Note: In case you didn't notice, the plot is shifting. Sorry for the HUGE gap between updates. Yes, the chapter title is borrowed from one of my other X-Men related stories…sorta. (cheap shameless plug)
Chapter 16: The New Girl
Professor Xavier had just been about to call the escaping students back to the mansion when he felt the ripple. The psychic plane was much like a lake in the respect. When something big happened, every major psychic felt it. Normally, depending on the location of the incident, it might take a few minutes to reach anyone else. The fact that Xavier was notified of this event so quickly told him that it was close. Too close. As in on-campus.
Before he could begin to search the plane for the disturbance, the source was revealed to him.
"Hey, Prof," Remy murmured from the window. "I t'ink you wanna see dis."
It was Nate, of course. Well, not totally. It was that Other Nate, the one Wanda has sensed days before. The one that had frightened and worried her. His reappearance could mean nothing good…or so Xavier thought. And the difference between this Nate and the one he'd grown accustomed to was enormous. Nate was a psi of the first order, but even he handled his power with some subtlety while he wasn't using it. The person currently walking across the front lawn was making no such attempts to conceal his power, and the backlash was giving Xavier a serious headache.
Through the painful haze, Xavier realized something else: Remy was no telepath, yet even he had noticed the change. The professor looked again, and he saw it, too. Nate's left eye was all but hidden behind a glaring orb of gold. The orb seemed to be leaking excess power in every direction, as if it could no longer contain the incredible energies stored within it. Xavier suspected that was truer than he wanted it to be.
The entity within Nate's body stopped suddenly, raised its hands, and plunged them into thin air. And this was not a valid description, because while his hands clearly vanished into something, it was definitely not thin air. It took Xavier a long moment to realize what he was seeing: Nate had breached the very fabric between realities. His eyes merely insisted that Nate had reached into some floating pools of violet, but even those shouldn't have been there.
Seconds later, Nate yanked his hands back through. Along with them, however, came Illyana and another small girl that Xavier couldn't identify. The important thing, however, was that as soon as they touched the ground, the Other Nate vanished, leaving only the memory of what Xavier and Remy had seen to prove he was ever there.
Xavier sighed and raised a hand to his forehead. "Students, this is Professor Xavier. If you are able, please return to the mansion. It is safe now. If you are unable, please tell me so at once."
Jubilee's voice came back to him at once, dripping with anxiety. "Um…Prof? We got a problem here."
"What is it, child? Is anyone hurt?"
"I…I don't know. I mean, we're all okay, but…this guy was waiting for us at the end of the tunnel, and…he took Wanda and Kitty…"
"He called himself Omega Red," Marie added. "Do you know that name, Professor?"
"I do not…nor can I sense his movement, for some reason. Did he say anything else?"
"He's working for Magneto," Jubilee replied hesitantly. "And this guy was with him…Wanda's brother, I think."
"Pietro," Xavier said at once. "I thought he was abroad. It seems Magneto's accomplices have been escaping my notice as of late."
"When's the last time you checked on Magneto himself?" Jubilee asked.
Xavier focused his mind on where Magneto should've been…only to find that he was no longer there. "I fear this attack was merely a distraction. Magneto is no longer in his cell."
Ray was not quite sure what had happened. Illyana had been trying to explain exactly how she had been brought to The Hill, in hopes that it would aid Ray in finding her (well, their, now) rightful homeworld. The problem was that her description of bright lights, weird noise, and hugging her teddy bear didn't help all that much.
Against her better judgment, Ray had been about to try what Franklin had jokingly called "wishing upon her head." The process involved nothing more than desiring something so much that her own subconscious grasped control of her powers and made the wish a reality. Franklin was much better at it, and where he could usually create exactly what he wanted, Ray's results tended to be random and varied at best. She could very well have accidentally delivered herself and Illyana right into Apocalypse's hands, back on her world, if she wasn't careful.
Before she could even attempt such a risk, someone grabbed the back of her shirt and yanked hard. At first, Ray assumed Illyana was playing a joke on her. But then she glanced over to see that a hand had also grabbed Illyana's overall straps and was pulling her as well.
Without warning, they had suddenly landed in soft grass. Ray was glad of that much; it had been a long time since she'd seen and smelled real grass. She had been a prisoner of The Hill for far too long, and grieved that Franklin wasn't by her side to share the experience.
Illyana was clearly not of the same mind, as she let out a happy squeal after getting a good look at their surroundings. But Ray quickly realized it was not their surroundings that pleased Illyana, but the person that was standing behind them with a confused look on his face.
"This isn't my room…" the young man said slowly, just before Illyana tackled him to the ground.
Ray stopped paying attention to them at that point. If Illyana knew the boy, then they were most likely in the right place. She sighed in something like relief and glanced around. The building she spotted was unfamiliar, as was everything else her gaze landed on. She hadn't really expected their two worlds to be anything alike, but even a slight touch of home would've been nice, especially considering she could never go back.
"…and there was this guy what could blow himself up!" Illyana chattered on to the boy, who seemed to be listening and mentally checking her for bruises at the same time. Ray admired the way his thoughts slid smoothly around hers like water, not interrupting them at all, merely embracing and absorbing. She remembered having that close connection with Franklin…when time had allowed it, anyway.
It was probably Ray's own fault for not getting a good look at the boy. She was too busy extending her consciousness outward into this new world, testing boundaries. At once, she found two extremely powerful telepaths, and was startled when she realized that they were both very close to her location. Her surprise came to an abrupt end when she sensed that Illyana's attention had finally returned to her.
"And THIS is my new friend!" Illyana said, grabbing Ray's hand and pulling her up. "Ray, I want you to meet someone!"
For Illyana's sake, Ray decided she would be polite. Really, all she wanted at the moment was food and a bed, possibly a bath later on. But it was unlikely she'd get any of these without having to go through someone, so she would be nice for now. However, any plans to act any sort of way faded when she turned and came face-to-face with Illyana's friend.
It was clear from his curious expression that he had no idea who she was…and that probably hurt more than anything else. He extended his hand for her to shake and offered a hopeful smile, not realizing the impact he was having on her. "Nice to meet you, Ray. I'm-"
"Nathan," Ray whispered at once.
He blinked a few times. "Close. Very close, really. Actually my birth name was Nathaniel, but I don't use that for personal reasons. Nate is what I call myself."
"No. Your name is Nathan," she insisted, her eyes growing damp. "You're allergic to artichokes, you hate it when people call you short for your age, and your favorite color is fuchsia."
"I…um…what?" Nate asked softly. "I'm not allergic to anything, I hate it when people lie for 'good' reasons, and my favorite color is…uh…blue, I guess. But why do you think-"
"NO!" Ray cried, her voice trembling. "You HAVE to be him! He's all I have left!" She sank to her knees, staring up at him hopelessly. "You have to be Nathan…you have to be my baby brother…" Choking back a sob, she buried her face in her hands and began to wail.
Nate flinched as if he'd been struck, and he had, for the same instinct with which Ray had initially and desperately clung to him was the same that shoved him back at his refusal to be matched up with her memories. It was not a hard blow so much as it was a strong one, far too strong for any girl her age to possess. At any rate, he found himself several feet away and flat on his back a moment later.
Suddenly, the incredible force was gone, and Nate looked up to see Ray sobbing her heart out on Illyana's shoulder. Warily, he sat up and stayed where he was. "Yana? Did I…do something wrong?" he ventured.
Illyana shrugged helplessly as she stroked Ray's fiery hair. "I guess you remind her of her little brother. See, she's an orphan like you…only she just found out a few hours ago. She's not over it yet."
"Well…can you tell her I'm sorry when she calms down? And that she can hit me again if it makes her feel better?"
Illyana stared at him. "Why would you want her to hit you? And how would that make her feel better?"
Nate sighed. "Sometimes, Yana, it's the only thing that can. Trust me."
"You know, this was WAY easier than I thought it would be."
Erik Lensherr slowly opened his eyes and sighed. "Meaning what?" The man across from him had barely stopped talking for more than two minutes, and clearly could not understand that people with headaches did not wish to talk.
"I was expecting missiles to come flying after us," the mercenary explained, constantly licking his Popsicle. "I didn't even get to use my anti-air assault weapons. They're new, and I haven't broken them in prop-"
"Mr. Wilson," Lensherr said softly but firmly. "I am in pain. Do not force me to make you share in that. If you have something important to say, then do so before I am tempted to make your fool head explode."
"Fine, be that way. First, where's the rest of my payment? Second, how much longer are you going to need me? Third, how does Master of Mercenaries grab you?"
The older man closed his eyes again. "When we have arrived at the agreed upon location, I will give you the last known whereabouts of your missing person. At that time, I will immediately decide whether I will need further use of your services."
"That's great, but you didn't really answer the last-"
"I am the Master of Magnetism, Mr. Wilson. You are the Merc with a Mouth. Might I suggest you be content with that? One of us should be, at least."
With a grunt, the man known as Deadpool leaned back in his seat and stared out of the helicopter window. "Everybody's so damned anti-social these days. Can't even hold a decent conversation anymore." Suddenly inspired, he peered into the front of the chopper. "Hey, Kermit! Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we-"
A pistol was shoved into his face. "You're lucky Magneto thinks you're worth keeping around," Toad snapped.
"I'll have you know that pea shooter could only give me a nosebleed at best. Not to mention I could break your arm in twenty places before you fired. Fifteen, if I didn't shove it up your butt afterwards."
"And your point is what, exactly?"
"Both of us can fight. My mutant power allows me to get run over more than roadkill. Yours virtually makes you a living booger, and then there's the questionable odor. In short, I don't think this is a fight you can win. Now, either you be sociable, or I'm gonna come up there and SIT with you. And I don't think either of us really wants that."
The entire school was in disrepair, in every sense of the word. Rooms had to be cleaned, holes in the yard had to be filled in, and various students and staff had to be patched up. Very few were happy to see that the mutant that had been responsible for the destruction—Hemingway—was chiefly the one repairing it. Logan, who was watching him like a hawk, supervised all of the reconstruction. Marrow stuck around for moral support, and Nate assisted because he was the only telekinetic in any shape to do so.
The safe return of Illyana, most amazingly, took a back seat in importance, thanks to her mysterious new friend. Everyone wanted to know who Ray was, where she came from, and what her powers were. The only ones (other than Illyana and Nate) that actually knew were Professor Xavier and Dr. Grey (for safety reasons), and none of them were talking.
Ray didn't help matters at all by being terribly elusive. She wouldn't talk to anyone other than Illyana, and holed herself up in the infirmary with Piotr, whose arm healed at a remarkable rate. Even so, Piotr stayed there a few extra days, sensing that Ray did not wish to interact with the other students. He made her many sketches of various things, which she seemed to enjoy only half the time. When it was obvious that Piotr was no longer injured, he offered her what little space remained in his already crowded dorm room. Ray had no problem sharing with him and Marrow, but when she discovered that Nate also stayed there, she immediately refused the offer and insisted on sleeping with Illyana and Jubilee.
If Nate was bothered by Ray's avoidance, he didn't show it. He was far too busy putting things back in order the first few days. Also, the news of Wanda and Kitty's kidnapping had kept him in a constant state of alarm, and it was generally agreed upon that he could snap at any given moment.
Perhaps the oddest thing was Ray's powers. By the second day, it was obvious that she was telekinetic. When she was upset (which she nearly always was), things tended to fly around and into people that got too close. She made the clean-up crew's job much harder, until Illyana got her to calm down a bit. Ray generally used her telepathy to communicate, but would only speak to her roommates, Piotr, and Marrow, whose bone growths she found terribly intriguing.
It was finally Jubilee who decided to do something about the tension between Nate and Ray. She dragged them both up to her room, along with Piotr and Illyana one night.
"Look. You two are the only ones in this room who aren't friends, and I want to know why!"
The two stared at each other uneasily for a long moment, before Nate finally said sincerely, "I'm sorry I'm not your brother, Ray."
The girl's lip began to tremble, but she looked away before tears could fall. "It's not your fault."
"Then why do you act like it is?!" Jubilee demanded.
"You don't understand! None of you do!" Ray cried. "He's not my brother…but he IS! He looks JUST like Nathan would've, except for a few differences. It's like looking into the future!"
"She's right," Nate said at once. "I dreamed about him the day Ray came here…at least, I think I did. I'd say we were all related if I met them on the street."
Ray's eyes lit up. "You had a sister?" she guessed.
Nate shrugged. "Not that I know of. I grew up alone."
Her eyes dimmed and she lowered her head. "Oh…"
"I never knew a family, but I know what it's like to lose your whole world." Nate reached over and squeezed her hand. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I made a promise to your brother—and to Franklin—that I'd do my best to take care of you. But I can't help you if you won't let me."
Ray looked up hopefully at the mention of Franklin. "You mean it? You'll love me and protect me like I was your sister? But…why would you do that?"
"I seem to keep adopting people that come here. You probably won't be the last, but you're the only one that could pass for a relative. If anyone asks, we can say you're my long lost sister from Albuquerque."
"Why there?" Illyana asked.
Nate grinned. "When's the last time you met somebody from there?"
"…I don't think I ever have," Jubilee admitted.
"Well, there you go." Nate picked up Ray and sat her on his shoulders. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I've got maybe five years of brotherly love to express in three hours. We'll see you guys later."
"What do I do?" Ray asked helplessly.
"Duck!" Illyana called as Ray's head just missed the doorframe. "I think they both need practice at being siblings."
"It does not come so naturally to all, snowflake," Piotr confirmed, watching the pair go with some hesitation.
Wanda passed time by trying to glare a hole in the back of her brother's head. Ironically, if the manacles she wore didn't block her powers, she knew doing so just might be possible. But in her heart, she didn't really want to kill Pietro. Oh, she wanted to hurt him badly, but not kill him. She suspected he felt much the same way. Either that, or he was doing an incredible job of hiding it, for her and their father's sake. The thought of Pietro being in league with Magneto made Wanda so sick that she wanted to vomit, but she knew it was true. Pietro simply did not have the connections to hook up with a mutant like Omega Red on his own.
Possibly the only comfort was that Kitty had finally stopped that horrible rasping sound, as if she might be in danger of somehow choking on her own saliva. She had even been frothing at the mouth when Omega Red had first carried them into the warehouse, but now she seemed to merely be in a deep sleep. Whatever Omega Red had done to her before, he had apparently fixed it, as Pietro had ordered him to. So for the moment, at least, Wanda knew she and Kitty weren't about to die any time soon. If Magneto was going to kill them, he would at least wait until he was there in person, so he'd have the chance to gloat. He'd been trying to control Wanda all his life, and for the moment, he had succeeded. Wanda had no intention of letting Kitty get hurt, so she would have to do whatever Magneto wanted. He wouldn't have bothered to go to the trouble of capturing her if he didn't want something only she could give him.
There was one thing Wanda didn't understand, though. Along with Pietro and Omega Red, there was a third mutant present in the warehouse. Like Omega Red, he was tall, muscular, and his skin was as white as snow, especially atop his bald head. But that was where the similarities ended. Where Omega Red was something out of a nightmare, this mutant seemed more like a kindly hunchback that you might expect to help a complete stranger. The really odd thing was, the more Wanda stared at him, the more she became convinced that she knew his name.
"Cal," she whispered softly, so that only he would hear her. "Oh, Cal, that's not you in there, is it?"
He did not need to reply. Wanda's fears were confirmed by the way he averted his eyes and hung his head in shame.
"Cal, why? What happened to you? Why are you helping them do this? You used to be so sweet and gentle…"
"Caliban is still all of those things, Sister-Wanda," he murmured. "But Caliban is also owing Master-Magneto too much not to help him."
"What could he possibly have done for you?"
"Caliban was weak, close to dying. Master-Magneto made Caliban stronger. Make it easier for Caliban to find mutants, all over the world. Caliban just want to help them, Sister-Wanda. Master-Magneto knows a way to help them all. He help you, too."
Wanda smirked. "I don't want his kind of help, Cal. And you don't either, even if you can't see it yet."
Caliban shook his head. "Sister-Wanda not understand. Master-Magneto only wants his family back together. He has even invited Caliban to be part of it."
"Cal, you were always family to me. You don't need to do whatever he's told you to do. You could come live with me, back at Xavier's. Sarah and Ernie are there. So is Remy. Your friends, remember?"
"Caliban remembers. But Master-Magneto said to wait here, so Caliban must."
Wanda sighed and closed her eyes. Caliban had always had a simple mind, and Magneto's influence obviously ran too deep to sway him. She only hoped that she wouldn't be there when all his faith in Magneto was destroyed.
Ray flopped across her bed in the room she now shared with Illyana and Jubilee, thoroughly exhausted. She had not expected Nate to want to do so very many things with her, perhaps because she thought he might still be uneasy around her. But he had obviously been very serious about them bonding, because they'd spent the entire week together, doing nothing but whatever she wanted to do at any given moment.
Ray was not sure why Nate seemed to be the only student excused from his classes, but she suspected it had something to do with the incredible psychic power she sensed within him. She was secretly hoping that her own massive psi-talents would also keep her out of class, but that remained to be seen. Professor Xavier had been very busy lately with the school's restoration and other matters, but he didn't seem like the type to forget very many things.
Her thoughts were interrupted as she sensed Nate approaching, so she opened the door with a wave of her hand before he could knock.
"Um…neat," Nate murmured. "I just thought I'd come see if you were asleep yet. Illyana worried when you didn't come down for dinner."
"I'm not really hungry," Ray replied, closing her eyes. "I think I'll just go straight to bed in a while."
"Well…there is another reason I wanted to see you," Nate admitted, sitting down on the floor and leaning against the bed. He hesitated for a long moment. "On second thought, it can wait."
Ray frowned as he started to rise and reached out with her mind, forcibly pushing him back down. "You wouldn't have come if you didn't want to say it now, Nate. Just ask me."
Nate gave her a look, still not quite used to someone stronger than him being around, and certainly not telling him what to do. But Ray was still very young, and probably didn't even realize how powerful she truly was. "Okay. Um…see, I was wondering…if maybe you wanted to…crap. I had this all planned out, and now I can't even remember how I was going to-"
With a sigh, Ray rolled to the edge of the bed and closed his mouth with her small hand. "Nate, if you don't stop stalling, I'm going to come in there myself and find out what you want." It certainly sounded like a threat, but she said it so carelessly that it was hard to take it that way.
"Sorry. It's just hard to get out." Nate took a deep breath and began again. "Ray, I know we haven't known each other that long, but-" Before he could finish, she closed his mouth again, and he gave her a questioning look.
"Could you do me a favor?" she asked quietly.
"Sure. What?"
"Don't call me Ray anymore?" She sighed and looked down. "It's just…that was Frankie's name for me, and…"
"I understand," Nate replied, squeezing her hand gently. "But what should I call you, then?"
"My true name is Rachel. Any other form of that is fine."
"Okay. Now, like I was saying-"
"You haven't heard from Frankie, have you?" Rachel asked suddenly. "I mean, since I got here?"
"Um…no. Why?"
Her face visibly drooped. "Oh. I thought maybe he'd ask about me, make sure that I got here safely…"
"I'm sure he just has a lot of faith in you," Nate said, hoping he was right. "You are pretty capable, from what I've seen."
Rachel blushed a little. "But that stuff's not really hard to do. I haven't done anything major yet."
"Well, speaking of things you can do, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to…um…form a psychic link with me?"
Her big green eyes shifted to him curiously. "That's what you wanted to ask me?"
Nate looked away. "I'd understand if you didn't want to. We did just meet, and you don't really know me that well, so I could see why you wouldn't-"
"Why do you want to?" Rachel interrupted.
Nate paused. "Well…if I'm gonna protect you, it would help a lot. I mean, I know you're stronger than me, but maybe I know some tricks that you don't. And I've definitely been in this world longer, so there's things you might not know about that I could help with. On top of all that, I know I'm not…that is, I can't be…well…"
"What?"
He ducked his head a little. "This is gonna sound weird, but…I always wanted a little sister. The first time I saw you, even though I had no idea who you were…I couldn't help thinking that we had so much in common. Now I know for sure that we do. Neither of us really…belongs in this world, but if we're going to make the best of it, I thought we could do it together. You know, help each other out, be there for each other, things like that."
"You trust me enough to do this?" Rachel asked softly.
"It's more a matter of if you trust me enough to do this," Nate reminded her. "That is what I'm essentially asking, I guess. But don't worry, if you don't want to, I won't mind at all, so-"
Rachel suddenly leaned forward and placed a soft, slow kiss on his forehead. "Done," she murmured as she pulled away with a grin.
Nate blinked, instantly aware of the connection she'd made, as well as the one she had with Franklin. It was, in fact, the only other one she had, and perhaps one of the strongest he'd ever seen. "Aw, I wanted to do it! It was supposed to be a gift."
"So you can get me something tomorrow," Rachel replied, hugging his neck. "There's a certain kind of pajamas I want."
"You saw them when we were in town?" Nate guessed.
She shook her head. "It's something Frankie suggested to me once. But I think they'd have to be specially made by another psi. They're supposedly good for helping telepaths get to sleep at night."
"Really? Well, I guess I could talk to the Prof about it."
"No," Rachel said at once. "I know it's his school, but…there's something I don't like about him."
"Rach, I know he's a little strict, but you'll get used to him."
"It's not that. I don't know what it is. Just don't tell him. For me?"
"Well, if you're sure," Nate relented. "What if I asked Jean?"
"Only if she promises not to mention it to him," Rachel said at last. "What about the lady with white hair? She always has on really comfortable-looking clothes."
"You mean Storm? I guess she would be the one to ask, as far as comfort goes. But she's not really a psi, so I don't know how much she could help with these special PJs of yours."
"Do you think she'd make some regular ones for me?"
"I don't know that she makes her own clothes, but she probably wouldn't mind telling you where she shops, or even taking you there herself. We can ask her tomorrow."
"Okay," Rachel replied. She crawled under her blanket and laid her head against the pillow. "Night, Nate."
Before Nate could return the sentiment, he sensed that she was already asleep. Smiling, he carefully brushed the short red hair out of her face. He considered going back to his room, then decided against it and settled more comfortably against the side of the bed. Jubilee would poke him awake when she came up, and until then, he wasn't going to leave Rachel's side.
Piotr had sensed something was wrong even before he and Illyana set foot in Professor Xavier's office. Rarely did the man have meetings at night with students, so it must've been something he didn't want to chance any other students hearing. He was even more afraid that it had something to do with Illyana.
Professor X didn't waist time with pleasantries. He invited them to sit, and then said, "I believe we have a problem."
"This is about my sister?" Piotr guessed, instinctively wrapping one of his huge arms around the girl in his lap.
"I'm afraid so," Professor X replied. "But not entirely. It has more to do with the psychic link she currently shares with Nate."
"It's a good thing it was there, huh?" Illyana piped in with a smile. "We might never have gotten back without it!"
Professor X smiled hesitantly. "That's one side of it, yes. But the implications are a bit more serious than that, child. This link may also cause you considerable harm in the near future."
The smile faded from Illyana's face. "But…Nate would never hurt me, Professor."
"I'm aware of that. But I have recently been…made aware of another entity inside Nate. One that may not have your best interests at heart. He may even be dangerous."
Piotr frowned. "Begging your pardon, Professor, but I have seen no proof of this entity even existing."
"I have. So have Remy and Wanda. He was, in fact, the one who rescued Illyana and Rachel. But I am more concerned about the manner in which he accomplished such a feat. He is insanely powerful, and I have no idea how much influence he has over Nate."
"But he hasn't done anything bad yet, has he?" Illyana insisted.
"Not especially," Professor X admitted hesitantly. "But there's something else that worries me even more. Shortly upon your return, child, I began to sense an additional entity within you."
Illyana's face drained of all color. "What…?"
"I can understand why you didn't tell me about this, but you fail to understand that Nate—or the other him—may have had something to do with it."
She shook her head wildly. "No! It was Miko and The Hill! They were the ones who-!"
"What proof do you have of that, Illyana?" Professor X asked quietly.
"…none, but-!"
"Your loyalty to Nate is admirable, Illyana. But I cannot continue to guarantee your safety under these conditions. If this other Nate gained complete control over your friend, then, through your psychic link, he could easily summon and control the other you, as well. You could both be virtually erased forever. I cannot allow this."
"What are you suggesting, Professor?" Piotr asked fearfully.
"The immediate termination of the psychic link between Illyana and Nate."
"NO!" Illyana cried, grabbing her head, fearing he might attempt the severing then and there. "You can't do that!!"
She turned desperately to her brother. "You won't let him do it, will you, Piotr?!"
Her brother bit his lip. "Snowflake, you know I love you with all that I am. But for the first time in my life, I was helpless to do anything to protect you. If what Professor Xavier says is true, it sounds like even he would be unable to help you, if this came to pass."
"But Nate's stronger than him!" Illyana shouted. "And Ray's even stronger than Nate! She wouldn't let anyone hurt me!"
"I am thinking only of your safety, Illyana," Professor Xavier pointed out. "Suppose something happened to Rachel. If I could not protect you from this other Nate, who could? You would be helpless, so long as the link remains."
Before Illyana could open her mouth to say something she wouldn't regret later, there was a bright flash of light.
"I cannot allow this to go on any further," said a strained voice, originating from the light. "Xavier, I realize you're trying to help, BUT YOU MUST NOT SEVERE THAT LINK."
Illyana stared up at the light in wonder. The voice was familiar to her, but she couldn't identify the speaker.
"Who are you?" Professor Xavier asked warily.
"That doesn't matter, and I couldn't tell you, anyway. What does matter is that you leave that link intact. Yes, it could endanger Illyana, but I'm telling you that it will also protect her."
"How can you be so sure of this?"
"The other Nate saved Illyana. Why do you think he did that?"
Professor Xavier opened his mouth, and then closed it. "I do not know."
"Then isn't it possible that he might care about Illyana—or the one within her—as much as Nate does?"
"I had never entertained that thought."
"Few would. The point is, nothing bad will happen to Illyana, so long as both Nates are there to protect her."
"How can you know this?" Professor Xavier pressed.
There was a slight chuckle from the light. "The real question is, how could I not? Psi-Lord concerns himself with the fate of all his companions." With that, the light vanished.
Professor Xavier turned slowly to his two students. "It would appear that the Lord his spoken," he murmured with an odd smile.
Rachel woke up the next morning to find Jubilee leaning over her, apparently just about to wake her.
"Jeez!" Jubilee cried, jumping back. "Don't do that, kid!"
"Sorry. Reflex," Rachel replied, sitting up. "It's hard for me to just lie there when I feel someone coming."
"S'okay, I totally get it," Jubilee said, holding out her cell phone. "Anyway, you got a phone call."
"Me?" Rachel asked in disbelief. "But I don't know anybody here…"
"Well, he knows you," Jubilee replied. "Says it's really important, too. I think you wanna take this."
Rachel hesitantly took the phone. "Hello…?"
"I'm not the one you know," a voice said at once.
Despite the message, tears welled up in her eyes. "Frankie…?"
"Yes and no. I'm from this world, Rachel. But I had the weirdest dream last night, and-"
"He told you?" she guessed.
"Yeah. About you, among other things. He wanted to know that you were safe."
"I am," Rachel whispered.
"Good. Nate's taking good care of you, then?"
"Yes. He's been really nice." She paused and bit her lip. "You don't know…another me, do you?"
"No. It's odd. I feel like I should, but…never mind that. If it wouldn't be too awkward…do you think I could meet you? In person, or at least see your face somehow? I think it would make…a world of difference."
"When?!" Rachel asked breathlessly.
"Incidentally, I don't live that far away from your school. Maybe you could come visit someday. I'm at…well, I'm sure your teachers have the address. Be sure to tell them that Franklin Richards asked about you. The looks on their faces alone should be worth it."
Next Chapter: Wanda is reunited with her father and learns what he wants from her. Nate, Rachel, and Illyana meet the Franklin Richards of this world…and their alter egos. Professor X takes steps to rescue Wanda & Kitty…but not before Logan, Rogue, Marrow, Hemingway, and Gambit take matters into their own hands.