I feel the fire rip past me as Eric starts screaming.

Let me speak to the one Marie. Her voice echoes across the small space.

"NO!" he shouts. "I will have control. She is mine!"

Shaking my head, I slowly step out of the small room. "Phoenix?" I ask, watching her flare.

You must take back control. If you do not, I will soon perish.

I peek outside of myself, and see the small group of people assembled. It's then that I feel her hand on my face. "Oh my god! Phoenix!"

I sit up quickly and move to the window. "Oh mah god. What did he do?" I whisper, seeing Mr. Summers bent over Phoenix's body.

Logan sits up from the floor slowly. "He played with me a little." He grunts. "We tried to get through, and when we couldn't, she reached out and touched you."

Phoenix coughs, and Mr. Summers pulls her into his arms. "I did not see any other feasible option. I called out to her in the only way she would respond."

I feel tears course down my cheeks. "You shouldn'a done that sugar. What if Ah hadn'a heard?"

"My methods ensured that you would. You have a large heart one Marie, and the one Rogue is too connected to the one Logan within you. She does not wish to join him to herself."

I feel Mr. Summers and Ms. Munroe stare at me. "What is she talking about Rogue?" Ms. Munroe asks softly.

Logan grunts. "That's not Rogue." He moves toward me, and I feel his hand on my hair. "You're okay now darlin'. You're right here with me and he's not going to get you."

"He's so angry Logan. He's so angry at her." I bury my face into his chest.

"We're going to need some answers here." Mr. Summers offers.

I glance up slowly. "Ah told you Ah'd answer all them questions when Ah was able to control it bettah. Ah can't now. Ah don't know how long Ah have."

"So long as she has her accent, she'll be okay for controlling them, keeping them at bay." Logan tells him. "But she's not the one with the answers, not really. The one who knows is Rogue."

"Ah'm not ready to talk to her." I whisper into his chest, and I feel his hand on my back through my shirt.

"She needs time." Logan tells them, and I look at Mr. Summers' face. He nods.

"We should go. 'Ro, can you help me with Phoenix?" Miss Munroe moves towards Phoenix, but she pushes them away.

"I must stay. If Eric Lenscher returns none of you are strong enough to stop him."

"Neither are you right now." Scott presses.

I shake my head. "Logan, they need to go." I whisper. "Let Storm stay, you and Scott can take Phoenix for now. She's steady enough to calm Eric, and her being here might throw him off."

He locks eyes with me. "Are you sure?"

"I'll call for you as soon as I'm not going to hurt you."

"Be careful darlin'." He whispers, and stands, pulling Scott and Phoenix after him.

I glance at Storm. "You have questions. I'll try to answer some of them, at least until I manage to get into a more calm state for my meditation."

"You have other…consciousnesses within you?"

"Eight in all. I talked to David, he…we made peace. I always thought he was mad at me."

"Who's David?"

I move to the bed and settle in the center. "The first. I was kissing him when my mutation was triggered." I pause. "At the end is when I'll most need Logan, I think. I'm going to have to make peace with Marie. Though, I suppose it'll be a bit more complicated with her."

"Isn't she you?"

"When I go back far enough, yes. But we've both grown a great deal. I have a lot of respect for her, but I think I scare her. Our strongest connection is Logan. He's…safe." I breathe deeply.

"Not many would characterize him as such." Storm whispers. "However, I think you're right. He has always been connected to you."

I nod. "I suppose he has." I bite my lip. "I need to tell you…once he's gone, I have to face Eric. My magnetism, it…

"I will be fine."

"I know. I just…there's a lot of metal around."

She nods. "You will also be fine."

"Thanks." I close my eyes, and turn to face Logan.

"Hey darlin'. You haven't been by in a while."

"I know."

"You seen that David kid around? He hides a lot, but usually stays close, knows I'll watch out for him."

I shrug. "He's around. Logan, why did you help me that night?"

He rubs his hand through his hair. "You didn't need to be mixed up in all that, I thought at the time."

"All that? Your nightmares?"

He nods. "That night was all you darlin', hurt like hell too. No, I was talkin' about the night on the tower, after."

I close my eyes, thinking back. "The X-men? You didn't want me to have to deal with joining the team?"

"You're right stubborn, aren't you?" he grunts.

I sigh. "I don't know what it is you want from me here Logan. I'm trying!"

He shakes his head. "No, you're not." He pulls me down, and into his arms. "You know as well as I do that you're not. You didn't deserve to be there that night. You're better than me."

"But I was the one he wanted."

"And I was too focused on myself to see that. Makin' them all focus on me."

I twist to meet his eyes. "You felt guilty."

He fingers the strands of white at my temples. "Always have. Nothin' was more important to me in that instant than bringin' you back, even if I died doin' it. It was my fault you ended up there."

I bite my lip. "It wasn't your fault. It was his. He did that to me, I've never blamed you. Ever."

"You sure?"

I close my eyes and nod, slowly. When I open them, I can feel his strength in my own arms, but he's not there.

"Well now, isn't that interesting?" a soft voice says from the corner of the room and I catch a flash of her green eyes.