Disclaimer: X-men Evolution, X-men and its affiliates are created, distributed and owned via Marvel inc. and its other corporate families. In no way do I own nor benefit from monetary profit from the release of this
FICTIONAL piece.


Bloody Sunday

Logan stared idly through the window, the sun dipping low now and resting above the horizon. Laughter vibrated from below where the rest of Xavier's pawns pranced simply. The succulent scent of freshly roasted meat invaded his nostrils and he closed his eyes a moment to savor it. His mind however would not allow him to permeate such useless thoughts, and once again, he found himself flooded by today's revelation.

"She's a mutant," his voice rolled like thunder; soft and pensive. None of the others had noticed her colorful disposal; he hadn't expected them to notice. Subtleties were his strong points, not theirs. Although, he had to admit, he thought there was something slightly off about her. Upon their first meeting he swore there was something, something so desperately different about her. There was an instant attraction, and he was sure she also felt it. They were kindred spirits...

He stopped himself mid-thought. What was this? Who was he to be filled with such farcical fancies? Certainly he was better than this. He, the conditioned warrior; the fighter who succumbed to no temptation. Family, friendship and love were illusions of a weak world, a world unwilling to face the truth. Life was struggle. Life was competition. Life was war, and he would rage on.

The springs squeaked lightly as he laid back, the soft plush ness of flannel rubbing against his rough cheek. Closing his eyes once more, he smirked. This place is making you weak.

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Jean leaned against Scott, enjoying the warmth emanating from his hard muscles. Responding to her touch, he wrapped his arm about her waist, stealing a kiss from her grinning lips.

"What's on your mind, Gray?" She shrugged, glancing over to where Kitty chased Bobby determinedly, Kurt laughing at her formidable effort.

"Nothing much, just..." she paused; trying to place precisely into words what her mind had not yet formulated. She shook her head. "Never mind." Scott raised a brow from behind his quartz shades.

"Never mind?" She pursed her lips, the mid-spring breeze ruffling her crimson locks. Breathing deep, she tried to sort through the chaos she called her mind. There was something she was supposed to have known, something she hadn't realized, but for the life of her, she could not place what, or when, or who she was to recall.

"Ugh," she groaned. "I think I'm getting Alzheimer's" Scott laughed, rocking her sympathetically.

"It happens to the best of us." He grinned, a devilish wink glowing through his sunglasses. "I mean, just look at the professor." Hearing their insult, Xavier glanced up from the grill and frowned.

"Careful, Scott. After all," He lifted the half-charred steak from its fiery surface. "It is I who cooks your food." The two teens burst into laughter, enjoying the few youthful moments of their adolescence.

Across the city, but not so very far away sat a lone girl. Her hands sifted through her pockets, enjoying the hefty fill of her days labor. Leaning against the rusted metal chain of the children's swing, she looked up to the sky. Remaining streaks of bright clouds ebbed as twilight swirled in its place. The moon was barely visible from the splash of evening light, but even as she admired its beauty, the sun sunk deeper and deeper behind the distant houses. At last, as it waved its final farewell, it disappeared completely, illuminating her body with the moons pure light.

When she was younger, Jubilee believed the angels had lived there; up high, among the stars and the galaxies. She'd believed that every so often they would swoop down, disguised as a fallen star, and rescue those in need. The times she'd called to those depths, each time silence her only answer. How she wished to curse those heavens, to curse that monster...

"Bastard," she whispered, her voice broken as the tears began down her face. She rubbed her eyes irately. She was no longer a child. She was no longer weak or useless. She would fight him, one day, when she found him. She would burn him, cut him, watch him howl in pain and cry for mercy and when he did, she would strike again, and again until his shrieks were no louder then a bubbling brook, and his blood ran as sweetly. A soft shiver ran up her spine, and she suddenly felt as if she was being watched.

Coyly glancing through her thick lashes, she cast a secretive view around. Swinging off the child's play toy, she landed in the soft grass and cocked her head; the suburbs were clear and nothing but the plaintiff meows of abandoned cat's sounded. Cautiously, she began her trek to the Simmon's.

Logan awoke suddenly and without much reason. Looking outside, he saw the stars had chased their paternal figure and replaced it with the moons swollen belly. Feeling restless and not knowing why, he started towards the door, checked for intrusive people and, finding none, crept along the shadows.

It was several minutes later that he landed before his treasured cycle, and he mounted it with agile ease. Turning the key, he grinned satisfyingly as it revved before spitting gravel in its wake. He sped down the driveway and onto the highway, following only where his bike wished to go.

Jubilee glanced up from the alley, invisible demons gnawing her gut from their places in the shadows. Eyes were watching her. She'd been watched enough to know when she was the subject. Something skittered above and she spun, looking desperately for this repeated offender. Unsettling nervousness settled in the pit of her stomach and she gulped a heavy lump, trudging foreword.

Ten minutes passed, then fifteen and twenty...Looking around, Logan found himself in an unfamiliar part of town. Magnificent houses slinked darkly, picket fences offering protection for their republican owners. He narrowed his brow. That feeling of unrest had not yet faded. Revving the engine one more time, he raced down the clean road.

She was in minutes of the Simmons, but still, the gaping void of the last traveled alley opened before her in a fashion most unsettling. There. There it was again. The noise, the skitter, the unwavering, disquieting sensation that had followed her from the park. Annoyance started to replace fear, she growled.

"Stop fucking around; who the hell's there?" her cried echoed emptily along the deserted lot. She paused. Her eyes skewered every inch of the wall, the roofs, and the ground. Then, she heard it. Muffled, airy, but distinct. A chuckle; no, his chuckle. The laugh, which haunted her every night she slept, even those she didn't, and hovered above her mind in the waking hours. The laugh she'd vowed to rip from his throat.

She snorted disdainfully. "Come back have you?" No answer. "Come to finish of your meal like the mutt you are?" she stepped bravely into the alley, slowing only as she reached the single lamppost. She basked in its light. "Surely even a bitch like you can find me in this light." The laughter stopped. An irate growl replaced it.

The sounds approached her until she felt its dirty breath heating her skull. She turned slowly, purposefully to face the monster she had let escape so many years before. It was just as she'd recalled.

Massive and ugly were the only describable words. It's height reached six and a half feet, broad shoulders spanning almost as wide as she was tall. Its thick neck protruded from a bulky fur coat that draped over his whole body hiding what she knew was strong, sinewy muscle. Attached was a face that could pass of as masculine, save the massive facial fur which knotted in long rivets over his slightly hunched back. His eyes glittered dangerously and she could see his strong jaws grinning in a belittling fashion.

"Miss me, frail?" he growled, licking his massive fangs. She returned his growl, crouching in a prepared position.

"Always, ass-face" He roared raucously with laughter, sending Jubilee's anger just inches from her fingertips. He stopped, sniffed the air and winked.

"Catch me if you can" And he took off. Down the alley Jubilee followed, surprised still at his agility despite his size. She could tell though, by his pounding footsteps, running was not his forte. Pity. She could feel the distance close between them when suddenly he stopped, in the middle of the road. He gazed down its darkened lengths almost as if he were on the look out for something, or someone.

"Can't finish me by yourself? She started. "You need sidekicks for a little teeny-bopper?" He growled swiping a thick claw angrily her way. She leaped over it, rolling over his shoulder and spat burning explosions from her palms. He howled in surprise as it scalded through his coat, burning of the topmost layers of his skin to charred bits. She cocked her head dizzily. "Like, oww."

He hunched over but a moment till he pounced back to her, fangs gleaming. This time she was not fast enough. Grabbing her head, he threw her down, forcibly cracking her head on the cool cement. She tried to move, vision temporarily blinded as blood flowed from her pounding gash. Holding her drooping head high, he grinned.

"I," he paused, running his tongue over her bloodied face. He was pleased with her sickened regard. "Am going to enjoy killing you." He held her for a moment longer until suddenly she realized why. Looking up, she saw a cycle racing down the road. "You grew up nice frail," he punched her abdomen, knocking the air from her lungs. "I'll see you 'round." He dropped her to the ground with a sickening thud.

And in that moment he was gone, the roaring of the dying cycle her newest worry. Still trying to gulp air as fast as she could, she stared helplessly as the cycle pounded closer to her. Holding her hands up as a shield, she felt a familiar sensation travel up her arms. Only this time, she could not control it.

"No," she stuttered. "No, no, STOP!" she screamed, bright lights burning through her skin and colliding with the racing bike. She could feel her powers filing the bike, into the gas tank; "NO!" she cried again, sobbing desperately. This was not supposed to happen. Why couldn't she pull it back?

The bike flew only inches back until the tank exploded, lighting the block with its fiery light. The rider was catapulted in the air, his helmet smashed to bits. He bounced upon landing, skidding down the bumpy terrain. Then all was silent. Scalding bits of metal smoked on the empty streets and around houses started to light, screams entering the night. "Oh, god," she chocked. Standing on shaken legs, she approached the fallen victim. "Oh god," she whispered, turning him over.

Blood was everywhere; everywhere and she felt the same fear of that fateful night. "Don't be dead, don't be dead," she repeated the mantra over and over again, feeling through the sticky liquid for a pulse. She pulled her hand back, startled. He moved.

Shuffling back, she watched in utter amazement as the gapping holes in his face closed, the joints, broken and dislocated rejoined themselves, filling her ears with a sickening cracking sound. As this process occurred, she saw one hand raise itself and wipe away the blood from his now flawless face. Her heart stopped.

Logan. He stood, rolling his neck as if to relocate it and faced his bike.

"Son o'a bitch!" he cursed. "My bike!" She sat, frozen with incomprehension, her skin turned pale and clammy beneath the layers of sweat and crimson juice. He turned, as if sensing her trepidation. His eyes widened, and then seemed to reach some unspoken conclusion. "Well, s'pose ya know about me too, eh?" She trembled. He crouched down before her, his nose crinkling in the same fashion that the beasts did. "Sabretooth," he whispered.

He touched her gently, wiping some of the blood from her cheeks. "Darlin', what happened?" She trembled more violently, and kept her urge to throw up in check. Too much: Too much had happened too fast. He understood. Stepping back he allowed her space.

She stood up, wearily and for moments they just stared at one another. Then, the silence was broken as the wail of sirens descended their way and curious inhabitants dared to step from their homes. He looked back and saw her disappearing figure. He would let her go. She needed time. His thoughts turned back to the scent of Sabretooth, all over her, as if he'd; no. He stopped his mind right there. Something was for certain. She had a secret and he was sure it would take more than kind words to wrench them from her lips. Turning, he prepared to face the onslaught of medical servants who would attack him with questions and prognoses. Sighing deeply, he focused his mind.

'Professor,' it called. 'I'm in need of some divine intervention.'

The houses blurred past her as she ran. Her bruised stomach cried objectively as she leapt a few fences, her mind suffering impermeable damage to vertigo. She stopped just before the Simmons home, rinsing her face with the back yard hose. Her stomach lurched a final time and the dining's she had enjoyed earlier that day displayed themselves lavishly on the lawn. She hosed the mess, watching it disappear beneath the dark grass.

Her shivering rested and she felt a slight calm over come her. Probably shock she reasoned. For this she was grateful. She doubted she would be able to digest all the events of the past night in this same hour. Her head pounded painfully and she knew she would sleep deeply this night.

Entering through the front door, she stumbled past the kitchen, not particularly caring if anyone heard her or not. Dropping her bag on the floor, she slid off her heavy sweater and soaked shirt and shorts. She could sleep in her unmentionables this evening.

She climbed the stairs with particular difficulty, feeling for each one as she moved. Down the second floor hallway she lurched, her mind spinning faster now- the world tilting and spinning off kilter. She bumped into something hard and fell, not bothering to get up immediately.

"Jubilee?" the drunken tune of her foster father surprised her; she thought they were all soundly sleeping. She turned over, very aware of her near nudeness. "Hey, hey, where are you going? The party' just getting started!" he slurred, grabbing her scrambling ankles. She fell once more, and fought with all her might the descending state of unconsciousness. He spun her around, pinning her to the ground with his knees. She could feel him through the flap of his housecoat.

She fought him futilely; it hurt less with no struggle. It was bound to happen sooner or later. If not the father, then the mother, the brother, the cousins, nephew, a niece...there was no escaping it. Not in the trailer parks, not in the suburbs. He pulled of her underwear with aggressive ease and entered her quickly. Down the hall, she heard the door open, Tia's abused form hiding in the shadows. She could feel her grin, and struggled to show no emotion.

Her body, already tight and sore, cried upon the abuse and she hid in her mind, wrapping herself in the memories of better times; CynJen (back in those days, they gave one another nicknames on the shortened versions of their own names. Cynthia Jennifer= Cyn Jen, Jubilation Lee= Jubilee) how they would race down the streets, take whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. She briefly wondered if this was some karmic punishment for her misbehaviors in the past. If she could take them back...

He groaned on top of her, grabbing her breasts painfully. She hid further inside her mind, and thought of her parent's, glorified more in death then in life; isn't that always so? Doesn't one only truly understand the importance of any given thing once it is gone?

Those were her thoughts, her shields before she slipped into unconsciousness, the worries of the world fading, fading quickly.

(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)

Hey guys; that chapter was a long one in coming. Actually, I'd written it ages ago on my laptop and completely forgotten about it. For anyone who's still following this, thank you for you patience and I will really try to update more often. School and life have just been sort of crazy right now, so I really apologize for my delay. You can count on the next chapter being up sometime next week. Hope you enjoyed reading!

Thanks always,

Dizzy