Kitty tore through the traffic to cut Watts off before he got too far away.
She burst on to the scene and found Watts hovering in Rachael's telekinetic field as they drifted down the street.
People were panicked and rushed everywhere.
"Damn!" Kitty swore softly. "What do I do now?"
She swallowed and swung the bike around to park it in the alley and she leapt out in front of them.
Suddenly, as both Rachael and Watts looked down at her, in the exact instant Watts opened his mouth Kitty heard Rogue's battle cry.
It was a long and low scream that resonated from a thousand danger room attacks to the present day, and despite having met Williams before, Kitty looked up expecting to see Rogue.
Williams flew off the top of Wimples Department store and aimed at the pair. He caught Watts by the collar and pressed his hand to Rachael's face.
Rachael spasmed and Watts squeaked as Williams/Rogue tightened his grip on his collar so as not to let him speak.
Finally Rachael's telekinetic field collapsed and they all began to fall.
Kitty dove under them and then, suddenly, only Rachael was falling.
Kitty managed to get under her and phase them both so that they didn't impact but merely dove under the street.
They forced themselves back up through the street and solidified in horror to watch as Williams hovered above the street using Rachael's telekinetic field as his own. He held Watts by his collar and snarled at him as he pressed his hand to Watts' face.
"Are you alright?" Kitty asked Rachael.
"Yes. What's happening?" Rachael looked around, perplexed. "How did we get here?"
Kitty shot her a sideways look. She might have lost her short-term memory to 'Rogues' touch… She might not remember talking to Watts at all!
"The small one is Watts, a mind controlling bad guy. The other guy… is Rogue. My friend from the X-Men. Or some guy who thinks he's Rogue. It's not real clear."
"Mama Rogue?" Rachael asked in awe.
"Who?" Kitty asked with a sudden unease.
"Sorry…" Rachael looked lost in thought. "Different worlds I guess."
"Yeah." Kitty looked back up and shivered. Watts was barely concious when Williams jolted as though he had been struck. What the… Kitty watched curiously.
Williams jolted again and then again, almost unable to hold on to Watts.
"NO!" Kitty shrieked. "He's holding on too long. He'll kill him. Rachael! Can you…?" But she was at a loss for an idea.
Rachael couldn't fly. She was almost completely drained by Watts. Instead she brought all her focus on to a trash can by the roadside. It wavered and wobbled and then flew through the air and smashed in to the two men as they hovered over the street.
Kitty and Rachael rushed them as the fell, Rachael trying to telekinetically catch Watts while Kitty ran for Williams who seemed to be trying to spit a bit of garbage off his tongue and failing in the attempt.
Rachael jumped up as she caught Watts and used her power to steer his lifeless form down towards the ground.
Kitty impacted with Williams and they went down in a heap, Williams laughing like Rogue and Kitty joining her/him out of habit.
Rachael lay Watts flat on his back on the ground and cast a glance to Kitty and Williams who were slowly rising.
And suddenly, Williams heard a whisper.
"No!" Williams shouted out over anything else Watts might be saying but Rachael heard him all too well.
"What?" kitty watched the exchange and went to step forward. Williams reached out and stopped her.
"He said something to her." Williams cautioned.
Rachael was struck by the idea and stood up strait.
"What did he say?" Kitty demanded. "What did he say?"
Across town Illyana looked up. Dear god… She ran off to get Emma? They're going to kill me! She thought, her guilt still hard at work.
And she had good reason to think such a thing as she saw Illyana, Emma and Forge crossing the junkyard towards where Brian was sitting, recovering his strength.
Brian's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Emma." He growled. And then he shot a worried glance at Illyana before thinking to himself. This can't be good.
It's only been five minutes! Illyana bemoaned. Was she hiding people outside the gate? And didn't I leave Forge… Wait…
"We need to talk." Betsy announced to her brother and his harlot.
"DO we?" Brian asked, sounding actually ragged.
Illyana lay a steadying hand on him and Emma and Betsy stopped in their tracks.
Forge pressed forward. "We've got to go save Forge." Forge announced.
Brian shot a worried glance to Illyana who kind of smiled hesitantly.
"That's Lucy. In Forge's body." Emma added quickly. "Kind of a long story."
"And we think Forge is in mine." Lucy/Forge said. "So we need to find him and Kurt."
"They were both fine when I left them. Forge, in Lucy's body was exhausted but alive. That was just before I brought Betsy here." Illyana shrugged. "They're just a portal away."
"Do it." Forge told her. And when Illyana met his eyes, he could see Lucy's worried stare piercing out.
Illyana smiled at the frightened young girl and opened a portal, not even considering Emma or her presence and she went to turn away.
Then Brian went to say something and Illyana stopped him as everyone else was progressing towards the portal.
"Forgiveness…" She whispered. "Has to be universal. Or else it's just privilege."
And, reluctantly, Brian raised his eyes to the heavens and forced himself to stand up, then hung his head and nodded solemnly as they followed them through the portal.
Alistaire smiled and waved politely as people recognized him in passing.
He tapped his foot in a hurried manner and checked his watch repeatedly.
He struck a rather dramatic and stoic look as a group of teenage girls walked by, obviously fascinated at having recognized him.
And then he winced as he realized how long he was taking.
Finally, the water spit out of his gas tank and he pulled out the hose, turning it off.
He opened the door quickly and someone rushed out of the gas station he was stopped at.
"You know that was water, don't'cha?" The man asked concerned.
"Sure do." Alistaire cranked the car to life and it purred. "This car runs on water."
The attendant sat back amazed.
And Alistaire sped away.
The attendant looked mad for a moment. "Dan!" He called out. "No more free water for anyone!" He threw down his little cloth brimmed hat. "There-goes-the-whole neighborhood!"