500 Miles

Hope 2

By Princess Alexandria

Taylor listened to the soft sounds of the waves and sighed. She'd always loved the sound of water, it was soothing. She looked up at the blue sky and the warm spring day with a searching eye and then shook her head at the long instilled habit.

There was no asteroid up there, she knew it. She'd even purchased a telescope and checked herself. She'd started a rather strong interest in astronomy, taken a class, and learned who to read to know what was going on out there. Nothing was. Nothing had been for a year.

The sand was beautiful as well, Taylor thought as she looked down and then she started to walk. Her trip to this world had been strange, but staying in the vacation house while her double, the Christine that was supposed to be of this world, made love to her lover was beyond strange. Taylor decided a nice long walk would at least cut down on her unwanted voyeurism.

She was quiet as she walked, analyzing her own place in life now and feeling unhappy with it. She'd need to say something, do something. Standing around and watching her double live her life well wasn't helping her. Christine was generous and kind with her, gave her a place to stay, but Taylor needed more.

Living the life of a wife to her double while her double shared her love with Emma wasn't fulfilling. Taylor had no job, and truly didn't even know what she'd want to do now. Her past career as a writer had barely started when her world stopped. The few times she'd tried to write since then had descended into darkness and a morbid sort of semi-factual confessional. It exhausted her to write like that.

The sound of the waves intensified suddenly and Taylor looked up from the ground to stare with wide eyes at the portal that was right in front of her, bouncing the sound back at her. Her breathing started to race as she stepped back, away from it, seeing something coming her way.

"Fraulin, duck!" A german accented voice yelled out as Taylor did just that, and she could hear a pop, smell brimstone, and suddenly found herself several feet away blinking in shock. "You okay fraulin?" The male voice asked softly as Taylor stared at a large group of people pouring out of the portal holding hands.

Her eyes took in the scruffy clothes and the backpacks. She noticed the sharp cheek bones and the look in their eyes. Taylor didn't need for anyone to tell her where these people came from, she'd already been there. These people came from hell. What she didn't know was how they'd managed to use one of her portals.

The last person in the train fell out of the portal and the portal closed suddenly, actually almost on the woman. Taylor sucked in a breath in fear for her, but she'd made it.

"Does anyone need medical help?" Taylor said, her voice raising above the murmurs and shocked looks.

"They didn't make it." The last woman said, her voice a little horrified and all eyes moved to her. "Christy told me to stay with you all, but they didn't make it. Mystique was shot and Christy went back for her."

"Kitty." The blue man moved into Taylor's field of sight and he looked a bit stunned. Another woman with a stripe of white hair put her hand to her mouth in shock or pain. Taylor was pretty much ignored as the others shared their grief, and she started to understand what happened. A Christine had created this portal, one that knew what she could do before it was too late for everyone else. A Christine had sent these people to her, and Taylor stood a little taller, feeling the mantle of responsibility again.

Was it sad of her to be grateful for the opportunity? Or that these people were sent to her and not her double? She could understand their pain, and that they were no where ready to process it yet. They wouldn't be for a while. "This world is safe." She told them loud enough to gain even the scared teenagers attention. "There are no killer asteroids." She told them with certainty, but she didn't expect them to believe her. She looked at the few with obvious mutant appearances and nodded. She started to understand who they really were, and it was a bit sad that even Xmen would be caught up in an apocalypse. "So does anyone need immediate medical attention? If not we could make our way back to the beach house." Christine and Emma would just have to stop their sex marathon, but given how long it had been going on Taylor wasn't feeling any remorse for interrupting them.

Still as she walked with the group along the beach she moved around checking on people to verify herself that they weren't injured, just partly starved. She'd make it clear to Christine that she'd take care of the new strays. Emma could be a bit of a problem, but if Taylor explained she needed to do this the blonde should understand.

These were other survivors, and Taylor suppressed a tear as she recognized that. It was a little less lonely to not be the only one.

They arrived outside of Emma's vacation home and Taylor stopped for a moment. "Um, I just need to go inside and tell them we're here." She told Nightcrawler, who just nodded and turned to face the others.

Moving quickly without running Taylor moved to the front door and glanced back at the group just to make sure she wasn't imagining it, before walking inside. The sound of sex was still filling the house. Taylor just shook her head.

She made her way towards the sound and the door that contained the two lovers with a sigh. "Christine, Emma." She called out loudly and the noise stopped. Taylor imagined they were upset and surprised at her, but that didn't matter. "We've got a situation out here." She could hear some feet hit the floor and continued to talk as whoever was going to answer the door hopefully found some clothes. "Some double of me sent me twenty survivors." Her voice emphasized that they were sent to her. "I want to bring them in."

"What?" Emma stood in the door and Taylor wished it had been her double to answer the door. Emma was clad in a robe that only came to mid thigh. Her blonde hair was mussed and the smell of sex waft out onto Taylor from the room.

"I've got twenty survivors from a world like mine standing on the beach and I want to bring them in. They need help." Taylor spoke while staring into Emma's eyes.

"Oh, well we can," Emma stood a little taller and her eyes became a bit brighter as she thought and Taylor sighed. Emma looked like she was about to take control. The CEO was used to taking control.

"Please." Taylor's voice was just a touch pleading as well as she stared at Emma. "Please let me take care of this. I just didn't want you two to hear us and wander out." Naked, that was a real fear, they might have wandered out naked. "I need to do this." Taylor spoke quietly while staring at Emma.

"I could call a doctor." Emma said it quietly as well, apparently understanding.

"Not just yet. They don't look injured and I'm not sure they are ready for that." Taylor noticed her own double step into view of the opened door in a long tshirt now.

"But what if they're hurt?" Christine protested Taylor's words without understanding. Taylor's eyebrows drew together, wondering if she'd have to argue for this, for them.

"Christine, I think Taylor knows what she's doing." Emma turned to Christine and Taylor felt a little bit of surprise at the words, but Christine seemed to calm down. "We'll let you talk with them, but if you need assistance I'm here. I could have anything brought here for you, or anyone." Taylor nodded, grateful. "Let us know when they are ready for visitors. You can have the downstairs family room."

Christine looked a little put out, but the door closed and Taylor was able to leave to get her guests.

The vacation home was large and Taylor lead the others into the large downstairs room, where they could all sit and talk, or not talk, together. Taylor left them in there, seeing the shocked look on their faces and just nodded to Nightcrawler as she left for the kitchen to get them a snack and something to drink. They needed to talk with each other, to mourn.

It would have been nice to have someone to mourn with when she arrived in this world, Taylor thought with a bit of pain, as she opened the fridge to look for something she could make her guests. She wasn't worried about being rude and leaving them alone, at this point she would be surprised if they noticed time passing. She sure hadn't been able to notice that when it happened to her.

…………

"Fraulin, thank you." Nightcrawler had asked her to call him Kurt earlier, and he was clearly the leader of this group now. Taylor had heard enough to know that the role of leader had gone through a lot of changes lately, and it was new to him.

"I won't leave you alone here." Taylor stared into his eyes, thinking they were rather pretty. The yellow on blue was a nice look. It would have looked even better on a woman, Taylor thought with a bit of regret, remembering what losses this group had recently. Mystique died to get them here, that's what they truly believed. Mystique's son and daughter were taking that the hardest. "Just relax and get some sleep. I'm sorry I don't have rooms for you all."

"This is truly a generous offer fraulin, we are truly grateful." He bowed just a little. She left the survivors littering the floor and the couch in the room as she stepped out of the room to find Emma and Christine to talk.

Taylor never asked anything of Emma, but she was about to.

The two women were dressed and having tea on the balcony when Taylor stepped outside. She stared at them a moment, before moving forward. "I have them settled. They just lost a few of their own recently and are hurting." Christine waved at a seat at the table and Taylor took it, feeling like the third wheel, but pushing through it. "Emma, do you have a place for them to stay? They need to stay together."

Emma looked thoughtful as she considered. "There is somewhere. Perhaps my Massachusetts property would work. It was designed to hold a school before I had to give up on that idea. It hasn't been sold yet."

Taylor looked over at Christine, who was quietly watching her. "I want to move there with them." She spoke softly, feeling some regret at the surprised look on Christine's face. Taylor knew her double cared about her. "I need to do this." She explained softly.

"I'll arrange for transportation." Emma interrupted the silence after her words. "And I'll have one of my people prepare it for your arrival. I'll pay for supplies and the bills."

Taylor stood up and nodded to the blonde. "Thank you Emma." Before she could leave Christine stood up as well and pulled her into a hug.

"You take care of yourself as well." Christine ordered her and Taylor just held the woman she'd depended on since she'd gotten here.

…………..

When Emma said she'd arrange something she meant right now, Taylor thought a little surprised, as she took the information down about the plane Emma had arranged for that evening. It had only been four days and Emma had the property prepared, some fake id for everyone, and a plane ready to take them from sunny Miami to Massachusetts. "Uh, Thanks." Taylor looked up at the blonde, feeling a bit awkward.

There had been a time that Taylor loved this woman, in her own world, when this woman wasjust a character in a comic. When Christine met Emma and started to date her Taylor felt betrayed, but said nothing. When things became more serious and Christine started to have Emma stay over Taylor had felt dirty. And when Emma offered to have Christine move in with her, well Taylor had just felt in the way. In all that time Taylor did what she could to avoid being alone with Emma, talking with her, or being around the couple when they were together.

It still wasn't easy, but Taylor tensely gave a short hug to the blonde, for the help, before leaving a little abruptly to give the others their id cards.

They were a tired and sad looking group, Taylor thought as she stepped into the room to see them quietly talking to each other. They were also very overcrowded so this move should help with something. "We can head out tonight." She told them. It almost seemed like an order, so she softened her voice. "Do you guys think you're up for a flight? We could wait."

"We should be okay." Kitty spoke for them while glancing around to see if anyone disagreed. She got nothing but nods, so Taylor felt a bit better. They weren't very healthy looking at all, so she worried. Food and rest may help. And the doctor might be someone worth calling when they get there as well.

………..

The pile of vitamins and pills the doctor had prescribed for the lot was rather large, Taylor thought with a sigh as she endured the strange looks of the pharmacist while Kurt browsed the store for other supplies they might need. Apparently not many people came in with twenty people's prescriptions and a credit card.

Taylor turned away from the busily working pharmacist to look around the store, spotting a tense looking Kurt pushing a cart filled with other supplies. His shoulders slumped a little and it made him look skittish. He'd seemed so confident before they went out in public. If Kitty weren't busy doing internet searches Taylor was pretty sure he would have sent the woman instead.

Taylor noticed a few eyes looking at him, from various other shoppers and he seemed to wilt a little more with each pair of eyes. Shaking her head she moved toward him and when she was next to him she whispered. "You look far too thin, like you've been through hell. That's why they look, not because you're blue." She glanced around and noticed one concerned looking older woman looking at them. "Being a mutant here is rare, but it's seen just like being left handed."

"Fraulin, it's just a lot to adjust to." He turned to stare down at the shelves. "We were not treated very well in our own world. We were hated."

Taylor stared at him, knowing that his appearance would mean he was hated the most. It couldn't have been easy. Taylor leaned into him gently, resting the side of her arm against his, in a small affectionate bump. She gave him a small smile. "Not here. I've seen mutants walking around and never being bothered here. I wouldn't have invited you if I thought you'd be in danger."

"Taylor Jensen." A voice on the loudspeaker called her name and Taylor turned toward the pharmacy.

"Jensen?" Kurt asked quietly.

"My mother's maiden name." Taylor told him quietly. "I couldn't continue to be Christine Taylor when I came here, but I'm all that is left of my world. I wanted my name to mean something. I know it sounds a little odd." Her words trailed off as she walked to the back of the store to pick up the large order.

"It doesn't sound odd at all." Kurt told her, moving along with her. His tone was gentle and he softly touched her arm, stopping her. "I sometimes forget your pain. I'm sorry you were alone fraulin, but you aren't now." She squeezed his hand in thanks, but couldn't talk. She hadn't been completely alone, but now that other people truly understood, well it felt freeing. She didn't have to explain in great detail why she felt it was so important to pick the right name.

If this weren't Emma's card they wouldn't have been able to purchase all of this, Taylor thought as she handed the credit card over. Her double dating the blonde came in handy at times.

Kurt offered to pay with the cash he'd brought with him, but Taylor knew that money had to last. Emma would never run out. Also when Emma had heard that her own double died protecting these people, the teenagers especially, well Emma told Taylor to use the card often.

Kurt took the bag before Taylor could and smiled at her as they made their way out of the store. He even held the door opened for her, which felt a little strange to her. "I'm surprised at how many pills." She muttered as she got into the car with him. "I didn't need anything. I just healed on my own."

"Shapeshifters heal faster." Kurt spoke and Taylor turned to stare at him in a bit of surprised. "And you, well, you go beyond that."

"Shapeshifter?" Taylor asked quietly and Kurt turned toward her, his face turning to surprise.

"You don't know?" He sounded surprised, but Taylor just stared. She'd learned about how her body changed, but no one ever said she was a shapeshifter. "Both Christy's I've met are shapeshifters."

"Oh." Taylor spoke quietly and turned to stare at the dash as she considered that. More power, and a more useful one. She hadn't even known. Shaking her head a little Taylor decided to think about it later and started the car.

……………

"Half of us have doubles and half of us don't." Kitty spoke quietly while putting the files she'd printed out onto the table. Taylor watched as Kurt picked them up and started flipping through them. While he did that, Taylor watched Rogue watch Kitty in concern. It was then that she noticed the tense shoulders the younger woman had as she waited for Kurt to look at her files before reporting in. She could have talked while he looked, but she didn't.

"Oh," Kurt's disgusted voice told Taylor someone's file was not pleasant. She watched as pain and sympathy crossed his face.

"Sharon's double was killed by a drunk driver." Kitty spoke quietly, and Taylor sighed heavily thinking of the purple haired girl that seemed so innocent even after the end of her world.

Kitty apparently felt free to talk because she continued. "Rogue's double is in jail for stealing a car."

Rogue looked up at that and then just nodded, starting to take the sheets of paper that Kurt put down after having read them.

"Kurt never existed here. Mystique died on a mission for the allies in world war two." Taylor's jaw clenched a little at the sadness around the two Darkholme siblings. They'd chosen to take their mothers last name when id was offered, and Taylor understood it wasn't an easy choice for Kurt who hadn't been raised by her. Rogue's existence in this world was tied to the fact she was adopted.

"My double works for the police as a detective. She apparently works against child pornography and pedophiles. She's a web hound." Kitty spoke and Kurt sighed.

"Well, that's a very good career." He spoke up quietly.

"Yeah." Kitty sighed.

"You need each other more than you need your past lives." Taylor spoke softly, thinking of a few people that might want to walk into the vacancy their double's left. Someone had to be in a situation to choose, but none of the people at the table could. Rogue would not be better off pretending to be an ex-con, pretending to be a cop was a very bad idea for Kitty, and Kurt had no double at all.

"I know, but I'd hoped…" Kitty sighed. "It would have been nice to give some people their family back, but clearly it won't work."

"It was a good idea." Kurt told her gently. "And we needed to know."

……………

A month after they'd arrived Taylor was walking slowly along the paths around the mansion, there was no other way to describe Emma's home.

"He likes you." A quiet voice spoke and Taylor looked up to see Rogue moving up next to her.

"What?" Taylor's eyebrows drew together.

"Kurt, he likes yah." Rogue spoke and started to walk so Taylor walked with her. "Yah always invite him when you leave here. Do yah like him too?"

Taylor just slid her eyes to Rogue and stared a moment. This was about Kurt? "He's a nice guy." Taylor muttered and then looked over toward the trees, considering this new complication. She liked talking with him, he was polite, and she found the color blue interesting and soothing. Did he really think she was interested? Could she be, Taylor thought quietly. She'd refused Mark and regretted it. Could she be with a man and feel like it was right? It would be nice to not be alone.

Taylor's eyes trailed over Rogue and she found her answer. She couldn't. She barely spent time with Rogue in comparison, but she'd be much more comfortable with her as a lover. It was enough to tell her she was being desperate again, and she pushed thoughts of changing her sexuality away. "He's a fun guy, he listens." Taylor spoke gently while nibbling on her lower lip during the pause. "But no, I'm not… for a man I think he's very attractive. But I can't see myself." Taylor sighed heavily and moved to sit on a park bench that was placed along the path. "Blue skin and yellow eyes are rather striking, and I like looking, but…"

Rogue shook her head with a small sad half smile on her face. "Momma always did have lousy luck. You like the family traits and she's not here." Taylor's eyebrows drew together in some confusion, but she just decided to ignore the strange comment. "Maybe yah need to tell him that yah aren't the mythical heterosexual Christine sugah. He's been wondering if yah are."

"That's not going to be a fun conversation." Taylor sat back further on the bench with a sigh. After a moment of silence Taylor decided she'd have to have that talk. She could plan it later. "So how have you been doing? Any uncontrollable urges to steal my car?" Taylor smirked just a little at the small jab about Rogue's double and the playful narrowing of Rogue's eyes at her.

…………..

"I will be glad to never take another of these horsepills as long as I live." A teenager said while taking her last dose. Taylor looked at her and then smiled just a little, seeing a healthier looking skin and enough flesh to take away the slightly starved look. The medicine had done a lot of good for the others, they looked better. The doctor said they may be susceptible to disease for a while until their immune system caught up as well, but this was looking good.

Kurt smiled at her and sat down at the table with her, holding his dinner plate in his hands. When she'd talked with him about her interest in him as a friend he'd taken it well and didn't avoid her. She wasn't sure she would have been able to do that if she got the lets be friends speech from someone she was interested in. She'd need a few days to recover at least.

Taylor took another bite of her own meal as she considered how much better she felt. The two months since these people appeared had been, well, happy. Taylor sighed as she considered the cloud she'd lived under, and the shadow she'd lived in. She didn't really miss either, though she did occasionally miss talking with Christine, Kurt filled the confidante role well, and so did Rogue.

The others occasionally saw someone else when they looked at her, Taylor could tell they'd loved their own Christine, or Mrs. Frost-Taylor, as they'd said. The first time Taylor had heard that she'd almost choked, but now it was just a resigned fact that her doubles were lucky in love. She was starting to learn to live with it.

After eating Taylor had errands to run, and this time she was taking Kitty. The woman was determined to spend some of her own money and buy a computer that she wouldn't need to share with people eager to use the internet to learn more about their new home.

It would be interesting to see if the money passed as real. Given how straight laced Kitty was, Taylor was a little surprised that Kitty didn't see what they were about to do as passing counterfeit bills, because those bills weren't made here.

Taylor had no problem with the vague legalness of it all. The world would never know, and the endless universes more than owed it to its displaced residents to take care of them.

…………….

"I've been IM'ing with my double." Kitty spoke quietly as they drove into the parking lot and Taylor felt the air of a confession in the woman's words. "I didn't tell her who I am, but I was curious." Once Taylor had parked in front of the Circuit City she turned to look at Kitty with a sigh.

"We didn't live in this world. It took me a long time to accept that what Christine was able to do with her life, well, I couldn't try to compare it to mine. I still struggle with that at times. She never had to fight for her life like I did." Taylor spoke softly.

"No, no it's not that." Kitty spoke quickly and Taylor was a little embarrassed in her assuming Kitty had the same feelings of inadequacy Taylor fought. "She pretended to be a fourteen year old at first. She said some rather creepy things." Kitty sighed. "Her job is rather sick. She couldn't admit to me what she does, but I started sending her web addresses of sickos I've found. This world overall is peaceful, more peaceful than I've ever seen, but it still has a dark side. Thankfully it's hard to find on the net, makes me think it's at least not rampant." Taylor tilted her head a little. "What she does is important, and I thought I'd help."

"Eventually she may track you down." Taylor spoke gently, understanding the need to work for something meaningful after everything else. "Are you sure she doesn't think you're a predator sending a kid porno?"

"No, I don't think so. She's been subtly asking me things, letting hints drop. I think she knows I know she's a detective and wants to know how I figured it out." Kitty's voice was deeper as she explained the real problem, and it could be one.

"How did you figure her out?" Taylor asked.

"She's using my old IM id." Kitty sighed. "Her computer had my passwords as well."

"You broke into a police officers computer?" Taylor's eyes widened at that. This was a different type of crime than she was used to dealing with.

"I wanted to see who she was." Kitty defended her actions speaking quickly. "I accessed it remotely and covered my tracks. She shouldn't find out."

"Okay." Taylor pulled the keys out of the ignition and turned in her seat a little. "So if she never finds out, you still have to deal with her wanting to know how you know about her and what you might do with that information."

"If it had been me, I would be tearing my hair out wondering where the leak was. I'd want to make sure it wasn't going to ruin my work." Kitty sighed. "I should have thought of that before I contacted her."

Yeah, Taylor thought, you should have. She didn't say any of it though, because she could understand. She'd done some snooping on her own double at times in the beginning, trying to see what type of life she'd had. The difference was that Christine wasn't likely planning to lock her up for it. This other Kitty would be in for a surprise if she actually ever did track her online helper down.

"And this new computer is so you can still help her." Taylor stared into Kitty's eyes and sighed. "Okay. Thanks for the heads up." She smiled weakly and accepted it. Kitty needed to do this, it was obvious in her eyes.

"Thanks." Kitty stared a moment too long and then turned to get out of the car.

……………

"I've been out of school for years, but still when June hits, well it feels like freedom." Taylor spoke softly as she looked out to the tree line from the backyard patio at the beautiful morning. The sound of birds filled the air and it was perfect, just perfect.

"Ya ever think about writing again?" Rogue asked while moving forward to sit at the table, pouring some juice from the pitcher Taylor had brought with her. "You sound poetic."

Taylor gave Rogue a small smile, and wondered if she could write now. If enough time had gone by that exercising her creativity wouldn't pull images of death and pain into her mind. "Maybe someday." Taylor sighed before taking another sip from her own glass. "What about you? Planning to start a garage?" It had been a bit amusing when she'd found out that Rogue was a mechanic, considering why her double was in jail. The love of cars transcended realities.

"Not just yet, but maybe soon. Ah have enough to purchase a building." Rogue smiled just a little. "Momma made sure we all had enough to make a start of it."

"I wish I could have met her." Taylor spoke softly, this not being the first time Rogue said something about the woman with a little pride. Taylor had read a little about Mystique before, and had been a little intrigued, but the side of the woman that Rogue and the others revealed was almost noble. It was not what Taylor had expected.

Taylor didn't burst their bubble by explaining how she made her own portal, or that her double, the one that created the portal that saved the survivors was also powered by death. Chances were that Mystique and that Christy weren't just out scavenging for money while they were away from their home base.

If Taylor could have saved her own tribe that way she would have done it, but she hadn't known it was a possibility.

"My momma would have liked yah." Rogue sighed a bit. "She seemed to like all of you." Taylor's eyebrow rose at being lumped together with yet more doubles.

It was an awkward moment, but Taylor just finished her juice and stood up. "So what's training today?"

"I think you need to progress beyond just changing your hair and eyes." Rogue sat back and studied her. "But Ah do like what you've done with your hair. Red looks nice on you, and that short cut is downright playful." Taylor smiled a little shyly, glad that her change gained approval. Rogue was rather picky about clothes, hair and all. Taylor also liked how it made her look a little more different. People weren't looking at her like she was the dead Christine they loved, and Taylor felt a little more like herself and not an extension of other Christys. Once she decided on an eye color she liked she was going to give up blue eyes as well.

Once Taylor felt she had time to try and learn about her shapeshifting powers, well Rogue was the best they had to teach her. Rogue had lived with a shapeshifter. Occasionally Sharon worked with them, but Sharon turned into a giant purple cat. The girl didn't have the range that Taylor apparently would, and so her advice was rather limited. "Today we could work on something else," Rogue grinned a little as the southerner looked down a little. Taylor blushed once she realized Rogue was looking at Taylor's modest bust size. "Unsnap that bra and lets see if we can make that shirt tight on ya. It'll get you out of speeding tickets."

…………..

Taylor was embarrassed and doing her best to control her blush as Rogue stared at her to try and determine if progress had been made. "You have a cruel streak." Taylor muttered as Rogue moved a little closer to stare at her chest.

"Yes, and you've got some pointers there." Rogue's words made Taylor blush harder. The cool summer breeze went through her tshirt easily, and without a bra, well it gave a slight chill. "But Ah think you've done it."

Taylor just glared at the teasing look in Rogue's eyes while shifting her body back to normal.

Rogue smirked at her and Taylor couldn't help but glance down at Rogue's own bustline, one that was a bit larger than her own even though Rogue was still recovering, and it would doubtlessly become larger as Rogue reached her normal body weight again.

Taylor wished for something clever and biting to say in response to the teasing she'd endured. The sound of water startled her and Taylor turned to the side to stare with wide eyes. "Again?" She muttered as she took a step back while the portal formed in front of them.

A woman's voice spoke, coming towards them. "watch out." It would have been warning enough if the woman didn't suddenly appear. Two women, and Taylor froze as the blue woman shifted position, holding onto the other woman and seemed to toss the other woman away from her. They both crashed on either side of Taylor, leaving Taylor standing still between the two of them, still facing the portal. The blue female managed to land on her feet after an acrobatic tumble, but the other woman fell down hard.

The portal closed and Taylor stared down as a familiar looking woman moved to stand up slowly. Taylor watched as the woman in black pants and a black jacket stood, her hair tied back in a pony tail, and turned to face her. She caught the searching look, and the glance behind her that had Taylor shift to see that the blue woman was staring at her as well.

"So this is clearly not your home." It had to be Mystique, a Mystique. Taylor stared into yellow eyes and thought they really did look like Kurt's.

"I wasn't aiming for home." The other woman spoke and Taylor turned to her, but another voice interrupted the introduction she was about to make.

"Mama?"

Rogue took a tentative step towards them and her hopeful expression actually hurt Taylor, who expected Rogue to be disappointed.

"Rogue?" The blue woman's voice was surprised, and Taylor watched as Mystique moved closer to the woman. "Is it really you?"

"We all ran into the portal like Christy told us to, but Kitty said you were shot. We lost you both." Rogue spoke quickly.

"What did you bring with you?" The new Christy spoke quietly.

Rogue looked puzzled for a moment before she nodded, figuring out why they'd ask. "We all had backpacks, you gave us cash and I had my pictures in the bottom of it." Rogue barely got those words out before she was pulled into a hug and happy tears started to fall.

Taylor just stared as family was reunited, before she caught the soft whimper next to her. She looked over to see her own double, looking a bit like something out of a spy movie with the black fitted outfit and air of mystery smiling with tears on her face at the same time. "I did it." She heard the woman whisper. "I did it."

"You're the Christy they talked about?" Taylor asked quietly, still staring at the blue woman who seemed completely oblivious to them and Rogue who seemed unwilling to let her go. Yet another double, just what Taylor needed, she thought a little bitterly. She became angry inside, but did her best not to show it, because she'd started to build a life with these people, her own double here had understood why she wanted that, but now the survivors would see their Christy and where would that leave Taylor? Why couldn't she ever catch a break?