Chapter One: Now I Go, Like A Fool

Scott Summers had not been adjusting well after Jeans death. For the past year he had been mourning her passing, drawing deeper, and deeper into himself until he was sure he would explode from the sheer agony of loosing the woman of his dreams. No longer could he sleep in the room they had shared. Her clothes still hung next to his in the closet, the shampoo she used still untouched in their shower, as if maybe someday—she'd come back. It was hard to sleep in that room, which was the exact reason he was currently passed out in one of the spare rooms in the teachers wing of the school.

In his sleep was the only time he was at peace. His dreams in a way were nightmares, beautiful nightmares, spent with Jean. Holding her hand, talking to her, laying with her, making love to her…

In his dreams were the only time he felt hole. Unless they were interrupted by the chime of the Headmaster, his mentor, Charles Xavier. Scott, I need to see you in my office as soon as you can, please. Scott could only make a groggy "Okay." Before pulling himself up off of the bed he laid in. Hands automatically going to his bedside table in search for his glasses.

It was Saturday, a day when even he would sleep in an extra hour. Although the Professor had woken him up at-- glancing at the alarm clock on the table a brow was raised, five AM? This meant that something was wrong, no matter how calm the telepaths voice had been in his head. Scott wasted no time in standing, and slipping into some of his clothes that were kept in that room he was currently in. Khaki pants, and blue polo shirt, 'the teacher look' as his Jeanie used to call it.

Running a hand through his hair he exited his room, nearly colliding into one of the newer members of the staff. Remy LeBeau, a man with a past that was left mysterious, a man that drank with Logan, smoked in his room, and taught French class. Scott was still unsure why Remy had suddenly shown up at the mansion, but he did, drawing most of the female body to attention because of it.

"Looks like Remy ain't t' only one wit' t' wake-up call." The Cajun said, deep voice masked with an accent that found Scott confused most of the time. Remy was already clad in a trademark tan overcoat over clothes that were in no way 'teacher clothes', torn and worn jeans, along with a white tee shirt, not exactly what teachers would wear…but the Professor for some reason allowed it, therefore Scott wouldn't remark about it.

"Guess so." Was Scott's only reply as they started down towards the Professors office together. Halfway down they were joined by Kurt, Ororo, and Logan. This only caused Scott to wonder even more. The senior team all together walking towards Xavier's office meant that there was a situation. A big situation.

As usual Xavier was clad in a suit behind his desk, his eyes alert and ready for anything as the group entered his office. Ororo and Remy took the plush black chairs, while Scott, Logan, and Kurt stood ready for whatever the Professor would tell them. His face was grim, and his lips were pursed in a small frown. "Thank-you all for getting here so soon, I'm sorry I was forced to wake you but I assure you that matters are urgent."

"What's going on Charles?" a question that was on all of their minds, but asked by the white haired Goddess, her tone more concerned then questioning.

"I sensed a disturbance last night, and did a scan with Cerebro to possibly ease my fears of what might have been going on. Eventually I found Mystique…" Logan who had been looking bored while leaning on the wall, now was growling. Even after all this time he still didn't like her, and tended to get a tad angry just hearing her name. Xavier arched a brow and glanced towards Logan, who stopped his growling so that the Professor could continue, "The Brotherhood as we know has been gaining new mutants ever since Erik escaped from prison, and they are now about to recruit someone who they won't take no for an answer from."

"You mean if he refuses their offer, Magneto will kidnap him? Won't be the first time he's kidnapped someone." Scott voiced, and the majority of the room nodded. They hadn't forgotten about the kidnapping of Rogue a few years ago, to power a machine that would have killed most of New York City.

"Vat is the boys power?" Kurt asked, in the time he had been with the X-Men he had grown less like the mutant they first met, and more like a joker, a fun loving guy, who was well overly religious. He now didn't hesitate when it came to being part of the team.

"Girl's power actually." Xavier said, offering the first smile he had since they had gathered in his office, although it faded away before he spoke again. "It's odd, not just her power, but why Erik would want her. As far as I can tell, she can see the dead."

And after that silence hung in the air.


For going after one little teenager, Mystique thought that Magneto was going a bit overboard. Not only was she currently standing on a roof across from the sad looking apartment building, but next to the blue mutant was Pyro who had joined only a year previous, and was already showing that he wasn't really that sane, on the other side of her was someone who turned out to be Magneto's son. She was still curious about how Quicksilver was Magneto's son, after all…the man really wasn't that loving, so the fact that he had a son was indeed rather odd, but in the long run, it was nothing really to dwell on.

Mystique was ready for the job she was about to do. Magneto had found out about the girl they were going after thanks to one of the brotherhoods new recruits that could sense mutants much like Xavier could while using Cerebro. Although all he knew had been the basics, therefore all she knew were the basics, the girl's name was Anna, she was seventeen, and could see dead people. She could talk to dead people, that's why Magneto wanted her, she could create for him an army of the dead. Much more easier then creating an army of Mutants really.

They were going to do this the easy way. Mystique would go first and try to 'convince' the girl to come with her, and if that didn't work, she'd send the signal and Quicksilver and Pyro would make their way to the apartment to help Mystique in her 'convincing'.

"Well, I suppose it's time to go wake up sleeping beauty." And with that Mystique was off. It was always best to catch those little brats in the early morning hours, they were less likely to be ready for what she…had to offer. On her way towards the girls apartment, the blue skinned mutant morphed into something more appealing, blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect white skin, all dressed up in a dress suit. Now she was Raven Darkholme, who was going to make this girl an offer, that she couldn't refuse.


I had only been asleep for the better part of two and a half hours before I was awakened suddenly by Kelly who was shaking me so hard that I thought my brain was going to become soup inside my head. Blinking I looked up at the brown haired ghost woman with a questioning raise of my brows. "Wh..what?" It was hard for me to force that out, my chest hurt like all Hell, and so did my throat. Great.

"Sumthin' is comin' Lucky, y'need ta get ready." Kelly and Frank had never led me astray, so I pushed the covers back and quickly rubbed at my eyes to force myself to wake up some before I went about stumbling around for clothes. Thankfully Kelly was one step ahead of me, holding jeans and a black tee shirt that proclaimed my love for The Clash. For a moment I frowned, it was never a good sign when my ghosts were in a hurry.

"Whe..where's Frank?" I asked as I slipped off my pajamas, and into the clothes that Kelly had secured for me.

"'e sensed the disturbance…dangerous people…" Kelly explained, tossing me my boots, no socks were clean enough to be worn today apparently. I'd have to make a note to do my laundry later. I sat on the edge of my bed as I shoved my left foot into a small black boot. "Frank is makin' sure that nuttin' comes through the door until yer ready."

I nod, thankful for small favors. I give a small cough into my hand, and don't even bother to check for blood as I wipe whatever came out be it spit or blood onto my jeans. I was still tired, and I really didn't want to move much more, or breathe, breathing hurt, didn't feel to good to breathe anymore really. Not like I had a choice in the matter though as I went to pick up my leather duster. I had enough things in each pocket to keep me safe now that I knew something was coming. It's when I'm caught off guard when I have a problem staying out of harms way. My powers can't be called on like most peoples, I have to plan things out, calculate, decide who to call on that I know is sticking around. My powers are confusing, let's just leave it at that until I can find a scientist to explain it better.

I glance over to Kelly who like all other ghosties has a slight shine of a glow around her. She looks worried, and usually it's nothing really. Kelly worries over everything, but she also looks scared, which causes me to force myself to breath in deep to calm myself, which eventually causes me to feel like doubling over in pain.

This is what I get for helping the undead. Bah.

A moment later after the pain washes away I give my nod to Kelly to tell Frank to stop doing whatever it was he was doing to keep me from being disturbed until I was ready. By ready I mean simply standing in front of my door like a stupid child, my hands in my coat ready for whatever was going to happen. If I was smart I should have just opened a window and used the fire escape, but alas I'm not smart, and I don't feel like being ran out of my own apartment.

After a small passing of time I see Frank appear out of the corner of my eye next to Kelly. Honestly they made a cute couple, loved each other after all this time… it was insane. I could only wonder why they stayed here, but I wasn't going to ask. If I asked I might have to help them with whatever was keeping them here, and then I wouldn't have their help. Selfish? Yep. Then again, they haven't asked for my services, so I wasn't too worried about it.

My thoughts were pulled away from ghostie love when I heard a knock on my door. A delicate knock that told me a female was knocking at the other side of the door. I pull my hands out of my coat, easily ready for whatever may happen when I open the door.

Needless to say I'm surprised when at the other side of the door is a woman that looks like she should be in a magazine that centered on fashion, a woman that looked like she wouldn't be able to cause much harm at all. I arched a brow…why was someone like that, here? It really, really didn't make sense. These were the slums, no one who looked that professional came here. No one who looked that professional would come here especially to talk to me.

"Hello?" I asked finally, my voice rasping out rather harsh. I don't sound like the seventeen year old I should sound like. I sound like some fifty year old that had been smoking all of her life. Peachy Keen. The woman looks me up and down, and I really have to stop myself from visibly shivering. I've seen some pretty horrible things in my life, so what if most of them were dead, they were still horrible. This lady however, was just…creepy.

"Anna Pierson I presume?" Her voice was light, but commanding, and with the way she said my name, my stomach dropped. People who say my name like that only lead me to trouble. I really have enough trouble in my life already thank-you very much. I let my grip on the door tighten. I might be a rude bitch sometimes, and this was one of those times. I wasn't about to offer her to come in. I also wasn't about to listen to anything she said.

"Whatever it is your selling, I don't want it." I said, voice still raspy, but I did try to be as every bit as commanding as she was. Instead of backing off like I wanted her to, she looked amused. I really wanted to go back to bed, I didn't need this right now.

"I'm not selling anything Anna, I'm just offering an option." She told me, purring out in a much more delicate tone this time while her blue eyes darted around to take in the room behind me. Was she looking for something? I knew for a fact she couldn't see Frank or Kelly who stood right behind me, which was probably a good thing, because if she could, thanks to how close they stood to me; it would have probably looked like I was in one weird sexual relationship with the two.

Did they even know the meaning personal bubble of space?

"What kind of option?" I asked, leaning on the door frame for support. In my line of work it was always best to find out every little detail about why a person, or usually a ghostie, was dropping by unexpected. My lungs were burning now, and I longed to be knocked out. Maybe after this conversation with Miss. USA, I could ask Frank to knock me out with something heavy. I'm sure he won't do it, but I could ask. I have a feeling that's the only way I'll be able to get back to sleep thanks to the pain in my chest.

"An option for you to live in" She paused for a moment, in slight disgust, "better quarters, an option for you to be safe from pimps and drug dealers, and an option for you to be able to not fear being a mutant."

I let my eyes narrow for a moment, watching her carefully. How did she know what I was? Certainly was the question of the hour, but it didn't matter. I wasn't about to take her Girl Scout Cookies.

"Leave." I growled out, my voice rasping, making me give a slight smirk…well at least with a rasp I sounded a lot more dangerous then I was. I didn't like people coming in, talking to me like they knew me. It bugged the Hell out of me. She had no right to even assume that I'd want to leave. Okay so maybe my habitat is less then perfect, but it's what I've made of myself. I'm not going to let that bitch just think she can—

My thoughts were interrupted by a hand reaching out for my throat. Not a pale white hand like her skin had been just a moment before, but blue. I blinked, looking at her as I choked. Her pale skin, and the clothes that adorned it were slowly fading away to blue skin that looked like it had a major rash.

Great.

Fuckin' fantastic.


Logan was the first to say what they were all thinking. "This duddn't look like a place where a kid should be living." His words were also followed by a growl as his eyes glanced around, causing the others to be alert.

"What is it Wolverine?" Scott asked, with a frown as he looked over to the feral. All of them were clad in their uniforms, all matching except for Ororo's who had hers fitted with a cape. All of them looking rather out of place standing on the sidewalk.

"I smell more then Mystique." Logan gave another sniff to the air, breathing in deeper this time before he glanced upwards towards a nearby building. "The traitor, and someone that smells a lot like Magneto are up there waiting…"

"Storm, Nightcrawler…can you handle them?" Scott asked, and without much of a response both Ororo and Kurt were off in a puff of smoke thanks to Kurt's power of teleportation. Which left Scott, Logan, and Remy standing there.

"Get the girl, get out…that's what we're here for." Scott told the two, easily finding himself in the role of leader as they started into the apartment building after Logan easily sliced the door off of its hinges. Who needed a key when you could do that?

"Hurtin' blue-girl is jus' a perk of the job then." Logan said, and Scott could only shake his head as he led the men up the stairs that looked as though they might give at any second. Really now, there were building and health codes that apartment complexes had to live up to…weren't there?

Sounds of a fight echoed down the stairs as they climbed upwards. Logan could easily tell that someone was getting slammed into a wall, and by the sounds of it, it was causing a lot of pain. As they got closer, Scott stopped so suddenly that Remy ran into him, and Logan ran into Remy, causing the trio to seemingly do a pretty bad impression of the three stooges.

Soon enough they all were seeing exactly what Scott saw, Mystique was the one being hurt, being thrown against the wall, hard enough to make the plaster from the ceiling fall. Meanwhile, the girl they had came to 'save' was kneeling near an open door, coughing.

Apparently, Xavier miscalculated the girls powers, because she didn't look like she needed help, keeping Mystique from taking her.


Next Up: Lucky finds out that coughing up blood isn't exactly a good thing, and ends up at Xaviers School.