Author's Note: A bit of a longer chapter, incorperating one of the lesser of my favorite themes, and not to mention wayy over-used in general: a school dance. (Oh yes it can happen...because I am writing it. Yes. That is why xD) I'm slightly paranoid about adding Gambit into the story; I feel as if I won't be doing him justice. Lemme know what you think. /
Summary: My initial take on what X3: The Last Stand would be like. Centered around Scott, Logan,and Storm's grief for Jean...they quickly learn that Jean has grown far stronger than ever imagined.. Magneto is drawn to Jean's sudden growth in power, and is also alarmed by the human's decision to create the "cure"...
Rating: Between T-M. There is a fair amount of language, semi-frequent mildadult-type-themes, and violence.
Main Characters (most main to lesser): Scott Summers, Jean Grey/Phoenix, Logan (Wolverine), Ororo (Storm), Gambit, Rogue, Beast, Magneto, Xavier, Bobby, Kitty, Mystique, Pyro...more in other chapters
Pairings: major Scott/Jean, major Rogue/Remy,minor Logan/Ororo, moderate Logan/Jean, minor Bobby/Kitty
X-men is in no way owned by me...because otherwise I would have changed the way X3: The Last Stand was written. This fan fiction is also completely movie-verse.
Chapter 11 - Curiosity Killed the Cat
'Storm, Logan, Scott...please meet me in my office,' Charles called to his students mentally.
Within minutes, they filed into his massive wooden office, Storm being the first and Scott dragging in last. Charles insisted that they seat themselves, and then he continued, "As you all recall, we usually have a dance for the older students at the end of term. This year will be no different. Please inform the children that the dance will be held in three days."
Logan and Storm nodded, yet a grave feeling settled over the group. Scott broken the silence with a questioning, "Why did you need to call me, professor?"
"I intend for you to be in attendance that night, Scott," he replied calmly.
Scott took in a sudden breath, and then nodded warily. "Whatever. I've got nothing better to do," he mumbled miserably before biting his lip in slight anxiety. His thoughts began to slip back into the past, where he clearly remembered the years in the past where himself and Jean had been in attendance at the various dances.
Both Logan and Storm stole a quick glance at Scott, and a sudden guilt flooded into Storm.
"Professor…do you think that's fair?" she interjected, "…on Scott's part?"
"I mean what I say, Storm. Now that is all I ask of you three for now. You may return to your schedules," he concluded with a smile.
----
Both Storm and Logan stole back to their classes, where they relayed the Professor's message to their numerous classes. Excitement bubbled all day long, and only rose to the boiling point as soon as the day was over. When the classes filed out of their rooms, Rogue jumped amongst the traffic, searching for the man with the scruffy hair and rugged overcoat… While at the same time, Bobby sought out Kitty Pryde, and took her hand as he asked her to the dance.
Kitty leapt into the iceman's arms upon his question, and she accepted in a heartbeat's time. Rogue was just returning to her dorm when she spied this embrace, and she rolled her eyes disgustedly at the very scene. As she turned the door knob and entered her own room, she found a man inside already waiting for her…
"Cherie…will you go to the ball wit' me?" Gambit purred from the edge of her bed, holding out a red rose for her.
Rogue's expression softened instantly, and she rushed to his arms, and breathed a reply of "yes" just before they lightly, and cautiously kissed on the edge of the mattress.
Meanwhile, Storm was gathering a growing stack of papers from her desk as a muscled figure strode through her door. She had her back turned to him, but she knew very well who it was, just by the way he entered her room.
"Professor Munroe…" Logan purred from a student's desk in the front row of the class.
"Yes, Logan," she replied, a smile coming to her face as she rose to a standing position, but with her back still to him.
"Surely you would go to the dance with me…?" it was more than clear to hear the smile in his voice.
She finally turned around, and she was staring down at him with a chuckling smile. "Sure, Logan," she replied simply. "You can pick me up at six," she added, with the arch of an eyebrow. Storm then turned away sharply, shoved her papers into a bag and then strode out the door casually, but not without casting an amorous glance over her shoulder at the wolfish man. He returned the smile with one of his own ravishing grins.
----
The following two days dragged on endlessly. The buzz of chatter among the students only magnified with each passing day. Storm's students often caught her off guard, and would have to shake her back into reality. Scott was avoiding Storm's constant pleads to attend the festivities, for he was preoccupied with his own internal conflicts. Logan was becoming more vivacious towards Storm as the days past, but he reminded himself to retain his hard stature around the kids. Therefore he went in and decided to have a session with the danger room just hours before the dance; just himself and the simulation at a dangerously high level.
He strode into the circular room in regular, everyday clothes, not bothering to take up a uniform. This particular workout was at level nine out of ten, but Logan protracted his claws with a feeling of excitement bubbling in his blood.
"Bring it," he smirked, welcoming the clearly deadly mission before him.
Only slightly more than an hour passed before Logan bared his teeth boastfully, concluding the training was over. He jumped down from the wreckage of the scenery around him, waiting for the familiar cyber-voice to say, "Mission complete."
After an entire minute passed, his eyebrows drew together angrily. "Damnit..I know the session's done…" he looked around rather curiously, as if trying to find an off switch. This is when Logan's ears picked up the faintest sounds of boots colliding gracefully with the pavement.
He twisted his head around, and then arched an eyebrow in the direction of the noise vibrations. "Oh how great for me…" he snarled, his claws coming into view again with the sound of metal scraping metal. He fell into his fighting stature and waiting for the oncoming villain…when…
"…Jean?"
His knuckles loosened and he straightened up. "No…there's no way…" he murmured, his lips barely parted.
Alas, Jean Grey strode into view, wearing a vibrant blood red wardrobe. Her expression unreadable, but her eyes bright and challenging. "Logan…" she paused, even in her movements. Her mouth then parted in awe, and she whispered, "I missed you…"
"Cyke is desperate," Logan concluded, arching an eyebrow. 'I just can't believe he'd go so far as to program her into the danger room simulations…' he thought bitterly.
As she advanced further, Logan shook his head and stated, "Jean…you're not real. You're part of the damn training." He sighed heavily as she finally came to a stop, only mere feet before him. At his comment, she seemed to look taken back.
"If I'm not real…" something deadly flashed in her eyes, but Logan's heart remained steady, "then why can I do this.." She drew so close that he could literally breathe in her exhale.
"There's no need to be afraid," she smiled, looking into his gaze.
"You're readin' my mind," he stated, edging backwards.
She reached towards him hesitantly, but her fingertips hardly even grazed his shoulder. Her alluring gaze combined with her appealing touch was just enough to convince him that she was real enough. The two engaged in a ferocious kiss as Jean's armed curled around his neck in an inescapable embrace.
"Told you," she breathed between touches. He mumbled something incomprehendable in response, and then her fingers skirted with her edges of his over-shirt. She began to help herself, and then Logan fingered her sides.
"Nice try," he breathed. He then coiled his muscles and unleashed the burst of energy rather suddenly.
Jean screamed silently as she recoiled from the daggers lunged into her stomach. She attempted to pull herself into a fully standing position, but when her tear-stricken eyes met his, her lip quivered and she fell limp. Logan ripped his claws from her now dead body and turned away, rubbing his temples. Jean's body hit the ground with a dull thud.
"Mission complete," a computer voice concluded.
"There we go," he said gruffly, throwing his arms down with a sigh.
----
The dance had finally arrived. Students poured into the emptied-out dining hall every so often, while Logan and Storm were left to supervise. Even after the first half-hour, Scott had failed to show.
"When that bastard shows up, I'm gonna kill him," Logan snarled quietly, for reasons other than the man arriving late.
Ororo glared him and whispered, "Not in front of the children, you aren't." She turned away from him to scan the crowd yet again, when she breathed, "Speak of the devil…"
Scott reluctantly slipped through the double doors, dressed in a red shirt and nice black pants. A leather jacket hung over his shoulders as well. His ruby glasses shimmered brightly even in the dimmed lights.
"Scott!" Storm called, smiling as she strode to him with arms wide open. The two embraced, and a faint smile crossed his lips. "Good to see you," she added.
He raised his eyebrows quickly and replied, "Well I had to come, didn't I?" He chuckled to himself and then looked her over. "Nice dress," he stated, pointing to her attire: a silvery blue silk dress that hugged her figure.
"Thanks," she replied sheepishly, running a hand through her streaked hair. She looked over her shoulder and caught Logan's gaze. He interpreted this as a sign to come over, and thus he strode over to the pair quickly.
"Scott. Nice to see you out…" he began, immediately cutting into his and Storm's conversation.
"Same to you, Logan," he replied flatly, realizing quickly that this was going to be a long night.
"..yes…where do you go during all those days we hardly see you? Maybe the danger room?" Logan inquired, not backing down.
"Logan.." Scott sighed.
"You want to know what I did this afternoon, Scott?"
"What, Logan?" his tone stiffened.
"I took a little session in there. Guess what I found?"
Scott merely sighed.
"Your damn girlfriend."
Storm came between the two men and put her hands on each of their chests, backing them away from each other. "Boys…" she warned.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, going in there and jacking with the systems like that!" Logan barked, fighting Storm's body-barrier.
Scott held up his hands and objected, "I don't know what the hell is wrong, Logan."
"Oh I'll tell you. She came on to me with no frickin' warning, that's what's wrong," he snarled.
"That's a problem? For you of all people? I thought that's what you wanted," Scott's sarcasm had a touch of venom in it. He turned away coldly after his comment, diving between the crowds.
Storm looked up at Logan angrily. "Why did you have to do that, huh?" she said sharply.
He began to make up some excuse, but she threw up a hand and whispered, "I don't want to hear it right now…"
----
Meanwhile, Gambit and Rogue had arrived, him wearing a black dress shirt, while she wore a stunning black and red gown, complete with black gloves. Her hair fell around her bare shoulders in waves. He escorted her into the quickly crowding space, and shortly thereafter the two embraced and swayed to the slowed music.
"Chere?" he whispered, pushing a stray hair away from her face.
"Yes, Remy?" she questioned, looking up to his vivid red eyes.
"Kiss me, Cherie," he breathed, inching closer to the skin that would devour his consciousness in mere seconds.
"Remy…please…we've been over this before…" she insisted.
The music suddenly shifted to a heavily upbeat tempo, and Remy pulled away willingly. Rogue's eyes shied from his as they drifted apart slightly, and then she found Scott. He stood against one of the lone walls in the room, one heel against the wood while his hands were shoved deep in his pockets. His head was tilted away, and no doubt he was lost in his own memories of years past.
"Hey…Remy… Can we take a break for a second? I'd like to talk to Scott, if that's alright by you," she stated quietly.
"No problem, Cherie…I'll jus' have a little chat wit' Stormy…" he smiled warmly.
She chuckled to herself, still amazed that she let him get away with calling her that. But she turned away quickly and headed towards the lonesome man.
"…Scott? You okay?" she asked gingerly, reaching out for his shoulder.
He snapped back to reality slowly and raised his eyebrows as he tried to recognize the voice without turning. "I'm good, Rogue," he replied, coming to a standing position again.
"Can I have this dance?" she smiled.
He held out his hand and replied, "Surely…" The two then joined together and strode slowly to the edge of the crowds.
Her voice lowered considerably and then she stated, "Remy's said that he knows where Jean is. He saw her run off from Magneto."
"What?" The statement had caught him off guard.
"He saw her escape Magneto's prison, and he followed her. This was only days before Storm went off searching for her," she continued.
Scott swallowed hard. "Can he take us there?" his voice shook.
She nodded. "I told him that I was going to tell you, and that you'd want to go after her," she reassured him.
"Where…exactly is she? Did he say?" he persisted, desperate for answers and normalcy.
She paused and looked to the floor. "She ran to her childhood home." It sounded so final.
Moments later both Scott and Rogue were headed towards Gambit and Storm, who were now dancing joyfully, laughing at each other. Scott cleared his throat and Rogue said, "Remy, we need to go…"
He turned to her, and then he replied, "Oh…right," when he set eyes on Scott. "Sorry, Stormy, but I've gotta go," he said as he turned back to Storm.
She looked to Scott curiously, but said nothing. Her expression quite clearly said exactly what she was thinking: "Don't do anything you'll regret." And with that, Rogue stole Gambit away, and the two headed off to the garage with Scott, preparing to take a short trip to the very place Jean had locked herself away when she was a child…
Scott had made the drive in silence; he knew very well where the Grey household was. Several times Jean had made him drive by the house, just to make sure it was still standing. Every time it was there, and every time he laughed at her for being so paranoid about it. This time there was no laughing though; grave feelings were floating heavily in the blue sports car as he punched the gas. The trip had been made in no more than thirty minutes, it was just to a nearby city in the same state.
Still in formal-wear, each of the X-men opened their door warily, eyeing the house as they stepped out of the safety of the car's interior. A heavy force seeped from the walls of the house and could be felt just by passing by.
"She's definitely in there," Scott commented. Without thinking, he advanced to the low rising gate and unlatched the lock as he continued along the short walkway to the front door.
"Jean…?" he called at the solid wooden door. He rapped his fist upon it, and then pressed an ear against the door. He sighed and looked to his feet remorsefully before he forced his way into the house.
Gambit and Rogue both stared in shock as the man let himself into the house that was clearly not his, nor was he welcome to.
"Oh god…" Rogue whispered, tears of worry rising in her eyes as she buried her head against Gambit's chest. "Please let him be okay…" she choked.
Gambit patted her shoulder cautiously, and then hugged her waist in a consoling fashion while whispering the lie, "I'm sure he'll be fine…"
Inside, things were haywire. Books floated ominously in one room, while paper danced in an absent wind in the next. Scott led himself blindly through the rooms, calling Jean's name occasionally, even though he knew he'd be meeting Phoenix. He finally turned a corner and found her; a figure sitting in a lone chair in the corner of a study. Furniture hovered inches above the floor, the window was ajar, books glided through the air, and lights flickered. It was dusk out at the moment, and the lights caused the room to look spooky when they died out. Although when Scott Summers entered the room, everything fell to the floor with several heavy thuds, and the lights snapped on.
Jean's head stared straight ahead, tears in the reddened whites of her eyes. Scott knelt before her and looked into her eyes from behind his red glasses.
"Jean…look at me," he pleaded.
"No…"
----
Outside, Rogue began to grow extremely paranoid. "He's been in there too long…" she cried. Gambit continued to console her, but it didn't seem to be working after a certain time. Rogue pulled out her cell phone from the purse she'd taken with her, and she jammed Storm's number into the keys. Seconds later the line connected and two rings sounded in Rogue's ears before a familiar voice came on.
"Hello?"
"Storm…it's me, Rogue.." she coughed.
"Rogue…? You okay? You sound like you've been crying, sweetie," Storm questioned, concerned.
"It's Scott…" she whispered.
"What happened?" her voice instantly hardened.
"We went to find Jean and he hasn't shown in a while…I'm worried for him…"
"We're comin' Rogue… But you know I've got to tell the Professor…and he won't be impressed," she warned.
"I don't care…please just hurry…" she begged before the line disconnected.
Silence rang for a second or two before Remy sighed, "I think you're overreacting…"
It only took ten minutes via the jet, and Rogue ran to the passengers as they filed out of the cabin. Logan hugged her reassuringly, but Xavier's tone seemed unsure.
"How long ago did he go into the house, Rogue?" Charles inquired.
"I don't know…about twenty minutes maybe…" she cried.
Xavier looked to Storm and Logan. "You two stay out here with the other two… I'll head in and get Scott out and then talk with Phoenix," he explained before wheeling ahead.
"My dear friend…you just can't stand the thought of loosing one of your precious x-men, can you?" an elder voice called.
The x-men turned around, and Logan's claws instantly flashed out.
"No need for violence, Logan, but it is nice to see you as well," Magneto chuckled. He strode to Xavier's side and then stated, "We will both go in and speak with her. After all, it was both of us who spoke to her in the first place."
"How'd you even get here?" Logan barked.
"I'd be a fool if I couldn't feel her radiating energy," Magneto replied calmly, pointing to the house.
"Erik…I don't want any violence here. The situation is far to delicate to mess up," Charles objected.
"You can be sure that I won't mess anything up, my friend," he stated. His voice then dropped as he added, "At least not for me, anyway."
The two men advanced together into the Grey household, apprehension rising in their minds as they too saw the floating objects and haywire situations. The elder men explored the house cautiously until they found Scott on his knees, attempting to console the crying Jean.
"Scott…please back away from her, and get outside," Charles ordered.
He looked up, surprised to see both Xavier and Magneto standing behind him. Jean looked up as well, and the red flashed back into her eyes.
"Get out…" she said through gritted teeth, "…get out…"
Scott didn't have to be told twice. He backed off from Jean, and passed the older mutants hesitantly before he escaped from the house onto the street.
"Jean…" Charles began after he was sure Scott had exited the household.
She glared at him. "What?" she snapped harshly.
"You need to come back home…I can help you…" he explained calmly.
"He just wants to tame your powers, Jean. He doesn't want you to truly exploit them…he doesn't want you to be who you really are," Magneto contradicted him.
"You're…you're holding me back…" she whispered angrily.
"No!" Charles objected. "I want you to be safe, and I want you to return to your normal life, Jean."
"Jean isn't here anymore," she snarled, her eyes fully dying red at this point.
"This is exactly what he's trying to prevent, Phoenix. He wants you to be weaker," Magneto attempted to provoke her further.
"Shut up," she barked. "You're just trying to use me, while you're trying to restrain me," she spoke to each of the men. "I want no part of it," she hissed. The window beside her shattered. She then squeezed her eyes shut and cried, "Get out…get out of my head…" When her eyes opened again, they remained brown for a moment, just before the red returned.
"My dear, I'll really help you…" Magneto insisted.
"I told you to get out…" she snarled. "Now you'll get it…" She began to rise from the chair, and she hovered above the carpeting. Her body rapidly engulfed with menacing flames, and then they exploded outward, catching everything and anything within reach on fire. The elder men fled from the room with heavy hearts, and Phoenix burst through the roof with a fiery bang.
"Jean.." Scott whispered to himself as he spied her breaking through the walls. The fire was now beginning to spread, and the house would be destroyed before anyone volunteered to save it.
Phoenix looked over the small crowd before her, and then she turned away and prepared to jet off into the dying sunset. Tears streamed from her lids, showing that Jean was fighting back. And one last, longing glance over her shoulder to Scott heavily pointed to this theory as well.
"Damn…" Gambit whispered, "she truly is gorgeous…"
Phoenix's eyes hardened at Gambit's comment. "You're just a stupid kid…" she hissed. She then thrust her arms towards him, and fire exploded like a bomb at his feet. He staggered backwards in pain, and Rogue screamed as he fell to the ground with a sickening pound. At that, Phoenix fled from the scene much like an exotic bird would if it was being hunted.