Rebekah

One good thing about sleeping deeply is I don't need to sleep for as long. And my internal clock is still on British time. Therefore, I was able to get breakfast early. Unfortunately, I couldn't work the coffee machine and I am one of those few people who somehow managed to get addicted to decaff. Don't ask me how. But despite waking up at seven almost every day, I don't function without a shower and a pint of coffee. Therefore, after I'd worked out the shower in my bathroom, I got dressed in some of the clothes in the wardrobe that I would normally never wear. I have a hatred of pink. I normally wear dark purples, blues and greens. However, the alternative was Eeyore pyjamas, something I will not be wearing again in a hurry. So, unable to work the coffee machine and being unable to find any cereal that wasn't either A. health freak or B. sugar-coated hyperactiveness, I ended up going into the grounds for a walk. Walking is my way of getting frustration out. I used to hit things but I try not to do so anymore. So I walk and walk until I get blisters. At the moment I'm pretty sure this isn't a dream anymore. Isaac's screams last night prove that. He was terrified. And I've never been as scared as he sounded. I'm the sort of person who goes on a roller-coaster and doesn't scream, just steps off with an odd little smile and goes straight to the back of the queue again. I can't imagine what Xavier showed him to make him react like that.

I sigh and jump up onto a log and sit down. By now I should have been back from school, doing my homework and planning for the next day. I can't think much but I realise I'm fiddling with the chain I was given for my fifteenth birthday. The little silver pendant has suffered a lot in the last six months. I'm apt to chew it when I'm thinking. It's weird. The necklace is my link home. And it feels slightly odd. Like it's out of place in this world. I snuffle and then I slap myself.

"Don't you dare cry."

But I can't stop and then I'm crying, quietly, softly, the tears that won't stop. I curl up on top of the log and let it all out. Then I stop and wipe my eyes. I gulp a few times and then stand up again. I sniff and catch the smell of sulphur. I turn, expecting to see Kurt. Instead, Isaac is standing there looking rather shocked.

"Whoa…"

"Isaac. Please tell me you didn't copy Kurt's powers."

He looks rather odd.

"I don't think I have…"

I frown. When he appeared he landed badly. I saw his leg twist. But now it's entirely normal.

"Erm…Isaac… Have you noticed…I don't know…better senses?"

"No. But…I cut myself at breakfast…and it healed."

I grab his hand and see a thin scar.

"Logan would have healed fully. I don't think you heal as fast as he does. Or run as fast as Quicksilver."

"You mean…?"

"The more powers you absorb, and I don't think you can absorb physical mutations, but the more powers you absorb, the weaker your powers get. It's like diluting them."

He looks slightly woozy.

"And Kurt's teleporting power has been known to knock people out. So…"

I don't get a chance to finish as he looks slightly confused then collapses forward. I catch him and scream. My shoulder still hasn't healed fully from my accident a few weeks ago and it feels like the ligaments have torn once again. It hurts and I shift him onto my left shoulder.

"You're heavy."

"Sorry…"

He sounds rotten. I start dragging him back towards the house. But soon I can't walk with my right arm hurting every time I move slightly. Then I hear feet thudding.

"Where are you?"

"HERE!"

Scott comes charging towards us.

"Where's Isaac…"

"Here. He teleported. I…I don't know what he's done to himself."

Scott takes Isaac off me then notices my dead arm.

"What's wrong?"

"Tore my shoulder muscles."

He frowns and suddenly Nightcrawler is beside us.

"Take Rebekah to the Medi-Lab. I don't think Isaac should teleport."

Hands catch around my arms and I feel like I'm being crushed. When I can breath again I turn round to look at Kurt. How could the evil writers at Marvel kill this sweetie off? If I had to choose a comic book character to have a crush on, it would be Kurt Wagner. Cute, fuzzy, bit of a prankster, manages to deal with having two super-evil parents. I even think the tail is cute. The only thing that freaks me out slightly are his feet. I'm fine with his hands. It's his feet I think are weird. And where does he get shoes? Actually, I think I may have had a bit of a crush on him when I was twelve. Don't. Think. About. That. You're in a house full of telepaths. Kurt grins sheepishly, showing his sharp teeth.

"So Liebling, what is your world like? Do you have a version of me? After all, I have some experience with parallel realites."

"Yeah, the Cross-Time Caper. That was before my time and Excalibur pocketbooks are a little thin on the ground."

Kurt just stares at me opened mouthed and I feel rather stupid.

"So it's true then. We are but comic book characters to you."

"And movies but they really messed you up in them."

Brain; kick in please before I end up saying something I'll regret even more.

"What do you mean?"

"They didn't give you fur. And you aren't an X-Man. Stupid stuff mainly. And you only appeared in the second film. Although the first scene is an impressive show of your powers."

"Tell me…"

I stop. I did sort of tell Isaac not to do this. But he's looking at me with these shining golden eyes and I suddenly realise my first crush is now sitting in front of me, in the flesh. Not that it helps seeing as he's about twenty-something. But I've already told him so much so I don't think a few more snippets will hurt.

"They have you breaking into the White House, getting past the entire security detachment and almost stabbing the President. But you're a good guy, don't worry."

He looks oddly at me.

"So how long have I been around?"

"I think you were… I feel so bad saying you were created. Drawn? In the late seventies. Silver Age. Don't ask. I haven't got a clue about comic book ages, I just read your biography on the Internet."

He raises an eyebrow at me.

"A biography?"

"Yeah. We have an entire Wiki for your universe and other Marvel characters."

"Marvel?"

"The people who write you and the other people in this universe. You know, Cap, the Avengers, the FF."

He nods slightly.

"So, you know everything about us?"

I stop. This is probably before House of M. I could stop that. Stop Civil War. Stop Second Coming… NO! I can't go around acting like God, just because I know what's going to happen. I'm saved from answering a potentially embarrassing question by Isaac walking through the door looking slightly confused. Dr McCoy is immediately over there. Please, please let Isaac be alright. He may be my ticket home.

Isaac

I felt nauseous. Dr. McCoy was fussing over me like a mother hen. He led me to a chair and sat me down. When the world stops spinning I realized I was sitting next to Rebekah. I notice her arm's was in a sling. Everything came rushing back to me. Appearing in the woods, talking to Rebekah, suddenly feeling very faint., darkness rushing towards me, Scott carrying me, His hand very lightly brushing mine, the buzz of electricity.

'I'm really sorry about your arm.'

'Don't worry about it.'

'Um, I may have Scott's powers,' I said bashfully.

'What! How?'

'I think I touched him slightly when he was carrying me.' A shadow falls over me and I looked up into Kurt's grinning face.

'You should leave the teleporting to the experts.' A serious expression came over his countenance. 'You need to talk to the professor. You're a danger to everyone while you're here.'

'Never again,' I said defiantly trying to stand up but dizziness washed over me and I fell back down. Kurt nodded slightly then vanished in a puff of smoke.

'What exactly did the professor show you?'

I shivered. 'Some things are better left un-said.'

Rebekah nodded. 'Do you remember what I said before you fainted?'

I shrugged. 'Not really.'

'I don't think you get the physical attributes of the mutants you take the power off. That's the reason you don't have claws. And every time you get a new power you're diluting them, making them weaker.'

'I don't think so, although they are weaker than the original power. I know that. I just need practise.' I looked at my finger. The place where I had cut my finger was completely healed now. I sniffed the air.

'Can you smell that? I asked.

Rebekah inhaled deeply. 'Smell what?'

'I don't know. It smells of earth with the faint tang of metal.'

'That would be the adamantium,' Logan said walking in. 'So you did get my powers.'

'Not the claws,' I pointed out.

'So you don't get the physical mutation. And you're obviously not as good as the original otherwise you would have known I was here a few minutes ago.'

The ferocity of the growl that erupted out from my throat surprised me.

Logan smiled grimly. 'Be careful bub. Sounds like the Sabretooth spirit.'

I blushed. 'Sorry.'

Logan laughed loudly. 'Don't worry about it. It happened to me when I was your age. I think. I just wanted to let you know the professor will be here in a few minutes.' Logan walked out. I could see Rebekah staring at me weirdly and then I realized I was growling again.

'I'm going to my room,' I said standing up slowly.

'We're not supposed to leave this room,' Rebekah said.

'I know,' I said with a smile. 'You coming?'

Rebekah looked concerned. 'I don't think it's a good idea to teleport again.'

'Who said I'm going to teleport?' I said taking hold on Rebekah's arm. I focused on Kitty's phasing power and stepped through the wall. I looked around. We were outside on the lawn. A voice in my head called out telling me to come back.

'Not a chance prof,' I muttered.

'Did you hear that as well?' Rebekah enquired. I didn't answer. An intriguing scent had reached my nostrils. I breezed through the gate effortlessly. I heard Rebekah pull the gate open and follow me. The smell led me deeper into the woods. I stepped into a clearing. I gawped at Magneto, Quicksilver, The Scarlet Witch, Toad and the Blob standing before me. Rebekah walked into the clearing cursing at the various thorns that had scratched her. She fell silent when she saw the mutants.

'Long time no see kid,' Quicksilver said.

'What do you want?' I snarled.

'Seems mine isn't the only power you've stolen. You've taken Wolverine's power as well haven't you?'

'I borrowed them.'

'Enough,' Magneto said. 'I'd like you to join the Brotherhood.'

'Why should we trust you?' Rebekah said.

'Why should you trust Xavier? Has he told you about the mutant killings that have been going on? Why must you take the peaceful path? The humans hate us and we must stand up and show we will not be defeated. We will rule the world!'

'You're mad,' I spat.

'And you are dead,' Magneto said vehemently.

I saw Quicksilver start to run towards me. I slipped into slow-time but I wasn't quite fast enough. I crashed into the ground reeling from the force of the blow. I tried to stand up again but another punch from Quicksilver sent me tumbling to the ground.

Rebekah had disappeared. I screamed with frustration when once again I was knocked to the floor. I slipped further into slow-time and saw Quick-silver zoom towards me. I waited till I could see his silver hair gleaming before I phased. Quicksilver ran straight through me and smashed into a tree at one thousand, two hundred and thirty six miles per hour. There was a sickening crunch and then deathly stillness.

'If you've killed him…!' the Scarlet Witch cried. She raised her hands above her head and threw a ball of energy at me. I dodged it and teleported behind her. I kicked out and connected with the base of her skull. She collapsed in a heap. The Blob and Toad charged at me. I expected Magneto to do something but he stood watching. I guessed he never did any of the dirty work himself unless he had to. A tidal wave of dizziness hit me. I should never have teleported. Blob and Toad were almost upon me when a streak of yellow flew out of the trees and plummeted feet first down on Toad's head. He somersaulted over Blob's head and landed beside me. Wolverine's claws slid out and he turned to face Blob. Blob came to a halt. He seemed to hesitate. He looked back at Magneto. Magneto nodded ever so slightly. Blob moved fast for someone with his bulk. His hand snaked out and grasped Wolverine's arm. He drew his arm back and threw him towards Magneto who caught him in a telekinetic hold. Blob turned towards me. His huge frame blocked out the sun. He reached down a meaty arm to grab me. I felt too ill to do anything. I sat waiting for what I guessed would be the killing blow. I looked up as a beam of red light blasted straight into the Blob's chest sending him careening into Magneto who released his hold on Wolverine. I breathed a sigh of relief. The x-men were here. A lightning strike ripped from the sky, striking Blob again. He jumped up and scampered into the woods holding his rear end where the lightning had struck it. Magneto seeing the scales had tipped flew up into the sky holding the miserable Toad and his two children.

'I'll be back when the full moon next rises,' Magneto calls. Rebekah came running over with Cyclops and Nightcrawler.

'You okay kid?' Scott asked. My headache was starting to subside.

'Yeah, I'll be fine,' I said too exhausted to object to being called a kid. 'Thank you.'

'Don't thank us kid; thank your friend for coming to get us. Otherwise you might have been dead by now.'

'Thanks Rebekah.'

'Don't mention it.'

'Can you believe Magneto trying to get us to join him?'

Rebekah was silent.

'Don't tell you you're considering it! I whispered scornfully.

'He may have a point,' Rebekah said quietly.