Author's Note: This chapter was originally called "chapter 11.5."Yes. Chapter 11.5. It's very short. That is why I call it 11.5, rather than a whole new chapter...but I know thedrop-down listing will call it chapter 12. So much for creative numbering. Again, I got the idea of the news report from the previews for The Last Stand. ...So we near the major chapter 13...a war is inevitable at this point...

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...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 (11.5) 12-- Advancing

The afternoon news was on.

Storm stood in the doorway, leaning against the arch. She didn't face the tv, instead she watched the scene from the night before over and over again in her mind.

Logan sat on the couch, extending and retracting his adamatium claws over and over again. He eyed the television set every few seconds. Finally he extending his claws and eyed them as a young girl would her fingernails, as he'd grown bored with the usual news on the mutant cure.

Something new flashed across the screen, and Logan's claws drew back quicker than he'd expected. Storm's eyes locked on him as her anxiety rose.

"This just in…the Brooklyn Bridge is literally being torn off and repositioned… Due to mutant…"

Logan's mouth fell open slightly. It's what he'd been waiting for.

"Oh my god," Storm said quickly through exhale. Logan looked to her, and instantly they knew what they had to do. "I'll get Hank," she said quickly, tearing off down the hall.

"So that leaves me with Scott," he paused. "Damn it."

----

All four of the adults met in the hall of the danger room where their suits hung in glass casing. Scott reluctantly put on his uniform, Beast struggled with the undersized jacket, Logan and Storm both couldn't seem to get their clothes on fast enough. All of their hearts pounded in their ears by the time they'd all dressed themselves.

"Okay. We're ready then…" Logan growled, turning towards the door where the jet was housed.

"We're ready too," Bobby said unexpectedly.

Logan's eyebrows arched high as he turned around, meeting the kids. Rogue, Kitty, Bobby, and Colossus were all standing there, almost as if they were awaiting instruction. Logan sighed and his arms fell to his sides. Storm bit her lip.

"Kids…this is something beyond any training you've done," Logan began.

"We're not kids anymore," Bobby objected.

"Fine," Logan barked sternly, "You may not come home, Bobby." He glanced at Kitty, whom he noticed Bobby laced fingers with at his comment, "She may not come home; you ready for that?"

Kitty flinched. Rogue's eyes darted away from the couple.

"I'm not your father. I don't have to tell you to stay. But I'm sure as hell not telling you to go," Logan concluded. He turned his back to them, fiddling with the keypad to the jet, and halfway expecting them to turn around and leave.

'Ha,' he though, when he looked over his shoulder and they were still there.

The doors opened wide, revealing the sleek Blackbird inside. Logan nodded, and Storm returned the gesture, and then they all filed into the massive room beneath the basketball courts.

But Logan held his hand out before Rogue could enter. "Where the hell's your boyfriend?" he almost demanded.

"He's still hurt," she whispered.

"You realize you may very well be walking into your death, here?"

"It's my decision, Logan. I made my mind up, and I'm doin' this," she objected.

"You'll die for that guy that you've only known for a month, tops."

"Logan, it's not like that!" she wouldn't be guilty for doing this.

"Fine. As long as it's what you want," he snapped.

"Fine," she barked.