Professor was able to sense what she was going to tell him. "Prof, please tell me she'll be okay." Rogue sighed, looking at Charles.

Charles looked at her, with a look of sadness in his eyes, "I don't know, Rogue."

"Rogue, what were you going to say?" Peter asked her, turning to her.

Rogue stopped, as she heard the doorbell ring from inside the mansion. She then looked at Peter, "Brian's coming back."

Peter's mouth dropped, "Now?"

Rogue nodded, "He called to tell me. He wanted to surprise her, so I swore I wouldn't tell anyone. I don't know what he's going to do seein' her like this!" Rogue panicked.

"I'll handle Brian. I'll be back." Charles sighed.

Peter pulled up a chair, and sat on the other side of Elizabeth's bed. Rogue sat in a chair next to Peter. Peter's eyes looked up at Logan, across from him. He saw Logan staring at Elizabeth. "What happened, Logan?" Peter asked, with an eyebrow raised.

Logan looked up at Peter, "I don't want to talk about this now, kid." He sighed.

Logan looked back at Elizabeth. Peter turned his head, as he heard someone running into the infirmary. "Betsy!" Brian screamed.

Peter and Rogue shot up from their seats, as Brian rushed in between them, to Elizabeth's bed. He stared at her, with tears swelling in his eyes. He shut his eyes, as he grabbed her hand. "Who did this to her?" He growled.

"Brian, I'm so sorry." Rogue sighed, placing her gloved hand on his arm.

Brian turned his head away from her, "Don't apologize, Rogue. Just tell me who did this!"

Rogue and Peter looked at each other. "Brian, it was Sabertooth." Peter explained.

Hank stared at Brian, as he stood next to Logan. Brian looked up at him, "Dr. McCoy, will Betsy be okay?" Brian asked.

Hank and Logan looked at each other, and then back at Brian. Hank shrugged, shaking his head, "I don't know, Brian. I'm so sorry."

Brian knelt down where he stood, and stared at Elizabeth. "Betsy, I'm back now. I'm not going to let him get away with this." Brian vowed to his sister.

He noticed the bruise on her cheek. He saw how lifeless she looked. He looked up at Logan, as Logan stood up, and walked out of the room without saying a word.