MOIRA: "Rogue? I need to get you treated."
ROGUE: "Is she going to be all right?"
MOIRA: (sighs) "I don't know. She's been placed into a deep coma."
Rogue stares at Carol a moment and she sadly lowers her head. Moira looks at Rogue in concern, as she puts gloves on over her hands.
MOIRA :"I'll let you know if there's any change. We'll keep watch over her condition. Now, please go to your bed and I'll get you treated."
Rogue nods and walks off to her bed beside Carol's. Rogue removes her long-sleeved top, wearing a black bra underneath. Rogue pauses and looks at her arms in shock.
ROGUE: "Oh, no."
Moira looks at Rogue, as she hurries to a mirror on the side wall. Rogue looks at her reflection. Her physique is now as fit as an athlete, with the muscles of her arms and stomach visibly toned. To put it simply, Rogue is now ripped. Rogue sadly stares at her reflection a moment. Tears form in Rogue's eyes and she lowers her head. Moira looks at Rogue and then at the dried slashes in her back.
MOIRA: "It'll be okay. Come on. I'll help you."
Rogue pauses and looks at Moira.
In the X-Mansion's living room, Bobby and Gambit sit at a table, playing cards and both dressed in normal clothes. Gambit is wearing his trench coat over his clothes, as always. Gambit turns and notices Logan walk in, wearing a tank top and jeans.
LOGAN: "Well, this is a sight. You two sitting together by choice."
BOBBY: "We thought we'd pass the time together while we wait to hear about Rogue. How are Kitty and Dr. McCoy?"
LOGAN: "Beast is fine. He's already gotten his shoulder bandaged. Piotr's upstairs with Kitty now. He's bringing her up a small feast after Autumn drained her back there."
GAMBIT: "How is Rogue?"
LOGAN: "She's fine. It's just a few cuts. It should heal up and at worst just leave some scars."
GAMBIT: "That ain't what I meant."
Logan pauses and walks over to Gambit and Bobby.
LOGAN: "I ain't going to lie to you. It seems pretty bad."
BOBBY: "What happened?"
LOGAN: "When Jean restored Rogue to normal back there, she detected Carol's presence inside her... along with six other people. When Apocalypse decided to sic Rogue on the guards back at the Senate building, she left six of them dead after touching them and absorbed their memories."
Bobby and Gambit exchange concerned looks and then look at Logan.
GAMBIT: "For how long?"
LOGAN: "We don't know. The Professor and Jean are going to help her with their telepathy, try to keep things normal for Rogue again. She's got a lot to adjust to."
BOBBY: "What about Dr. Grey? Is she all right?"
LOGAN: "She's upstairs, resting."
BOBBY: "Don't you want to see her?"
Logan pauses and glances at Bobby.
LOGAN: "She's with Scott in their old room. After all that's happened, I don't think now is the time to interrupt their reunion." (beat) "I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything about Rogue."
Logan rises from his seat and walks out of the room, as Gambit looks back at his poker cards.
Upstairs in the X-Mansion, Scott sits on a bed in his bedroom, wearing a yellow shirt under an open blue jacket, blue pants and his sunglasses with red ruby-quartz lenses. He looks at Jean, as she lies asleep on their bed and with a blanket tucked over her. Scott stares at Jean in concern and wipes the hair from her face. Scott glances at Jean, then he pauses and turns to the open doorway. Xavier looks in from the hall and looks at Scott.
XAVIER: "May I come in?"
Scott nods and turns back to Jean. Xavier wheels into the room and stops beside Scott.
XAVIER: "She'll be all right, you know."
SCOTT: (beat) "I know."
XAVIER: "It's hard to believe that Essex was able to resurrect her. Such a thing seems so unreal, impossible."
SCOTT: "Lately I've come to find that nothing surprises me anymore."
XAVIER: "I can understand why. Your brother is alive. Jean is alive, for a second time. You have a fresh start with all of them. I am very happy for you."
Scott stares at Jean a moment and he nods.
SCOTT: "Thank you, sir."
XAVIER: "I'm relieved to see Jean is back to normal again. It's nice to see you both are alive and well."
SCOTT: "Is she normal again?"
XAVIER: "I know you must have your doubts, Scott. You were almost broken down cell by cell and disintegrated by the very woman you love."
Scott lowers his head, tensing. Xavier eyes Scott in concern.
XAVIER: "Now that my powers are back, I had scanned Jean's mind on our way back to the mansion. There is no trace of her Phoenix persona. It must have died when she did." (beat) "It is nice to see her again. I'm happy she's alive."
SCOTT: "It sounds a bit odd to hear that coming from you, considering that she did disintegrate you, cell by cell."
Xavier pauses and looks at Scott. Scott turns to Xavier.
SCOTT: "And now you're back, in a body identical to your own. But not your own. He was brain dead, yes, but this was someone else and yet you've made it your body. This was the person you yourself asked what would be the ethical right choice to do about patients like him and now you are him."
XAVIER: "I know you're upset and hurt. You have every right to be."
SCOTT: "What did you expect, Professor? A warm hug? A welcome back with open arms? The things you've done..."
Scott looks away and at Jean.
SCOTT: "You didn't tell me. All these years, after what you did to her... what you caused. I told you I heard Jean's voice in my head after she died, after what happened at the military base in Alkali Lake. You did nothing. I went to Alkali Lake for myself and..." (beat) "I almost died. People did die. She disintegrated all those people. Jean has to live with that for the rest of her life. You didn't see the look on her face when she saw me for the first time in Essex's place... or what her expression changed to when she remembered the destruction and deaths she was responsible for."
Xavier pauses and looks at Scott.
XAVIER: "I did what I thought was best for Jean, Scott. I made a mistake. If I had known..."
SCOTT: (interrupts) "Don't, Professor. Please." (beat) "Just don't."
Xavier pauses a moment and then he nods at Scott.
XAVIER: "Alex is down the hall in his room with Lorna, if you'd like to check on him later."
SCOTT: "We're having breakfast in the morning. I told him I was staying watch over Jean tonight, taking care of her." (beat) "I'm sure you already knew I was thinking that by now."
Xavier shakes his head.
XAVIER: "No, Scott. I have a second chance with my powers. I've decided to use it when absolutely necessary...and to use better judgment on deciding when that time is right."
Scott stares at Jean a moment and lowers his head. Xavier turns and wheels out of the room. Scott pauses and turns around, as Xavier shuts the door behind him.
Down the hall in the X-Mansion, in Kitty's bedroom, Kitty sits up on her bed. She is wearing a T-shirt and jeans and her blanket tucked over her. Two bowls with crumbs of food are by her bed, as well as a plate of bread crumbs. Piotr walks into the room, wearing a tank top and jeans. Piotr holds a bowl of Ramen noodles in his hands.
PIOTR: "I have gotten you another bowl of noodles, Katya. Would you like anything else?"
KITTY: "No, thanks. You've already done enough for me, Pete."
Piotr smiles and hands the bowl to Kitty.
PIOTR: "I do not mind helping you get better, Katya. I am just sorry you were so worn out by Autumn's touch."
Kitty wraps some noodles around with her fork and she stops, turning to Piotr.
KITTY: "I can't believe she turned out to be a traitor. All this time, she was just here to locate Rogue and Warren."
PIOTR: "Yes, well, there was no way we could have known this would happen."
KITTY: "True. But I can't believe it was so easy for them to get in. This place really needs better security."
Kitty eats a forkful of noodles and Piotr nods at her.
PIOTR: "Yes, it does. But we did trust her. There is no way we could have known she was a spy for Essex."
KITTY: "True. Speaking of which, I never did get a chance to thank you for helping me. It was rather chivalrous of you to get Autumn off of me like that."
PIOTR: "It was no big deal."
Kitty stops eating a moment and lowers her forkful of noodles back into her bowl.
KITTY: "It is to me. I might've ended up in worse shape if you hadn't gotten to me. I appreciate you taking me to the jet and staying with me."
Piotr nods and holds Kitty's hand.
PIOTR: "Well, I will always be there for you when you need me, Katya."
Kitty looks at Piotr's hand and then at him. Piotr realizes what he's done and shyly pulls his hand back.
PIOTR: "Sorry. I was just... I mean, I was concerned about..."
Kitty smiles and holds Piotr's hand. Piotr looks at Kitty's hand and then he looks at her.
KITTY: "Thank you."
Piotr looks at Kitty with a soft smile.
KITTY: "Well, I guess I can consider myself fortunate. Most girls want a knight in shining armor. I get a knight made of shining armor."
Piotr grins and his skin reverts to the metal form of Colossus. Kitty's lips curl up in an amused smile and she CHUCKLES.
Elsewhere, in Beast's bedroom, Beast holds his cell phone to his ear, dressed in a business suit with a black tie.
BEAST: "I understand, Mr. President. I am relieved you and everyone else got away safely. But after what's happened, we need to get back to the subject at hand." (long pause) "Mr. President, two of those mutants were my friends. They were abducted, tortured and brainwashed into attacking the hearing." (beat) "No. No, I don't have any proof of how they were brainwashed. Not yet. But I was told where they were taken to. I can get the proof I need there."
The door opens from behind and Warren looks into the room, dressed in a sweater and jeans. His metal wings are folded back. Beast pauses, listening to the phone.
BEAST: "I know this looks bad, but when we resume the hearing about the issue, I'm sure we can..." (beat) "What?"
Beast pauses for several seconds, listening. Beast looks stunned by the news and he turns his head aside.
BEAST: "Mr. President, I don't think that is such a good idea. If that's what..."
Beast stops, listening for several seconds. Warren looks at Beast in concern, as he pauses and listens for several more seconds. Beast lowers his head. Beast heaves a SIGH and looks defeated.
BEAST: "I understand." (beat) "Yes, I will, Mr. President." (beat) "All right. Good bye."
Beast hangs up the cell phone and shakes his head.
WARREN: "How are you?"
Beast turns and notices Warren in the doorway.
BEAST: "Hello, Warren. I'm fine. Please, come in."
Warren nods and walks into the room.
WARREN: "How's your shoulder?"
BEAST: "It's a little sore, but I'll be all right."
Warren stops before Beast and looks at him nervously.
WARREN: "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."
BEAST: "There's no reason for you to apologize, Warren. You weren't yourself. You were brainwashed."
Warren lowers his head and pauses.
WARREN: "I killed them, Hank. I killed some of those secret service men back there. I could've killed you and all those people back there."
BEAST: "But you're back to normal now. Since Xavier knows where you and the others were being kept, we're going to get the devices we need from there to prove your innocence."
WARREN: "My innocence went away with my wings, Hank. After what Apocalypse did to me, to Rogue..."
Warren's metal wings unfurl and Warren looks at Beast sadly.
WARREN: "I used these to kill innocent people back there, and I tried to kill all of you. I... I don't know if I should stay here. If I do, I might only make things worse, if I haven't already."
BEAST: "What do you mean?"
WARREN: "You sounded pretty upset on the phone when I stepped in to check on you. What's happened?"
Beast pauses a moment and then he stands up.
BEAST: "The Senate hearing will take place tomorrow at an undisclosed location in Washington. In light of what's happened tonight, I have been told not to attend the hearing. They feel it would go easier if my presence wasn't there to interfere with the other Senators' decision on the proposal."
Warren turns away, upset.
WARREN: "I knew it. If I hadn't been there with the others..." (beat) "I'm sorry, Hank."
BEAST: "It was nothing you did, Warren. You're not to blame for what's happened. However, we still are unable to find out what did happen to those responsible while Jean took care of Apocalypse."
WARREN: "Where do you think Sinister and his men could be now?"
BEAST: "I don't know. I'm certain the Professor will be using Cerebro to pick up any sign of them, now that he has his powers back. But since Xavier had difficulty reading Apocalypse's mind back there, whether or not they can even be detected is another matter."
At dawn, an old, abandoned warehouse stands in the middle of an old business plaza.
APOCALYPSE: "What of Omega Red?"
Essex stands in the large empty office of the warehouse, with Apocalypse and Famine standing before him. His wounds have mostly healed since his previous encounter with Cyclops.
ESSEX: "I saw on the news that the authorities moved the rubble away and got Omega Red out. He was found frozen in a block of ice and taken back into custody."
APOCALYPSE: "Going where? Back to Russia?"
ESSEX: "I don't know, sir. I doubt it."
APOCALYPSE: "And what of Sage and Mystique?"
ESSEX: "Sage is on another assignment for me at the moment. However, I haven't heard from Mystique yet. Considering her debt to us has been paid, it's questionable if she'll even return."
APOCALYPSE: "Whether she does or not, it doesn't matter. We can always recruit other pawns for our cause."
ESSEX: "What about the X-Men? Shall we go back and reclaim our Horsemen?"
APOCALYPSE: "They are no longer worthy of being at my side. I have other plans in mind for the X-Men, when the time comes. For now, I have other matters to attend to."
That morning, back in the X-Mansion, Logan lies asleep on his bed, with his blanket tucked over him. Logan rolls over onto his side, tensing.
Logan's dream goes back to the security compound, years ago. Logan limps down the far hall towards young Carol, with his leather top shredded and stained with blood. Logan's body, however, doesn't have a scratch on it, whatever injuries he had have long since healed on their own.
YOUNG CAROL: "Logan!! Are you all right? What happened?"
LOGAN: "Had to finish some business with Omega Red."
YOUNG CAROL: "Where is he?"
LOGAN: "I put 'im on ice. Knocked him back into the suspended animation tank and froze him solid. What about our buddy?"
YOUNG CAROL: "I don't know. I lost him during a fight with the guards."
Logan stops and sniffs the air. Logan pauses and turns to his left.
LOGAN: "Oh, crap."
YOUNG CAROL: "What?"
LOGAN: "That way. I can smell his blood."
Logan hurries down the hall with young Carol following after him. They stop, as the Agent limps down the hall, with blood flowing from cuts in his leg. The agent goes towards a tall, muscular soldier dressed like Logan and Carol.
LOGAN: "It's okay. Vic's got him."
AGENT: "Hey! Can you get me out of here? The soldiers are waiting for us!"
The agent turns around, though still seen from behind. The soldier, VIC, shows his face to the Agent, but all we see is his scruffy blond hair.
VIC: "My mission is to take care of you. That's exactly what I'm gonna do."
Vic quickly grabs the Agent by the throat and lifts him up off the ground, showing his claw-like nails.
AGENT: (gasps) "What... what're..." (gags) "Wh--"
LOGAN: "What're you doing?"
Vic's grip tightens, crushing down tighter on the Agent's throat. Logan and Carol hurry over to the Agent, just as Vic snaps his neck.
LOGAN: "NO!"
Vic drops the Agent to the floor, dead before he hits the ground. Logan looks up at Vic, as he glances at Logan. The face of "Vic" is actually that of VICTOR CREED, a.k.a. SABRETOOTH. Sabretooth looks at Logan and Carol with an evil grin.
SABRETOOTH: "Mission accomplished."
Logan quickly awakens and sits up on his bed, startled. Logan rubs the back of his neck and lifts his head up.
LOGAN: (sighs) "No way."