Dark Dawn

Chapter four: You Gotta Go There To Come Back

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men or any other related material. It belongs to Marvel and Fox. I do not make any money on this.

"Ready?"

"Yeah… yeah I'm ready! Let's go!"

Remy came into Scott's room, just before noon. Scott hadn't slept, but he wasn't feeling tired. He had that old feeling he used to get before he boarded the X-jet to go on a mission. He wasn't nervous, he hardly ever was, but it was still a tingling feeling of nervous excitement. He knew, what they were going to do was dangerous, but he was also sure that they could handle it, and his head was filled with plans and strategies.

He got out of bed, and looked down at the clothes Remy had given him, some days earlier. Scott had gotten tired of the white hospital robe he had woken up in, when he was resurrected.

Together the men stepped out into the hallway. People didn't think them suspicious, and their way was without trouble until the big man, called Blockbuster, asked them what they were doing.

"Jus' taking the guy to 'is re'ab" Remy said without hesitating, and hoped Blockbuster would let them go. And so he did.

When they finally arrived at one of the many doors, the one that wasn't buried under water, Remy told Scott to wait behind a corner until he came back.

Remy went past the guards and outside, where he found his motorcycle and prepared it for their escape. He knew that as soon as they tried to fight their way out, all hell would break loose, and they would need a quick escape. When Remy came back, Scott was still waiting for him. Scott didn't question where he had been, so they moved on.

The guards were not easy to defeat, but it feel good to finally fight again, Scott thought, even though he had to do it without his blast.

It is a funny thing how we can judge a change as a curse, which wrecks your life, and then when you lose it, you realize that it was actually better than what you had before. Man has a long history of always wanting what he doesn't have.

Remy was a very skilled fighter, which helped Scott a lot. Finally the big guards were knocked out, but not before they had hit the alarm. Scott and Remy hurried out the door, where Remy lead them to his motorcycle. Remy started it, while Scott got on and soon they were on the way.

When they had driven for a few miles, Scott noticed something: "Hey! This is my motorcycle!"

"No way, mon ami! T'is is mine! I found it!" Remy said and slowed down a little.

"You found it?" Scott said, and Remy nodded, "Where?"

"At the lake"

"Of course you did, because I put it there when I came—" Scott looked back, at the sunbathed lake getting smaller and smaller. He never wanted to go back to that place. He turned around again and said: "Look at the side; there should be an 'x' on the side."

Remy looked down at the side of the fuel tank, with one eye on the road. "Yes, and so what?"

"Do you think that's standard for every Harley?"

"Non, but I thought dat it was cool, so I didn't worry about it."

"Well, it stands for Xavier's school for gifted youngsters."

"Oh, so it is your bike!"

"Yes!"

"Well, it's mine now!" Remy said with a mischievous smile.

X

"Are you sure about this mr. Trask?"

"Yes" Trask, the secretary of defense said.

"But the president said… Hank McCoy, he's…"

"The president isn't here, and neither is McCoy!" said Trask, with an annoyed tone.

"But—" his assistant, Graydon Creed was hesitant about his boss' new plan. Even though he hated the mutants, he didn't hate the authorities, and was afraid that their idea might not be quite legal.

"Please! If you don't have anything better to do, then go away!" Trask said, and looked his blueprints through again. Around him, there were a whole bunch of people working on some kind of machine. They were welding, bolting and cutting. Whatever they were building, would be enormous.

Creed did as his boss said, and went outside. When he returned, he had an even more nervous look on his face. Trask was still bent over his blueprints in deep concentration.

"Mr. Trask."

Trask looked up.

"It's the president. He wants to talk to you." Creed said.

Trask quickly threw his blueprints in a drawer and hurried out of the big workshop. Creed followed him, and told him the president was waiting for him upstairs, in the office.

"Good evening, Mr. President." Trask said, with his most formal tone.

"Good evening." The President said with a stern look on his face.

"My assistant says, you want to talk to me. Can I offer you anything? Coffee? Tea? Something stronger?"

"No thanks. Your assistant is right. I do want to talk to you. My sources tell me that you are planning to build some form of mutant killing machine" the President said concerned. "Please tell me it isn't true"

Trask to his time to ponder what to answer. He went to his bar and pulled out a small bottle. He poured the liquid into a small glass, and emptied it.

"Trask?"

"Ah yes. I am sorry to say, that your 'sources' are right. But I do not wish to kill the mutants. It is merely a defensive weapon against hostile mutants, like Eric Lensherr. You saw what happened at Alcatraz. I'm merely trying to prevent it from happening again." Trask finally said.

The President put his hands to his face. "Do you have any idea, how the mutant community will react to this?"

"They will never know."

"The people know everything! Nothing in this world can be kept a secret as long as the media exist!" The President was clearly angry.

"Mr. President"

"For all I know, this could turn into another Ausburg!!" the President yelled.

"Mr. President, I will never allow that to happ—"

"That's what they all say! But as soon as that machine is out there, we have lost all control, and you know that!" The President gathered himself and said in his normal voice "You will have ended this project by the end of this week, or it will be the end of your career. Understood?"

"Of course Mr. President"

X

Friday at 6 pm, Lorna and Tessa were helping their best friend get prepared for her date. Betsy had been trying on clothes since after dinner. Now that they had finally found the right attire, they were doing her make-up and hair. Betsy had been looking forward to the date, since the day it was arranged. She had been scouting out good restaurants and other places they could go, and now she had the whole evening planned.

"I can't believe you're going out with Warren Worthington! You're so lucky!" Lorna said, while straightening Betsy's long hair.

Betsy knew Lorna only meant that, because Warren had money, but she didn't care. She had fallen for him, and whatever the rest of the world thought of her wasn't important.

"When was the last time you were on a date?" Betsy asked

"Gosh, I don't know! Six months maybe… Ever since I broke up with Sean, I haven't really been able to go out."

Lorna had been dating Sean Cassidy, a fellow student, almost since she came to the school. Half a year ago he had broken up with her and since that, she had almost been celibate.

"I'm not even going to ask you when you were on a date" said Betsy and smiled at Tessa.

Tessa was a dating expert. She was a very beautiful girl, with long wavy black hair, blue eyes and a body to die for and not afraid to show it, so of course she was adored among the guys at school. She was really intelligent too, being a human computer and all, and of course, guys that age love computers.

"Actually I haven't been on a date since Saturday!" Tessa said, slightly insulted by the insinuation that she was always dating. Even though she knew, Betsy was right.

"Anyway! Lorna and I are not the subject here. Our biggest problem right now is making you look like a million bucks!" Tessa said.

"But that's only pocket change for Warren" said Lorna

"You know what I mean!" Tessa said and hit Lorna playfully with a hairbrush.

About two hours later, Betsy was finally ready. And she looked stunning. Since she was also going flying with Warren, Betsy had ditched her previously chosen skirt for a pair of blue jeans. She was wearing a light green low cleavage shirt and a black leather jacket. She was wearing the all-stars-shoes that she always wore. She didn't want to feel too dressed up, but she still wanted to feel pretty. Normally she didn't care much about fashion or clothes, but at special occasions she wanted to look her best, which was why she had asked her two friends for help, because she was clueless when it came to putting clothes together.

In another room, Warren was now also ready for the date. He didn't have the luxury of helpful friends, but on the other hand, it wasn't really something guys did. He hadn't really known what kind of date it was, so he wore a nice baby blue button-down shirt and jeans. He was about to open the door, when Betsy opened it.

"Oh bugger! I should have knocked, shouldn't I?" Betsy said nervously.

"No, it's alright. Wow! You look amazing" Warren said, and blushed when he realized he had said the last part out loud.

"Why thank you. That's what I was going for" Betsy smiled "You look quite handsome yourself"

Warren just blushed even more. "Sha-shall we go?"

X

After driving for some hours, Scott and Remy stopped at a diner. They ate and drove on. They didn't say much, but inside they were both very happy to finally be free. Late at night they stopped for gas, and found a small motel. They found two rooms, and Scott went to bed immediately. He was feeling strangely tired and he had a migraine. Remy went off somewhere to find some girls or something.

Scott woke up in the middle of the night from a bad dream. But reality seemed to become worse that the dream. As Scott opened his eyes, a red energy beam shot out of his eyes. Out of old habit Scott closed his eyes immediately, but too late. The damage was done. Scott, of course, couldn't see it, but there was a big hole where the ceiling used to be. A few minutes later, Remy and some other curious people knocked on the door to see, what was going on.

"Mon dieu!" said Remy and ran to Scott's side "W'at 'appened?"

"My eyes… my powers are back!" Scott said with his hands over his eyes.

"Okay, we're outta 'ere!" Remy said and grabbed Scott's arm. Remy led him towards the door, where terrified onlookers were blocking the way "Move people!" Remy shouted "Blind man coming through!"

With some trouble Remy and Scott managed to get out of the motel, when they heard police sirens.

"Merde! The cops!" Remy said, and pulled Scott with him to the motorcycle.

Soon they were far away from the motel and the police. Scott held Remy's jacket tightly, his eyes still squeezed shut.

"So what's the deal, compain? You can't control your… whatever that was?"

"Energy beams. No, I can't control it. When I was little, I was involved in a plane crash." Scott said, reminiscing old traumas "My parachute caught fire and I landed on my head, damaging the art of my brain that was supposed to control my powers. My energy beams come from the sunrays. I guess now that I'm outside again, and my body being able to absorb the sunrays, my powers are back."

"Annoying, huh?" Remy said "The plane crash: Were there any other people?"

"Yeah… my parents and my little brother. My parents gave the last parachute to us, and we never saw them again. My little brother and I ended up in an orphanage. He was quickly adopted, but nobody wanted a brain-damaged kid, so I stayed there until I could escape."

"I'm sorry" Remy said sincerely. The man had first lost his parents, then his brother, and now his wife. Remy was sure that setting Scott free, had to be a good thing. And that scared him a bit, because he could not recall the last time, he had done something good.

"It's alright! It was a long time ago…" Scott said, but Remy could hear the pain in his voice. "Just get me to Westchester as soon as possible!" Scott really needed a new pair of sunglasses, so he could see again without destroying everything.

X

"So where do you wanna go?" Warren asked his date, as they were sitting in his car; a silver Mercedes-Benz.

"I dunno. Not too fancy!" Betsy said.

"Great!" Warren smiled "I'm getting pretty tired of caviar"

Betsy smiled, glad that Warren could finally relax a little.

"Oh! I know a fantastic place in downtown Westchester. It kinda small, but their lasagnas are amazing!" Betsy said, and gave Warren the directions.

Betsy had been right. The lasagnas very truly amazing, Warren thought.

"Why are people staring at us?" Betsy asked Warren, as she looked around the small restaurant.

"Because I'm the millionaire heir to the industrial throne, and I hardly ever get out" Warren said, looking annoyed. "Whenever people can get a glimpse of me, it's like manna from Heaven or something."

"So I guess there's a backside to the gold-medal, huh?"

"There definitely is" Warren said "But at least it allows me to be a gentleman and pay for dinner."

Two paparazzi came in through the doors, while Warren asked for the check.

"Mr. Worthington! Who's the girl? A fiancée, perhaps? When's the wedding? What's her name?" they asked, while clicking their cameras desperately.

Warren quickly paid the check, and dragged Betsy out of the restaurant. They hid in a small alley, while waiting for the paparazzi to go away. Warren held her closely, and she rather enjoyed it, but as soon as he realized what he was doing, he pulled away.

"Sorry about that. This wasn't a very good idea…" Warren apologized.

"What do you mean? I'm having a great time. Don't you get it? I love spending time with you." Betsy said and leaned closer to Warren "I don't care if we're being chased by paparazzi or just working together in class. Whenever I'm with you, I feel great. To be really corny, I'd almost say I feel complete."

"Wow!" was all Warren could say "All of this doesn't bother you?"

"Of course it bothers me, but it not like I can change it, right? You are who you are, but I don't care if you're a gazillionaire, or just Warren from school. As long as you're some kind of Warren. Now stop complaining and take me flying!"

X

"… and then I ended up in high school in California." Scott told Remy at a gas station. "At prom night, my powers emerged and I was on the run again. After some time Charles Xavier found me, and brought me to his school. At the time, I was the only student, but as the number of mutants increased, the number of student also increased, and it quickly became the school it is today."

Scott was consistently squeezing his eyes shut, so he didn't hurt anyone, but it was starting to become quite painful.

"Do you 'ave any idea of where we're going?" Remy asked.

"Some. Do you?" Even with his eyes closed, Scott's sense of direction was uncanny.

"I suppose you'd like t'go back to y'school, right?"

"Yes, but where do you want to go. Do you have anywhere to go?"

"Non, not really…" Remy said, and pulled out his wallet. It was stolen, but Scott didn't know that.

"You're always welcome at Xavier's." Scott said.

"Some'ow I don' t'ink an upstate New York prep school is the place for Remy. Uh-uh" Remy said shaking his head. "Excusez-moi!" he said and went inside to pay.

Scott didn't like sitting alone on the motorcycle, but obviously didn't have a choice. Over the years he had become used to living without his sight, and he had learned to trust his other sense, quite like 'normal' blind people. Scott always hated being helpless, so sometimes (mostly when he was alone), he would walk around the mansion without his glasses, training his other senses. Experience had showed him that his enemies had found a liking in used his one weakness; his eyes.

"So, as I was saying" Remy said, when he came back to the motorcycle "I' afraid I don' fit in in your fancy school."

"And as I said before; you are always welcome." Scott said, and Remy shook his head, and started the engine.

X

"What are you doing, handsome?" Kitty said, as she sat down on the sofa in the drawing room, next to Peter. He was sketching, but quickly closed his sketchbook.

"Nothing special. Just doodling" Peter said "So, what do you want for your birthday?"

"Nothing special." Kitty returned "You don't have to give me anything."

"Of course I do! After you gave me those brushes for my birthday, I'm afraid I might have to give you a diamond ring." Peter said. He already knew what he was going to give her, but was trying to divert her.

"Stop it! I gave you those brushes, because you deserved them. And because I destroyed the other ones" she said, with a nervous smile. Peter has wanted to teach her how to paint, and she had destroyed half of his very expensive paint brushes by not washing them afterwards.

"And you don't deserve a diamond ring?"

"No…! I haven't been a very good friend to you, but I'm gonna change that"

"Sounds exciting!" Peter said "And how are you going to change it?"

"Well … I haven't really thought that out yet" she chuckled. "Uhm… How are you feeling today?"

"I'm quite good. Yourself?"

"I'm great, except this new English teacher, Betsy's brother, is a total borezilla!" Kitty sighed "I still miss Xavier."

"We all do." Peter said, then got an idea "C'mon! Let's go!"

"Go where?" Kitty asked confused, but Peter just took her hand a dragged her to the garage. He opened one the cars, then hurried to the cabinet after the keys. When he came back, Kitty had already seated herself in the passenger seat. He got in, started the engines, and they took off.

When they came back, it was already dark, since the winter was approaching. Peter was carrying three massive flower decorations, which they place by the graves of Scott, Jean and Xavier. Kitty hugged Peter tightly and thanked him. Then she took out the storm-candles from her jacket pocket and placed them at the feet of the graves and lighted them.

Peter placed an arm around Kitty, as tears started running down her face.

"I think they'll be glad that we haven't forgotten them" Peter said, and felt tears sting his eyes. "Come on. Let's go inside. I think dinner will be ready any moment now"

X

Over a few weeks the two fugitives came closer and closer to Westchester, and the school, and now Scott started thinking about how they would react to seeing him. After all, he was dead to them. He tried reaching Charles with his mind again, but still no answer.

As they stopped at the last motel, before their arrival at the school the next day, he contemplated if he even wanted to return. He had lost his wife, Logan or Storm had probably taken his place a leader of the team, someone had taken his teaching job… Maybe they didn't even need him. Even when Jean was alive, he often had those kinds of thoughts. She was always the one who convinced him, that he was the best thing that ever happened to the school, but what now?

"W'at are you t'inking about?" Remy asked. They were sitting in Scott's room, enjoying some take-out Chinese food.

"Did you ever feel like the place you called home, didn't really need you?" Scott asked him.

"Yes, I feel that way all de time" Remy said, with a roguish grin.

"I'm serious!"

"Okay, alright! Are you thinking about not going back?" Remy asked, with a more serious face.

The accurate guess, scared Scott a little. He was used to those kinds of questions, having been married to a psychic, but Scott was starting to suspect that Remy was psychic too.

"Yes, I am" Scott answered.

"I know Remy haven't known you for a long time, but what I have seen so far… It seems to me dat you are the kind of person people would like having around." Remy smiled sincerely, though Scott couldn't see it. "You have a lousy humor, and you are kind of grumpy, but still… you are de hero-type. You t'ink up plans, and give a lot of orders" Scott had to laugh at that description "You want de best for all good people, and you care. You care about people. If dose people at your school don' want you, it is deir loss."

"Thanks." Scott said, still laughing. He still wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to go back, but appreciated the support nonetheless. He of course needed a pair of glasses, so whether he wanted to stay or not, he had to go.

X

"Did you find him?" Raven asked Caliban. He had never called her, but when she visited him again, he was fully mutated, and she had asked him to find Magneto. Now, a few days later, she visited him again.

"No. There is a problem…" Caliban said slowly. His voice had become darker, and slower. Raven thought his brain might be slower too.

"Well? Tell me, what the problem is!" Raven said impatiently.

"Since Magneto is not a mutant anymore, I can't track him"

It was obvious. So obvious, that Raven hadn't even thought about it. It made her so angry that she threw the large man into the wall behind him.

"You—" Raven didn't know what to say. It wasn't Caliban's fault that Magneto had lost his powers to the cure. The cure! Eventually Magneto had to start mutating again. "Keep trying, and this time you call me, if you find something! Got it?"

Caliban nodded fearfully.

Raven let him go, and left. She had to find Magneto, before he got his entire strength back, or else it would be impossible for her to kill him.

X

When Warren and Elizabeth got back to the school, it was already late at night. They had gone flying over Westchester, and then driven back to the school.

Elizabeth wanted to kiss him so bad, when he said goodnight to her at her door, but she was afraid she might scare him, so instead she hugged him.

"Thank you for coming with me." She said, and regretted the way it sounded. "I mean… I'm glad you wanted to go out with me… oh shit! Thanks for tonight Warren. I really enjoyed it."

"Anytime, Betsy." Warren said and smiled. "I had a great time too…"

The stood there for a while, in a rather uncomfortable silence, both waiting for the other one to take the next step.

"Oh, to hell with it!" Betsy said, and kissed the millionaire.

The chapter title "You Gotta Go There to Come Back" is by the band Stereophonics off of their album of the same name.

Aww… such a cute ending! I'm a sucker for fluff.

Review review review… If you want me to keep writing, reviewing is a good way of keeping me inspired.