Scott's PoV

I'm a jealous person.

As a teenager, I was jealous when the Professor would show attention to others on the team. For years I was jealous of Warren for being Jean's first boyfriend. When she went off to med school, I was jealous of the men she spent time with, even though we were not even dating during that time. We called it quits so she could focus on her studies. And I found myself focusing on the thought of her being single on a campus full of med students smarter and sexier than I was.

After Logan came around and started making moves on Jean, my jealousy increased. And most recently, I've been jealous of Ororo and Logan for having Kendall when I so badly wanted a baby. Most of these feelings come from insecurities, but it's hard to get vulnerable enough to work through them, so I shove them down and let them form into anger. Because anger is easier for me to process.

With all of that experience with jealousy under my belt, I have never seen someone as jealous as Logan watching Ororo and T'Challa together. His glare is murderous, and it brings on the question of which is stronger? Adamantium or Vibranium.

The trip from Wakanda to Muir Island is taking ages; it feels. T'Challa has calmed her nerves enough to make her smile. He distracts her by reminiscing on their childhood together, and the more they talk, the more space between Logan's brows disappears. He scowls at them, finally speaking with a harsh tone.

"It be a shame if our kid doesn't get this type of childhood cuz the Kitty Cat over here can't shut his trap," he growls.

Okoye, the bald, very intimidating-looking Bodyguard to the king, speaks from the front of the fantastic jet she is piloting. "I guarantee my king's discussions have nothing to do with the speed of the Royal Talon. I advise you to show him and the sacred mantle of the Black Panther some respect."

Ororo, who had finally been given a sliver of peace since this whole thing started, glared right back at Logan, her dark pupils starting to fog over. "Just because you cannot remember your past does not mean I am not allowed to remember mine."

This exchange leaves a heavy silence in the air, which is met by the stench of the cigar Logan has lit up.

"Americans," Okoye mumbles, tapping something on the hologram of controls in front of her that turn on fans to suck up the smoke.

"I'm Canadian."

"What you're going to be is kicked out of the jet if you don't put that disgusting thing out."

I watch as Logan begrudgingly smashes the tip of his cigar into the palm of his hand to put it out. He cringes in pain until the burn mark heals, then pockets it for a later time.

The silence is thick. Ororo fell quiet again, staring longingly out the window. Desperation is writing all over her face, and every once in a while she is being careful not to let anyone see the tear roll down her cheek. I know that feeling well, but I have the benefit of my eyes being hidden. My heart aches for her, and yet again I feel guilty for all the jealousy I've felt lately.

"He's still definitely on the island," Okoye says with a hologram hovering above her wrist. "According to Shuri, there is an abnormal amount of power detected in a lab. It set off our sensors immediately and is only getting stronger. Whatever Shadow King is up to, we need to proceed with caution."

"And how do we proceed with caution when we don't know what the hell we need to be cautious about?" Alex asks. "Last time we went up against this bastard, a wall ate me. We can't be prepared for something that we can't anticipate!"

My brother has not been an X-Man for long, but comments like this worry me about his safety when we're out in the field. I cannot lose him again. "We have to anticipate the unexpected, Alex. Anything can happen, especially with the Shadow King."

"Just remember that none of the mind tricks he plays on us are real," Jean speaks up for the first time since we boarded this jet. I glance at her, and she gives me a nod. She knows I'm worried about her. The last time we were at Muir Island, we were trying to fight the Phoenix. It was a terrifying and painful time for everyone involved, especially her.

I know through our psychic rapport that the memories are stirring, even though she tries to hide those parts of her mind from me. I may not be a telepath, but I can feel her anxiety, almost as if it's my own. There is no way to describe what a bond like this means to me, and one of my biggest fears is that one day it'll be gone, either by her destroying it, or her death.

"Approaching the Island," Okoye announces before a joint gasp echoes through the jet. "Holy-"

As the island comes into view, so does a warping bubble of silver energy, undulating over the entire island like some sort of forcefield. The closer we get, the harder the impact of this energy affects the jet. It jerks, Okoye struggling to keep us in the air. "This is the energy that Shuri warned us about! I'm going to try to go through it! Hold onto something!"

The energy washes over the windshield with a deafening loud roar. It is a sound I can only describe as Apocalyptic. I am certain at that very moment that the jet would be torn apart and we would fall into the ocean's depths below.

Then suddenly, everything is still. The energy circles the entire Island like a horrifying vortex. I look around, other than processing with the shock of that experience, everyone is okay. Well, maybe not Logan, who is vomiting into a barf bag.

We are in the eye of the metaphorical hurricane, but the peace comes to a quick halt when out of nowhere, a lightning bolt cracks through the force field above us, too close to the jet for comfort. Then another, and another.

"'Ro! Can you do something!?" Logan demands, getting paler by the second.

Ororo shakes her head. "I'm trying! This lightning, it's not natural! It will not listen to me. I am fighting against something. Or someone."

Heavy rain soon accompanies the lightning, the rain turning quickly into hail, which beats against the windshield with a force that I am certain will shatter it. The evergrowing clumps of ice pound against the outside of the jet as thick fog rolls in.

"I've never experienced anything like this!" Ororo cries, distress written all over her face. Her cloudy eyes fade away as she gives up.

T'Challa puts a hand on her shoulder. "Save your strength for things you can control. You will be no help to Kendall if you are exhausted."

No one speaks after Okoye announces she is going to try to land. The Research Center's landing pad is heavily damaged from the hail, but the jet lowers onto it. Above us, a silver beam shoots up from the lab, feeding into the force field above. Whatever is happening, this is the epicenter.

The hail slams against the jet, and I wonder how we will even make it inside without being bludgeoned to death by the basket-ball-sized ice. Or is this just another one of Shadow King's illusions?

"Rachel and I can cover us with a telekinetic shield," Jean volunteers. "And remember, do not believe anything you see in there."

So the group of us exit the jet, surrounded by a bubble protection against the elements. Every door and window visible had been blown out of the lab. Shattered glass crunches under our feet and we have to step over scraps of metal and pieces of building more than once. But finally, we made it into what remained of the lab.

The inside is even more terrifying. It is as if every possible weather event was happening all at once. Snow, rain, hail, fog, thunder, lightning, tornadoes, it is a fight against the elements to stay alive. And at the center of it all is a teenage girl, completely naked with a head full of snowy-white hair. The resemblance to Ororo is too close to be a coincidence.

But this is surely one of Shadow King's tricks. This is what we have been preparing for. I raise my hand to my visor's dial, ready to shoot down this vision when Rachel grabs my wrist, tugging it away.

"Don't shoot her. This isn't an illusion," she announces, having to scream over the roar of the wind. "That's Kendall."

To Be Continued...