The Uncanny X-Men Lost and Found

Right before Christmas, Professor Xavier gathered all the students fifteen and up in a meeting. Jubilee, Evan, Kitty, Peter, Bobby, Rogue, Isabella and Remy entered his office, and they sat down.

"Do any of you know why you've been called here?" he asked them.

"To tell everyone our secrets, or to read our files out loud?" suggested Isabella.

"No, I thought you all might want to take a field trip, to get your minds off things."

"Awesome! Where to?" asked Jubilee.

"The Rocky Mountains, you all can go hiking up the mountain, if you wish."

"I want to go!"

"Like, me two!" said Kitty

"Me three!" said Rogue.

"Me four!" said Isabella.

"I'd like to go," said Bobby.

"That sounds awesome!" said Evan.

"I'd like to go, also," said Peter.

"It's settled then, you'll leave tomorrow morning," said Professor Xavier.

They left his office and went to pack warm clothes. They next morning they climbed onto the jet, and flew to a private airfield that was near where they would begin climbing. Storm, Logan and Scott went with them. They all had backpacks with blankets, tents, flashlights, food, batteries, matches and flares, just in case. They began hiking the morning after they left school.

"All right, we'll meet at a cabin, about fifty miles from here," said Scott. "Just watch! Try not to get separated, or lost. If you do, light a fire, and a flare, and we'll find you. If you are with Logan, Storm or me, we'll get you to the cabin."

"Okay, Scott, but I have the strangest feeling that we'll be all right," said Isabella.

He smiled.

"Sorry."

"It's okay, man, she's just tryin' to get to you," said Evan.

"Spyke, be nice, she might hurt you," said Storm.

"You'll protect me, right, Auntie O?"

"I do not know."

Isabella smiled sweetly. They all laughed at her, and began to walk up the mountain. About an hour later, something moved ahead of them. Scott motioned for them to stop, and Isabella walked up with him. The carefully walked toward the sound, and walked around the corner, it was a deer. Isabella smiled, and walked back to the rest of them.

"Come on, it's just a deer," she said.

They walked for another ten hours, taking a break every three hours. Finally, they reached the cabin, without any injuries, loss, or separation.

"Well, Scott," said Isabella, taking off her jacket, and putting her backpack on the floor, near the wall. "No one died, and everyone's here, I think your 'Mother Speech' did good."

"My 'Mother Speech'? Is that what you call it?" he asked.

He ran at her, and began to tickle her. She screamed.

"Stop! Stop! Someone help me!" she screamed through laughter.

"Nope." "Sorry." "Can't." were the replies to her pleas. Finally, he stopped, and they were able to eat dinner.

"Thanks, for the help, I didn't get, y'all," said Isabella, sipping her soup.

"You're welcome," said Jubilee.

"Y'all realize dat dere a' on'y five beds," said Remy, looking around.

Evan and Remy grinned, and the girls rolled their eyes.

"The girls can have the beds, we'll sleep on the floor," said Scott. Isabella looked at him, shocked. "What?"

"You're such a gentleman, there aren't many of y'all left. That's what surprised me so much, Suga, is that I finally got to meet one."

He laughed, shaking his head. After dinner, they talked until ten, when they all went to bed. The next morning when they woke up, Scott all ready had everything packed up, and lined up by the door. They all got dressed, put out the fire in the fireplace, and headed out.

"We'll reach the highest point we're going about lunch time, then we'll head back, and we'll come back here," said Scott.

Up the mountain they went, until they reached a large patch of evergreens, off the path, with one huge oak tree above them. They sat between the trees, made a fire, and had lunch. After lunch, they sat and talked for a while.

"Hey, Isabella, can you, like, get me a water out of the cooler?" asked Kitty.

Isabella nodded and reached in to get it, and pulled it out.

"Now how the hell did this happen?" she asked herself.

"What?" asked Storm.

"The water's warm. How, in the middle of winter, at the top of a mountain, did water get warm?"

"Toss it up to me, I've got ice," said Logan, under the large oak tree.

Isabella threw the bottled water to him, and he his the tree, catching a chunk of ice. He did it again, and there was a horrible scream, that shook the earth. An avalanche began and Isabella looked up at the top of the tree, there was a little girl. She flew up to the top of the tree, and grabbed the little girl, covering her mouth. She flew down to the group, and Bobby froze the incoming snow in place. Isabella noticed the little girl was holding a picnic basket, but didn't say anything about it. They hiked back down the mountain, Isabella wrapping the little girl in her jacket.

"Isabella, you'll get sick, take mine," offered Scott.

"I'll be fine, I'm just afraid for this little girl."

At dusk, they were almost to the cabin, and they hurried as fast as they could, because the mountains in the dark, was not someplace anyone wanted to be. About fifteen minutes later, they saw the cabin. They were all relieved, and they slowed down. Isabella heard something to the left of Kitty.

"What's that?" asked Evan.

"Kitty, don't move," warned Isabella.

"Cover your eyes," said Jubilee.

Everyone did, and she shot sparks at the noise, scaring away three hungry wolves. They got inside and Isabella immediately found something for the little girl to wear, and got her something to eat.

"What's your name?" Isabella asked her. The little girl looked at her, not saying a word. "Do you talk?" She still didn't reply. "I'm not gonna hurt you, Suga, I promise. Have you been out there a long time?" The little girl nodded. "More days than you can count?" Again, the girl nodded. "How high can you count?" She pointed to the paper in Scott's hand. "Scott, can you get me paper and a pen or pencil."

"Sure."

He ran and got a pen, and gave them to Isabella who put the paper on the floor and handed her the pen. She made lines on the paper, for a minute, counting in her head. Isabella looked at her. The girl's dark brown hair had been frozen, no shoes, and a thin dress, when she was done, the girl looked up at Isabella, her brown eyes thawing out with her hair. Isabella smiled at her, and took the paper, counting the marks.

"Oh my God," she said, standing up, and walking away, in tears.

"What is wrong?" asked Remy.

"She can count to twenty."

"So?" asked Logan.

"She's been out there for more days than she could count. What kind of person could do that to a small child?"

Isabella looked at the girl, who was confused. The girl yawned. Isabella took her and put her in the bed, and the girl fell asleep quickly.

"Maybe they lost her," suggested Storm.

"Not at the top of a mountain, and there's no way in hell she got to the top of that hill by herself."

"She does have a point, I had a tough time getting up there, myself," said Logan.

The girl stirred, and began to cry. Isabella ran over and pulled her into her lap, and hugged her. The girl stopped crying, and went back to sleep. Isabella tucked her back in and went back to the others.

"She can come back with us, can't she, Scott?"

Everyone looked at Scott.

"I-er-" he faltered. "Sure, Professor Xavier can find out her name, and such."

Isabella smiled at him, and finished her dinner. Isabella pulled out a sleeping bag, but the little girl cried again. Isabella sat on the bed, and the little girl looked at Isabella, and hugged her.

"C'mon, Suga, lemme go. I gotta go to bed, too." The little girl wouldn't let go. "You want me to sleep up here with you?" The girl nodded. "Okay."

Isabella climbed in bed with her, and they fell asleep. Jubilee, who always had a camera ready, snapped a quick picture of the girl cuddled up to Isabella. The next morning, Isabella carried the girl down the mountain, all day.

"Doesn't she get heavy?" asked Rogue.

"You forget, I can life a grown man over my head and throw him."

"Oh yea."

"'Oh yea,'" mimicked Isabella.

The others laughed, and Rogue threw a snowball at Isabella, who hid behind Logan, and the snowball hit him. He looked at Rogue and threw a snowball back at her, and hit Bobby. Bobby threw a snowball at Scott, who hit Kitty, who hit Isabella, who got her back, and it became a full- fledged snowball war. Isabella taught the little girl to make and throw a snowball, and the girl hit Logan with the snowball. He looked at her, picked her up, and twirled her above his head, like a father would his daughter. Isabella smiled and hit Peter with a snowball. Eventually, Scott became in control of the situation, and the war came to a peaceful end with few casualties. When they reached the base of the mountain, they went directly to the jet.

"Maybe we should get a few hotel rooms," said Storm.

"I can fly a jet! My friend taught me, I can! I always wanted to fly!" Isabella stopped and thought about it, then laughed. "I guess I worked out well, huh?"

Scott laughed.

"Yes."

"So, can I fly the jet?"

"I don't know."

"Please?" begged Isabella.

"Stop groveling."

"So?"

"All right."

"Yes!"

Isabella ran into the jet, put the girl in a seat, and buckled her up, then ran to the pilot's seat, and sat down, the others following her.

"I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?" asked Scott.

"If you live that long," said Logan.

Everyone buckled up, and Scott sat next to Isabella.

"You know what to do?"

"Yup."

Isabella closed the hatch, turned on the engines, and lifted off, not as smooth as she'd planned.

"Isabella-"

"Sorry."

She turned the jet toward the general direction of the school (with Scott's help), and flew the jet back to the school. Three hours later, they were approaching the school.

"All right Isabella, should I take over?"

"Nope, I got it. I always thought landing was easier than take off."

She pushed the button to open the basketball court, hovering over it, and put down the landing gear. Then, she lowered the jet down under the courts, and they landed, in one piece. She shut off the engines, and opened the hatch.

"I'm alive!" shouted Bobby, happily.

"Hey! At least I can land!"

"That was unnecessary," said Rogue.

They laughed. Isabella unbuckled the girl, and carried her inside, where Professor Xavier was waiting.

"I was hoping you'd find her. Hello, Sophie."

The little girl looked at him, and waved.

"Is that her name? She doesn't talk," said Isabella.

"Yes, she was deserted there. I tried to communicate with you, and tell you, but I could not reach you, the comm.-links were down because of the inclement weather. I discovered her in your location the first day you were to reach the cabin."

"Oh, well, we found her," said Kitty.

"Is she a mutant too?" asked Isabella.

"Yes, Isabella, that is correct. Her scream causes the earth to quake, as I imagine you all found out."

"Yes, Logan scared her."

"I didn't mean to," he grumbled.

SEVEN MONTHS LATER

Summer. No one ever went home. Logan, Scott, Dr. McCoy, Remy, Evan, Peter, Bobby and Kurt all began building a pool, so no one would suffer too much during the summer. Rogue, Kitty, Jubilee and Isabella sat on lawn chairs in their bikinis, drinking iced tea, watching the guys.

"You four COULD help," said Logan.

"What was that you said to me earlier this year, Logan. Wasn't it that men work for a living and women have the children? Well, y'all are workin' and we cannot yet fulfill our purpose," said Isabella, grinning.

Kurt popped elsewhere. The four girls laughed.

"I believe she. ah. 'got' you, Logan," said Dr. McCoy.

Scott, Bobby, Remy, Peter and Evan laughed.

"Thanks a lot, Hank," said Logan.

Isabella rested her elbow on the arm of the chair, and wiggled her fingers, waving to them. Bobby threw a chunk of ice at her, and it landed on her stomach. She broke it into four pieces, and put them in each other the girls' glasses (she put the part that had touched her in her own glass, so no germs would spread or no one would be too grossed out), and filled the glasses with tea. Bobby glared at Isabella and Remy shook his head.

"Man, you can't win against dat one," he said.

"I know," said Bobby.

"Did you ever have problems such as those with Dr. Grey?" Peter asked Scott.

"Sometimes, but Jean was more soft- spoken, Isabella always speaks her mind," said Scott.

They laughed, as Kurt popped back out with water for all of them.

"I drink to dat," said Remy.

Storm came out dragging a lawn chair behind her, and pulled it up to Isabella's right, and Isabella poured her a glass of tea. Storm had on a silver bikini, Isabella had a black one, Kitty had a light blue one, Jubilee had a yellow one, and Rogue had a red one. Storm smiled at Kurt, who then went back to work, shyly.

"I think you two should date," said Kitty.

"I can't discuss that with you, I'm your teacher," said Storm, lying back, her sunglasses on.

"And yet, you're sitting out here with us in a bikini," said Isabella, also lying back.

All five of them were lying down, looking up. A week later, the pool was finished, and now the girls were lounging by the pool, instead of on the grounds. Evan brought out a stereo, and turned the music up.

"Come on, Isabella, please will you dance with me?" asked Peter.

"No, sorry, I don't dance, contrary to popular belief," said Isabella.

Peter picked her up off her chair, and lifted her above his head, and was about to throw her in to the pool, when something streaked across the sky. They all looked up, taking off their sunglasses to look. It was a streak of fire, like Apollo's chariot, with Paetheon at the reins. Peter put Isabella down, and she put of a pair of shorts and flew upward.

"Isabella! Take me with you!" called Scott.

"No, I can't protect myself if I'm carrying anyone."

She flew up to the streak, where the clouds had seemingly been burned away.

"Someone! Help me!" she heard someone scream.

She then saw a woman falling from the sky. She dove and caught the woman. She saw her face.

"Oh God, Jean?"

The woman opened her eyes, which were white lights, no life in them at all.

"Jean Grey doesn't live here any more," she said in an unearthly voice.

She punched Isabella, sending her back several hundred feet. She landed on the ground, tearing up the lawn, leaving about ten yards long and four feet deep hole where Isabella had dragged on the ground.

"Scott, get Professor X., Storm, get the kids inside," directed Isabella, then muttered, "My worst dream had arrived." Within a matter of minutes, the kids were inside, and the X-men were on the lawn facing the woman. The fire- bird woman hovered over them. Scott choked. "Remember what I told you. It's not Jean."

"How come she gets to be in charge?" Logan asked Rogue.

"Because I know the enemy," said Isabella.

"Jean Grey doesn't live here anymore!" the woman repeated.

"I know!"

Isabella attacked her.

"I am the Phoenix, and I will destroy you all!"

She punched Isabella in to the wall of the school. She slid down the wall, a cut on her back, but no head injury. She stood, and saw the Phoenix looked a bit confused, looking around. Professor Xavier was trying to get into her head. Isabella looked to the sky.

"HELP ME! I CALL TO THOSE WHO CAN HELP US AND DESTROY THE PHOENIX!"

A light came from the sky, and onto Isabella, she jumped form the shock, the entire school watching. The light subsided, and Isabella's eyes were white lights like the Phoenix's.

"Isab-" began Logan.

"I am not Isabella, I am Lelandra, from the planet, Shi'ar. Isabella has allowed me to inhabit her body to battle the Phoenix. Do not worry, you will have her back in one piece." She looked up into the window Professor Xavier was at. "Hello again, Charles."

She flew up, and went toward the Phoenix, who recognized her, and fled. Lelandra chased her, and grabbed her ankle, putting a tracking device on her. They fought back and forth, like two high school girls. Kicking, punching, scratching, and flying limbs everywhere, the Phoenix, in a panic, punched Lelandra as hard as she could, sending her back a hundred feet, and fled. Lelandra flew back to Xavier's, and pulled out of Isabella's body. She was still mid- air and over the pool. As soon as Lelandra was out, Isabella fell out of the sky, and into the pool. After what seemed like forever, when she didn't come back up, Scott dove in and pulled her out. He laid her on the side of the pool, putting his ear to her mouth, she wasn't breathing, and he began mouth- to-mouth resuscitation. She gasped for air, coughing up water.

"Isabella? Are you all right?" asked Scott.

"Maybe the pool wasn't the best place to be flying over just then," she managed.

Everyone laughed.

"Even when you almost drown, you always have something to say," said Evan.

Isabella smiled.

"You surprised? I'm not too big on going in water, save showers."

"I'd imagine you wouldn't," said Professor Xavier, approaching them.

He smiled at Isabella, and she smiled back.

"Mr. LeBeau, can you carry Miss Sulinski down to the infirmary, so I can ensure that she will be well," said Dr. McCoy.

Remy put one of his arms under her knees and the other behind her back, and lifted her off the ground.

"I can walk, Suga," said Isabella.

"Non, chere, I ain't willin' t' take dat chance," said Remy, walking into the school.

Isabella sighed. They entered the infirmary, and Remy set Isabella on one of the tables. Dr. McCoy put his stethoscope to her chest, and telling her to breathe in, breathe out, et cetera. Then, he put it away.

"'And so we beat on, like boats against the current..' And so do you," said Dr. McCoy.

"F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby," said Isabella.

"Very good."

"It's a hard quote to forget."

"That it is. Literature is a fantastic element of art."

"I love books, and poetry."

Isabella smiled, and then coughed.

"My, my, my. Upper respiratory problems are eminent. You must stay in bed until this is all cleared up, or it could get worse, there is still water in your lungs, there is a chance you could drown."

Isabella sighed, and then she smiled sweetly.

"Dr. McCoy, how could I POSSIBLY drown? The only time I'm in water is in the shower! I have a history with water, and well. I don't like it much," said Isabella, like it was no big thing.

"Excellent attempt, Miss Sulinski, very nice attempt."

Isabella sighed, and Remy laughed.

"Damn."

"Language, please," said Scott, walking in.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Can I at least walk up to my room?"

"Absolutely. not."

Isabella rolled her eyes at Scott, as Remy picked her up off the table, and walked out of the room.

"C'mon, Suga, let me walk," she whispered in his ear.

"Da doc says no, so Remy says no."

Isabella sighed, as Remy climbed the stairs to the dorms.

"Isabella, are you all right?" everyone asked as they passed.

"Don' you worry, Suga, Ah'll be fine!" she'd say jovially.

Kitty opened their bedroom door, and Remy put Isabella on her bed and covered her up.

"You okay?" asked Remy.

"Now, what th' hell am ah gonna do in hee- ah bah myself?"

"You'll think of something," said Scott.

She glared at him.

"I'm sorry, chicka," said Kitty, hugging her.

"It's all right, dahlin'."

Sophie ran in, and stood by Isabella's bed. No one had been able to get her to speak, so they restricted talking to her in only yes or no questions. Isabella had seemingly adopted her, and every other kid there, but Sophie was more like Isabella's daughter than any of the others. Logan followed behind Sophie, with the mail. Sophie liked Logan, and sometimes, when she had a nightmare, she'd see if Logan was up, and she'd find him, usually in the kitchen, and sit in his lap, until she fell asleep again. Sophie crawled up in Isabella's lap, and put her head on Isabella's chest. Jubilee grabbed her camera and snapped a picture. Logan tossed a letter onto Isabella's desk. Sophie looked up at Isabella, her dark brown hair pulled back, and tears in her soft brown eyes. Samantha, an eight year old, ran in to the room.

"Jackson says you're going to die!" she said.

Jackson was one of the younger boys at the age of seven.

"I'm not gonna die," said Isabella, rolling her eyes.

"That's what he told me and Sophie."

Isabella looked at Sophie.

"Did Jack tell you that?" Sophie nodded. "Well, don' you listen to him, Suga, he doesn't know what he's talkin' about."

Sophie smiled, and crawled around behind Isabella, and began to play with her hair. Isabella picked up the letter and saw the address. It was John's handwriting. She quickly opened the letter, and read it.

'Hello my dearest love, (that sounds kinda gay, and like Mystique's helping me, doesn't it?) I miss you more that Pluto misses heat. (Did Pluto ever HAVE heat?) How goes everything at Xavier's? Tell everyone I said 'hey!' I wish I could tell you where we were, but that's against the whole norm- lovers vs. norm-haters code, you know. I miss your smile, your kiss, your laugh, and how you throw your whole body back when you laugh. I miss your grace (or lack thereof), your scent, the smell of your hair, the sparkle in your eye. There isn't enough paper in the world to write down everything I miss about you. Every night, I look up at the sky, and name each star after one thing about you that I love, and I always run out of stars (I think it makes Magneto and Mystique sick) And after I run out of stars, I dream about an aspect I didn't name. Winter is depressing without you, spring is desolate and summer is excruciating without your smile. I have to go now, but always remember my love for you; I love you more than anyone loves anything.

John

P.s. Don't forget to send a reply to the bookstore in NYC. And look in the envelope for another one.'

Isabella looked into the envelope, found the other envelope, and opened it, finding a note attached to a silver banded diamond ring.

'I asked you once, now I ask you again. Will you marry me?'

A/N: SHOULD SHE ACCEPT? YOU TELL ME!!!!!!!