Uncanny R-Man: There's no Phoenix in this story, and Blackheart might show up but at a much later date, and yes fluff all around.

Chica De Los Ojos Café: Well a lot of that was already written with the last chapter it was just split in two. Yeah now they had to deal with the aftermath of everything they've been through.

Sparky Genocide: No they aren't going to be the same and what happened to Vince at the end there was just in his mind although any longer and his mind would have been lost.

GothikStrawberry: Well…they're not ALL dead, and yeah you're right about Rogue.

TheLegendaryManHimself: Don't worry lots of fluff on the way, but they do have a long road to recovery. But what were you talking about Betsy and psychic knife to the head? Could you be more clear about that?

coldqueen: Didn't mean to come off as evil, just giving people fair warning in case they don't like to read that kind of stuff.

IvyZoe: Yeah everyone has a long road to recovery and you'll see how they all deal with it and the relationships that will come ahead should please you.

Prophet-Song: Oh this isn't over by a long shot, we're just getting started.

Lil Jean: Are you kidding? All that was just Act one of three.

Mark C: Yeah your right about the long road and about friends and family being there.

Aaron: Glad you liked the fights and you'll see how they all deal with everything, it won't be easy of course but there are some good times ahead.

Thanks to: X00001, rolofreak1990, Wen1, Episodic

CHAPTER 20: NO PLACE LIKE HOME

X-Jet

The mood in the X-Jet was sombre to say the least. Rogue was still out of it completely as Hank checked her over. Ororo and Logan were in the cockpit just to be glad that the worst was over at least for now. They had their friends and picked up a few new ones. Warren and Betsey had decided to go back to Warren's since Betsy had some of her things there and also she had been in better shape than the others.

They also wanted to work out a few things and to be honest, Logan also knew they just wanted to be together alone and he wished them luck. They did say they would stop by later after things he settled in their lives. Sage herself felt a weight lift from her shoulder to get out of that place. She sat in the cockpit going back to the mansion. It had been so long since she was last there and it was the only place that had ever felt like a home to her.

Jean was huddled next to Scott as he wrapped her up in his arms, but she was quiet. She just didn't know how she could tell him, or even face him, after what had happened to her. She had basically cheated on him…She had betrayed his trust and his love in her. She felt dirty and ashamed and even though she was sure she would shower and rub her skin raw, she wondered if she would ever feel 'clean' again after this.

In the back Gambit was holding Rogue as he looked down at her face. It seemed like she was in a perpetual nightmare, but after what Selene had said she had done to her, he wasn't surprised…But his anger just flared up at the thought and wished that he had blown that dark haired bitch up when he had the chance, even if what that Emma woman had said about her being immortal was true, it would have made him feel better. Sure he wasn't a perfect guy. He had done a lot of illegal things and there were regrets for many such deeds, but doing something like that to anyone was a line he would never come close to crossing.

She moaned a bit in his arms as he looked down at her face and wondered how anyone could hurt someone like her…Then he remembered how he had hurt her and felt even worse. But he had and would never have done anything close to hurting her like this. He also knew that if he had been successful in saving her that day, none of this would have happened to her. But he vowed to help her thought this…It was the least he could do for her.

Kurt watched Gambit hold his sister and judging from the look on his face, he knew that he must truly care for her. His chest was hurting like hell, but it was nothing compared to seeing his sister like this. Then the images of that…Woman…On top of him, shocking him, and riding him…He felt like he wanted to throw up. Just when he thought life had thrown the worst at him…His looks, growing up alone, his real mother, losing Amanda, and now Rogue…And now Selene…It just seemed like the universe loved to torment him and those he cared about. He felt a hand enclose on his and looked to see Wanda smiling a little at him as he held her hand. At least he didn't have to go through this alone and he would deal with what happened to him later, but right now he just wanted to know what was wrong with Rogue and why she didn't wake up.

Emma was leaning against Vincent as McCoy was checking him out. The big blue man had said that there were no major internal injuries, but while the scares would remain…With time, the burn scars wouldn't be as bad. Vincent only nodded and said a few words and as she looked into that far away look in his eyes, she was wondered what he was thinking about, but decided not to go looking. She could just feel that he was in some kind of emotional turmoil at the moment for some reason. She guessed because of touching him she could feel that, being a telepath and all, but she also knew that there was so much going on in that head then what his face let on.

It was nearly midnight when they got back to the mansion. Everyone went to the infirmary. Hank had to check out Jean first and then Kurt, and Ororo on her instance especially for a blood test, but she didn't say why. As for Rogue, he would have to examine later to make sure she wasn't pregnant or had caught anything.

Emma was basically fine, but for Vincent, Hank couldn't help but notice that he was a bit edgy about the infirmary. After a quick shower and shave, Hank had placed new bandages and taken blood, which was not easy since he broke two needles before the Canadian boy forced himself to calm down and concentrate on turning his invulnerability 'off' as he said.

He also had been shown to a spare room by Scott and he loaned the young man some of his own clothing.

Beast, however, went back to looking over Rogue. He had to perform the procedure in private and took a blood sample. He would have to work through the night, but it didn't bother him. They had suffered under the Hellfire Club and he had to heal their bodies. He just wished he could heal their minds after having to live through this all.

Meanwhile, Rogue was now in a medical and still out cold. Kurt was looking down at her, keeping a close eye on his sister. She had suffered so much and it seemed she had retreated into her mind from the emotional strain she had gone through. Kurt was still suffering himself and he wasn't talking about the pain in his chest. Seeing his sister just lying there like that, was heartbreaking to him.

Xavier said that if she didn't come out of it soon, he would try and go into her mind and see if he could help her and he wanted to be there for that also.

"Kurt?" He turned around to see Wanda coming over to him in her sleep ware, mainly red sweats and a tank top. "You need to get some sleep…Mr. McCoy said you need to take care of your injuries," she told him gently.

"I know Vanda, but…She's my sister…I can't leave her alone…" he told her with a lump in his throat forming, after all they had been through, the Hellfire Club had seemed to have harmed them all in a way no one else ever had.

Wanda sat with him and she would sit with him all night. Sure, when she moved in here, she and Rogue weren't close. Maybe it was the fact that they were so similar that they repulsed each other, but now they were even more similar after what she had gone through and Wanda didn't wish that on anyone.

"I'll stay with her." They both turned to see Gambit come out of the shadows. "Dat is if you let me…You can relieve Remy in the morning," he offered him. Kurt thought about it…He had seen the way he cared for his sister lately and he was tired. After a brief debate with himself, he made his decision and nodded his head. He might as well start trusting Gambit, for he had earned that right at least.

Gambit watched the two leave and sat down next to Rogue. She looked like she was sleeping or in a coma. He gently stroked her hair out of her pale yet lovely face. He sighed to himself, for he really was falling hard for this girl he knew that now. She took her hand in his feeling the warmth in it since he had removed his own gloves. She needed to know she wasn't alone and he would spend the entire night here if it helped her at all.

For Kurt, he was still in a slight daze as Wanda walked him back to his room. Everything was weighing down on his soul and he felt like the world was crushing him. "Kurt?" Wanda spoke gently as they entered his room. "Do you…Want to be alone?"

Honestly he didn't, not after what he had just been through. The face of that woman was just so haunting to him. He tried to focus on something else, like the last night he and Amanda had shared, that was a memory he would always treasure, but that woman kept coming back to him.

Wanda gently led him to the bed. "Kurt…I…I know what you're going through." She couldn't believe she was going to tell him this, for she had kept this secret to herself since it happened, but he needed to know he wasn't alone. Kurt looked over to her not sure what she meant. "Kurt…Back at the asylum…Do you know why I was so angry?"

"I thought it vas because your fazher left you zher?"

"Well…That was part of it…" She pulled her legs up to her chest. She wasn't normally one to show much emotion, but being here had began to change her and helped her become more open about herself. "Well…One of the guards…He…He liked to take some liberties with the female inmates…And I was one of them." She thought back to when she was just sixteen or seventeen, although she couldn't really remember when.

Before they had placed her in the reinforced metal box, she had been in a normal cell chamber. The door had opened and there was one of the nightshift guards. She had been asleep until he had closed the door, then before she could wake up she found her hand had been handcuffed over her head to the metal poles of the headboard.

He had taken his time with her and it wouldn't be the last. Occasionally, he had come for her a few times and she tried to fight him off, but that only ended with her getting hit and then he took it out on her after she was no longer able to fight him off.

"Vanda…" Kurt said gently hugging her gently.

"He was found out…Got one of the girls pregnant, and he was sent to jail…But after that…I…I didn't want that to happen to me anymore. I just grew angry and wanted out. Xavier tried to help me, but I wouldn't let him." Wanda had wished she had now, but the past was the past and it couldn't be changed.

No more words were said, for there really wasn't anything they could say. Kurt felt his own tears of what happened to him and soon, Wanda herself was crying. She rarely cried, but she had been keeping that in for so long. They both hugged each other close on the bed just laying there in each others arms, trying to find some comfort in each other once again.

Xavier Institute – Kitty's Room

After hearing from Hank that Jean and Rogue were going to be okay physically and after doing what she could to help the new guests of the institute, Kitty Pryde soon found herself lying in her bedroom in a dazed state. She had fought against Magneto and Apocalypse before, but even they couldn't equate to some of the things that had happened with the Hellfire Club. Logan had been butchered by Deathstrike to a nearly unrecognizable form…Something Sabretooth couldn't even boast. Jean and Rogue had their minds warped and their bodies defiled. Emma and Vincent were both in a world all their own for the whole ride back, not saying much at all…Simply holding each other as if they were about to fall or wake up from this dream at any moment.

But the one image that stuck out in her mind the most was Selene's brutal rape on Kurt. Hearing his screams and witnessing his pain was just something Kitty couldn't get out of her head. Every time she closed her eyes she saw the horrible images. And that didn't even get into the kind of things that were probably done to Rogue and Jean in the time they were there. Selene already boasted that she had the guards rape Rogue and ever since she got her memories back, she had been struggling to come to terms with it and was still unconscious. Jean also didn't seem to come away from it unchanged. She had been so quiet on the ride back and there was this look in her eyes she had never seen before, like she was ashamed of something.

The thought of ANY of her friends going through such a horrible ordeal was almost too much for her to bear and if they hadn't been freed, she had no doubts that she would have gone through the same thing. It was a sobering thought…Knowing that things were never going to be the same now. Jean and Rogue were definitely going to be different now and were definitely going to need help. For Kitty, she wished something so horrible had never happened to begin with…But what's done is done. It was just going to take some time for her to process.

While she was lying silently in her bed, a gentle knock suddenly fell upon the door.

"Katya?" said Piotr, in a concerned tone as he stood outside her doorway, "Are you in there?"

"It's open…" she responded in a monotone voice.

Colossus then entered the room where he saw the young girl that had been so kind to him since his arrival curled up on the bed with a dazed look in her face. He had seen the troubled expression on her all throughout the ride back and could tell she was still struggling with everything that had happened. Hell…Everybody probably was, but she was taking it a little harder.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly as he sat on the side of her bed.

Kitty, knowing all to well she couldn't hide it, shook her head as she looked back up at her strong Russian friend with her teary blue eyes.

"It's just that…So many horrible things happened to them…" she managed, choking on her words, "All the abuse, torture, and rape it just…I can't imagine going through something so horrible. I mean…I heard what happened to Rouge and Jean…And I actually watched one of my best friends get raped and tortured right before my eyes! And Selene even commented that she wanted to do the same to me!"

Kitty now had tears in her eyes as she ran out of words to describe the horror. She soon brought her knees to her chest and hugged them tightly as she fought to keep herself from completely breaking down, but thankfully…Piotr was there to reassure her.

"I know…It truly is horrible," said Piotr in agreement, "But it's over now. It may take some time to recover from, but now more than ever we need to stay strong. Not just for ourselves but for our friends. They will need our help and I know you Katya…You are strong enough. It's hard now, but just give it time…We can all get through this together."

She found herself leaning into his strong, warm body, prompting him to wrap a protective arm around her…Showing to her that she was safe now and she had nothing to worry about. While there were still tears in her eyes, she was no longer on the verge of completely breaking down. She took comfort in his embrace and found solstice in his words. They had just survived a horrible ordeal and part of her was still trying to process that. But thanks to Piotr, it was definitely a little easier.

As she remained in his arms, an idea suddenly came to her.

"Peter…Please stay with me tonight," she said, her voice still partially choked from her emotions.

The Russian born mutant looked back with a mixture of shock and anxiety at her request, but upon seeing the look in her eyes, he knew that she was being quite serious.

"Katya…I don't think…" he stammered, not knowing what to say.

"Please…" she said again with a look in her eye that he just couldn't turn away from, "I don't want to be alone tonight."

She clung to his shirt tightly, looking as though she had no intention of letting go. Knowing that this was an argument he could not win, Piotr let out a deep sigh as he hugged her gently and placed a small kiss upon her forehead.

"If you don't want to be alone…Then you won't have to be," he said, managing a brief smile which helped ease her tears.

"Thank you…" said Kitty as she absorbed his warmth and lay with him on the warm bed.

Kitty knew that it would definitely take some time to get through the after effects of this whole ordeal. The memories she had now could not be forgotten no matter how hard she wanted to. But as she found herself laying comfortably with Piotr in the darkness of the night, she took comfort in knowing that she wasn't alone.

Xavier Institute – Jean's Room (AN: Warning, sexual content ahead. If you are at all sensitive to it, DO NOT READ. You have been warned)

Jean didn't say much on the ride back to the institute. She didn't even say much when Hank gave her a medical examination. She didn't want to think about what they had just gone through. All she wanted to do was forget, but that was much easier said than done. In retrospect, Jean had been somewhat lucky compared to Rogue. She had only been raped by Shaw while she had her entire body assaulted by Selene and the guards. She was also worried that because of Shaw's numerous sexual attacks, she might have gotten pregnant or contracted a STD, but since she had been the first Hank had finished with the tests she had learned that she was fine. But that still didn't change the fact that it happened.

While on she was stuck in her own world of silence, Scott had stayed beside her the whole time…Giving her something to hold on to. Throughout the whole trip back, he had been constantly sending her loving, reassuring thoughts through their link…Letting her know that he was there and everything would be okay. While Hank requested that Scott not be there while Hank gave her a physical examination, she was still comforted by his psychic presence, which she could feel so clearly after what they went through to survive.

However, despite succeeding in escaping the Hellfire Club and receiving a clean bill of health from Hank, Jean still couldn't escape the horrors of what she had been through. Among the worst was the fact that she had cheated on Scott. Not only that…She had also let the Hellfire Club control her and made her attack and nearly kill him after he nearly died trying to save her. Yet despite hurting him so much, he still never gave up on her and kept reassuring her that he loved her and nothing could change that. It hurt to think about…Knowing that Shaw used Scott's image to control her. And it hurt thinking that nothing could change what had happened.

As she lay in silence on the soft covers of her bed, tears continued rolling down her eyes. She was now in her regular sleeping clothes and trying her hardest to get some rest as Hank and the Professor had advised. But no matter what she did, she kept remembering all of the horrible ordeals she had gone through because of the Hellfire Club and how she would never be able to erase what had happened, she heard a gentle knock on her door and knew immediately it was from the warm feeling in her mind.

"Jean…" said Scott in a deep, comforting voice, "Are you okay? Can I come in?"

Jean felt more tears as she heard the voice of the man she had hurt and cheated on because of the Hellfire Club, but part of her still yearned for the comfort she knew that only he could provide. No matter how much she had been used, her feelings for Scott had never changed. She still loved him and wanted to be with him, but she didn't know if she even deserved his love at this point.

"Jean?" he said again, upon not getting a response.

Jean finally responded by unlocking the door with her telekinesis. She didn't want to say anything just yet, for she was still trying to make sense out of all this. Before all this madness had happened, they were happy, hopeful, and looking forward to moving in together and taking their relationship to the next step. She had even been so bold as to think further about things like marriage and a future with Scott, but in the end she had gotten ahead of herself…For the fates had something else in store for them. They had almost every conceivable odd stacked against them, yet they had managed to survive it all…Together.

Jean then felt two powerful arms wrap around her body and pull her into a loving embrace. They were the arms she thought she would never feel again and she took a brief moment to relish in the unique feeling they offered. She then found herself taking his hand in hers as she turned around to face his worried gaze as he lay beside her. Gone was his uniform and overall Cyclops appearance and all that lay before her now was her best friend and lover, Scott Summers.

Neither of them said much as Scott gently ran his hand along her face, wiping away her tears as they continued to form. They never needed many words around each other, for they could tell what the other was feeling simply by the conflicted expressions that dominated their face. Jean, still riddled with guilt over what she had done to him, couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye for very long. But this only made Scott more concerned as he finally broke the silence.

"I'm worried about you Jean…" he said as he saw more tears form in her eyes, "I know I can't fully relate and I know it can't be easy to get over what you went through but…"

Then, before he could finish, Jean started sobbing as she broke the embrace and sat upright in her bed.

"I don't deserve you…" said Jean, unable to control her sobs anymore.

"What?" said Scott in a confused voice as he quickly moved over beside her, "What are you…"

"I'm sorry Scott…But you deserve better now," struggled Jean, still not able to look him in the eye after what she had done to hurt him.

"Jean…Come on…Don't say that," he coaxed as he took her hand and held it gently.

However, this didn't stop Jean from sobbing more as she struggled hard to deal with everything that had happened. Her heart was now literally aching in pain as he kept sending his feelings of love through their link despite what she had done. Even if she had been under the influence of illusions, it was still something that pained her soul with guilt.

"It's true…" she managed despite her sobs, "Illusion or not…I cheated on you! I let another man defile and taint my body! You nearly died trying to save me…And what do I do to pay you back? I betrayed you…I betrayed your trust…I betrayed your love."

At this point, Jean could no longer fight her tears. She let the flow freely as she felt sick to her stomach with guilt and remorse. She had never felt so awful and dirty before in her life. She could handle a lot of things in life when it came to being a mutant and enduring prejudice, but she didn't think she could handle this. The torture, the rape, the pain she inflicted on Scott and all her loved ones…She just didn't know if she could ever forgive herself.

"He…He used your image to trick me," she went on as she fought to push back her tears, "He made me think he was you…So he could use me to hurt you and everybody else I cared about. I let him use me…I…"

But this time, Scott didn't let her finish, not able to bear hearing her cry anymore.

"Shh…It's okay Jean," he said softly as he placed a finger on her lips, "Its okay. It was all in your head…An illusion. You never betrayed me…Not in your mind…Not in your heart."

"But I…" said Jean, about to respond, but Scott wasn't about to let her slip any deeper into her rut. No matter how much she hurt, he was determined to bring her out of it. As hard as this whole ordeal had been on her, that didn't change how he felt about her and he was determined to make her see that.

"I know it was horrible Jean…But it's over now," he assured as he slid his arm around her waist, "We fought…We survived. I'm alive because of you. I was so close to dying…But I survived because of you. I know it still hurts, but just give it time."

"Time still won't change what I did," said Jean, unable to forget no matter how hard she tried, "I don't think I can ever forgive myself for this."

"Jean…" said Scott as he gently cupped her chin and brought her eyes to his, "You've done nothing to require forgiveness from me or yourself…You were USED Jean. You had no say in what happened. It's not like you asked for it and you sure as hell didn't deserve it."

Scott's words were strong and he wouldn't let her beat herself up because of something she had no control over. He couldn't stand seeing her cry, drowning in her own sorrow. Scott may not have been able to undo what happened, but he wanted to do everything in his power to help the woman he loved get through this. Then, he soon found himself placing both hands on her tear-stained face and placing a gentle kiss upon her forehead, showing her that no matter what happened…He was not going to leave her to deal with this alone.

"You have to stop blaming yourself Jean…" he urged, almost sounding desperate at this point, "I don't want to see you in so much pain because of this. You had absolutely no control over what happened. You had absolutely no say. If anything, I should be the one feeling guilty because I let you get captured in the first place."

Jean's sobs managed to subside for a brief moment as she finally looked him in the eye this time, willingly accepting his arms and his warmth. She didn't know what else to say…There wasn't much she could say in the end. Scott was still there for her like he had always been. He was still there for her despite what she had done. Whether or not she deserved such love was almost too hard for her to fathom…But at this point she knew she couldn't get through this without it.

"Jean…Please," said Scott, "You know how I feel…You know I still love you…And you know that I always will. Just look into my mind and see for yourself. You already know its true…Just feel it for yourself."

Jean felt Scott let down all his mental shields, leaving their link wide open for her. Wanting desperately to believe his words, she closed her eyes and placed her hands on his temples. Then…Through the bond that had helped save her mind and her life…She felt it. She felt the true power of the bond she had with this man. She saw memories of the day they first met, to the days they grew close and became friends, to the day of her power surge that first established their link, to that fateful day when they took their friendship a step further and began dating, and along all the trials and growth they went through as their love grew. From best friends to soul mates…Through the sorrow and joy of their lives…She felt it so clearly now. It was as if she could wrap herself up in it like a warm, comforting blanket. The ordeal she had been through had tried to taint it, but their love was still as strong and pure as ever. All her uncertainty and guilt…Seemed irrelevant when she simply experienced it for herself. No matter how complicated things got, their love was still there…And for Jean, it was truly a feeling no words could describe.

As she brought herself out of the link, her tears finally stopped flowing as she looked at the true, honest face of the young man that had fought so hard to save her.

"Scott…" she said, now in a tone not laden with hurt or sorrow, "I…I'm so sorry."

She then threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder as he gently absorbed her embrace, feeling a great weight lifted off his soul.

"I should never have doubted it…" she said as she became choked up once again by her emotions, "I should never have let it taint me. I just…I love you so much…And I…"

She didn't have a chance to finish though, for her actions took precedence over her words as her lips met with his and they shared a tender kiss. To Jean, it made her feel so grateful that they had both survived…And they were now here in each others arms sharing something they had come so close to losing. To Scott, it made him complete again…Having the woman he loved back in his arms after fighting so hard and nearly dying in the process. But in the end…It was all worth it.

"You should rest now," whispered Scott as they gently parted and he saw the pain that had been so strong fade from her eyes.

"No Scott," said Jean, not breaking the embrace, "I want you to make love to me…Right here…Right now."

Scott felt somewhat of a shock upon hearing Jean say those words, knowing she had just been through a very trying experience. He didn't want to do something that she was not ready for yet, but as she hugged her body close to his, slowly running her hands along his strong chest, she showed in her own way that she wanted to put the past behind her.

"But…Jean I don't want you to…" however, before he could finish, Jean cut him off as she placed a finger on his lips.

"Please Scott…I want this," she said, accentuating her intentions as she moved in closer to him, feeling his body tense up from the close contact, "I don't want to think about the past…I don't want to think about those bad memories. I want to make new ones…Good ones. I trust you Scott. Don't think…Don't worry…Just feel."

As Jean parted her legs and wrapped them around Scott's torso, she began to feel him surrender to the arousal of his body. She could already feel his hardness pressing against her, causing her to feel a warm sensation in her body…One she knew only Scott could give her.

"God Jean…" gasped Scott as Jean began to trace kisses around his face while his hands moved down towards her waist, "Love you…So much."

No more words were spoken as Jean captured his lips once again and fell flat on her back, pulling Scott along with her. Their hands began to roam as the kisses grew more passionate and frenzied, showing their yearning for the comfort and warmth that only they could provide for each other. Soon, Jean had already gotten Scott's shirt off and was trailing kisses down his strong, chiselled muscles. She heard his gentle moans, prompting her to run her hands over him more…Feeling the heat of his body against hers as he motioned to remove her shirt. While under his imposing weight, she managed to shift her body enough to allow him to remove it. Unlike the illusion, he was slow and gentle…Knowing every curve of her body in vivid detail. It felt good…And it made her want more.

They fell back against the soft pillows of Jean's bed as their passionate kisses resumed. Both Scott and Jean felt their link open up more, allowing them to share in the warm sensations. The heat between them continued to grow as Scott slowly moved his hands up towards her still covered breasts and gently caressed them in his hand. This action prompted a deep moan from Jean as she expressed her urge to remove the bra separating her flesh from his hands. Not wasting any time, Jean helped him remove the garment quickly, allowing Scott to take in the beautiful sight of her exposed breasts. Slowly, his kisses trailed down from her face on to the sensitive orbs of flesh below. Jean let out a gasp of pleasure as she felt Scott gently massage and caress her breasts in the way she remembered…The way she loved. THIS was the Scott she loved having sex with…THIS was the real man who gave her the feelings and sensations that no other man could.

As she felt his touch upon her breasts, Jean soon found herself yearning for more. And through the link, Scott could sense it and soon trailed his kisses even lower down her torso. Then, he brought his hands to the waistband of her simple cotton sleeping pants and aided by the frantic urgings of the beautiful redhead before him, slowly slid them down her well-shaped legs and removed them completely along with her panties.

Now, she lay completely naked and exposed to him. But with him…She didn't feel vulnerable or uncomfortable…She felt right. Beads of sweat were beginning to form on both their bodies from the heat of their contact, but it only served to heighten their arousal. Feeling desperate for her taste, Scott gently spread her legs and began to kiss and tease her sensitive private areas. Having done this many times before, he knew how Jean liked to be pleasured. And judging from her moans, he was doing a good job. Waves of pleasure shot up from her lower regions as Jean firmly gripped the sheets of her bed and let out deep moans of euphoria from Scott's gentle teases. He kissed and caressed each area…Making sure to hit every nerve he could. Her scent became stronger and more intoxicating as she grew wetter with arousal from his teasing. Then, as her gasps grew more heated and desperate, it became clear that she was close to having an orgasm. Feeling this through their link, Scott removed himself from her wet center and gave her a brief moment to catch her breath while he removed his pants.

Once the last piece of clothing was removed, Jean eagerly spread her legs and used them to capture Scott in a tight embrace. His hands were now firmly on her hips as he slowly guided his hard member into her warmth. Her body tenses all over as waves of pleasure surged from the nerves of her most sensitive areas and spread all throughout her body. The overwhelming sensation was felt by Scott as well, which only motivated him to go further until he was completely inside her.

They both let out a deep moan of content as felt the unity of their bodies. Their sweat mixed together as they once again crashed their lips upon one another. Scott began to gently work his way into a rhythm, thrusting in and out of her at a slow pace at first, but gradually increasing the tempo to absorb more of the wondrous feeling. Driven by her longing for more of the sensations he was giving her, Jean began to move her body in a rhythm as well as she ran her hands along his sweaty body, caressing his strong muscles in her hands. As the pace of their thrusts increased, breathing became gasps as both continued their frantic kissing. The warm, pleasure-filled sensations were sent both ways through their link, making the experience all the more wonderful.

They both kissed and moaned, dragging out their love play for as long as they could. Memories of the past were now fading into obscurity as they both remembered how they made love to each other in the way that made it special to them and them alone. Time lost all meaning as they started drawing closer and closer to their respective climax. Scott carefully slowed the tempo, wanting to make sure they came at the same time and ensuring that it would be the best it possibly could. Jean's moans became louder as she drew closer and closer and her grip with her powerful legs grew tighter, forcing him into her as deep as possible for when the moment finally came. Then…With one final thrust, Jean let out a cry of pleasure that echoed through the room while Scott moan out as her inner muscles tightened hard around his member while he released his load inside her.

The young couple struggled to catch their breath as their sweat drenched bodies remained in soft contact with one another while the rush through their minds swept over them like a wave of warmth and euphoria. Once they found the ability to breaths again, they met in another deep, passionate kiss that was met with gentle caresses of each others' hands while the feeling of endless love surged through their link.

Once they had recovered from their first climax, they both shifted positions so that Scott was now flat on his back and Jean was now straddling him. They were still connected and desired more as they once again began to move in a rhythm together. Jean began moaning again as she gyrated her hips in a motion, feeling his hard member within her and running her hands along the well defined muscles of his torso. Her moans of pleasure were met with an upward trust from Scott as he kept his hands on her hips, allowing her to absorb all the pleasure she could from this act. She needed this more than him…And he intended to give it to her every time from now on. Jean's pleasured moans sent her into another world of pleasure as she arched her back and neared her climax. Both of their bodies were now glowing with sweat and Scott could feel another orgasm through their link and as her inner muscles began to tighten around him once more, he transferred his hands from her hips to her large breasts and gave them a gentle squeeze, causing her to moan even louder from the pleasure as they experienced their second release.

No words were spoken through the night as Scott and Jean continued to make love. They relished in the warmth, comfort, and pleasure that only they could give each other. The powerful love they shared was heightened by their strengthened link as it kept them going for what seemed like forever until their bodies were too tired to do any more. As they attained one last orgasm together, Jean finally collapsed in a fit of exhaustion onto her lover's body, resting comfortably on his strong chest. They both had to catch their breath as they simply relished in being so close to each other. The warmth and love they felt through the link helped lull away the horrors of what had happened and now, they were only focused on the present and each other.

Jean thanked whatever higher power there was for blessing her with a friend and lover like Scott. In her darkest hour, he had given her his heart and helped her put the past behind her. He had given her so much in her life and she in turn trusted him with her heart and soul. And knowing Scott…They were in good hands.

"Scott…" said Jean softly, feeling herself on the verge of passing out from her exhaustion.

"Hmm…"

"Do you still want to move in together?" she asked, her voice serious, but hopeful.

"Of course Jean…You know I wouldn't have it any other way," answered Scott, now more certain than ever that this was right and they were truly meant to be.

"Really?" she responded, her voice now brimming with happiness for the first time in what felt like forever.

"You know it Jean. I've never been surer of anything in my life. Just remember…No matter what happens and no matter what the future throws at us…I'll always love you…" whispered Scott as he gently stroked her long, red hair as she lay comfortably on his chest.

"I love you too Scott…Thank you," replied Jean, finally able to smile now, for all was finally right.

Seeing her smile made Scott smile as well as he felt his held the woman he loved close to his body, mind, and soul. No matter how long he lived, he would never get tired of her smile and as they both met in one last passionate kiss, he looked forward to seeing it many more times in the future both near and far.

Xavier Institute – Logan's Room

As everybody settled down after a long, tumultuous night Logan finally forced himself to retreat to his room. Having stayed near Rogue and Jean while they both wearily returned to their home, he saw the looks of sadness and sorrow caused by the deep scars, both physical and mental, that the Hellfire Club had inflicted. He also was left with the task of helping the new guests, Vincent and Emma, adjust to their new surroundings. Neither of them had anywhere else to go. Emma's family had abandoned her and what was left of Vincent's family had been taken away by the Hellfire Club. They both had endured torture that nobody should ever have to go through and he knew as well as the Professor that they had their work cut out for them in terms of helping them.

In addition to the trauma that had been inflicted on the innocent, some of which were children he swore to protect, he also had to deal with the new memories this whole experienced had uncovered. Having lived an undoubtedly long life with much of his memories in disarray, it felt strange to actually know a part of his past now. Now, his memories of Yuriko and what he had done to her father in the confusion of Weapon X were clear now…But they still hurt his already fragile soul.

His animalistic temper had shown its strength in the past with Yuriko just as much as it had with Ororo in the present. There was no denying that part of him had loved Yuriko in the past…But after fighting her and nearly being killed by her had shown that she was as dead as the life he had once shared with her. Now, he couldn't help but wonder what might have happened had he not left her. Would he have become an X-man? Would he be happier? Would everybody be worse or better off?

As he pondered these questions, a sudden familiar scent filled the air and a new presence stood outside his door.

"Logan?" said Ororo, "Logan, are you still up?"

As he got up and walked over towards the door, he felt somewhat nervous at the thought of facing the former weather goddess after how he had treated her over the past few weeks. On top of that, he hadn't been there to save her and the others sooner…And she suffered personally from it. He may have killed Leland for laying his dirty hands on her, but he had done his damage to her. He had failed her in the same way he had failed Jean and Rogue. Did that mean he even had a right to stand in her presence? Did that mean he even deserved her friendship after being so cruel? He could have debated this with himself for hours on end, but he soon found himself opening the door and standing before the woman who had tried so hard to help him despite the animal lurking within him.

"Ro?" he said as he slowly opened the door, "What are you doing awake this late?"

"I could ask you the same you know," she quipped.

"Well to be fair, I'm use to it," he responded, despite the obvious dark circles under his eyes.

"Be that as it may, I think we all need to get some sleep after this. But first…There's something I wanted to tell you," she said, obviously weary and nervous even after having rehearsed what she was going to say many times over in her head.

Logan felt a twinge of anxiety upon hearing this and was quick to try and say what he should have long ago. "Look…If this is about blowing my lid over the whole file thing, I can't tell you how sorry I am for being such a jerk. I was way out of line and you of all people didn't deserve it and…"

However, Ororo didn't let him finish as she cut him off before he could say any more.

"No…It's not that Logan," said Ororo, causing him to fall silent and listen intently to her words, "Not entirely at least. I just wanted to say…I'm sorry for starting this whole thing in the first place. I should have never betrayed your trust. You…You really have no idea how much I value our friendship. I…Never really knew how much it meant to me until after I nearly lost you. And I just want you to know that…I don't want to lose it…I want us to have what we once did. I don't think I could handle losing it because…"

Ororo, despite all the times she had rehearsed this little speech, couldn't find the right words to go on. A lump soon formed in her throat as she became overcome with regret for everything that had transpired to nearly break them apart. Logan seemed to pick up on his as he moved in closer towards her, getting an even greater whiff of her sweet, intoxicating scent that he knew and valued so much.

"I know…" he said as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to help ease her inner turmoil, "I don't want to lose it either Ro. It…Really means a lot to me as well. And I don't want to ruin this…Not after what my temper led us to. It's just that…This whole thing with Yuriko has really got me thinking…"

"What do you mean?" asked Ororo curiously.

"You know me better than most people Ro…You know that I struggle with remembering things I've forgotten," said Logan, "But now, I have remembered something. I have recalled something that was once erased from my mind and frankly…I don't know if I want to remember it."

Logan let out a deep sigh as his face creased in feeling of inner conflict once more as he remembered all the memories with Yuriko that he now had. Some of which were good…But all of which reminded him of how it had ended.

"Make no mistake about it…A part of me really did love that woman," said Logan, causing Ororo to feel somewhat strange, but she chose to hide it as he went on. "But whatever part of that woman I remember died a long time ago along with the memories. Now, I've betrayed her, I failed Jeannie and Rogue, and on top of all that…I failed you."

"Logan…" said Ororo, not wanting to let this man fall any deeper into despair than he already had over this affair, "You didn't fail them…And you didn't fail me. You saved us. What Leland did to me was bad, but he would have done MUCH worse if you hadn't showed up."

"He wouldn't have done ANYTHING if I had just gotten there sooner!" said Logan, still not fully forgiving himself for being too late.

"We are all alive…We are all back in one piece Logan," said Ororo as she placed both hands on the side of his hairy face, "It was hard and painful…But we survived. You did not fail anyone Logan and don't let anybody ever tell you otherwise because I know the truth…And so do you. I understand that you feel guilty…Believe me, I know what it's like to have guilt eat you up inside. But that doesn't mean you have to let it consume you. Tomorrow will bring another day…There will always be a chance for a new beginning."

Logan didn't argue with her, for she knew about things like this way better than he could ever hope to ascertain. He knew she was right and he knew she was telling the truth. In all the years he knew her, she had never lied to him even during times when he was never straightforward with her. It still hurt knowing that he had been powerless to stop her and everybody else's suffering, but her words helped sooth that pain…And gave hope for a new beginning.

"I just don't want to make the same mistakes again Ro…" he said as he looked intently into her sky blue eyes.

"Logan…I know you…I know the man you truly are at heart," said Ororo, "And I want to stay close to that man…I don't want to lose his friendship. Whatever challenges await, we can help each other. But please…I just want my best friend back."

Logan looked back into her eyes and saw the deep sincerity within them. Even after all his self loathing and after all the things he put her through with his memories and Yuriko, she still wanted to save the close friendship that they both held so dear. In seeing her beautiful, regal face that rightfully gave her the title of a goddess, he helped lay her anxiety to rest as he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Ro, if you forgive me for all the crazy shit I put you through that you shouldn't have had to deal with…Then I forgive you for reading my file. And how about we leave it at that and go from there?" said Logan, eager to put this ordeal behind them and start anew.

Ororo couldn't help but smile as she finally felt the weight that had hung so heavy on her soul fade away. There were still a lot of things she was uncertain of and there were still many strange feelings that this man gave her, but for now…This was enough and it was far more than she ever could have hoped for.

"I'd like that Logan…Thank you."

Then, to Logan's surprise, she placed a small kiss on his hairy cheek and turned to make her leave.

"Promise me you'll try and get some sleep…I'll see you in the morning," she said as she began to head back towards her room.

"Yeah…I'll try," said Logan as he stood in a daze at what had just happened.

As she disappeared from sight, the scent that her kiss had left hung strong in the air. Logan then found himself once again collapse on his bed and stare at the ceiling in a state of confusion over what he had just said and felt. The pain and confusion of his memories still hung strong, but as he relished in the feeling of having Ororo back as a friend it seemed somewhat irrelevant. And as he carefully memorized the scent of her kiss so he could remember it in all its vivid, he soon felt himself lulled to a peaceful, sound sleep.

-2 AM at Night-

It was late, or early depending on the point of view. Vincent, however, couldn't sleep. He normally had the occasional nightmares, but to be honest he was afraid to go asleep now. He knew that if he did, he would be plagued by nightmares, but he guessed the others would be as well. He was wearing some clothing that was on loan thanks to from Scott since they were roughly the same size. He had finally been able to take a shower and a shave in a small shower unit in that infirmary of theirs before he had new bandages to cover his burns and other injuries. He never felt so refreshed in his life.

This Xavier man had come to him and asked him questions as the doc was looking him over. Xavier had offered him a place here and to be honest, it was tempting. Here there were other mutants like himself and also…He just wasn't sure if he could go back. His life wasn't that great before he left after being outed as a mutant had left him isolated and he wasn't sure if he could stay in the same place that had once been his home, but would now forever be the place where Father Michaels died. He just didn't know if he could stand to see the spot he had died every day.

But he also had to check on the kids. He had voiced his worried to Xavier and he had told him that he would check on things for him. Vincent was grateful for that and everything else, but at the moment he was silently moving along the halls just walking and getting to know the place. He was about to see if maybe a midnight snack would help him sleep when he just stopped. It was strange…Almost as if he felt a pain in him. It was vague and distant, but it was there. He had never felt something like this and walked in one direction and it seemed to grow. The closer he seemed to get to…Something…The more this feeling came. It was like how he felt during a nightmare. Then, as he arrived at a door, he felt like someone was in pain or something, which was strange because he was sure telepathy wasn't in his list of powers. He went for the door knob but stopped himself.

"What am I doing? I mean going into someone's room because of a feeling?"

But he opened the door anyway. His vision was used to the night and saw someone thrashing around in a bed and heard moaning. He closed the door gently and walked over. He could see it was Emma and she was having one hell of a nightmare. He gently shook her. "Emma wake up!" he whispered.

"AH!" Emma nearly screamed out ,but he covered her mouth pretty quickly. Emma looked with wide scared eyes at the form in the night.

"Emma it's me," came a gently voice that she knew.

"Vincent?" she asked softly. She looked around the room and realized she was at the mansion and out of the Hellfire Club. It was still a bit surreal to be finally free and to be in other clothing for a chance. She had borrowed something from Rogue's room that Kitty had offered her. It was basically an orange pair of pants and shirt PJs. "So…Do you always sneak into a girl's room in the dead of night?" she asked with a smile, although in truth she was glad he had woke her up from that nightmare.

"Well…Uh…I…" He didn't know how to explain coming to her from a 'feeling,' so he went with a more plausible explanation. "I heard you having a nightmare. I couldn't sleep and was just walking around when I passed your door and…Well…"

She smiled a bit and took his hand. "Thank you…Do…Do you mind talking with me a little while…I don't want to go to sleep again just yet."

"I wouldn't mind at all," he replied and she moved over, pulling the covers back. He was a bit nervous, for he had never really slept with a girl like this. Hell, he had never even had a decent girlfriend and only kissed a few of them, but nothing classified as intimate. Never the less, he slipped in next to her, for she needed him and maybe he needed her as well.

Emma cuddled up next to him and just rested her head on him. It just felt good to be like this and she didn't know why…But it just did. And after everything she had been through, she deserved to feel something good in her life. "So…Did Xavier give you the offer of staying here?"

"Yeah, are you going to take it?"

Emma had thought about it. She had enough money saved up from her time in the Hellfire Club to live a very comfortable life, but that was the question…What kind of life would it be? "I'm staying…For now…I…I just need to know where I fit in. I mean I have nowhere else to go…What about you?"

Vince sighed. "I'll most likely stay…I don't think I can live back home, not after all that happened…But I have to go back and check on things and to say goodbye…I…" His voice cracked as a lump hit his throat thinking of the man that raised him and all the children and what they had to deal with.

Emma could feel his pain. "I'm sure they're alright," she told him as she caressed his cheek and smile,d feeling the smoothness to it. "You know, I like the shaven look. You should keep it," she joked, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

Vince himself smiled. He knew what she was doing and he was thankful for it. "Tell me about home…" she asked him. She herself no longer cared about her own family, for they had abandoned her and as far as she was concerned, to hell with them. She wanted to know what was so special about that place anyway. When he talked about his life in Toronto, there was just this joy in his voice. She heard all of what he said and he made it sound like a loving place to have lived.

It was strange…Here she was coming from a high class home and family, but even with all that weath they were never as close as a group of people living in the more low class area of a city with no other family but each other. She listened on, never interrupting him and she felt a calm and soothing feeling come over her from just listening to him.

After a minute Vince noticed that she had fallen asleep. He smiled down at her and ran a hand over her long silky hair. She murmured something in her sleep and rolled on top of him a little, hugging him close. He was thankful she was asleep because having her on top of him and feeling her next to him was causing him to blush. He even felt his heart rate go up from this closeness. He swallowed hard and wondered what to do. He didn't plan on spending the night here, but he didn't want to wake her.

So he signed and figured there were worst things then sleeping in bed with a beautiful woman. He watched her for a bit longer, but he was suddenly very tired. He closed his eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.

And he dreamed.

He dreamed of that green valley with the river and the tree…The same valley that Emma had used to pull him back to reality. And there sitting by the tree was Emma, only in a white sundress looking like a goddess. For that moment, he was sure he had just seen what heaven would look like in that one moment, and he would treasure this memory for the rest of his life.

-New York-

Fury looked around the ruins of the Hellfire Club as Pierce was taken on a stretcher, screaming bloody murder at someone who had ripped off his artificial limbs. Fury, even though his face was neutral,l took great pleasure in seeing this place in ruins. So far there were a few bodies, and they needed to be identified through dental records of course.

Fury thought back to his office when he heard what had happened here. He had smiled then and leaned back in his chair. He took out a file he kept in his desk and opened it to a certain page. There was a torn image of a woman and the arm of someone holding her. From one of his pockets, he took out the other half and placed it there.

The image was of him and that woman. Her name had been Glory and she had been one of his agents. Over the course of three years, they had a secret relationship since the regulations were specific on superiors dating their subordinates. But they had broken that protocol, in fact they had both planned to retire after her last mission. She was the only woman he would have given up his job, and his life for…Because he had loved her that much.

But that all changed…Her last mission had been to the Hellfire Club. She had been found out and they found her body in the Hudson two weeks later…He had memorized the autopsy report. She had been tortured to death, very slowly. He couldn't bear to think of the pain and suffering she had been in.

Fury looked at the ruins of the building that had taken the life of the only woman he ever truly loved. "Payback's a bitch Shaw," Fury said under his breath.

"SIR!" A man in SHIELD combat armour shouted out to him, running through the clean up crews. "We got a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Fury didn't like the sound of this at all.

"We're missing a few bodies sir." Fury swore inwardly. He should have known. "We're missing at least three members of the Inner Circle, Jason Wyngarde, Selene, and Sebastian Shaw." Fury's fist clenched as did his jaw. He looked over the ruins and tried to cool his head. They might had just missed the bodies, but he knew his men better then that…They weren't here…And that meant they were out there in the world…And he didn't know where to what they were planning to do next.

NEXT UP CHAPTER 21: A NEW DAY