Chapter 33: Alkali Lake

Logan ran down the hallways of the base. He was gasping for air but he had to reach the other X-Men as soon as possible. He fasted up his pace as he thought of Marie that was with them.

His enchanted hearing heard the breaches of the dam break slowly; the mass of water would soon flow everything and kill everyone that hadn't escaped. He took another deep breath before he continued running towards the scent of Marie that still lingered in the air.

He heard voices in the distance. He sighed in relief and ran faster.

"We have to get to the spillway! It's the only way out!" Storm said to the group, helping professor Xavier. They reached the spillway soon enough, but the water was faster. It was flooding the spillway on a huge speed.

Logan ran faster, through the old hallways. They weren't as new as the ones that formed the main base and they had a different exit.

An exit not easily found. Just when the X-Men wanted to go in the spillway, Logan snapped the controlling device, making the doors shut in front of their eyes.

All their glances were turned to Logan as he was gasping for air.

"You don't want to go that way...Trust me." He looked at Rogue, she was smiling and happy to know he was safe.

The water reached the door and busted through slowly. Logan retracted his claws and kept looking at Rogue's eyes.

"Come on! There's another way out of here! We must hurry or we're all wet!"

The dam continued to breach as the X-men used the other exit to escape from the soon to be flooded base. They all ran to the place that the helicopter stood. Rogue fell on her knees from exhaustion and Logan picked her up in bridal style.

"The helicopter was right here!" He yelled disbelieving. All that they could see was snow and lots of it. The dam was about to break when they looked up and saw the blackbird flying over their heads. It landed just a little further and they ran towards it as soon as they could.

Logan shared a knowing glance with Jean before he smiled at Rogue and kissed her forehead. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and closed her eyes, trying to forget it all.

When everybody was entering the blackbird, Logan looked through the trees and then back at the plane.

Rogue raised her head, wondering why he had stopped. She looked at him and then followed his gaze.

"It's okay Bobby, it's okay, and you can let go now, let go." Storm looked at the young boy and smiled. John quickly sat on his place in the blackbird, smiling at his best friend in a way that said, "I'm back and I'm not leaving." Bobby shook his head and looked around.

"Where are Logan and Rogue?"

Logan carried Rogue and walked towards an old wall. Stryker was chained to it, the chains all over him. He looked at Logan and Rogue that was almost sleeping in his arms.

"Who has the answers Wolverine? Them? That girl in your arms?"

Logan and Rogue looked at each other and Rogue silently gave him his dog tags. She smiled at him and then turned her glare at Stryker who was looking at the both of them. He tossed his dog tags in the cold snow and glanced at Rogue, shifting her better in his arms.

"I'll take my chances with her and the rest of them." Logan started to walk away and ignoring the yells he received from Stryker.

"One day! Someone will finish what I've started Wolverine! One day!" Rogue looked over Logan's shoulder and glared, she kissed Logan in his neck and saw his lips form a smile when she did this.

"We need to get to Washington. I feel this is going beyond Alkali Lake." Professor X said quietly. Scott looked at him and understood what he was saying. He started the jet and lowered the ramp for Logan and Rogue who entered it quickly, trying to get out of the cold of the snow.

"You okay?" Rogue asked silently when he placed her on a bench. He looked straight in her eyes and nodded "I am now."

She kissed him softly on the lips before he left to the front of the plane. The dam breached and Jean looked around. She knew there was only one way to save them; she knew there was only one way to make sure they survived all of this.

She looked at Scott with tears in her eyes and limped out of the plane before anyone could see that she was gone. The professor looked behind her and asked for Jean.

"Where's Jean?"

"She's outside..."

Scott tried to get her back inside but she closed the ramp before he could do anything. The motors started to work when she was limping to the front of the Blackbird. Scott turned around. "No! We're not leaving without her! Lower the ramp!"

The water came faster and faster, Jean looked back at the Jet with tears in her eyes. She knew that this was the only way. She hated herself for doing this to Scott and the rest of the team, the rest of her family.

But she had too. It was the only way. The water came towards her. She controlled the jet from the outside, making sure that they couldn't leave. She stopped the water that came towards them with a rapid speed.

"She's controlling the jet."

"You! Get her now!" Logan said to Nightcrawler. He tried to transport out of the plane but failed.

"She's not letting me." He said softly.

Jean looked at the water and then back to the plane. Her eyes met those from Storm and Storm tried to get the plane back on the ground, they would not leave her there to die. Not that way. Scott looked outside to Jean. She had to come inside, she just had to. He couldn't loose her.

"I know what I'm doing. This is the only way." Professor X said softly, breaking the silence in the jet.

"Jean? Please, don't do this." Scott was close to tears, but refused to let them fall.

"Goodbye."

Professor X fell out of his daze and tears came in his eyes when he knew that Jean was sacrificing herself for the rest of the team. He tried to contact her telepathic but she refused, shielding her thoughts from him.

The Blackbird flew up, above the water level. Jean looked at them with tears in her eyes. A golden glow surrounded her. She finally closed her eyes and lowered her arms, letting the water flow over her.

Logan looked with tears in his eyes and whispered softly "She's gone."

"Don't you say that!" Scott's tears finally fell down his cheeks." We have to get her back."

"She's gone!"

"No!" Scott refused to believe it. His head fell on Logan's shoulder, crying for Jean. Everyone in the jet was quiet, not believing that Jean was dead.

Logan's eyes filled with tears, just like Storms and everybody else's.

"For god is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me lie down in green pastures. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me."

Nightcrawler closed his eyes slowly and let a tear fall down his blue cheeks. Everyone was quiet in the jet and slowly, they flew to Washington. The loss was still fresh, but they had a job to do first. Even though everybody hated it.

In Washington, the president was just about to give its speech when the Xmen entered his office. Thunder was at the sky and nobody was moving. Storms eyes were white as snow.

"Good morning Mr. President." The president looked at the people in his office. Nightcrawler smiled and waved softly at him.

"Please, don't be alarmed, we're not going to harm anyone."

"Who are you people?"

"We're mutants, my name is Charles Xavier; please sit down."

"I'd rather stand." The president said coldly.

Rogue came forward with a map, full of the plans from William Stryker. The president looked at the map, curious.

"These files were taken from the private offices of William Stryker"

"How did you get this?"

"Let's just say I know a little girl who can walk through walls." Nightcrawler laughed and looked down

Rogue, Bobby and John each stood side by side, all three of them in their Xmen uniform. They each managed a small smile at each other, but tears were in their eyes. Slowly, the president sat down.

"I've never seen this information." He declared softly

"I know."

"So you also know that I do not respond to threats?" He looked at Professor Xavier

"This is not a threat, this is an opportunity. There are forces in this world, mutant and human alike, who believe a war is coming. You will see from those files, that some have already tried to start one. And there have been casualties, losses on both sides."

"Mr. President. What you're about to tell the world is true, this is a moment. A moment to repeat the mistakes of the past, or to work together for a better future. We're here to stay Mr. President. The next move is yours. We'll be watching."

Everything turned back to normal, the lights went back on and the cameras. The people started moving again. The president looked at the files on his desk and continued with his speech.

"Why did she do it? Why did she leave the plane?"

"Because she made a choice."

After a soft knock on the door, students entered the room. Logan kissed Rogue softly before he and Scott left the room.

"Listen Scott…she did make a choice…it was you…I made a choice too. Rogue."

Scott smiled and nodded softly at Logan before he left the hallway. Logan took a deep breath and made his way to the kitchen. He needed something to drink…

"Is everything alright Professor?" Rogue asked

"Yes, I think it will be." Professor X smiled at Rogue and continued his lesson.

R&R please..reviews make me smile and I cannot lie...