Ro set down in front of the Lake house and hurried up the stairs, putting her hand on the door knob she stared to turn it only to be stopped by Logan placing his hand over hers and stopping her movement. Jerking her hand back she glares at him.
"What are you doing!?" She demanded.
"We need to be careful. We don't know who we're facing Jean or the Phoenix." Logan stated calmly as possible as Storm looked at him in disbelief.
"You want to be careful," Storm asked in disbelief? "We don't have time Logan! There's no telling what she's trying to do to him!" Storm grabs Logan's hand and tries to move it away from the door knob so that she can enter. Getting no where she turns to him, eyes misting white and thunder rolling in the background. "Get out of my way," she grounds out between gritted teeth.
"Listen to me…" Logan breaks of as lightning flashes over the lake house. Quirking an eyebrow at Storm he releases the door knob and steps back.
Storm grabs the handle, throws the door open and rushes into the house intent on getting to Scott, only to be stopped as Jean/Phoenix throws up a hand, using her powers to hold her in place.
"You will not interfere," she stated.
Ro struggles against her hold; face flushed in anger.
"Release me!"
Jean/Phoenix turns her head slightly to look a Storm, a smirk on her lips. Stroking her hand across Scott's check she softly says, "You will not make demands of me."
Logan who had rushed in behind Storm looked from her over to Jean.
"Jeannie…" Jean/Phoenix smiled.
"You think to stop me…us? You had the opportunity before and you faltered." Her face twisted into a scowl. "I will not be deterred; Scott and I will be together again!" She declared.
"Jean…" Logan breaks off as Scott lets out a groan and Jean/Phoenix returns her attention to him.
Jean/Phoenix ran her hand down Scott's face in a soothing gesture. "Shh, it's okay. I won't allow them to interfere." She watches as Scott blinks his eyes behind his glasses, flashes of light allowing her to know his actions, until he's finally able to focus on her.
"Jean…please. Listen to me…this…this isn't the way. I don't want this."
Jean/Phoenix touches their foreheads together once again and looks into his eyes.
"I have too do this, once we've reestablished our connection, we can be together again."
Logan looked at them both in confusion before turning to Storm, who was still being held back by Jean/Phoenix.
"Connection," He asked?"
Storm nodded.
"Yes, Scott and Jean had a mental bond, a shared link that allowed them to hear each other's thought's and feel each other's emotions."
"Yes, and we will have it again. No on will stop us from being together."
"Recreating the bond will not make him love you again," Storm stated.
Jean's head snapped around as she glared at Storm.
"You think he can love you," she asked harshly? "You are trying to steal him away and I will not allow it!"
"I do not need to steal him," Storm declared! "He does not belong to you! He is free to make his own choices and you are too scared to allow him his choice because you fear it will not be you he chooses!"
Scott dropped to the floor as Jean/Phoenix abruptly released him as she turned on Storm. Using her telekinesis abilities to slam her against the wall. Storm hit the wall with a thud, eyes flashing white as suddenly strong gusts of wind started wailing through the house and began battering at Jean/Phoenix.
Rogue, Kitty, Bobby, Colossus and Hank hunkered down by the windows watching the events unfolding before their eyes when Rogue turned to Beast.
"What do we do," she asked?
"We do whatever we must," he replied. Beast rose to his feet and entered the lake house the others following him inside.
Scott worked his way to his feet moving until he was standing off to the side between Jean and Storm.
"Stop this both of you right now," he demanded! When neither responds to his demand he moves closer to Storm. "Storm, listen to me; this is not the way." Scott watches as Storm's eyes slowly return to normal and the winds that had been whipping through the house died down. Reaching out a hand to touch Storm he is surprised to be suddenly be pushed back by an unseen force.
"You will not touch her in my presence," Jean/Phoenix stated.
As Scott glared at Jean the others circled the room until they had her surrounded. Rogue managed to make sure that she was the one standing closest to her as she slowly started to remove her gloves. Logan seeing what she was doing made his way slowly to her side.
'Jean.' Suddenly everyone heard the Professor's voice echoing in their head. 'Jean, you must fight her; regain control.' The others could almost feel the Professor's flinch as Jean/Phoenix's mocking laughter resounded inside their heads.
'Regain control? She hasn't lost control. Have you Jean? Tell him, tell him how much in control you truly are at this moment.'
'Jean,' the Professor asked in a voice of amazement?
Everyone watched as Jean/Phoenix's mouth curled up into a contemptuous smile.
'How much you all want to believe that she has lost control. That I am the one making poor Jean do this terrible thing.' Jean/Phoenix laughed again before continuing. 'Did any of you ever think that maybe just maybe she is only using me to do what she cannot on her own? To do what she is unwilling to accept responsibility for?'
As everyone listens in on Jean/Phoenix and the Professor's mental exchange Rogue manages to make her way even closer to Jean/Phoenix. Moving so that she is standing out of her direct visual range Rogue reaches out her hand intent on stopping the confrontation before anyone can be hurt. Before she can touch Jean/Phoenix she is suddenly thrown back into the wall hitting her head against the picture that is hanging there.
"Marie," Logan shouts as he rushes to her side. Reaching her he gently pulls her against him as he tries to examine her head. Rogue struggles against his hold trying to get him to loosen his hold without touching his skin.
"Logan, let go. I'm alright," Rogue said in an annoyed tone.
"Did you think I would allow you to interfere, to sap my strength, my power," Jean/Phoenix asked as she turned toward Rogue. Jean smiled as Logan stepped in front of Rogue in a protective manner. "We have been here before haven't we Logan? I believe I asked you then were you willing to die for them and you said no, it was for me. Now I must ask you are you willing to die for him," Jean/Phoenix asked as she gestured toward Scott.
Logan glanced at Scott and then back to Jean and shook his head.
"No, not for him for her," he says as he tries to keep Rogue behind him. Looking Jean in the eye he states, "They won't let you do this, she won't let you do this and if you try to hurt her I will have to stop you." The silence in the room is deafening as Logan allows his claws to slide free and he takes up a defensive stance in front of Rogue.
"This ends now," Scott's declaration thunders through the sudden silence. "No one is going to die here," Scott paused as he took a deep breath and then turned to face Jean fully. "Jean look at this, look at what is about to happen here," Scott paused as he looked around the room at the others. "Do you really want to fight with your friends, your family," Scott asked as he walked over to stand in front of Jean. "Is trying to reestablish our link and make me love you again worth the pain and devastation that it would cause to this family; your family?"
Jean looked around the room taking in the disappointed yet resolved faces of Hank, Peter, Kitty, Ororo, Bobby, Logan, Rogue who had managed to make her way from behind Logan and finally Scott who looked as if he had just lost his best friend. Jean blinked as those words replayed themselves in her head best friend they had been the best of friends before they had become anything else and now as Jean looked at Scott she realized that if she did this; if she attempted to reestablish their link and influence his mind that she would loose any chance of ever calling herself his friend again.
Scott stood in silence as he watched Jean looked at their friends, their family, watched as the darkness of her eyes slowly lightened to the shade he was used to seeing in his red hazed world, watched as she put the Phoenix back where she belonged, watched as she tried to blink back tears and released her hold on Ororo, who came to stand by his side, watched as she slowly sank to the floor trying to hold back her sudden sobs.
Placing a hand on her back he kneels down by her side and hugs her close for a few moments trying to offer what little comfort he can before turning to Hank.
"Hank, can you please take Jean up to the house to see the Professor?" Hank nodded his acceptance at Scott, came over and gently picked her up in his arms and headed out the door.
'Professor.'
'Do not worry my boy, I will make sure that she's alright.'
'Thank you sir.'
Scott broke off his silent communication with the Professor and turned to Bobby, Kitty and Peter. "You guys go on back to the house and try to get some rest. We'll discuss all of this tomorrow."
Bobby, Kitty and Peter nodded at Scott and left the lake house and headed up to the mansion.
Scott turned his attention to Rogue.
"Are you okay," he asked?
"Yes," Rogue nodded.
"Rogue you hit your head pretty hard, I think…" he began only to be cut off by Rogue.
"I promise, I'm fine." Scott turned his head to Logan.
"Don't worry Summers I'll take care of her." Scott nodded his head at Logan in acknowledgement and watched as he and Rogue left the lake house. Going over to the door he closes it and rests his forehead against it for a moment before turning to face Ro.
"Are you okay," she asked?
Scott came over to where Ro was standing and placed his hands on her shoulders. Sliding his hands down her arms he draws her forward and wraps her in his embrace.
"I will be," he answers.