When the jet touched down in a vacant lot in Virginia, Professor Xavier steered humans clear of the lot by using his ability to make people think what he wanted them to. He then set the jet on invisible once we got outside.

It was still dark out, but we only had a little time to find the entrance to the underground prison before the sun came up and people really started to arrive. The walk to our second president's home wasn't a long one, and when we got there, we saw we were at the back of the house. Professor Xavier came over to me. "Now, Erin, can you remember where the entrance is?"

I sighed. "Oh, boy, let me think…. Ah…."

"Take your time."

"I remember it being somewhere around front." I started walking around to the front of the house, and the professor followed. "The door is covered by grass and…. something else…. Something else under the grass…." I paused, rubbing my eyes as I tried to concentrate on my dream.

"Okay." I finally found the place in the grass I had been standing in my dream. I turned to face the house, then looked down to my right…. and noticed, just poking out from the grass, a brass ring. I smiled, looking up at my companions. "I've found it."

Lifting up the door as quietly as I could, I was surprised to find it was lighter than I thought it would have been. The professor stopped me before I could open the door fully.

"Wait…." He looked at the edge of the door, then pulled away the grass from the top. "It's the same metal Magneto uses in his helmet. That's why I couldn't find Kurt using Cerebro."

I hurriedly went down the steps and could feel my blood run cold. I was in my dream again, and I could hear the yells and cries of the prisoners.

"Erin."

I turned around to find Logan standing there. "Scott and I are coming with you. The others are going in the house to look around for anything."

"Thanks."

"Lead the way," Scott managed a small smile.

Turning back to the hallway, I started walking. Chills ran up and down my spine as we made our way into the heart of the prison, and finally we came upon the right hallway. Just above all the other voices in the prison, I could hear a man tearfully praying in German.

"Kurt…" Sprinting down the hallway I came to the door from my dream and peered through the little window. Sure enough, there he was, huddled in the corner. He was so skinny and beaten, covered in dirt and blood…. Kurt's wrists were tied together behind his back and ankles were bound as well. He was still blindfolded.

"Oh, God." I tried the door but it was locked tight. "Scott, you're gonna have to blast through here. Can you do it?"

"Hallo? Who is that?" Kurt sat up, alert after hearing my voice, but before I could say anything Scott blasted his way through. I could hear Kurt give a yell of surprise. I ran into the tiny cell and dropped to my knees at Kurt's side. He knew I was there, but didn't know it was me so he pulled away in fear. "No, no, please…." he begged desperately.

"Kurt, Kurt! It's me!" I was crying; I put a hand on his shoulder but he struggled. "Calm down, it's me!" He finally calmed down for a moment but was still shaking. I motioned for Logan to come over. He crouched down next to Kurt.

"I'm going to cut you free, okay? Hold still." In seconds Kurt could move his arms and legs freely, and, reaching towards him, I pulled off his blindfold. He blinked against what little light there was in the prison, and then his eyes fell on me. "Erin?"
"Yes," I laughed through my tears. "We're here to take you home." Kurt crawled towards me and I held him as he cried.

Suddenly I remembered. I had Kurt sit up for a moment. "I have something of yours…. Logan found this at the church the day you were taken, and he gave it to me to hold on to for you." Pulling Kurt's rosary off my wrist I handed it to him and he studied it. "I've not taken it off….. 'cept when I sleep, of course… wouldn't want it to break." I managed a small smile, and Kurt returned it.

"Thank you, kleines."

"Ssh," Logan stood up. "Wait a minute…." He listened. "Okay, come on, you guys. We gotta get outa here. Someone's coming."

"Can you stand, honey? Come on, I'll help you." I put an arm around Kurt and helped him to his feet as he quickly stuffed the rosary in his pocket. We were all the way to the bottom of the stairs when we heard shouting coming from our left. I quickly got Kurt to the steps, and he shielded his eyes against the daylight that streamed through the doorway.

Voices came from down the hallway, to our left, but before we could do anything the door in front of us slammed shut. "No--!" I cried, starting forward. "Damn…." The voices were upon us, and we turned to find a man standing there, with two guards on either side of him. I could hear Kurt gasp next to me as he clung to me tighter.

"Papa? Papa, what--" Kurt cut off as a severe cough shook him.

I held tight to him, my heart breaking.

"You're insane," Logan glared at Kurt's father. "What have you done to him? He's your son, for chrissakes."

"He is not my son," Kurt's father said defiantly. "He's a monster."

"No… he's not a monster. And whatever your sick, twisted belief may be, about your son or otherwise…." Scott said. "We're still leaving, and we're taking Kurt with us." With that he blasted through the door and the sunlight streamed through once again.

"No!" Kurt's father turned to the guards next to him. "Call for backup!"

But by that time we had made it halfway across the huge yard, on the way to the jet.

"Stop!" Kurt's father yelled from behind us, and I did.

"What- what are you doing, Erin?" Kurt gaped at me.

"Take him," I turned to Scott, and he did as he was told. I turned and walked back to Kurt's father, who stood there, staring at me in confusion. Rearing back, I slugged him across the face as hard as I could.

"Bastard!" I spat. "You or your men ever so much as come near him or any of my friends again I swear on God Above and everything holy, I will be the one who will take your head off with my bare hands."

With that I turned and stalked back to my friends, rubbing my hurt hand. The slight grin on their faces fell suddenly, and was replaced by a look of horror. "NO--"

A loud crack erupted in the morning air as something struck me in the lower back, sending bolts of excruciating pain through my entire body. Crying out, I crumpled to the ground, and I could hear Kurt scream my name in agony. Scott and Kurt came hurriedly over to me, and I could hear Logan give a yell as he overtook Kurt's father. "You son of a bitch!"

"Erin?" Kurt whimpered, taking me up in his weak arms. "Speak to me, darling, say something!"
I looked up at him and smiled through the agonizing pain that ripped through me. "Hi…"

Cyclops frowned, running a hand through his hair. "That mother f--"

"I'm okay, Scott, really… I… aah!" I gasped as another bolt of pain tore through me.

"I'm here, Erin, I'm here…. We'll take care of her…" Kurt told Scott, and he looked back down at me. "I'll take care of you," he whispered, his voice shaking.

"Kurt, we have to get you back to the ship," I told him. "You're sick."

"What? What about you, kleines?"

That's when we felt a presence next to us, and I looked up to find Logan standing over us. He was breathing hard. "Kurt…. I, uh, I think I killed him."

Kurt nodded. "Can you carry her? I am too weak."

"Sure thing," Logan leaned over and picked me up as Scott helped Kurt to his feet. Looking over I saw the rest of the group coming from Monticello. "Erin?" Rogue cried, but she stopped, giving a yell as she saw the mangled body of Kurt's father lying in the middle of the lawn.

"Marie," I called, holding out my hand.

She came over to me as we quickly walked back to the ship, taking my hand. "Oh, Erin, what happened?"

"It was him, Rogue, it was Kurt's father….. he shot me, but I'm gonna be fine," I smiled at her.

She said nothing for a moment, then smiled. "I see you got Kurt back."

Nodding, I beamed. "I'll definitely be fine now that we've got him back."

Once on the ship and in the air I was visited by Jean, Bobby, Storm and Professor Xavier, who told me that Kurt and I would have to stay in the hospital wing of the school for a while, at least until we were better.