A.N: Hello there from Thunder-Rhapsody.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

P a r t - o n e : A s h e s - t o - A s h e s

Chapter one: The Angel Falls and a Sorrowful Residence

Tears came like rain, falling down his gaunt cheekbones and falling from his chin to where ever they would land, be it ground or chest. The sky was dark outside, it was just after midnight. The moon was almost full, but the stars couldn't be seen from the city lights. It was to be another Sunday, a new day when he'd go to work. To a job he hated, to a cause he despised, to people he wished would die. He would continue with the same regimen until he died, he supposed, but assumptions were like betting hell would actually freeze over. Maybe it had, because it seemed like there wasn't any heaven on earth. Maybe hell ran out of space and spilled out onto the land live a ramped flood, maybe it had always been around and he was just now realizing it.

The rooftop was a common place for him now, a place to think and brood and complain and cry where no one would see him. He would frown down at the streets thirty feet below, glare up at the neighboring buildings, curse the city and everyone in it. But he was only human. He was just a simple man, incapable of such deeds. He was destined to live his life, and then die. That was how it went. That was what he had been taught. That was what he decided to concede to.

He had a life, a wife who was cheating on him... she thought he didn't know, but he did. His kids were growing up too, a girl now in college and another in junior high. Things were "as they should be". But he felt empty, didn't know where to go, he had lost the emotion to care about the—well, his meaning of life, anyway.

This man sighed, rubbing a weary hand against his brow. He looked up again, staring at the pitch black sky, hoping some gust of wind would blow him away. He could commit suicide, just jump off and end it all. Yeah, just walk off the edge, don't look back, plummet for a while, then hit the cold pavement and die. Simple, quick, easy... one step and he'd be gone.

"What are you doing up here?" called a soft, gentle, and quiet feminine voice.

The man turned, and stared. An "angel" was sitting on one of the small structures with the grates for the air conditioning systems, her legs dangling over the edge. She was wearing very faded, bleached faded jeans, and a black sweatshirt that was very loose for her slight frame. Her skin was pale and porcelain—perfect, and her eyes were like watery blue ice, gazing at him vibrantly and brightly through the dark air of the night. Her reddish brown hair hung in layers around her shoulders. Her white wings were slightly unfolded, casting an arch of feathers about her. She looked like all of the angels and saintly women in the stain glass windows and all of the paintings.

The angel tilted her head as she gazed at the man. He walked over to her slowly, cautiously, and stopped, crossing his arms.

"Who are you and why do you care?" he asked roughly.

The angel straightened her head, legs still swinging back and forth, wings fluttering; "And quit staring at me," the man snapped.

But the angel didn't; "You're worried, and I was passing by," she replied quietly, getting down gracefully; "Do you want to jump?" she asked quietly, motioning to the ledge.

The man looked back at the ledge briefly; "Yeah," he said, "It's crossed my mind. Why would you care, anyway? Thought angels stayed in heaven."

"I'm just a human who's different," the angel replied solemnly; "I was just passing by."

"Just leave me alone," the man snapped, "You're just some girl, you wouldn't understand! You're probably only sixteen for gods' sake."

The angel, unlike what he had thought, didn't flinch at the violation of one of the Ten Commandments. She only shook her head; "Because I am young doesn't mean anything," she replied humbly, "Just don't jump."

"Oh, don't jump, huh?" the man asked cockily, edging towards the ledge; "Well what if I did, huh? What would it matter if I did jump?"

The girl shrugged; "Who's to say, I don't know," she said; "Look, I'm no angel, I said it before. I'm just a... worried observer."

"Yeah, well just stop being so nosy, brat," the man said irately, turning and glaring down at he streets.

"Fine, jump," the girl said, for the first time her voice loosing the gentleness; "And then, all that you knew, everyone who loved and depended on you, will mourn. And you will be dead. Dead," she repeated, walking over to the ledge herself. She spread her wings, and cast a look to the man she did not know; "'There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death'."

The man stared at the girl, but before he could say another thing, she had vaulted from the ledge, dove, then by the fifth floor caught the wind and jetted back up into the night, wings silently carrying her off.

The man watched, glaring at her; "This is the only way, brat," he whispered, then he turned and stared at the ground; "This is right, so to hell if I die..."

And then... he jumped.

And the "angel" hovered to watch and silently regard his mistakes. She then turned, and continued flying away, off to where she was destined. But she only made it out of the city limits and began her decent towards the countryside when a shot rang through the air. With a scream echoing from her mouth as her left wing was hit, the angel fell.

Only to be caught by a foe she did not know of. A foe like her in certain ways, different and deadly in every other. But the bullet brought no blood, only pain from electrocution and a metal clasp to her wing. From which, the "angel" passed out, a world of black taking her in.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The institute was grim, not much laughter filled the halls. It was a quiet, subdued type of atmosphere, and no one was up to fixing it. A month prior, Jean had sacrificed herself for the other mutants, and everyone felt for it. Scott was only seen to teach and to eat, and then he often remained in his room or on the balcony.

Xavier was, for the most part, coping. Though his first student and his right hand mutant, as well as a literal daughter to him, was now gone. He had a school to run, and remembered her words. But at night he too, along with the others, would find himself unable to sleep and in desperate need of a "happy pill". But now was not the time to be upset.

Xavier, Ororo, and Logan sat around the main TV, watching the morning's news.

"...And in other news," the reporter was saying; "Local delegate and former senator John Donavich was found dead this morning. Investigators have concluded that Donavich jumped from his apartment roof top later that evening. He was found on top of a '95 sedan, and was dead on the scene. Family and Friends are already planning a..."

Logan turned the TV off and abruptly left. Ororo and Xavier watched him go, then both sighed; "What is happening to the world now," Ororo mused.

"I quite agree," Xavier said; "Ororo, by chance, have you heard rumors of... a mysterious apparition around the Buffalo area?"

"In New York?" Ororo asked, and Xavier nodded; "No, I haven't, actually. Why, did you pick up a signature?"

"Donavich was residing in Buffalo, New York, and there are rumors of an apparition of a young angel appearing at night;" Xavier said, wheeling around the sofa and beginning to go down the hall, Ororo already in pace with him; "People who have seen her recall being distraught or suicidal, and that she would be there to... talk to them..."

"You think this is just some young girl who is trying to decide what her powers are?" Ororo asked as they entered Xavier's private study.

Hank [a/n: yeah, dunno if he was even mentioned during the movies, but I put him in cuz I like the big blue guy] was hunched over a table of newspapers, the ones you would find in little mom and pop stores on the racks by the door kind of papers. He looked up at he familiar hum of the wheelchair and shuffling of Ororo's feet, his face set in concentration.

"Morning," he said gruffly, returning to his search.

"Any luck, Hank?" Xavier asked as he wheeled over to a computer linked to Cerebro. He quickly logged on. He placed a replica helmet on, and began searching as well.

Ororo sat down at the table, and took a paper in her hands. As she quickly read it, she realized that the angel was seen last flying off towards Canada from Buffalo.

"Charles," Ororo said; "Perhaps she isn't American?"

Hank looked up; "What?"

Ororo read the article, complete with a dark photo of a shadow shaped like a Messenger of God against a grey cloud in the night; "'Shortly after ten- thirty PM, yet another angel sighting occurred. The obvious sign was seen streaking off towards Canada, apparently coming over from the direction of Buffalo, New York'. And then it just goes on to talk about watchers and 'eye-witness' accounts."

Xavier had not heard Ororo; he had already found their "angel". And she was fast moving deep into North Dakota.

"Ororo, Hank!" The old telepath suddenly exclaimed, practically ripping the helmet from his head in his haste; "The mutant, she's moving far too fast. Even Arch Angel can't travel at those speeds," he mused; "She must be flying by jet. Quick, I think Eric has her!"

"Magneto?" Hank asked; "Charles, calm down, Lenshire went into hiding, remember? I don't think he could risk—"

"He's willing to risk anything, Hank," Ororo said, getting up; "I'll already the team."

"We'll assemble in the meeting room," Xavier said, already out the door.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

John stared at the mutant. Hands in his pockets and fist clenched around his lighter, he studied her. Wings, hair, body, yep, she was human, not the righteous being like the papers made her out to be. She was pretty, John safely admitted it, and he didn't mind watching her. She was unconscious, gently set on a bed by Sabertooth in one of the empty bedrooms of the underground base. John's room was across the hall, so the teen curiously walked over and had since been standing leaning against the door frame for almost ten minutes.

"Your growin' 'orns mate!"

John rolled his eyes as Toad came up, and he turned to face the mutant; "So?" John asked; "She's a looker, see for yourself."

As John turned around toad took the other side of the doorway, and gazed at the mutant; "Hmm, a' angel," he mused; "Wonder wha' Magneto wants with her, eh?" he asked, raising and eyebrow suggestively.

"Sicko," John said; "I heard him and Mystique talkin'. She can like, tell what a person's weakness is, and of course she can fly."

"Eh, don't the X-Men know a' angel mutant, though?" Toad asked; "Suppose they come after her?"

John shrugged; "Prof has Cerebro, and yeah, I met the guy once;" he snorted; "Watch her be the exact same way. Cocky, arrogant, filthy rich..."

"Not by the looks o' that sweatshirt, mate," Toad said; "Seems a bit on the 'less-than-well-off' side," he mused, squinting as he looked at her clothing.

John eyed him; "Dude," he said, "When did you get out of the closet?"

Toad glared at him; "Look, just pointin' out tha' now we got two fosta kids, eh," he added coldly before hopping away.

John smirked, and then looked back over to the bed. He froze. The girl was awake, looking at him. She was sitting up, wings carefully folded to her back, hair framing her face and her eyes. Her eyes... John felt like a wind was gently blowing in his mind, whispy feelings coming from behind his eyes. He felt like floating. But in an instant, the feeling was gone.

"Where am I?" She asked, rising slowly. But her knees buckled under her, so she had to sit back down.

"Hey, easy," John said, cautiously walking over; "Your uh, in Canada..." /Nice lie, Pyro/ he thought.

The girl looked around; "Am I here because of the senator?" she asked, looking at John again.

"Um... no," John said; "I'm not sure why you're here. Name's John," he said, holding out a hand.

The girl stared at it, and then she cautiously replied the gesture. Her hand was cold to the touch, and not just because John was basically warmer anyway for obvious reasons.

"What's you're name?" John asked.

The girl held her hands in her lap as she looked at the floor, her eyes rising to the wall where a window should be; "My name's Audri," she said finally, looking over at John again; "Why aren't there any windows?"

/Oh god she's so innocent!/ John moaned in thought; but he kept a straight face and replied; "We're underground."

Audri nodded; "Can I go?" she asked; "I've got some things to do, and..."

"Look, I'm not in charge," John said, "And if you talk like that, you won't survive a minute here."

Audri stared at him; "What?" John asked.

Audri shook her head; "Nothing," she said, rising again. Her strength had finally returned; "I just want to leave. I don't like it here. Too much anger and pain..." she added, shivering.

John watched her. She was pathetic, shivering because... she could feel anger and pain. Emotions... Magneto had said she could fly and detect emotions. Audri was a like walking martyr, a symbol of faith, and a person destined to feel other's pain, all in one desperate, conflicting package of a young woman. She had a reason to be quiet and being introverted.

John chewed his lower lip as the realization sank in. /Nope, still not gonna show her pity/ he concluded in thought.

"Oh, quit whining," John said, though the sneer wasn't as stinging as he hoped it would be; "You're life ain't the only one that hasn't been a bowl of cherries."

"I know," Audri said, "No one's has..." she looked at him; "Especially yours. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sympathetic," John said; "I couldn't stop Fate, so there's no reason to cry over me. I don't even like you, so don't bother trying ot make friends."

"I can't cry," Audri said, "And I wouldn't cry for such a jerk, anyway!" she said harshly.

"Ooh, like I haven't been called that before!" John snapped.

"Well, then there must be something wrong with you!" Audri shouted; "You're too worried about thinking about yourself that you don't seem to notice everyone else, and because of you being rude and vulgar, no one likes you!"

"Oh, come 'ere and say that to my face, bitch!" John shouted angrily, standing his ground.

And to his surprise, Audri did. With wings spread she took flight for a second to cover the space between them, and with one wing whipping out sent him out into the large hallway. John slammed against the wall, sliding to the floor with a loud groan of pain. Glaring at Audri, he stood, holding his fists up.

"Well, some angel you turned out to be!" he shouted as she hovered in the doorway.

"Fire is not always flame and burning, John," Audri said, touching down; "You should know that."

"And you had best listen to her."

John turned to see Magneto and Sabertooth walking out of the elevator, and Audri only glanced at them. Her wings only came out more as John rushed over to them. She held her hands to her sides, watching the three wearily.

"Dude, she's crazy!" John said to Magneto.

Magneto rolled his eyes at the slang; "No, you are merely unused to being defeated;" he turned to face Audri; "Audri Malone, I presume?"

"Just Audri," Audri said.

Magneto smirked, and chuckled; "Very well then, Audri. Tell me, are you hungry? I assume that after the trip here, you must be famished."

/What's he playing at? / John thought.

Audri shook her head; "Let me go," she said.

Again, Magneto chuckled; "I'm afraid that is quite impossible," he said, walking over to her.

Before Audri could react, the metal band around her left wing was manipulated to bring her down to the ground. Audri gasped at the action, fighting to get up. Magneto chuckled again, and, holding his hand out further than it already was, the band tightened, cutting circulation dramatically. Audri froze, her right wing draped over her torso and head to shield her. She could see Magneto approaching through a gap in the feathers, and could only focus her thoughts away from the pain.

"You see, Audri, you prove useful to my cause," Magneto continued; "but, I'm willing to make a deal with you."

Audri stayed silent; "Your silence must mean I can continue," Magneto said after letting the pause sink in; "You serve me until my cause is achieved, and you will be free to roam and live out your life. But if I call you, you will come to me and serve out your duties."

Audri still remained silent, staring at Magneto. Magneto could make out her icy blue eyes, and stared at it. Audri defiantly stared back.

"If you decline, well, you shall be withheld here until you concede."

Audri was still keeping up her stony silence. She didn't want to say a word to this man, he was a backstabber, a liar, a greedy, power-hungry, spiritually broken man, and he had control over her.

But defeat was something Audri wouldn't take anymore. She would get out. She had been captive for long enough, and the taste of freedom was too good to let go. Audri glanced at John, who was behind Sabertooth and watching. He met her gaze, and quickly looked away.

/Then I am alone/ Audri confirmed in thought.

A/N: well, how bout it? Is it ok? Was it crap? Lemme know!!!