Westchester County, Upstate New York Present Time:
"…and so, it is with the thanks of a grateful nation. That I introduce our new ambassador to the United Nations and the representative to the world for all Unites States citizens, human and mutant alike Dr. Hank McCoy."
"Not this again." Jubilation Lee otherwise known as Jubilee groaned from one of the couches while Piotr Rasputin and Rogue chuckled at her remark.
"Well, this is good right?" Bobby Drake leaned forward on the other couch watching a re-run of the news that had been broadcasted all over the world a few weeks ago.
"What makes you think that?" Kitty Pryde asked sitting on the couch next to him with her head resting on the palm of her hand. "Just because crime against mutant kind has slowed down from what they're saying doesn't mean that it's not happening."
"The announcement made not long ago by the president of the Unites States clearly represents a new beginning for all people both human and mutant alike, with no new reports of any crimes committed on both ends. Allowing residence here to believe that we have nothing but a bright future ahead of us. This is Trish coming to you live from-" Lowering the volume Bobby leaned back on the couch.
"Hate to admit this, but half-pint might be right." Logan scoffed watching the re-run while leaning back against the door frame. "I've been having to break off fights outside more than usual."
"You having to break off fights? I find that hard to believe that you're not the one starting them." Ororo Monroe otherwise known as 'Storm' raised a skeptical brow at the Wolverine.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" he turned his gaze to her.
Smiling, she kept her eyes on the television. "Anyways, I hate to agree as well but from what my sources have told me, crimes against mutants have actually been on the rise. With various group forming like Friends of Humanity."
"Oh, you mean FOH." He rolled his eyes.
"Yes them." She shook her head. "Hank's worried about them which means we should too. We need to keep our guard up."
"Meaning we need to step up our security and possibly our staff." Logan frowned hating the thought of something like what happened with Stryker's man invading the school happen again.
Nodding as if having the same thought, Ororo fondly looked at the various students enjoying their day off. "If anyone finds out about this place, we'll be in deep trouble."
"You think that'll happen again?" Bobby's voice cut through their conversation with his back still turned.
"Bobby!" Ororo scolded.
"Well, you guys are making it pretty hard not to listen in when you're standing this close to us." Jubilee giggled now sitting upside down on another couch. "Whatever happened to using your inside voices?"
"Whatever happened to class?" Logan crossed his arms over his chest.
"It's Saturday." Kitty absently said picking up the remote and scrolling through the channels.
"Well, you're training to become X-men, so who gave you the day off?" Logan quirked an annoyed brow.
"Actually, you did." Bobby chuckled now hallway turning to look at them from over his shoulder.
"That's true." Ororo nodded in amusement and tried to contain her laughter once she heard Logan growl.
"Well, I'm revoking it."
"You can't do that." Bobby's smile vanished as quickly as it came. "Can he?"
"Technically he can. He's our teacher." Kitty slouched back on the couch already knowing where this was going.
"I'm still trying to figure out for what exactly." Jubilee snorted into her hand.
"Danger room session 15 minutes." Logan took satisfaction in the tired groans he heard once he stepped out of the room and made his way downstairs. "Never gets old."
"Thanks Bobby."
"Way to go."
"You couldn't keep your mouth shut could you." Jubilee walked past him as he watched her, Kitty and Piotr reluctantly make their way out.
"Wait, how's this my fault?" puzzled, he turned to see Rogue getting up as well and quickly followed behind. "Hey Rogue, are you ok?"
"Yup perfectly fine. Why do you ask?" The brunette looked down the hallway anywhere but him until he stopped her by grabbing her elbow.
"You've just been quiet lately is all." Lowering his voice, he took a small step closer.
"Bobby Ah'm fine."
"Are we still on for your birthday this weekend?" He playfully wiggled his eyebrows until his attention was caught elsewhere once Kitty stepped into the elevator and waited for them.
"Of course." Rogue forced a small smile and tried not to pull away when he reached for her bare hand.
Truth was that she didn't know why or how, but lately she's been feeling her power slowly coming back. It wasn't anything big. But there's been instances when even just the slightest brush of her hand against someone would evoke the familiar tingling and pulling sensation that manifested the first time her mutant powers kicked in.
Now it didn't happen often, but she still couldn't shake that terrifying feeling that it was happening all over again, and from what she continued to read up on the news like a woman possessed, it was happening to anyone who had taken the cure. Their powers would eventually come back. They didn't know when or why, but more and more people were popping up with their powers returning.
She knew it was just a matter of time before someone would ask her about it, but so far no one had, and she didn't know whether to be relieved or hurt by it.
Sure, she could touch now, could give anyone she wanted a hug. Something she had craved for so long and was denied something that simple that people took for granted everyday. But she had hoped for more. She knew what Logan had said before was true. And that if she was to get the cure that it would be for herself and nobody else.
But then why did she feel lonelier than before?
She had to admit that part of her had hoped that with the cure it would help her relationship with Bobby too, as sad as it sounded to admit. But things didn't really change. At least not in the way she had thought. The way he looked at her now was the same way he had always looked at her. Even as he placed a quick peck on her cheek and lead her to the elevator that would take them to the Danger room.
A peck, that's mostly what it was.
After losing her powers, sure there were times that they kissed but nothing like she had pictured it to be, nothing like the first time they had kissed back in his house. Nothing like the way she would catch him starring at Kitty. And now what was left but feeling like an outsider in a mansion full of people with powers that she didn't have anymore.
"Rogue?"
Snapping out of her thoughts she saw Bobby and Kitty both waiting expectingly at her. "Ah'm sorry what?"
Smiling Kitty playfully wrapped an arm around her shoulder moving them towards the girls' changing rooms. "Don't worry Bobby I've got her, Jubilee's already waiting for us."
-X-
"Alright now, care to explain what the hell that was?" Logan already stood outside once the doors to the Danger room opened revealing all the young X-men battered and barely walking.
"It's called getting our asses k-"
Silencing anything else Jubilee might have said by quickly covering her mouth with his hand. Bobby gave her a pointed look before removing his hand and addressing their teacher. "I suppose we could have done a better job at working together."
"Try again."
"We should have paid more attention to our surroundings?" Rogue offered.
"We should not have let Bobby lead the team?" Jubilee asked.
"Hey!"
"We should have taken this seriously." Piotr calmly said.
"Right." Logan eyed each of them with a disappointed expression.
"Or…we shouldn't have been training on our day off." Jubilee coughed into her hand. Slightly grinning when everyone looked over at her. "Bless me, jeez so rude."
"Good grief, just go change." Logan sternly pointed down the hall. "And until the bunch of you don't start shaping up now, we'll go to three training sessions a day!"
"Three?" They gaped over their shoulders as they dragged themselves off.
"Yes! One for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!"
"Logan."
"Not now Chuck. I'm hungry." Logan rubbed his forehead as Professor Charles Xavier wheeled himself next to him with a warm and humored smile.
"I take it the students have been keeping you busy?"
"Busy is not the word I'd use." He grumbled thinking that maybe he should take the rest of the day off and try that new bar a few miles away. "By the way where's Scott? Isn't he supposed to be on babysitting duty today?"
"And babysitting isn't the word I'd used to describe it." The professor nodded towards where the students once stood with a slight upturn of his lips when Logan rolled his eyes and started walking towards the elevator. "They're already seniors Logan and training to deal with the world outside."
"Exactly. That's what worries me." Looking back, Logan shook his head. "They need to be prepared."
With a tight-lipped smile, the professor continued on down the hall while Logan followed. "To answer your previous question, Scott's otherwise held up escorting new students from the train station to the institute as well as Hank."
"Fur ball's coming? Thought he'd be busy up in Washington." Quirking a curious brow Logan resisted the urge to snatch a cigar from his pocket.
"Logan if I so much as find you smoking around the children-"
"You'll make me think I'm a little girl, yeah I remember." Taking a deep breath Logan heard the gentle chuckle of the professor.
"If it makes you feel any better, I have already thought about adding a few new staff members to our school."
"Depending on who they are." Logan watched the professor beside him. "Thinking about that circus guy?"
"Among others." The professor stopped at the doors. "I have also invited a guest to come and visit us. She could very well help lend you a helping hand when training."
"Anyone we know?"
"I'm not sure. But S.H.I.E.L.D did offer their services for a couple of weeks."
"S.H.I.E.L.D huh? Doesn't ring a bell."
"Well, my dear friend, you have met quite a few people throughout your years." The professor gave a small chuckle as they stepped into the elevators.
"And many I wish I hadn't." Logan said as the doors closed.
-X-
New Orleans, Louisiana 1980
Jumping from rooftop-to-rooftop Remy stopped to savior the night sky as it glowed with a faint indigo above the lively city that was New Orleans. Exotic scents drifted from restaurants of the French Quarters mingled with the lively music and liquor from Bourbon Street where he usually liked to lay low. The people below wandered aimlessly up and down the streets enjoying everything the city had to offer.
So, when he decided to take a break and lazily sit himself down on one of the rooftops, he lit a cigarette with the tip of his finger hoping it would somehow help his pissed off and stressed mood. He knew for a fact that he'd hear about leaving without telling anyone later, but right now he couldn't care less.
He rather enjoy himself like he always did, and deal with everything else later as usual.
Everyone always thought that being part of the thief's guild came with all the perks, but they never understood that it came with downfalls as well.
Sure, he wouldn't lie and say he didn't enjoy his life to the brim and that the guild life didn't benefit him more so than not, and he loved doing what he did. Hell, there was no other thief that he's ever met that could outdo him. Something he was damn sure proud of too. But what he wouldn't give to be able to smell the smell of freedom.
Taking a long hard drag of his cigarette he thought about why he even came back in the first place after his grand escape from Strykers. Hell, maybe he should have left with those kids back on the Island when that man Xavier helped them get to safety…or even with Logan.
Logan. The Wolverine.
"Wonder what happened to dat crazy bastard." He chuckled looking up at the night sky. He had wondered what happened to him for some time now, wondering if he was doing alright since the last time he saw him he seemed pretty much out of it. Crazy fool didn't even remember his damn name. Guessing that fight took a lot out of him. Not that he even had the chance to ask before running away. Exhaling, he took a look at the carefree people below, wondering what it must feel like.
Throughout the months that followed the attack on Stryker there were many times he tried to find him or find out what happened to the Wolverine, but without a last name, phone number or anything else to go off. Even the greatest thief couldn't find anything on the guy.
Or maybe he just didn't want to be found.
Stubbing out his cigarette he quickly snapped his head to the left, feeling eyes on him. When he saw no one there he swiftly got to his feet dusting himself off, thinking that he may as well enjoy the rest of the night before contacting Essex to see what he had to offer.
With his mind made up he smoothly landed down below and continued on down Bourbon Street to see what the night all had to offer him.
-X-
"Well dis was pointless." Remy scoffed, carefully making his way out of the sewers and into the bright sky. When he had walked into the laboratory Essex was working in and asked what he wanted in return, all the doctor had said was that he needed him to make his rounds down the sewer tunnels until he came across a group known as the Morlocks and report back anything that he found.
Easy enough.
It's already been two days of this, and the wedding was the day after tomorrow. So, he quickly made his way back over to Essex's lab and found him hunched over looking at some blueprints with one of the people he always had by his side. She wasn't anyone he knew personally let alone made conversation with since she didn't seem the talking kind. Besides anyone that worked with Nathaniel Essex Remy made sure to keep his guard up. That didn't stop him from eyeing the merchandize of course since she did have a nice figure and long dark almost purple hair that would look nice…
"Ah Gambit your back, I must say you've quite impressed me."
"Have I now?" He raised a curious brow at the two before leaning against the wall. "Well, what can I say, other dan I've held up my end of de bargain, but I have yet to see you pay out homme."
"Ah yes, that's what I've actually been meaning to discuss with you. I understand the wedding's soon therefore if you will allow me more time, I can assure you that everything will be ready for the procedure to help keep your powers under control by tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" caught off guard he couldn't stop the surprise on his face when Essex finally turned to grin at him.
"Precisely. Think of it as my wedding gift to you. Although I would require your services once more afterwards."
"Which is?"
Dismally waving his hand Essex turned back to run his fingers across the blueprint. "I will just need your assistance in allowing our research team to meet with the Morlocks so that we can continue our work in helping them."
"Essex it's ready." One of the scientists looked up from the oval glass metal chamber that was standing against the far wall that Remy had recently watched them work on but could never figure out what exactly it was.
"Excellent!" Essex grinned walking over to it and inspecting it like a child would a new toy.
"What's dat?" he warily eyed it.
"Nothing for you to concern yourself with." Essex continued to marvel at it. "Just a regular teleportation device."
Nodding Remy turned away from it. "How do you plan on helpin' de Morlocks?"
"Well, my dear boy, we're all about helping mutants here. So, what kind of a person would that make me if we didn't try. Those people need to be allowed to live their lives out there without worrying about being treated any differently."
"When?"
"Tomorrow night. So, I will need you in tip top shape. Your final team member will meet you there."
Nodding, he eyed the chamber once more before making his leave.
"Oh and Gambit, I'm sure Bella Donna would be pleased to hear the good news too." Essex's smile grew once he was no longer in the room. "You can come out now."
"You think he knows?" A figure stepped out of the adjoining room.
"He may have his suspicions. Gambit's no fool after all that's why I hired him. He's the best at what he does. But alas he's still young and will let his emotions drive him to desperation when the time comes."
"How do you think he'll react once he finds out his precious soon to be wife is in on all this?"
"Hard to tell." Essex turned to look back at the blueprints.
"You want me to kill him?"
Chuckling Essex thought it over. "Not right now Victor, let's let him play his part first. If he gets in the way, then kill him and anyone else."
Licking his teeth Victor Creed now turned to grin at the machine. "Soon Jimmy, very soon."