The X-men fought viciously against the Inner Circle. While many were vulnerable to Mastermind's telepathy, Storm was very much invulnerable- so long as she kept in tune with her powers. Emma Frost was also invulnerable as long as she remained in her diamond form. Problem was, her primary power was telepathy, so she couldn't really attack anyone unless she went hand-to-hand.

Storm was just about to shoot a lightning bolt when pain suddenly shot through her head. She missed her target and ended up shooting Wolverine instead. "Hey, Storm," Wolverine called. "Watch it!"

"Sorry!" Storm strained as she tried to concentrate on keeping herself aloft.

Suddenly, she was knocked out of the air, and something fell on top of her.

AP

Emma saw what had happened and tried to catch Wolverine's attention since he was closer than the others. Takeo, the Professor's son, was starting his attack, and they needed to take him out or the world would surely end. "Wolverine!" Wolverine turned from his position to Emma. "Storm's down!"

They both raced to where Storm was, but, when they reached her, lightning was crackling and there was a whimpering sound coming from Storm. Emma, who had not Storm for very long, looked to Wolverine, who shrugged. Emma was definitely confused now, because Wolverine has known Storm for a long time- and she secretly thought that those two might have something for one another. There was definitely a spark between the two.

"Be careful," Beast said as he came over to where they were.

"What's wrong with her, Beast?" Wolverine demanded.

"I can't tell for certain," Beast said, "but it looks like she has claustrophobia."

"What's that?"

"A fear of very small and tight places," Emma answered. "Sometimes it can come naturally to you, other times, it takes a traumatic experience to get it."

"Which one is it?"

"I don't know," Emma said. "I'd have to use my telepathy, but I don't want to intrude on her personal life."

Takeo suddenly screamed. The Professor must've said something he didn't like. Cyclops started their direction. "What's going on?"

"Storm's in distress," Emma said. Lightning suddenly shot out, heading for the nearest conductor. Wolverine had to dodge it. Everyone else gasped. There was a sudden cry, and they all turned to see Hisako Ichiki trying to dodge Takeo's foot. "Hisako!"

"Everyone, get back," Beast ordered as Takeo came closer. Obviously knowing what Beast was talking about, Cyclops took a few steps back from where Storm was, and put his finger against his visor. Takeo was almost to them.

"What are you doing?" Emma demanded.

"If I'm right," Cyclops replied, "then lightning is about to engulf this area. Once that happens, I'll shoot, and then we make our moves."

Takeo managed to take two more steps, right where Storm was, when there was a sudden blood curdling scream, and a flash of white...

AP

Logan was the first to walk toward Storm after Takeo was taken was in a fetal position and others followed.

"Is she going to be okay?" Hisako asked nervously.

"Yes," Emma assured her. "She'll be fine." I hope she added silently.

Professor X sighed as he reached his student. "What's wrong with her, Professor?" Scotto asked.

"Storm is severely claustrophobic," the Professor replied. "It started after a traumatic accident involving her parents. That's all I can give you."

Logan sighed and gently put his hand on her shoulder. "'Ro, it's alright."

Storm gasped as she sat up, then looked down, averting eye contact from anyone that would have seen her like that. She hated her claustrophobia, and hated herself even more when it showed up out of the blue. She avoided talking to anyone on the ride home. No way was she answering questions about what had just happened.

It has now been six months since the battle with the Inner Circle, and the X-men are now at peace, which means classes. But it won't stay like that for long...

"Yeowch!" Logan cried as he turned to his partner, Ororo Munroe. "Hey, Storm, watch it with the lightning bolts, will ya?"

"I can't help the fact that you're too close to my lightning bolts, Wolverine. Maybe next time you'll move "

Wolverine growled and playfully tried to swipe her out of the air. She dodged his claws with grace. "Too slow," she taunted. He swiped again and again repeatedly at her, but each time, she dodged them easily, giggling.

Suddenly, pain shot through her head, and she couldn't concentrate...

AP

Emma Frost suddenly gasped as pain flashed through her head, and sank to her knees. "Emma!" Hisako Ichiki cried as she ran to her teacher.

"Storm..." Emma strained, and then the pain suddenly stopped.Emma got up with Hisako's help."I;m alright, Hisako," she said, turning to the window, and seeing Storm on the ground. "But I don't think Storm is."

AP

Wolverine jumped, and, this time, managed to knock Storm out of the air. Storm groaned as she landed on her hands and knees. Wolverine snorted. "I think you need to work on your landing skills." When there wasn't a response, he turned to her, not taking in the fact that she was trembling. "Hey, I'm sorry if I hit ya too hard..." It was then that he registered her moans of pain. At first, he thought she was faking. Now, he was concerned.

"Wolverine!" someone called behind him. He turned to see Emma and Hisako running out of the mansion. Emma stopped next to Storm and knelt down, trying to get Storm to look at her.

AP

The pain was excruciating. It subsided a little at one point, but then spiked again.She wasn't aware of anything her- at least, not until Emma put her hands around her face."Storm," she said. "Storm, I know you're in pain, but I need you to listen to me. I'm going to put you to sleep. Okay? This is just so that we can get you to the infirmary."

After that, darkness engulfed her.

AP

"What happened, Wolverine?" Emma demanded as she got up.

"How am I supposed to know, Frost?"

"You were the only one out here."

"Look, I don't know what happened. We were just doing some battle practice, and she shot me with her lightning bolts on accident, and then we started messing around. Next thing I know, when she hit the ground, she started moaning in pain, and I thought she was faking it. Then you start running out here with Hisako, and I knew she wasn't faking it then."

"Well she certainly wasn't faking it. Someone's trying to access her mind. It certainly wasn't me, and I doubt Charles would have such an issue that Storm would be in pain."

Logan scooped up Storm, and turned back to Emma. "Why do we need to take her to the infirmary?"

"Just to be on the safe side."

AP

Storm awoke in the infirmary, with the rest of the team on the opposite side, all huddled together. "I don't know what to think of it," Hank McCoy said. "Physically there's nothing wrong with her. But mentally I can't say."

"Is she having a secondary?" Hisako asked worriedly.

"No," Emma said reassuringly, shooting Hank a warning look.

Logan was the first to see Storm as he looked up. "Hey, 'Ro."

The entire group turned toward her. "Ororo!" Hisako cried happily, rushing over to give Storm a hug.

Storm smiled and looked up at everyone else."What's going on?"

AP

Charles Xavier was relieved to hear Storm was awake. He was concerned that she was somehow injured in the fight six months ago, but Hank had said that there was nothing wrong with her physically, but he didn't know mentally. Charles, himself, knew though, that Storm was one of the most mentally sound people he knew.

Charles was also very doubtful of mind-control, despite Emma's theory. That person would have received one devil of a headache.

However... there was one person who might have been able to penetrate Storm's static...

Charles shook his head at the thought. He had destroyed that person several years ago. Long before he had formed the X-men. It was impossible to think that he had come back from the dead. Wasn't it?