Disclaimer: Several new characters are mine, including the plot. X-Men belongs to Marvel and Fox.

Angelica: They were lucky to be in the tunnel and not in the main building itself. If they'd had been in the building I doubt their chances highly. And yup, the drop is very big. Deaths? You'll find out..

Omala: She's not dead currently no, but extremely close to it. After suffering a gun wound and effects of the explosion she's in a very critical condition and unconscious.

Blix: Again, she is in a near death state, Logan would certainly vocalise his anger if she died! Believe me!

Araceil: Hehe, yah, pretty evil aren't I?

Chapter 36

Such a heavy body plummeted through the crisp air with a frightening ease. The weight of the adamantium forcefully dragged Logan's body earthward at an incredible rate; his form was no more than a dark blur against the white sky. Logan watched in horror, stunned as the vision of the mountain edge retreated further and further away, soon been replaced by white clouds. The oncoming impact was still quite a distance away, and for a peculiar moment, Logan took a chance to notice the beautiful view. It was only a mere glance; the feeling of nausea in his stomach brought his unstable mind back to reality.

Roxanne lay lifeless and limp in his arms, hanging by the very thread of life. The strong arms of Logan kept her close, though the irregular body positioning of the pair forced her limbs to odd angles. The wind heavily battled with any material is could lay it's invisible grip on. Logan's hair madly ruffled, Roxanne's strewn out, wildly waving. As the mountain face began to lose any signs of snow and instead adopted wildflowers. Logan knew it wouldn't be long. For some reason, he didn't feel frightened.. sure, there was a horrible feeling n the pit of his stomach.. but any other would have probably have been a gibbering wreck. Was it was because Logan had always assumed it'd be almost impossible for him to die? The amount of times he had tried seemed to prove that. But this time he didn't want death.

He wanted to live, he wanted Roxanne to live.

With a soft grunt, Logan suddenly spiralled through the air. His leg had hit the rocky mountain face and lurched his body around. The sudden movement meant Roxanne was now the one who would hit the ground first. But the grip on Roxanne had suddenly been jerked away by another hit to Logan from the jagged rocks, and her body slumped out of his arms and rose above him as his heavier weight caused him to plummet from her light body. Logan snapped his head back to watch her drift further away from him, Logan screamed out for her, but it was useless. He tried once more, but he cut off his words when he cuffed his arm on a branch, jerked out of control before he smashed face first on the cold mud floor.

The last thing he heard was a violent series of snapping and cracking as his companion joined the earth beside him.. and then.. his vision went black.

The two mutants lay on the grassy area on silence, the base of the mountain a few feet behind them. Both lay at odd angles, but whilst the male kept a relatively normal body position.. the female's body had been horribly whipped out of its shape. The sweet blades of green grass around the both was turning a deep crimson, the very grass blades displaying sickening droplets from their tips that dropped down into the earth with a faint sound.

But from the pair, there was no sound.

"I can't believe you have done this!" cried Siren in a furious voice as she stormed around the Professor's office. Her fists were held tightly, eyes narrowed and alight with passion.

Charles had listened to the news with a sombre silence, only nodding his head gravely to everyone's words. He had earlier accepted Aurora's constant begs for him to check Cerebro and had been gone for a short time when Siren suddenly found need to vocalise her anger. Everyone had been sat around in respectful silence for the situation, but Siren had since risen and now continued her rant.

"You left him behind!" her words were snarled and she violently gestured at the air. Her head spun wildly, hair flying skywards at the movements. Her vicious eyes settled upon Scott.

Scott slowly lifted his head to the incensed woman, shaking his head dejectedly, "We.. I had no choice, Adrienne.. you know that."

"No!" she hissed, hurtling towards him, forcing her eyes into his, "You should have gone back. How could you leave somebody to die?! Cest très erroné!"

"Gone back and killed all of us?" replied Scott, his tone now raising, "Is that what you wanted? Everyone to die?"

Siren merely turned from him, her arms folding as she glared at the floor. Scott exhaled a sigh, his eyes closing a moment before he rose,

"Sometimes.." continued Scott in a much softer tone, he glanced tentatively to Storm a moment before moving over to Siren, ".. sacrifices have to be made."

"Yes.." murmured Storm quietly in a supportive manner, ".. that is true." Her eyes fell to her lap soon after, hands absent-mindedly busying themselves with strands of hair.

Siren had resumed staring at the floor, "It sounds like such betrayal.." she whispered, French tone melodically sounding, "He was a member of this team.. you should have risked everything, Scott. You would have done for Jean."

Scott instantly frowned and raised a finger to her, "Now listen – "

But Siren interrupted, her jade eyes narrowing slyly, "A member of a team shouldn't have to be romantically involved with any other in order to gain importance," she said in a fluent tone, voice calm. She ignored Aurora's sudden raised eyebrows, but Scott was speaking before Aurora could interject.

"So you would have gone back?" he asked sceptically, arms folding over his chest.

"It's what I believe in. Loyalty is strong in my family."

"But we are not a family," corrected Scott.

"Now bougre.." murmured Gambit quietly as he pressed himself off the wall he had been leaning against. He strode with slow and calculated steps up towards Scott, who had fastened his eyes upon the Cajun closely. "Family ain't all flesh an' blood."

"Quite right," admitted Storm, who finally allowed her eyes back on the happenings.

"Ya.." commented Gambit with a nod to Storm at her input, "Ya all be a family 'ere. Y'da X-Men, that's a family. Close knit group ain'tcha? Protect each other? Happy with each other?" But then Gambit closed his eyes sombrely, "But dere is no' enough protection. Ya should be willing ta risk your life for the people here."

Scott kept his eyes coldly upon Gambit, "Are you saying I am abandoning my duties as a leader?" he asked stoically, but his voice seemed to hold an offended tone.

"Non, mon ami, Gambit be saying you need to just think a bit more, ya know? If ya gonna be a leader, ya gotta be strong.." Gambit punched Scott lightly on the chest, "In 'ere." Scott mildly pushed Gambit's hand away, keeping his displeased expression upon the man.

"It was my choice. I couldn't risk everyone else's life just to save them." Scott turned away, resting his palms on the desk as he glared down at the wood; his back was now to the group. He let out a tired sigh, eyes closing behind his red lenses. Scott then spoke up quietly, "Do you think it was an easy decision?"

"He never said that.." muttered Aurora quietly, looking to Gambit.

Scott shook his head some more, refusing to look their way, "Do you think it is simple and easy to have people's lives in my hands! I had to make a choice!" He spun at them, brow now heavily furrowed in anger, "Do you think I wanted that decision left up to me? Did you think I wanted to be blamed?!" his voice had risen to a shout, his voice pummelling across to all of them as he yelled out his built up distress.

But the entire room sliced to a silence as the great doors opened and Charles reappeared. The Professor sleekly rolled his wheels across the carpeted floor and stopped carefully. His eyes were fixed upon Scott at the heard outburst, but his first words were, "There's no response.."

With a frightened gasp Aurora swivelled her eyes upon Charles, "What?" she whispered uncertainly, as if needing the confirmation again.

"The mental link.. has gone."

At last I updated!

www(dot)freewebs(dot)com/tpftp