Additional Notes and Disclaimers –

I don’t own these characters and no copyright infringement is intended here.

Please note that I have tried to keep the X-men in character based on how they appear in the animated series of the 90’s. However, I have made Bobby’s character a bit more like a blend of how he appears in the movies, the comics, and a bit of my own thoughts instead (and so obviously, his background here doesn’t follow TV canon). I ask Alpha Flight fans to forgive me; I’ve taken much more liberties with this team and their backgrounds.

The story will alternate between being told in first person by Bobby and being told by an omniscient narrator.

This fic is somewhat similar to an X-men fic I wrote years ago, but I don’t intend this to be a re-write. Rather, it’s a different take on what might have happened. And just so you know, I tend to write long fics and I do complete them. I can’t provide you a “quick hit� but if you don’t mind spending time with a story, I hope you might like this one.

***

“Everything is the same and everything is different� -- unknown

Professor Xavier turned over again, trying to steady his mind and determine whether he was dreaming or conscious. His mind was receiving a jumble of messages and his sheets were slightly damp with perspiration. At some level, he knew that his discordant slumber had nothing to do with the Friends of Humanity’s rise to power and their overarching control, though that fact haunted his waking life. But it was two in the morning and the messages continued to assault his brain.

One of the messengers was Magneto but his words were indecipherable. Xavier knew that his old enemy had left earth on a starship, determined to regroup and amass the resources needed to battle FOH from space. Erik called out to Xavier, but his words were nonsensical and Xavier couldn’t determine whether the message was a call for help or a warning.

The second communication was even less tangible and Xavier wasn’t sure if the messenger was even human. A string of repeating numbers comprised most of the communication – Xavier thought they might be coordinates of some sort and had written them down last time he had received a similar message from the same mysterious source. By now he had the coordinates committed to memory. The only word Xavier could decipher from this communication was “healing�. It echoed again and again. When he dwelled on the word and the coordinates, a restorative feeling overcame him -- but it did not last.

Several hours later, Xavier rose from the bed and began to prepare for the day. He knew that further sleep wasn’t going to be a possibility and he had much work to do. He soon sat down to breakfast with Cyclops and Jean Grey inside his spacious room. He shared his messages with them.

“They do sound like coordinates,� Cyclops agreed, as he wrote the numbers down and decided that he, too, would commit them to memory just to be safe. “Are you sure this second message isn’t from Magneto? If he left earth to form some sort of battalion against FOH, wouldn’t it make some sort of sense for him to be giving you his location in space?�

“I cannot say why,� Xavier said, dipping his spoon into his oatmeal, “but I’m certain that this second message is not from Erik�. He added, “Besides, I’m sure that at this point, Erik wouldn’t want me to find him as he knows I’m certain to try and stop him�.

Scott and Jean exchanged a look. If Magneto were trying to take out FOH, neither of them would have been all that eager to dissuade him or his followers right now. Perhaps a few years ago their attitudes would have been different. But a few years ago FOH didn’t control the governments and media of every super-power on the planet. A few years ago mutants weren’t barred from attending schools or speaking in public. Jean shuddered slightly; Scott noticed her fear and gently touched her arm.

After a bit of silence, Cyclops spoke. “Storm and I met last evening to prepare for today’s briefing,� he said, of the X-men’s co-leader. “We should be ready to go at 10:30�. Scott would have liked to start the briefing earlier, but he grudgingly had to be accommodating of the fact that so many members of the group were not “morning people�.

Xavier nodded. He saw expectant looks on the faces of two of his favorite pupils, and suddenly a question popped into his mind. He had been far too preoccupied with FOH’s dominance and his mysterious messages lately to notice that something had been brewing. In the space of an instant, he suddenly suspected the news. “Do you…have something to tell me?� he asked.

Jean and Scott again exchanged a look and smiled. “We’re pregnant!� Jean announced and failed to contain a wide grin. She and her husband reached over Xavier’s hoverchair for their hugs. Xavier offered his sincere congratulations.

“I am quite awestruck,� Xavier murmured. “You’ll be the first of my students to have children of your own�.

“We know this isn’t the best time…� Scott began.

“…but there’s never going to be a ‘right’ time, not for us mutants anyway,� Jean finished. “If we wait until peace and harmony is achieved between humans and mutants, we’ll be far too old to have kids. We can’t postpone the things we want to do with our lives forever. And besides, we should be able to protect our child, here with all the X-men�.

“I still hope we might soon see the day when peace is achieved,� Xavier said quietly.

Cyclops and Jean had their doubts but they did not verbalize them.

***

“Mornin’ Jubes,� I said, running into Jubilee in the kitchen.

“I told you not to call me that!� she exclaimed, swatting me on the back with the cereal box. She’s told me a million times, but I still say the nickname’s kinda cute. Jubilee then rummaged around the refrigerator. “Don’t tell me we’re out of milk,� she grumbled.

“You know I wouldn’t let that happen. It’s right there, behind the orange juice,� I answered. Soon she and I were sitting down together, hurriedly polishing off our sugary cereal before bounding into the war room in time for the briefing. Hank waved at me when I entered the room.

I looked around the circular table and saw that everyone was present. In addition to our leaders, Cyclops, Storm, and the Professor, sitting around the table were Jean, Rogue, Gambit, Colossus, Wolverine, Hank, Nightcrawler, Angel, Cannonball, Forge, and Jubilee.

Our numbers were a bit lower than we’d have liked. We were still reeling from the loss of Shadowcat in battle against FOH ten months ago. Plenty others had run off and gone underground; some might have joined Magneto. I gotta say this was not the best time to be a mutant, and with Shadowcat’s loss, some of our fighting spirit has evaporated.

Oh, and then there’s me, Bobby Drake. I used to be called Iceman, but you don’t hear that name used much now. I live and work at the Institute with the others, but I don’t train in the Danger Room and I don’t go into battle. I’m a non-combatant, I guess you’d say. I used to train and fight with the others, but I sucked in battle. I was a liability on missions, and years ago Shadowcat once got seriously hurt due to one of my screw-ups. So I stay here with the X-men even though I’m basically on desk duty now.

I started with the X-men when I was 19 and I’m 25 now – I stopped fighting a few years ago. Even though I don’t fight, I do earn my room, board, and stipend. I was always good with numbers; I’ve taken several Accounting classes over the years and I do the books for the Professor each month on time. I also do what I guess you’d call Office Manager work for the Institute. If Xavier or Cyclops tells me to re-organize our files or to research and install new software, I get it done. When Xavier used to go to conferences and speak on mutant rights (nothing like that happens now), I’d research the city and the venue. When we used to have students, I functioned as registrar. We do also have a part-time cook, but when she’s not here, I do the grocery shopping (easy for me since I don’t “look like a mutant�) and cook. I’ve also made the arrangements for every birthday and anniversary party we’ve had, and when we used to be allowed to eat in fancy restaurants for special occasions, I’d make the arrangements too. I make sure I earn my keep, don’t want to get kicked out since I don’t know where I’d go. I guess I could try living on my own but I don’t want to. Ever since my parents kicked me out, the X-men have been my security blanket

Though yeah, I am embarrassed that an 18 year old girl - Jubilee - trains and fights, and I don’t.

So anyway, back to the briefing. First, we got an update on the FOH situation. Storm gave us an estimate of how many starships they had and how many outposts in space they ran. I guess if you could see a silver lining to every cloud, you could notice that we don’t deal much with Sinister or Apocalypse or any of our traditional enemies now. They’ve all more or less disappeared. Storm continued to update us on FOH – how powerful they are, how surveys show most of the public agreed with them, how they run everything. It’s a miracle we don’t all have ulcers now. And it ticks me off that the X-men spent the last several years protecting humans from your Sabertooths and your Mr Sinisters -- meanwhile FOH rose up and took over when our backs were turned and we were helping humanity.

“It is apparent to me,� Storm was saying, “that we need to increase our numbers if we are to defend ourselves against FOH�.

“Yes,� Hank added. “There are only 15 people in this room, and there is a limit to what we can accomplish with only 15 fighters – pardon me, I mean 14 -- no matter how robust our powers may be�.

Hank may’ve corrected himself quickly on his mistake, but still a few heads turned and looked my way. I was the only non-fighter in the room; even the Professor had taken part in several missions when necessary.

The conversation flowed on. The Professor added, “We’ve tried to make contact with Excalibur but I cannot reach them,� he said, sounding bewildered. The poor guy, he really looked stressed out to me. Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of X-men very successfully mask fear and pressure as they go into battle but I think all this FOH garbage really is taking its toll.

“Magneto and his group are gone – not that we’d want to work them anyway,� Cyclops added. I looked over at Wolverine. Obviously, given that we think Sabertooth is still with Magneto’s group, Wolverine would never agree to team up with them.

The Professor shook his head. “The number of mutants who are trained fighters, who do not suffer from emotional problems, and who will fight for the cause of good instead of evil…is very low�.

“And Alpha Flight hasn’t responded to our attempts to reach them,� Storm said. “It’s really a shame that they haven’t. They are the next largest group of well-trained mutant fighters. I think we are going to need to make an alliance with them if we stand a chance against FOH�.

“So then…do we know why they don’t get back to us?� Cannonball asked.

I glanced around the room and saw a few looks being exchanged.

“There’s a rumor that they’re going to follow Magneto’s lead,� Jean spoke up. “Get a starship of their own and leave, though they might not return and fight FOH. If you have enough dilithium, you can last for quite a while in space�.

Someone muttered the word “cowards� under their breath. But can you really blame ‘em?

“But so…there’s gotta be more to it than that,� Cannonball insisted. He’s either brave or stupid to be pursuing this line of questioning, I thought – but then again, he is the newest member of the team.

“Me and their leader don’t get along,� Wolverine said bluntly, speaking up for the first time at the briefing. I’ll never forget the time that Guardian, Alpha Flight’s leader, tried to use force to get Wolverine to rejoin his team. And of course rumor had it that Wolverine had a total crush on Guardian’s wife, a crush that was not unreciprocated. Since Guardian and his wife, Vindicator, are still members of Alpha Flight, it would sure make for an awkward situation if we did team up.

“There is also the sense,� the Professor began diplomatically, “that Alpha Flight’s leader prefers to work on his own. He likes to command his own group and believes that if we were to team up, he’d lose some element of control�.

“Gambit t’ink dere be some competitiveness too,� the Cajun spoke. “Like he don’t wanna admit that his team ain’t as strong or powerful as we are�.

“I think he sounds like a jerk!� Jubilee piped up. You can always count on her to speak her mind.

“Jubilee,� Storm cautioned softly.

“Well, I mean really. We mutants are getting hunted like we’re criminals,� Jubilee flailed her hands, “and it doesn’t seem like this is a good time to be playing control-freak games�.

“There are two sides to every story,� Storm countered. “Who knows what the real reasons are? Perhaps we X-men also could have done a better job over the past few years trying to build a bridge with Alpha Flight�.

“Yeah, well we had our hands full fightin’ Magneto and Apocalypse the past few years – don’t remember them helpin’ us out much then,� Wolverine grumbled.

I looked at him and at Storm and saw their eyes meet.

“I am still bewildered at their lack of interest in at least communicating with us,� Hank said. “I believe that the Canadian government has already reduced or eliminated their funding now that FOH has risen to power in that country as well. I do not believe Alpha Flight has any millionaires among its ranks, so how will they maintain the resources necessary to train and live together?�

“Unless the rumor that they’re heading for space is true,� Storm responded. “I believe that one of their members is not of this world�.

Cyclops added, a note of finality in his voice, “Let’s continue to attempt contact with Alpha Flight. They might change their minds and at the very least, it can’t hurt to keep the door of communication open�.

“We have a few other pieces of business to discuss,� the Professor said, changing topic. “I spoke with Moira and Banshee today. Since their facility has been closed, they are finishing up some business in Scotland and will be joining us, along with their children�.

A few muted cheers were heard at that announcement. I think that everyone likes Moira, and Banshee is pretty cool too. But her son Proteus is way powerful and really did a number on us in the past, especially Wolverine. We have to hope that his powers are under control.

“How old is Banshee’s daughter, I wonder?� Angel asked.

I noticed that Colossus leaned forward in his seat at hearing Angel’s question, and I had to suppress a smirk. Angel tried to make the question sound casual but I knew that it wasn’t. I knew he was hoping she was at least 18. We have a problem here – we have more men than women. We’ve only got four women here – and, well, Jean’s married and Rogue and Remy are more solid and happy together than ever (especially since she has a supply of inhibitor collars now – and so she can suppress her powers just by slipping one on). Jubilee’s an adult now but I think no matter how desperate the guys might get, they wouldn’t go for her since they all think of her as their kid sister. And as for Storm – either the guys are intimidated by her or intimidated by whatever is going on between her and Wolverine.

And it’s not like the old days where there just more options outside the Institute. We’ve gotten so isolated, and there are laws prohibiting mutants and non-mutants from marrying or having sexual relations anyway. So I guess you can see why the guys practically salivate upon hearing that an unattached female will be joining us. I’m sure that cancels out any fears of Proteus, in fact.

The Professor’s face was blank as he answered, “I believe she’s about 17�.

I saw Angel try to cover up disappointment. I’m surprised no one asked when was Siryn’s birthday.

Cyclops then said, “Let’s dispatch a small team to locate the Morlocks. We might not be able to work with them – but you never know. We should at least check in with them�.

“I’ll lead the team,� Storm offered.

Gambit and Nightcrawler volunteered to join her. I mused that we must be getting pretty desperate if we were even considering teaming up with them.

The Professor then smiled and the tension on his face seemed to relax for a moment. He said, “We have business of another sort to discuss now. Scott and Jean have an announcement�.

“We’re going to have a baby,� Jean smiled, beaming.

The room erupted with cheers and congratulations. I was thrilled too. A law was passed last year barring mutants from “knowingly reproducing�, so this was kind of a nice “f you� at the government. Seriously, I know Jean and Scott have wanted this for years and I was really happy for them. This was kind of a neat thing; none of us had kids. It stirred up a bit of excitement for the increasingly abysmal-looking future.

“I will read up on childbirth,� Hank declared.

“Dr. McCoy, I would be so honored if you would deliver this baby,� Jean smiled.

For the rest of the meeting, the team was reminded to maintain their training schedule and Forge spoke briefly about some enhancements to the Danger Room he was making.

As a final note, the Professor then added, “One other item. I do need to also mention that Veronica will no longer be with us�. She was our part-time cook. “Frankly, she has been harassed for working with mutants. However, Bobby has agreed to take over her duties. Thank you, Bobby�.

I smiled and then spoke for the first, and last, time during this meeting, “But if the cleaning service quits, forget it – I draw the line there!� People laughed, which made me happy.

***

Not long after the meeting, Rogue and Gambit finished up a game of pool in the rec room with Bobby.

“You guys know Storm a lot better than I do,� Bobby said. “What is going on with her and Wolverine. Did you see those looks going on between them at the meeting?�

“Sure did. I’m gonna talk to that girl!� Rogue resolved. “Whatever kinda cat n’ mouse game they’re playin’ has to end soon�.

The three found gossiping about their teammates much more satisfying than contemplating FOH’s dominion, and soon the conversation drifted towards Cyclops and Jean.

“Gotta wonder why dey doin’ dis now,� Gambit speculated, after checking to ensure that the three were indeed still alone in the large room. “We wanted dead by FOH and by half the public – not a good time to bring a mutant baby into the world�.

“Sugar, we wait for everyone to love us before we do what we want with our lives, we’re gonna be waitin’ a long time,� Rogue responded.

“I agree,� Bobby added. “You can’t lead your life worried about what the jerks are going to do�.

“Don’t hurt to be practical dough,� Gambit replied. “Maybe dis pregnancy was a surprise,� he added.

Rogue shot him a look. “I don’t think so. They are a bit older than us, Swamp Rat. Maybe they’re thinking it’s now or never�.

“Well I’m happy for them regardless,� Bobby declared as Gambit shot one of the balls into the side pocket, effectively ending the game.

“Good job, sugar,� Rogue purred, and placed a gloved hand over Remy’s mouth to give him a congratulatory kiss. Her collars were in their room so this type of contact would have to do for now. Gambit grinned unabashedly at Rogue’s expression of affection and his win.

Heavy footsteps were heard descending the stairs, and Colossus entered the room. “It’s time for our baseball game – you two are still coming, yes?� he asked.

Rogue took a swig of water before she and Gambit got ready to follow Colossus outside. “Sure you don’t wanna join us?� Gambit asked Bobby, knowing what the answer would be.

“No thanks,� Bobby said breezily. “I’m a gay guy, remember?�

“What’s dat gotta do wit’ it?� Gambit responded.

Bobby shrugged and wished them a good game.

***

You know, I actually have it pretty good here. I don’t have any complaints with how people treat me, especially considering that I’m so different from everyone else. They’re all fighters, and I’m not. They’re all straight and I’m not.

Occasionally some of the others – Storm, Gambit, Hank and especially the Professor – would encourage me to go back to training, to try again to use my powers “for the good of humanity�. They’d tell me I should hit the Danger Room, my mutation could be a really powerful weapon, and on and on. I always shrugged them off.

Cyclops never asked me to train after I stopped doing so but hey, who can blame him? He led the missions that I screwed up on in the early years.

One year for my birthday, Hank got me this book about this guy who’d been a decorated war vet but was gay – I kinda wonder if he was trying to give me a subtle message there. I didn’t even read it, I’m such a slacker.

But like I said, I’m so different than everyone else but they treat me just fine here. In the non-mutant world, the social circle for most gay guys consists of other gay guys and straight women. I live as an X-man though, so my social circle is different. I mean, I live with a dozen straight guys and a few women (who are also all straight, not that that matters when it comes to girls). The women are, unsurprisingly, totally cool with me. I’m friends with them pretty much all of them, closest to Jubilee and Rogue, but Jean and Storm are great too. As for the straight guys here, they’re okay. None of them are openly rude to me and all are at least polite on the surface, though there are some I know who aren’t totally comfortable with homosexuality in general (*cough* Cyclops, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Angel *cough*) – but even those are still fine to interact with. There are a few guys here who I don’t think have a homophobic bone in their bodies so, needless to say, I’m closer to them. Hank, Gambit.

After I came out, the Professor checked in with me a few times and asked how the others were treating me. I had nothing to complain about. I don’t join them when they play sports, but when small groups go out to the movies or a museum I get asked along and I usually go. Before mutants got banned from seeing Broadway shows, I went with the others to a few. The guys have all even gone out for beers a few times -- usually done when the women are at a mall or the salon together – and when Wolverine, Gambit, and Cyclops aren’t trying to kill each other -- and they invite me along too.

Actually one time Cyclops, Wolverine, and Gambit did practically try to kill each other during our beer night, but I’ll tell that story some other time. I actually rescued that scenario with my sense of humor, and when you’re a wimp no one beats you up if you “accidentally� spill a pitcher of beer on others. They’re all used to my screw-ups anyway.

So anyway, you could take the most militant gay activist, show them a video of my life surrounded by straight people at the mansion, and the activist would agree there’s no mistreatment going on. There was once when Colossus misused a term and said something that could be considered offensive, but Storm corrected him and he said he was sorry. English isn’t his first language.

I should add too that I don’t lead the life of a celibate monk. There’s a gay bar in town and I go there about once a week or so. I’ve seen the inside of lots of guys’ vans and apartments, and there’s one guy I hook up with regularly, just for sex. None of them know I’m a mutant; the guy I hook up with is actually married with kids. We always play safe. I try to be very discreet and I hope the other X-men don’t know that I’m going out and having meaningless sex with guys I don’t know. I’d be mortified if they knew what I like in bed, if they knew I was a bottom – though I guess if any of them have dwelled on it they could probably figure it out.

So with the bars, I’m having fun and all but it’s not really what I want. Once I even stopped going for a while and was celibate for about 6 months. Physical needs made me go back but I tell you, emotionally I’m not getting what I want. I don’t go as often anyway now; if one of them figures out that I’m a mutant (sometimes you can lose control of your powers a bit when you’re experiencing something intense), I could get in a lot of trouble.

One last thing, since I’m baring my soul to you on my sexuality. During the briefing today, my ears perked up when Alpha Flight was mentioned because I knew they had a gay member. A few years ago, Wolverine was in a friendly mood and was telling us a bit about his adventures in Alpha Flight, and he looked at me and mentioned that Northstar was “a gay guy�. I really really wanted to meet another gay mutant. I should’ve extended myself and found a reason to contact him, but lazy and shy dork that I am, I didn’t.

***

Storm took a deep breath and inhaled the fresh air. She had no need to use her powers today – the sun was shining, a cool breeze flowed, and the grounds of the Institute still boasted flowers and scenery worthy of a painting. A nagging voice in the back of her mind questioned, ‘Why are we playing baseball when there’s so much to do now?’ but she silenced it with a retort: ‘Because we need to relax every now and then or we won’t be productive. There’s not a lot we can do right now anyway’.

The game wound down, and Storm began to make her way back to the mansion, trailing the others. She soon turned, though, feeling a tug from inside. She spun around and walked towards the flower garden, the place of tranquility where she had spent so many hours cultivating flowers and greenery. She walked towards it, savoring the beauty of the flowers and their multitudes of colors and shapes.

“You do a nice job on this�.

Storm tried to mask the emotions that streamed through her insides at hearing Wolverine’s voice. No, it was not the Canadian’s voice that caused a reaction but rather the subtle shift in *tone* that had been occurring lately, Storm noticed, whenever he spoke to her. It was the almost gentle tone that he had previously used only when speaking to Jean Grey.

“Well, thank you, Logan,� Storm responded, turning to look at him. She added, musing, “This world is such a troubled place, but beauty such as this,� she gestured to the rose bush, “still exists and even thrives�.

“You got a poetic streak in you, darlin’,� Wolverine teased, a slight smile on his face. “Guess Beast ain’t the only one�.

Storm observed that Logan, too, clearly took pleasure in nature’s splendor. Fleetingly she considered asking whether he would like to go camping with her one day, but the words to form the question weren’t presenting themselves.

Before Storm could say anything, Wolverine abruptly changed topic. “You need help on the Morlock mission?�

“I appreciate the offer, but I think that for this one, a small team will be more than adequate. Nightcrawler, Gambit, and I will do well�.

“What about your claustrophobia?� he asked, again his voice sounding so unusual because a certain gentleness eased the bluntness of the question.

“Well, Logan, I strongly feel that I need to face my fears straight on if I am ever to conquer them. I struggled the last few times we had to search the tunnels, I won’t deny it, but I feel that I am up to the challenge�.

Storm noticed a glint of admiration in Wolverine’s eyes. The excitement coursing through her insides picked up in intensity. There was so much she wanted to ask Wolverine. Did the news of Jean’s pregnancy impact him, was he accepting the fact that Jean would never be his? Or had he reached that decision a few years ago, at the wedding? Her eyes then narrowed slightly, wondering why Wolverine had brought up her claustrophobia. Was it concern for her or did he need to feel protect and be stronger than any woman in whom he was interested? Inwardly, Storm shook her head. She still was not certain that he *was* interested in her, though she know her own feelings on the subject.

“Well lemme know if you change your mind. Good luck,� Wolverine offered and then took his leave of her.

Storm remained in the garden, in contemplation. Thoughts of Logan were not the only ones swirling around her mind. She meant it when she had remarked on both the beauty and the strife of the world. ‘The earth could be such a paradise but we make it into such a hell. Am I foolish for feeling safe here? Can I blame the mutants who have gone underground or left for space?’

Dimly, Storm heard footsteps.

“So does he finally got his damn fool head outta his butt??�

Storm laughed and shook her head. “Rogue, I hardly feel that question is phrased appropriately�.

Rogue shrugged. “Just wonderin’ what’s goin’ on with you two. Everyone can see the way you look at each other�.

Storm placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder. Rogue wondered if Storm was truly at a loss for words, as a few moments went by in silence.

Storm finally said, “You know that when I have something to share with you, I’ll share it.�

Rogue actually doubted her friend’s words; Storm kept her emotions in such a lockbox. Rogue briefly marveled at the control it would take to keep one’s emotions under wraps at all times. She could never do it.

“But for now,� the Wind Rider continued, “the only exciting romantic gossip taking place here is watching the men get excited over Siryn’s impending arrival�.

“And them wonderin’ if she’s of legal age,� Rogue rolled her eyes, though she did have some empathy for her male teammates’ frustration at the difficulty in finding female companionship.

“The other men are simply not as lucky as Remy,� Storm stated.

“An’ I won’t let him forgit it!�

***

TO BE CONTINUED

Feedback and reviews are always welcomed.

Darkness caressed the night and a few bright starts gleamed through the blackness. Professor Xavier woke from another disturbed sleep, another experience of the same confusing messages. He began to fear that his powers were slipping from his control -- could that explain why he was unable to understand more of the ethereal communications? Yesterday he had attempted to look up the coordinates from his dreams, but even checking the most current star-map the X-men had, he found that the coordinates were too far out in space to determine anything about the place.

Xavier maneuvered himself onto his wheelchair and wrapped a robe around his shoulders. He became aware of the fact that Storm, Gambit, and Nightcrawler had returned from their mission and he met them in the main hall downstairs. Storm offered to update him, as Nightcrawler and Gambit retired to their rooms, though Xavier could have guessed at the mission’s result solely from observing Storm’s face.

“We could not find any trace of them,� Storm reported, as she settled into a leather chair inside Xavier’s office. Based on the team’s reconnaissance, it looked as if the Morlocks had left their home permanently, and signs of struggle were minimal. “We don’t have any theories as to what their destination was�.

“I will try to use Cerebro,� the Professor responded.

“You are planning on waiting a few days though, right?� Storm queried gently. She looked into the eyes of the teacher whom she so admired and could almost feel his weariness.

“Yes. Yes, I believe that would be wise,� he agreed.

***

“You not still awake, chere?� Gambit whispered. His entrance into their room in the dead of night was silent. He had ensured the handle of the door did not creak, and no sounds could be heard as he removed his clothing. Rogue didn’t respond, and Gambit was glad that his lover could continue her sleep undisturbed.

As much as Gambit wanted to join her in slumber right away, his investigation of the Morlocks’ former habitat left him in need of a shower.

The running water from the adjoining bathroom’s shower stirred Rogue. She rubbed her eyes and silently cursed herself. She had wanted to stay awake to ensure that Gambit made it home safely, even though this mission was a low-risk one. She had wanted to be there greet him when returned. She turned the alarm clock towards her and saw that it was two a.m.

“Can’t believe I fell asleep,� she muttered, as Gambit emerged from the bathroom with a towel around his waist. “I wanted to be up to see you and make sure you got back safe�.

“Don’ be crazy, chere. I’d rather you get your rest�. His fire-red eyes had the ability to see well in the dark and he could discern that she didn’t have her collar on. He wanted to kiss her, but putting that Genoshan torture device on would always have to be Rogue’s choice.

“I ain’t that tired anyway; don’t think I fell into a deep sleep. So how’d it go?� she asked.

As Gambit filled her in on their unsuccessful mission, Rogue rummaged around the dresser and pulled out a collar. She placed the device around her neck. The metal felt cool against her skin, though she knew it would soon share her warmth and heat up.

“Hope wherever dey are, dey okay,� he finished, sliding onto the bed next to Rogue. His voice turned to honey. “You put your collar on, chere. You want Remy to touch you?�

Rogue nodded, accepting his embrace. Gambit gently kissed her, starting with her shoulder and working his way up to her neck. She smelled vaguely of perfume, and he could feel her pulse beating when he pressed his lips against her neck. When Remy reached her lips, she returned the kiss but not with her usual passion.

“What’s wrong, chere?� Gambit whispered, as his hands leisurely caressed her back and shoulders. The thin material of the sage green nightgown he had given her allowed the sensations of touch to be felt thoroughly.

“Nothin’, Remy. Just that sometimes I feel silly havin’ to wear this collar�.

Gambit reached for one of her hands and began kissing it. “Don’t make no difference to me. And the collar lets us touch each other. Remy always be thankful for dat day you asked Beast to lend you one that he was studyin’ and you put it on�.

Rogue couldn’t suppress a smile at the memory either. She had been too shy and nervous back then to ask Remy for anything more than a few kisses, and he had been so respectful of her need for time. She would never forget the shock of touching someone with her bare skin and the sensation of his lips against hers. The weeks they spent after that, Gambit patiently teaching her and Rogue gradually shedding her fears, had convinced her. If she hadn’t known that she loved him before, she knew it for certain then.

“But if it’s botherin’ you, maybe you outta ask Xavier again,� Gambit continued. “He could try again to help you get control of your powers�.

Rogue shook her head. “We tried already, but that ain’t the main reason why I won’t ask him again. Remy, that man looks exhausted. He needs ‘bout a three month vacation – and he don’t need people askin’ him for things�.

Gambit looked into her eyes. Her forehead had a slight wrinkle above her nose. “Dat’s what dis is. You worried more ‘bout the FOH and what the team’s gotta deal wit’ den the collar�.

Rogue moved closer towards him and put her arms around his waist. “I think you’re right,� she said, resting her head on his shoulder. “Sucks to be a mutant now�.

“Not when we’re toget’er dough. Not jus’ you an’ me but the whole team�. Gambit paused and took a breath. “Never though I’d be sayin’ somethin’ like dat a few years ago. But it’s true. Used to like to work on my own, but it’s better wit’ the whole group. Wit’ all the shit the X-men’s been through, ain’t nothin’ we can’t handle now. T’ink of it. T’ink of all the battles we won, the times when the odds were against us. No different wit’ FOH. T’ings look bad now but we’ll win eventually. We always do�.

Rogue sighed. “You’re right, Remy. You’re always right,� she said, her voice containing more of its signature spunkiness. “We’ll beat those bastards!� She then lunged at Gambit, covering his body with hers.

Gambit smiled at seeing the return of the Rogue he knew, as she covered his face with kisses. Her kisses grew more and more insistent and she began to grind her body against his. She soon hiked her nightgown up as Remy gently slid the thin straps of the top down and pressed his warm lips to the flesh.

***

“I don’t think we’re the only ones still up tonight,� I said to Jubilee. I reached into the freezer, the cold feeling good against my skin. “Okay, chocolate or rocky road or Ben and Jerry’s Karamel Sutra?�

“Rocky road,� Jubilee responded as she reached for two bowls and spoons. We scooped out the ice cream and topped it with whipped cream and walnuts. We were getting low on walnuts, and I made a mental note to add that to the next shopping trip’s list.

“I was telling Jean once about our late-night refrigerator raids,� she continued, giggling, “and she couldn’t believe that we could just get up in the middle of the night and start eating, and then go to bed and have a normal day the next day.�

“Once she has the baby, she’d better get used to a lot of getting up in the middle of the night herself, from I hear. That’s what my mom told me anyway�.

“I wonder what names they’re thinking of. We didn’t ask at the meeting�.

At Jubilee’s mention of the briefing, I had to say, “I’m so glad to be talking about something other than FOH or battle plans. Talking about Jean and Scott’s baby is a good thing. And hey, are you happy about Siryn coming? Sounds like she’s about your age�.

“Yeah, that’ll be cool,� she responded, her mouth full of ice cream. “But I don’t know anything about her, only met her once�.

“It’ll be nice once you’re not the baby of the group though. Being the youngest’s not all that fun�.

“Yeah, I know. Sometimes I gotta wonder what things would be like if I’d joined the X-men now instead of a few years ago. Maybe people would think of me as an adult instead of a teenager�.

“You’re still technically a teenager,� I said, pointing a chocolately spoon at her.

“I’m old enough for a relationship! I want a boyfriend�.

Hearing Jubilee say that wasn’t new for me, but it was kinda new hearing how serious she sounded. Maybe it had something to do with all of FOH’s power. It almost made you feel like the world was ending, and everything now had urgency behind it. Especially, I would assume, losing one’s viriginity.

“Well, there are lots of guys here�.

“Yeah. And thanks to all these stupid laws, I can’t have a non-mutant boyfriend. So let’s see my choices,� she began, counting on her fingers. “Two of them are taken. The Professor’s like a father. Or grandfather. Beast I just can’t imagine�.

“He’s a good looking guy,� I cut in, shrugging. I wasn’t sexually attracted to him myself though.

Jubilee looked surprised. “Look, I love the guy but I just can’t even imagine being in a relationship with him�.

I nodded. “The kiss test. If the thought of kissing someone weirds you out, it’s a sign he’s not right for you�.

“Totally. So where was I? Wolverine – no way, he thinks of me like his little sister and he’s not looking at any female other than Storm lately anyway. Then you got Nightcrawler, who’s a priest�.

“Monk�.

“Whatever!�

“That still leaves Angel and Colossus and Cannonball. Oh, and Forge. They’re the ones who seem like they really want girlfriends�.

Jubilee shook her head. “I’ve known Angel too long – there’s that whole kid sister thing with him too. And he really is too old for me- he’s gotta be close to Scott’s age�.

“He is�. I was glad she’d written him off, since Warren wasn’t my favorite person and I knew the feeling was mutual. I went on, “I don’t know how old Forge is but he’s gotta be older than Warren, I’d guess�.

“I know�.

“So…we’re down to Peter and Sam then,� I said, not sure why I used Colossus’ and Cannonball’s real names. “There’s a plus to Sam; he didn’t know you when you were 15 so the whole kid sister thing shouldn’t be there.� I swirled my spoon around in my ice cream. “Peter’s a really sweet guy though. Well, they both are�.

“I can’t see myself with Peter. I sometimes feel crazy ridiculous standing next to him – he’s like a foot and a half taller than me and he weighs double or triple what I do – and there’s something else.� She paused. “I think Peter’s still dealing with Kitty’s death,� Jubilee said.

My eyes widened for a moment at her perceptiveness. I sometimes forgot that she truly was not a bratty kid anymore. She still had her spunky personality but she had matured a lot. And there likely was some truth to her words. Peter and Kitty had actually ended their romantic relationship years ago, but obviously he was shaken by her death, more so than any of us.

As I nodded, I tried to get us back to lighter topics and asked, “So then what about Sam?�

Jubilee shrugged. “Wouldn’t he have said something by now if he’s interested in me?�

“Maybe he’s a shy southern gentleman. Or maybe he’s afraid Wolverine would kick his ass,� I laughed before adding, “But…you don’t seem all that interested in him yourself�.

“The kiss test. For some reason, I can’t imagine kissing the guy. I mean, I kinda could but I’m not like dying to, you know?

“I gotta figure something out though,� she continued. “Look how happy Jean and Rogue are. I want a relationship too,� she insisted, sounding scarily way more serious than I was used to from her.

But I wasn’t about to argue with her. I wanted a relationship too. I knew that I didn’t need one to make me feel complete and whole or to make me happy, but I also knew that going to bars and having blow jobs with guys I just met wasn’t that fulfilling anymore either. I’d read about and seen movies with couples who were loving and affectionate with each other -- in bed as well as out of it -- and I’d frankly never experienced that. Heck, I’d almost never actually spent the night sharing a bed with someone. I wasn’t 19 anymore and I really wanted to wake up next to someone, to grow with them, to deal with problems together. I’d seen Rogue and Remy do it over the last few years and they both sure looked better for it.

But given the isolation we lived in, with FOH growing more powerful each day, things didn’t look too promising for either Jubilee or myself.

As I went up the stairs to my bed that night, I noted that Jubilee had been wearing the pajamas I got her for Christmas last year. The top was a solid color with a picture of a wrapped gift, and the bottom had images of candy canes and sleighs. I pulled the covers around myself with thoughts of that Christmas on my mind. The tree trimming, sitting around the fireplace with the others and drinking spiced cider, seeing the looks on the others’ faces during the “secret santa� gift exchange, Jean and Gambit’s annual argument over what dishes to prepare. I drifted off to sleep just fine then, thoughts of FOH replaced by warmth and happiness instead.


***

A horrible screeching sound grabbed Professor Xavier from his slumber. His hands rushed to his ears to try to block the cacophony but it was futile. The noise morphed into constant pain until he blacked out. He didn’t feel the metallic collar gripping him when the FOH soldiers placed it around his neck.

***

At first I thought I was having a terrible nightmare. I kept blinking my eyes and seeing gray dots in front of me but the terrifying images wouldn’t go away. I even went so far as to pinch myself in an attempt to snap out of the nightmare, and when it didn’t work, I had to accept that I was sitting inside a cell with an inhibitor collar on. An FOH insignia was on the wall. My head felt as if someone had been beating me for a few hours.

But at least I wasn’t alone. FOH had dumped all of us inside one large cell. I looked around the room as my eyes got less hazy. Everyone was there, most looking less dazed than I must’ve. There was enough room for us to sit on the floor or on a wooden bench and enough left over for a few of us to pace. Other than the FOH logo on the wall, the cell was as bare as could be.

I dimly heard the others discussing what had happened. ‘They could not have penetrated our defense grid without help…’, ‘Or new weapons. We don’t know what they could’ve developed…’, ‘They have all the top scientists’, ‘Their weapon has to be very strong to have knocked us all unconscious…’, ‘I think it is based upon Banshee or Siryn’s powers –they found a way to replicate them…’, ‘Maybe they kidnapped them and tortured them until they helped….We were expecting them at the Institute a few days ago’, ‘Banshee knows some of our defense codes’.

Hank walked over to me. “Are you alright?� he whispered, helping me to my feet. “We’re all slowly recovering from whatever they did to knock us out; you will feel like yourself again soon�.

“Thanks,� I replied, still shocked at everything. I guess it wasn’t a total surprise that FOH had the technology to beat our defense grid. They have so many brilliant scientists at their disposal. The others kept talking and didn’t really know if FOH had somehow mimicked Banshee’s or Siryn’s powers or created that weapon on their own. But I was really glad when they started talking about breaking out of the cell. There had to be a way.

But as soon as the others began speculating on escape methods, several FOH soldiers approached our cell. They stood facing us on the other side of the force field, and one of them pressed a button on a hand-held device. We could only watch helplessly as Jean, Jubilee, Cannonball, and Forge fell to the ground, screaming in agony.

“Stop it!� Cyclops demanded. He rushed to Jean’s side.

I looked at them and saw the panic in his eyes. I saw that his glasses were on the floor since he no longer needed them.

“There is no need for this!� Hank added, fervently.

After what seemed like an endless amount of time, the FOH solider took his finger off the button and whatever he was doing to the four stopped. Jean, Jubilee, Cannonball, and Forge slowly staggered to their feet, panting. Wolverine and Storm had their arms around Jubilee, assisting her. The others were similarly helped. Cyclops looked like he wanted to kill the guy, and I saw Jean put a protective hand on her belly. I also saw the way Cyclops looked at his wife, the caring and the love, and wished someone would look at me that way.

Finally the FOH soldier spoke. “Nice little device I have here. It will make sure you mutant scum are compliant. All I have to do is decide which of you I want to torture and press a button. So you do what we say or we torture you – we can leave these devices on for hours. They won’t kill you – but after a few minutes of the agony, you’ll wish you were dead�.

“What do you want from us?� the Professor asked. He sat on the floor of the cell. Obviously his hoverchair was gone.

The man continued as if the Professor hadn’t spoken. “So stay in your cell, don’t talk, and stop planning an escape. It’s hopeless�.

Another soldier opened his mouth. “We have two force fields containing you in this cell. You can’t break through them. You can’t do anything except follow our orders�.

“Where are we?� Storm asked.

“Shut up, bitch,� one of the soldiers answered. He then shrugged and pressed a button, and Storm closed her eyes, gripping her collar. For a split second I thought she’d somehow be strong enough to withstand the pain, but she swiftly fell to the floor screaming. Wolverine and Rogue rushed up to her.

“You made your point!� Cyclops yelled. “Stop that at once�.

“We give the orders here, mutie freak. Keep your disgusting mouths shut at all times!�

I heard more footsteps and saw about five other FOH soldiers join the ones who were taunting us. Somewhere along the way one of them pressed the button that stopped Storm’s torture. Again, Wolverine held her as she tried to recover. It was weird seeing Storm, normally so solid and so incredibly powerful, taken down so easily by those damn collars. Wolverine looked more pissed than I’d never seen him.

So I suppose I don’t need to say that I was scared out of my mind. Seriously, my heart was speeding faster than ever and I was probably hyperventilating. While I was shaking with fear, I got another reminder why I’ll never be more than a partial X-man. A half X-man. The others looked worried, that’s for sure. But they also looked alright. Half the team had just been tortured and even they were starting to recover fast. Nobody but me was trembling in fear. You could see that they were assessing the situation and figuring out our next move. Fleetingly I thought about how much I admired and loved the rest of the team, and I prayed we’d get out of this mess. But all I could do was try to get my breathing down to a normal rate and try to control the panic that had started in my stomach and had spread to every muscle in my body.

You know I really try hard not to hate myself – and I don’t, most of the time I think I’m pretty okay – but I sure felt like a loser then. I think the others are just comprised of stronger material than I am. I don’t have the bravery gene or the strong-fighter gene.

At one point, Hank came up to me, probably seeing my distress, and put a hand on my shoulder. But no sooner had he done so than one of the soldiers pointed at us and waved the horrible device. Hank stepped away.

As I was thinking all these thoughts, the now sizable group of FOH stood outside our cell watching us. Then they began to talk.

I knew that some – or most – people hated us mutants. I watched the news, saw our intelligence reports on FOH, and heard first-hand from the others who had dealt with FOH personally. Jubilee and Wolverine had had some particularly harrowing encounters with them. But I had also been a bit isolated too. In the past few months, I had hardly left the mansion except for quick shopping trips or the occasional jaunt to the bar.

So I wasn’t prepared for the venom that the soldiers spewed at us. They spent the next…twenty minutes? Two hours?...telling us just what they thought of mutants.

I told myself it’s just words, it’s just names. They want to tell us that we’re “mutant shit� and we deserve to die, that’s just their wrong attitude. If they tell us we’re “born of the devil� and we “f--- our mothers� and we are “subhuman garbage�, then why do I care what these maniacs think?

But for some reason I looked at the ground or at my hands and felt too embarrassed to look at the others during the tirade. I kept hoping it would end soon. It was hard to think against this constant stream of hatred.

And then FOH said some things that chilled me to the bone. A very official-looking guy walked in – he had some sort of rank insignia that indicated he was a top dog. The other soldiers saluted and stopped talking when he arrived.

“I just received word from headquarters,� the official said. “The top four should be here in five to seven hours�.

The official then turned to us. “Did they tell you what’s going to happen to you when the top four get here?� This one spoke more slowly than the others and his tone was commanding. Somehow I felt forced to look up again and listen.

By now we’d learned not to talk back, so he repeated forcefully, “Did they?�

“No�, Cyclops answered. He made the one word sound somehow strong and defiant.

A ghastly smile came over the face of the FOH leader. “Then let me do the honors of explaining what awaits you. The top leaders of the entire FOH organization are spending time with some Canadian mutant freaks called Alpha Flight. We captured them yesterday. We’re getting ready to kill them – as we will all of you as well – but we’re having lots of fun with them first. The leaders are raping all of the women, and making the men watch�.

He paused and just looked at us. I felt my face drain of color. That sick feeling in the pit of my stomach was almost intolerable now. I looked back down at my hands and hoped that I wasn’t literally squirming. I couldn’t dream of looking at the others right now.

“After they finish their fun with Alpha Flight, they’re going to kill them. A simple bullet to each skull, we think. After all the f---ing, Alpha Flight is going to be happy when it happens. So we just need to wait for our four leaders to finish with that other group of mutant filth. And when they’re done with the festivities, our leaders are going to come here next�. He then paused and asked, speaking slowly, “And guess what they are going to do to you?�

No one responded and he didn’t force any of us to either. He then stroked his face and added, “Hmmm…maybe we should rig a live video feed in here so you can see what awaits you. Get you prepared. We’d start doing the f---ing of your females right now but we do have to defer to our leaders – they get first pick of the spoils of war, that sort of thing. We’ll join in after they get here�.

After a few moments of silence, the guy went on. “Suddenly you’re all so quiet. Before, I was told, we couldn’t shut you up. So quiet now�. He took a breath. “Well, enjoy waiting and thinking about what will happen to you�.

The guy then turned to the other FOH soldiers. “This is a glorious day! Two mutant groups captured and defeated�.

He turned and walked down the hallway. A few soldiers remained outside our cell, holding those control devices and staring at us.

And now the area was eerily quiet, with that man’s words repeating themselves over and over again in my head. I still couldn’t look at the others. I think I wasn’t trembling anymore but felt nauseated and found it hard to breathe. Pretty soon, my ears started to slightly ring though I don’t know if it was due to the strange silence or fear or some residue of the weapon that attacked us.

I’m not sure how long we waited there. When I lifted my head, I vaguely saw some of the others tugging at their collars or approaching the force field, but the minute someone made any sort of move like that, the soldiers raised the collar control device ominously.

There was one point where FOH threw into our cell several large bottles of water and a bucket. (How thoughtful! I guess they didn’t want anyone passing out from thirst while we waited). The others made motions as if to rush the door, but there was no chance. The cell had two force fields and they worked kind of like an air lock. When one was off, the other remained on, so there was no way to get out – though Cyclops and Wolverine tried. And they ended up not only getting nipped by one of the force fields but also ended up being tortured with the collars for their attempt. It was a while before either one revived.

***

The X-men continued to wait in their cell, fighting the rage and fear that threatened to overwhelm. Any attempts to discuss possible escape plans – not that escape seemed remotely feasible – were thwarted by the torture-device on the collars. Any attempts for one X-man to try to touch or comfort another was similarly and brutally thwarted as well. The cell had no windows, nothing but smooth walls and the force field. Despite their anxiety over what FOH had promised, the keen minds of the group continued to consider possibilities for escape but had to abandon them one by one.

At one point, Cyclops attempted to improvise. He walked towards the force field and tried to approach one of the guards with a request. As soon as he opened his mouth, the guards used the torture device on Jean, not Scott. They left it on for over two minutes and when they finally shut it off, Jean took several minutes to regain consciousness. “Don’t touch her,� the guards warned Scott when he tried to offer some comfort.

“No talking – to us or to each other!� another guard barked out.

The guards’ shifts were short, so as to avoid any possibility of them not being alert and ready. Never were there fewer than three guards standing outside the cell, and they watched every movement made by the group. They appeared eager to use the torture devices.

Rogue decided to try something. As the others watched, Gambit unsure if he should silently attempt to dissuade her, she approached the force field. She locked eyes with one of the guards and extended her index finger, gesturing directly at him. She raised her eyebrows and gave an unmistakably lusty look to him.

“Maybe you an’ I could find somewhere ---“

Her voice was cut off by the torture device. As Gambit lunged towards her, he was held back by Colossus and by the warning of the soldier who menacingly waved the remote control device at him. Rogue screamed agonizingly loudly, her voice ringing in the others’ ears for an interminable amount of time before she fell over, still.

“Nice try, mutant filth. How stupid do you think we are?� one of the guards said.

“Don’t worry, she’ll wake up before our leaders get here,� another gloated.

After an unknown amount of time had passed, the FOH leader who had spoken to the group earlier walked by the cell. “Just three more hours,� he informed them. “Then FOH’s top four get here, and then the fun really begins. I’ve already picked who I’m going to f--- first, once our leaders are finished�. He paused and pointed at Jean. “You�.

***

Storm’s mind was exhausted. She had silently contemplated countless escape plans but not one was feasible.

She was able to keep her claustrophobia at bay. The cell was crowded, but large. Storm had room to move or at least stretch. But given what FOH promised to do later, claustrophobia was the least of her worries.

She sat across from Wolverine. Storm made eye contact with him a few times, seeing her own despair and rage mirrored on his face. She marveled at how well he was handling himself. Mostly, however, she wished that she had done more than simply consider asking him to go camping with her in the past. If they truly were to be tortured and then killed, Storm wished she had not postponed this. She doubted that she would be given a second chance, but had a few ideas of what she would do if the X-men did manage an escape.

***
TO BE CONTINUED

Warning: This chapter also contains a few situations and references which may disturb some readers.

And I do promise that we will eventually get to the RoLo!


Chapter Three


Rogue and Gambit sat on the floor of the FOH cell next to each other. They sat close enough together that the guards didn’t have a clear view of their hands entwined. Although her nerves were on alert, Rogue was also exhausted from her sleep being interrupted and from her body’s raging but thwarted desire to fight back against FOH. She drifted in and out of consciousness. She knew she dozed off intermittently but she was too filled with anxiety to get any fulfilling sleep, much less dreams.

Rogue’s mind wandered. As the strain of the current situation pressed down on her, she forced herself to think of pleasant memories as a distraction. She needed a mental diversion if she wanted to maintain her sanity, she knew. After all, the Professor had said that the brain was one of the mightiest weapons.

She tilted her head towards Gambit, who also dozed lightly, and smiled. As much as the man exasperated her sometimes, she loved him fiercely.

She remembered the days before she acquired an inhibitor collar. Her heart had been in her throat at the thought of their situation – Remy admitting that he loved her, watching him fight his desire for contact. Rogue vividly recalled forgot the day she told him to just forget her and to pursue other women, ones he could actually touch. She had gone back to her room and cried into the pillow even though she felt that setting him free had been the right thing to do.

Not too long afterwards, he had tapped on her door. “I can’t jus’ forget you like dat, chere,� he had murmured passionately.

She had allowed him to witness her crying. “What do you want us to do then?� she had wailed. “I can’t touch you!�

“Remy t’inks dat you gonna t’ink of a solution one day,� he had responded, hugging her tightly through the protective barrier of their clothing.

Remy had waited a few days before Rogue had her epiphany. She had begun to wonder why he hadn’t suggested it herself but then slowly it dawned on her that he had wanted it to be her idea; he wanted her to realize what she could do if she wore an inhibitor collar. She marched into Hank’s lab and asked for a collar. Rogue also asked him how it worked and whether one would suffer any harm from wearing it. Hank had smiled and reassured her as he reached into a drawer to pull one out.

Rogue remembered back to the look on Gambit’s face when she first told him what she had acquired. She remembered how she asserted herself and told him what she was and was not ready to experience. She remembered his smile and how he eagerly, and respectfully, complied with her guidelines. Her favorite memories were the long afternoons and evenings when he patiently and gently guided her, how she came to adore touch and to fully embrace her sensuality. Gambit’s words of love always helped. He would use his hands on her, and later his mouth, until she was finally ready to offer herself fully.

He had more than made good on his assertion from years ago that there was plenty he could teach her. She had learned from him and had overcome her awkwardness in finding out what to do, discovering how he liked to be touched.

Rogue stifled a giggle when she recalled preparing for one of her and Remy’s earliest dates. She had visited three stores to search for the perfect outfit and was unsatisfied with all of her purchases. She had collided with Bobby in the hallway and had poured out her frustrations to him. Before she knew it, Bobby had demanded that she fly them both to the nearest mall where they scoured every clothing store until both were satisfied that she had flattering clothes. Items were discarded breezily for being not revealing enough or too revealing or the wrong color or too expensive. They were fanatic about the clothing selection process and enjoyed every second of it.

Her reverie was interrupted by an FOH soldier who peered closely at them. “Hey, you two. Quit holding hands!� He waved the torture device menacingly.

***

I don’t know how much time was passing. Each minute felt like three hours. We had tried everything to escape but now the guards were torturing us even if we moved. Wolverine had stood up and started to pace, and just for that they used the collar on him.

I don’t need to write out what I saw when I looked around the cell. We all looked ready to jump out of our skins. We all looked like death. I think everyone was eager for battle, for a fair fight but we had no way to get free of the collars.

We heard footsteps and the same leader guy approached. My heart fell out and landed on the floor. I thought it had been about three hours since his last visit. This had to be it. I couldn’t even imagine living through what he had been saying. I couldn’t fathom Jubilee and Rogue and Storm and Jean being raped. And the rest of us being forced to watch it. That all almost seemed worse than the execution he had promised afterwards. I mean, we’ve battled some morally degenerate enemies before but I don’t think it would even have occurred to them to ever suggest doing something like this. My mouth was dry but I glanced and saw that we had finished all the water.

“Just when you thought mutants couldn’t sink any lower,� he began. During that split second, I was almost relieved since it didn’t appear that he was announcing his leaders’ arrival.

My relief was very short-lived.

“Now we find out,� he went on, “that you have a homosexual among your ranks. We don’t have to wait until our leaders get here before we start having fun with you,� he said, looking directly at me. “You worthless queer�.

I kind of wondered how they knew, but I guessed there were a few possible ways. I assume FOH had been monitoring us and it’s possible they knew I went to a gay bar sometimes. Also, if they had indeed captured and tortured Banshee or Moira, perhaps one of them mentioned it. And years ago, at the Professor’s gentle suggestion, I had visited a psychologist just to have a non-X-man to talk things through with when I was coming out – if they went through our personnel files at the mansion, I’m sure that would’ve been in there somewhere.

I was, however, in fear for my life so I wasn’t spending a lot of time pondering all that.

“Come here,� he ordered me.

I actually sprang to my feet in a matter of seconds. I didn’t want someone else getting the collar used on them because of me, and I could walk even though my legs were stiff. The soldiers opened one of the force fields and I stepped through. I was dimly aware of the others again trying to rush the force field, but it didn’t work --- thanks to both the collars and to that airlock thing they had going on where there was always one force field up.

Three soldiers and their leader led me down a hallway.

***
From what I saw when walking down the halls, I didn’t think we were on board one of FOH’s starships. I even passed a window and from the glance outside I took, I guessed we were at one of their main headquarters.

But I didn’t have much time for speculating. The soldiers shoved me inside a small room. I can’t explain why, but I felt calm all of a sudden. I was still terrified, but my heart wasn’t racing quite as much as I would’ve thought.

“Alright, who wants to go first?�

Apparently they hadn’t organized what they were going to do to me. One of them just took a swing at me and punched me. Then another. They just kept hitting me again and again. I’d never been beaten up before – not without mutant powers involved -- so I guessed this was what it was like. As they hit me, they hurled out every anti-gay slur you could imagine. They shoved me from one guy to another. Sometimes one would hold me up so another could punch me. I fell to the ground several times and they either kicked me or scooped me up and held me up again.

Pain. I’d never felt such intense pain before. One blow after another, it was torture. I think every part of my body had been hit. Pretty soon there wasn’t a nerve ending in my body that didn’t cry out. Years ago I had been defeated in combat back when I used to fight -- I had one encounter with one of Mags’ cronies that left me pretty black and blue but it was still nothing like this. I was in so much pain that I eventually couldn’t even hear the insults they were throwing at me. Blood was everywhere.

At some point, there were several punches right to my mouth. When they stopped, I found myself coughing and I remember spitting out a tooth. How I didn’t pass out right then and there, I’ll never know.

Something happened not much longer after that. I think some of their watches beeped – maybe it was their turn to be on duty somewhere else. So a few of them left, and then one of them grabbed me by the arm and threw me inside another room. He left. After some amount of time – I was in so much agony I had no idea how long – that room’s door opened and another FOH walked in.

He closed the door and I was alone with just this guy. I couldn’t stand up on my own so I was kind of crouching against the wall. I’m sure one of the other X-men would’ve been able to take this guy, even with a collar on, but I was so beat up all I could do was try to stay conscious despite the raging pain in my mouth and pray that I’d get some sort of respite as I vaguely wondered why he was just standing there.

Maybe a minute or so passed with him watching me and doing nothing. Finally he took a few steps closer to me and started to talk. I was expecting another round of name-calling -- I’d never heard the term “faggot� used so many times in one day -- but he said something else.

“I hate mutant scum,� he began, but he wasn’t yelling the words. He was saying them conversationally as if we were sitting down to coffee. “I really do. I joined FOH because of that and because I needed a job. You rich mutants living in that mansion have no idea what it’s like to want to work and not have a job�. I trembled as I forced myself to listen to him. “But my sister was raped and I don’t want anyone else to go through what she did. And they’re going to force us to participate once the leaders are done. You see,� he began again, emphasizing each of the next five words, “I just can’t do that�.

I wondered if I was dreaming. The guy pulled out a map. “Here’s how to get back to your friends’ cell. I’m gonna take your collar off you and give you a gun. You’ll probably kill me, I don’t know, I guess I don’t care at this point. I’m going to shoot myself in the side to make it look like you overpowered me. Your best bet is to steal one of our starships and get the hell off this planet. Good luck�.

With that, he helped me to my feet and did exactly as he said. He reached around my neck – I flinched at being touched – and pressed a few buttons on his device. He proceeded to take out a pistol and shoot himself, and then hand me the gun. He must’ve had a silencer on it as it made almost no sound.

I stood there blinking for a few seconds, but utter fear of what awaited the X-men made me snap into action. I wasn’t a warrior, not at all, but I had to figure this one out. I had to act.

Immediately I turned into my Iceman form. I hadn’t done it completely for a while, but it came right back. I took the gun but was much more comfortable using ice. Changing into the ice form must have completely numbed the pain from all over my body; I remember it used to do that in the past and did so again that day. I didn’t even think anymore about the effects of the beatings.

I didn’t debate between using a slow and stealthy approach or a bolder one. The map indicated that I wasn’t far from the X-men’s cell. I made an ice slide and barreled down the hallway, full speed ahead. I ran into a few FOH, reached my arm out, and iced them over instantly. It still worked! In truth, I hadn’t had time to worry that it wouldn’t. It just *had* to.

I continued to careen down the hall on my ice slide. I reached the area outside the cell and the soldiers guarding it didn’t have time to do anything more than open their mouths before I froze them in blocks of ice. The other X-men jumped to their feet. I wanted to take a second to savor the looks on their faces but there was no time, and to this day I have no memory of it.

But now I had a problem – I had to figure out how to get the force field down. “There!� Cyclops yelled, pointing at a panel on the wall. I started to freak out just a bit then and started randomly pressing pretty much every button on the panel. Miraculously, the force fields dropped.

An alarm sounded. I reached Wolverine first and turned his collar into ice. He tore it off, and we proceeded to use either his claws or my ice to remove everyone else’s collar. I thrust the map I had been given towards Cyclops. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Colossus scoop up the Professor since obviously his wheelchair wasn’t there.

In the past, I’d lose all sense of reality in battle. Adrenaline or panic or whatever would kind of overtake me. In the chaos of combat, it really was hard for me to maintain any sense of…normalcy or equilibrium. Now that the others had their powers back, I just followed along, relieved to not be the one on whom everything was dependant anymore.

I remember us rushing down the hallway and encountering many FOH soldiers. I remember lots of lasers shooting from Cyclops’s eyes, lightening bolts from Storm, charges from Gambit, and so on. We took some guns from some of the soldiers we encountered so that those of us who needed weapons had them. I remember Cyclops and Storm calling out plans over the din of battle.

FOH, at least at this compound, was toast.

Most proudly, I remember managing to stay rather sane during the pandemonium and shooting out ice whenever needed. A few times I had to fight back fear that I would accidentally freeze one of my teammates but somehow that didn’t happen, which was a minor miracle given how untrained I was. Out of the corner of my eye, I once saw Jean nearly fall on the remnants of one of my ice slides, but she steadied herself straightaway. Fighting in a battle with a lot of powerful mutants is kind of like a big elaborate dance, but more like one where people can get really hurt.

Along those lines. The worst moment in battle occurred when I heard Colossus scream, “Xavier’s hit!� I vaguely remember whirling around and seeing blood coming from the Professor, who was still held in one of Colossus’s arms.

Storm and Cyclops led us to a hangar which housed several FOH ships. I remember hearing Jean proclaim “This one is empty!� and Forge declaring that it looked space-worthy.

As we bounded up the ship’s ramp, there was one conversation I remember well.

“We gotta rescue Alpha Flight!� Wolverine yelled.

“We can’t,� I heard Cyclops reply. “They had their chance to join us; we reached out to them. And we have to get Xavier to safety�.

At the same time Cyclops spoke, I heard Angel yell, “Too dangerous! We need to get out of here!�

Storm’s wisdom came through in the end. “We don’t know where they are. And if what FOH said is true, then they are already dead, anyway. And as Cyclops said, getting Xavier somewhere safe is our priority�.

“What about Banshee and Moira?� Hank asked.

Jean touched her hand to one of her temples. “I can’t say why, but I believe they are safe. Wherever they are�. Then I was surprised to hear her admit, “But my intuition might be clouded a bit by my worry for the Professor�.

That was enough debate. We piled on board the ship, rushing towards the bridge. Within seconds, Forge and Beast figured out how to engage the cloaking device and get us out of there. It’s nice having a few geniuses on your team. By the time FOH got one of their starships into the air, we were already zooming ahead with warp drive and had the cloaking device functioning. FOH had no way to track us.

***

I went right to sick bay after that and the next several hours were a bit unclear for me, but here’s what I know happened.

Cyclops, Storm, and Forge stayed on the bridge to take care of our immediate concerns. They made sure the cloaking device was holding and that no FOH ship was following us.

I guess the Professor had given Cyke and Storm some coordinates that he kept hearing in a dream or message or something. It was supposed to be a place of healing, which the Professor desperately needed though I’ll get to that in a second. The message or dream wasn’t much to go on but we didn’t really have any other destination. Going back to earth wasn’t a good idea. Forge had checked the ship’s supply of dilithium, which is this power source that runs the engines as well as life support, the cloaking device, and the replicators. So it’s pretty important. Forge discovered that this ship had enough of it to take us to the coordinates Xavier had mentioned – I guess we had enough to last a while, regardless. So that’s where they set the ship’s course for.

Beast dashed to sick bay to tend to the Professor. It was serious. With Jean assisting, Hank had to perform surgery on the Professor to remove two bullets. When their grueling work was finally done, the Professor was in a coma.

As for me, as soon as I reverted back to my normal form, I nearly collapsed in pain. The Iceman form and the adrenaline from our escape had numbed my pain but as soon as I changed back to myself, I was one beaten up guy. I went to sick bay too, which wasn’t that big so I could always see what was going on with the Professor. As much pain as I was in, I fervently hoped Xavier would pull through.

Jean at one point apologized and promised that she and Hank would help me as soon as they were able. They were the two, obviously, best suited to taking care of the injured, but others had had at least basic first aid training. Nightcrawler and Rogue tended to my wounds.

They bandaged me up best they could. At one point I remember Rogue yelling over to Hank, “What do we give him for the pain? They knocked out a tooth!� I remember Nightcrawler hurriedly reading the label of whatever medication to make sure they gave me the right dosage, as Rogue brought up a computer and tried to search the database. The two of them did the best they could, and whether it was due to pain or fatigue or the medicine, I lost consciousness a few times. Which was fine with me.

When Hank was finally free – and he looked as exhausted as everyone – he bandaged my ribs. Two of them were fractured. At one point I took a look in the mirror and wished I hadn’t. My eyes were blackened and my face swollen. I really looked hideous and felt that way too.

Okay, enough about me and back to what everyone else was doing. I heard that once they felt that the bridge was secure and our immediate needs taken care of, Cyclops and Storm worked on some logistic-type stuff. This is the kind of thing I love to coordinate but I was too sick to do any of it. Things like assigning rooms to people, learning the layout and workings of the vessel, creating a “bridge duty� schedule (for safety’s sake, we needed at least one person on the bridge to make sure the ship was functioning alright, we weren’t under attack, etc), using the food replicators to prepare meals since we hadn’t eaten for a while, and most importantly putting together a “sleep schedule�. We absolutely had to get some rest, though there was so much to do. No one had slept much while we were imprisoned and I can’t even estimate how many straight hours we’d all gone without sleep. I believe that the others slowly began to retire to their new quarters for rest, though I remained in sick bay, napping occasionally.

Despite everyone’s urgent need for sleep, and the fact that I was in and out of consciousness myself, I did have many visitors once Rogue and Nightcrawler patched me up as best as they could. Gambit came. I think he was thanking me for rescuing the team, but his visit was right after I was given the pain killer and I believe I fell asleep while he was talking. Later on, I have dim memories of visits by Jubilee, Storm, Wolverine, and Cannonball I think. I remember being thanked and remember one or two wanting to hug me but they couldn’t because I was so sore.

I’ll never forget my conversation with Hank when he was bandaging my ribs and admonishing me to not move.

“I am sorry, my friend, that I was not available to take care of you earlier,� he said.

I tried to not be stunned. “Hank, give me a break. You had to *perform surgery* on the Professor! I think that takes precedence�.

“I still wish that I could have done more. And I also want to thank you for rescuing us. You are very brave�.

I let his compliments roll right off me. In fact, as he was talking I really wished I could’ve stroked his blue fur reassuringly since I knew his regret at not being able to do more was sincere. But it seemed that the more I moved, the more pain I felt.

“When your mouth heals more,� he added, “I’ll make you an implant to replace the tooth that was knocked out�.

“Sounds good. But Hank -- you look really tired. Promise me that as soon as you’re done with wrapping my ribs, you’ll go to your room and get some sleep?�

He looked around the sterile sick bay. The Professor lay on his bed and I wish he had been just sleeping instead of just in a coma. “Perhaps I should remain here�.

“No! Look, if I need you, I’ll call you on my communicator, okay? Gambit gave me one too. If the Professor wakes up, won’t his machine start beeping? So can’t you get a bit of sleep?�

In the end, he compromised. Rather than heading for his quarters, he slept on one of the empty sick bay beds.

***
Jean Grey entered the bridge. Her husband and Storm were still stationed on the adjoining captain and first officer’s chairs, still discussing plans.

Jean stood behind Scott and circled her arms around him. “Jean, honey…you need your rest now,� he said quietly, tilting his head around, though he enjoyed her embrace.

“So do you,� she answered. Jean then looked at Storm. “And you too, Storm. We might have our powers back but it doesn’t mean we don’t need basics, like sleep�.

Storm nodded. “We spoke with Forge four hours ago. We had agreed that he would seek five hours of sleep and then come here to relieve us�.

“Good,� Jean said. “Because as much as we love our leaders, you’re not of any use to us if you’re brain-dead�.

“I’ll be able to join you soon,� Scott promised, standing up to embrace his wife. “Just one more hour�. With an arm around her, he led her to the bridge’s sliding door.

Later, Scott made good on his promise and joined Jean in their room. She was sleeping soundly. He looked around their quarters. The room was sparse and utilitarian. One dozen of the rooms on the formerly-FOH ship had been designated officer quarters and thus, although Spartan, had their own private bathrooms. The room itself contained a queen sized bed, shelves, desk and chair, and tiny window.

Cyclops kicked off his shoes and settled into bed next to his wife.

“I can’t believe,� Jean murmured, “that we’re on a starship heading through space�.

“To an unknown destination, in the hopes that *something* there can somehow help the Professor out of his coma,� Cyclops finished. He then added, “Though we have found ourselves in situations that were nearly this unusual�.

Jean turned onto her side and rested her head on his shoulder. “Try to sleep,� she said softly. “We’re worried about Xavier but there’s nothing we can do now�.

“Is Hank getting any sleep?�

“He said he would. Though knowing him he won’t leave sick bay�. Jean paused and said, “I know you’re worried about the whole team, but I think everyone is hanging in there. Actually, considering what we’ve been through, I think everyone’s doing just fine�.

“Is um…is the baby alright? I mean, I know you would’ve told me if you sensed something…� he let his voice trail off.

“I meant to tell you -- Hank checked the baby’s heartbeat with a stethoscope and said it was fine, thank goodness�. She took a breath, thinking back to the collar torture. “I can’t remember ever feeling so much pain in my life. I don’t even have words for it�.

“Same here�. As much as Scott wanted to drift off to sleep, he knew he couldn’t rest unless he brought up something else. He reached one of his hands to clasp hers. “They…they threatened to do some horrible things to us. Are you alright?�

He silently chastised himself for feeling awkward about bringing this subject up with his own wife, but he didn’t want her to think he was trying to forget it ever happened. It was fairly impossible to forget, given the number of times the soldiers told them what the FOH leaders were going to do.

Through her mindlink with Scott, Jean picked up on some of these thoughts. “I am glad you asked because what they threatened us with…we’ve never experienced anything like that�.

“I know. It was shocking�.

“But I’m alright,� Jean insisted. “I’m making a conscious effort to think of other things because I feel a bit ill if I dwell on it for too long�.

Scott nodded.

Jean whispered, “Let’s get some sleep, my love�.

The couple soon fell into a sound sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms.

***

Pretty soon, I think a sense of normalcy came over the ship. Well, that’s probably the wrong word but I will say that once everyone had eaten and slept, things didn’t feel as urgent and so Storm and Cyclops called us all together for a meeting.

I was still on pain medications, but Hank switched me to some that didn’t make me spacey. I hadn’t been out of sick bay much, so Rogue and Gambit escorted me to the meeting room since I didn’t yet know my way around the ship. One of my eyes was still swollen and I couldn’t see too well out of it, and I had to walk slowly. Rogue and Gambit took me to a large room adjacent to the bridge. It had a big circular table which we all barely fit around.

As I entered the room, a few of my teammates went up to me and shook my hand and thanked me for rescuing them. Colossus started to give me a manly slap on the back but fortunately stopped himself in time when I gently reminded him that every nerve ending in my body was sore. Cyclops made a point of shaking my hand and thanking me as well.

Hank entered the conference room last -- I’m sure he was reluctant to leave the Professor even though his condition hadn’t changed.

Storm kicked off the meeting by saying that it was a good idea for us all to get together in the same room and check in “now that we have all rested and know the lay of the land�.

“First thing we wanted to inform you of,� Cyclops began, “is that we estimate a six week trip until we reach our destination�. He looked at Forge and said, “We will have enough dilithium to get us there – and back to earth – if we continue at this speed�.

Rogue spoke up, “Can y’all remind us where we’re goin’ and why?�

Storm smiled. “I’m glad you brought it up – in the chaos of the last several hours, I’m not sure how well we communicated with everyone�. She then went on to explain that Xavier had been informing both herself and Scott that he had been receiving messages of some sort that contained specific coordinates and conveyed the idea that healing would take place at those coordinates. The Professor viewed the message as important enough to tell the X-men leaders about it more than once and insist that they memorize the coordinates.

“Don’t mean to sound critical,� Gambit began, “but dat don’t seem like a whole lot to go on�.

Storm responded, “You’re right, Gambit. We X-men have had several…undeveloped plans before and we certainly don’t claim that this is much different. Cyclops and I have been discussing alternatives but we haven’t come up with a satisfactory one�.

“For example,� Cyke began, “we could return to earth but in Hank’s view, no medical facility that would agree to treat a mutant would be any better than the equipment he has here. And with FOH’s control over everything, there’s a certain logic to staying away for now. They defeated us pretty easily at the mansion and I don’t think it’s wise to risk any sort of confrontation with them now until we understand their weapons better�.

“And you can bet that airspace around earth is crawlin’ with FOH ships,� Wolverine added. “Waitin’ for us�.

Hank then said, “Our main priority has to be to heal the Professor. His condition is stable now but I do not know to bring him out of the coma. There is a possibility that a few of the state-of-the-art facilities on earth could do more for him, but as Cyclops said, none of those facilities treat mutants�.

I saw lots of people nodding, and no one looked like they disagreed. Someone would’ve spoken up if they had a better idea.

Jean shook her head. “I know this is totally unscientific, but my intuition tells me that we will find…healing or help or something at these coordinates�.

Angel said, “I completely agree that this ship seems safer now than just about any place on earth. For the past year or so, I felt like a sitting duck at the mansion. Now at least we can move around quickly, we’re hidden by the cloaking device, and this ship has weapons too�.

Storm looked around the room. “So, am I correct in thinking that you support this plan – or at least that there’s no strong disagreement? That you can all get behind the idea of us proceeding to this place and deciding our next move from there?�

“I’m behind it,� Wolverine said.

“So then,� Cyclops continued, “in terms of how we will spend the next six weeks before we reach our destination…Forge and Beast have agreed to work on reconstructing the Danger Room. We have enough dilithium that this is a reasonable goal. There’s a large empty room in here that looks like it was supposed to be used for a holodeck, so using that space for the Danger Room would be ideal. Once the new Danger Room is functional, we’ll put together a training schedule. In the meantime, please use the gym to train. It’s fairly large and has quite a bit of equipment�.

“Here are maps of the ship for anyone who didn’t already receive one,� Storm said, passing out the papers. The major points of interest were the bridge, sick bay, mess hall, gym, recreation room, engineering, the meeting room in which we sat, and the personnel quarters. The personnel quarters all occupied one long hallway near the bridge.

Forge asked, his eyes still on the map, “Aren’t we going to be short one room? The personnel quarters, I mean�.

I saw Cyclops and Storm look at each other. “Oh yeah,� Scott began. “We meant to mention that. There are twelve rooms on this ship that were designated officers’ quarters. There are lots of other sleeping quarters on this ship, but they are more like army barracks – big rooms with lots of bunk beds and with a group bathroom down the hall�.

“So with fifteen people on the ship and twelve rooms,� Forge said, “assuming that Cyclops and Jean are sharing one room and Rogue and Gambit another – we’re short a room�.

“Yeah,� Cyclops said. “We were thinking that we can deal with that when the Professor is out of his coma. We could always designate one of the large barrack rooms to be his – it would be further away from all the other rooms but it would be nice and big�.

“We could also rotate who gets that room,� Storm added. “Or we could convert another space into a room for someone – there are a few other conference rooms that could be converted, though they wouldn’t have private bathrooms�.

“We’ll deal with it when we need to,� Cyke concluded.

“So in the meantime, neither of the couples can break up!� Jubilee declared, and everyone laughed at her joke.

She then went on, “What is this ship anyway? I mean, what do we know about it? It looks like it’s never been used�.

“Best we can tell, this is a brand-new starship,� Wolverine answered. I guess he’d been doing some research on the place. “It’s got a few miles on it, but few enough that I think it was just taken for a few test-drives and that’s it. Ain’t no crew roster in the ship’s records; looks like this is the first time it ever left earth�.

“What are we gonna call it?� Rogue asked. At the questioning looks she received, she went on, “No, really, I think it’s gotta have a name. Can’t keep callin’ it ‘the ship’ – that’d be impolite�.

I was really surprised to find myself speaking up. “How about the Victory?� I asked. “For Victory, over FOH. Which we haveta believe is going to happen some day�.

“I like it,� Cyclops said.

“And there is a certain logic to letting the man who rescued us all choose the name,� Storm added.

I felt myself blushing. “I was just doing what any of you would’ve done in that situation,� I said. All the attention made my stomach fill with butterflies, though I kind of liked it too.

“Speaking of that,� Storm began, as she got up and walked over to a cabinet in the room. She pushed a button and the door slid aside. A cake was inside, along with plates and forks. She lifted the cake and set it onto the table. “We all wanted to thank you, Bobby, for the rescue. You are very heroic. We’re trying to only replicate necessary items, as you all know, but we did want to make this cake to celebrate what you’ve done�.

“Yes,� Cyke added. “We wouldn’t be here without you, Bobby. Thank you�.

People applauded and I felt embarrassed but great. (Can you feel embarrassed and great at the same time?) Slices of cake were soon passed around. I know I was smiling from ear to ear. Someone made a joke about wanting to carry me around on their shoulders as they sang “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow� but I laughed and reminded them that my sore ribs wouldn’t be able to take it.

“I’ve never heard,� Nightcrawler began, as he sliced into his piece of the chocolate cake, “exactly what happened. How did you get free of the soldiers?�

“Actually, I don’t think any of us know the story,� Rogue added. “What happened?�

I looked down at the cake. The meeting had turned so merry. Sorting through memories of our imprisonment would certainly bring the mood down. I stuttered for a bit, before I decided to just say what I was thinking. “This will be kinda a downer�.

“That’s okay,� Cyclops said. “I think we need to hear it�.

“Okay,� I said, and suddenly it was a lot easier to look down at the cake than at the group. “Well, they brought me into this room and they beat me up. As you can see,� I added, trying to put in a laugh. “It seemed like it went on for a long time. Then they transferred me to another room. I looked up and it was just me and this one soldier. I think he was a big shot�. My mouth felt dry and I realized that this would be difficult to tell. I wished I could be eating chocolately yumminess instead of retelling this tale. I made myself look up though since I couldn’t stare at my plate the whole time. “He started talking to me instead of hitting me. He, uh…he said that his sister had been raped. He said he hated mutants but he didn’t want anyone else to go through that. Then he started telling me that his plan was that he’d let me go and he’d shoot himself to make it look like I overpowered him. He’s telling me all this and I can hardly believe him. Plus I’m feeling a bit not myself since I’m in tons of pain from getting beat up. But anyway, he did as he said and he took off my collar. I did the Iceman thing and headed right for the cell you were in. I didn’t encounter that many soldiers but I froze those that I did�.

I paused, and then tried to make a laugh, “So you see…I didn’t *do* anything. I just let him remove my collar and I got over to you guys as soon as I could�.

“You still behaved heroically,� Storm said, her rich, reassuring voice helping to soothe my nerves. “You had been away from training for so long and yet you still reacted as an X-man�.

All the praise was a bit too much for me, so I tried to turn the conversation. “I guess I am surprised by what the guy said. I didn’t know any of them felt any sympathy for us or at least realized that we are human. But when he said he didn’t want us to go through what his sister went through…I guess he must’ve realized at some point that we’re not that different. At least not in that way, that we’d feel the same pain and suffering�.

I slowly realized that people’s heads were turning away from me and onto someone else. I looked over and saw that Jubilee’s head was bowed and she had a hand over her face. It soon became obvious that she was trying to hide that she was crying.

The party had suddenly turned very serious. Jean got up and went over to Jubilee, putting an arm around her. “It’s okay. You can go ahead and cry,� she said. “I’ve cried at least once since we got free�.

Somehow Jean seems to know always just what to say. For a split second, I’d worried that things would be really awkward and Jubilee would feel totally embarrassed. I mean, there was no reason for that but sometimes people can feel that way when their emotions get the best of them. But with Jean going over to Jubilee, somehow any weirdness just evaporated. How does Jean do it? It’s like her voice and the way she says things seem to smooth things over. I could understand how both Cyclops and Wolverine – and heck, probably others – had fallen in love with her. She just seemed to light up a room.

Wolverine pulled out a handkerchief from who-knows-where and brought it over to Jubilee for her to wipe her eyes and nose. He also put a hand on her shoulder.

Once her voice was mostly steady, Jubilee spoke. “It’s just that thinking about us being caged up like that…and thinking what they threatened to do to us. It makes me feel sick, and scared�.

“I think all of us feel the same way,� Storm said. “You are certainly not alone�.

Cyclops added, “But the important thing is that we did get free. We’ve gotten out of every situation like that before�.

“But it *was* scary,� I piped up. “Because I think that was the closest we’d ever come to…well, to getting tortured and killed�.

Jubilee blew her nose and said, “I’m fine now. I had some bad nightmares last I slept, but I’m okay�.

Jean reached down and hugged her again. “Come to me anytime you’d like to talk, hon�.

The meeting pretty much ended after that. We went through a few more business items, such as getting everyone trained on basic ship functions, the bridge schedule, as well as stuff like times for when we’d have our meals. We were also reminded to minimize our use of the replicators – use them for clothing and essentials but remember that each time we replicate something, it uses up some of our power supply.

I didn’t see my name on the “bridge duty� schedule. I guessed it was not on there since it was the type of pseudo-combat thing I normally didn’t do. I started thinking that I’d need to milk my hero-status and my injuries for all they were worth since I wasn’t sure how I’d earn my keep on board the ship. It seemed like most of Victory’s functions took care of themselves; even the kitchen was self-cleaning.

“The rec room is really nice,� Angel added before the meeting dispersed. “I imagine when we’re not eating or training, we’ll spend a lot of our time there�.

“Dere’s a pool table,� Gambit added. “Dough I expect to be playin’ lots of card games in dere too�.

“And, no doubt, trouncing the rest of us at them,� Storm concluded.

***

As the X-men filed out of the meeting room, Wolverine kept his eye on Jubilee.

“Hey,� he said, putting an arm on her shoulder.

“Hey,� she answered, looking down at her plate.

Wolverine knew that Jubilee was not usually one to pass up on sweets, but her slice of cake remained half-eaten. Some frosting was smeared on the side of the plate. “That ain’t like you,� he said, “not finishin’ your desert�.

“Guess I’m not hungry�.

Logan nodded. “That was brave of you, speakin’ about how you felt. I think everyone wanted to talk about it some but no one wanted to bring it up�.

Jubilee nodded. “It’s just hard to realize how close we came to….to, god, I don’t even want to say the word�.

“Those FOH bastards are pure evil. Once Xavier’s healed, we gotta figure out how to defeat them once and for all�.

“Do you think it’s true what they said about Alpha Flight? What they did to them?� Her voice sounded much steadier than at the meeting.

“I don’t know, Jubilee. It couldda all been a bunch of talk. Maybe they never even captured them and were just sayin’ that stuff ‘cause they knew it’d bother us. It might be a while before we find out what happened to ‘em�. He then added, “You’re safe here. And if anyone tries to hurt you, they gotta deal with me�.

Wolverine came close to issuing a silent prayer that he would be able to keep that promise, if those grim circumstances ever should arise again.

Jubilee nodded and remained silent. After a few moments, Wolverine spoke again, “I know you got lots of people tellin’ you that you can talk to them anytime you need to. You got another one here�. His gruff voice could sound amazingly gentle when needed.

“Thanks, Logan,� she said, reaching for the hug he offered. “I know I can always count on you�.

***

TO BE CONTINUED

At the conclusion of the X-men meeting, Storm and Cyclops walked to the bridge together. They were alone, as it was his own bridge duty shift, and they sat side-by-side in the captain and first officer’s chairs. One more piece of business remained to be discussed.

“I just don’t see it, Storm,� Cyclops said. “I meant what I said at the meeting – Bobby did perform well when he got free and we do owe our escape to him. He might very well have gotten paralyzed with fear and missed the chance, but he didn’t – and I give him a lot of credit for that.�

“But…� Storm prompted, knowing what was coming.

“But he’s said so many times in the past that he doesn’t want to train and doesn’t want to be a fighter. Honestly, Storm, I don’t even *know* how many times the Professor or you or I asked that over the years. He always said no�.

“That may be true,� Storm allowed, “though it has been quite a while since the last time we asked. Perhaps the events that occurred at the FOH compound might have changed his perspective a bit�.

Cyclops shrugged. “We can ask. But I do think there’s a point where you can’t force someone to be something that they don’t want to be�.

Storm touched her chin. “I wonder if maybe we never dug deeper on this, on his refusal to fight. It’s possible that he simply doesn’t like combat, but I wonder if there might be more to it than that. Self-esteem issues or confidence issues�.

“We did dig deeper, Storm. When he…came out – I guess that’s the term I’m supposed to use --, the Professor arranged for him to talk to a therapist to have someone to sort things out with. He’s had counseling�. Cyclops took a breath. “And besides. I led some of those early missions he was on, back when he fought with the team. He was impulsive, he was never prepared, and he didn’t follow orders well�. Any time those memories came up, Cyclops couldn’t help but to feel anger at an X-man’s incompetence. It reflected poorly on the rest of their team but especially on their leader.

Storm tilted her head and noticed that Cyclops had grit his teeth. “How old was he at that time? Twenty? Twenty-one? At that age, people aren’t always known for following orders or for taking the time they should to prepare. I –“

Cyclops cut in, “Jubilee and Shadowcat – may she rest in peace – had no trouble doing so at that age. Storm, we were better off without him on missions�.

Storm continued speaking, “I haven’t been with the team as long as you, but I have seen Bobby mature over the years. I think he can train with us again. And I think he can learn ship functions and serve on bridge duty like everyone else�.

Cyclops nodded. “Well, Storm…I still don’t think this is the best idea, but if you want to, why don’t you go ahead and ask him to consider training with us again? I won’t try to stop you from asking�.

“I think it would sound best coming from both of us. I think perhaps that he wants to know that all of us want him back�.

During his years as leader and co-leader of the X-men, Cyclops had learned the adage ‘Pick your battles’. He surrendered on this one.

“Alright. I don’t fully agree, but like I said, we can ask him�. Scott then smiled. “Though if we were back on earth and had money, I would bet you a year of my stipend that his answer will be no�.

“We could always bet one bridge duty shift,� Storm suggested, with a slight smile.

“You’re on�.

“I suggest that we wait a few days, until his injuries are more healed up. He might be more receptive to our idea then,� Storm concluded.

***

One night, I woke up shivering and terrified from a nightmare. In the dream, I was back with the FOH soldiers and they were beating me to a pulp and threatening to suffocate me. I broke free from them and ran but no matter how fast I ran, I couldn’t find the other X-men and the soldiers kept gaining on me. I kept getting frustrated that I couldn’t locate the X-men and felt scared to death that the soldiers would catch up with me.

I woke up at last, thank goodness. The sheets were covered with sweat. I badly needed someone to throw my arms around, someone to hold me and tell me that everything would be alright. But I didn’t want to bother Hank given how busy he was, and it wasn’t like I was a teenager anymore. I didn’t want anyone to see me this weak. So I turned the light on and sat up in bed, with my arms wrapped around myself.


***
Rogue and Gambit were feeling much more like themselves now. As most of the X-men, they had been hungry and exhausted after the ordeal in the FOH cell and then the chaos of getting Victory up and running. Before the meeting, they had gotten just enough sleep and food to feel back to their prime.

They now sat together at the computer on the bridge. It was Rogue’s bridge duty shift, and both she and her lover had learned quickly how to monitor the surrounding areas of space and keep an eye on the ship’s major functions. The FOH vessel was not difficult to master; it had been designed to be as ‘user friendly’ as possible. Rogue pressed a few more buttons on the computer, while periodically checking a few other screens to ensure everything was in order.

“That’s it,� Rogue muttered. “Looked at every damn inventory list on board this ship and there ain’t one lousy collar on it�.

During the heat of battle when the X-men escaped from their captors, neither Rogue nor Gambit had retained their collar. The devices had felt so evil during their imprisonment and had been used to bring so much pain to all the X-men that neither had mulled over the decision to discard them. The immediacy of the fight for freedom had trumped anything else.

“I ‘tink Forge or Beast can replicate the materials dey need to make one,� Gambit said. “Almos’ sure dey can�.

Rogue looked down for a second. “I feel almost funny askin’ ‘em for it. They’ve got so much goin’ on with the Danger Room and lookin’ after Xavier�.

“Xavier’s condition ain’t changed since the surgery so I don’t t’ink they doin’ much wit’ him right now other den monitorin’ him�. The X-men all took time to visit the Professor and talk to him even though he was in a coma, in the hopes that it would help pull him out of it.

“And hell, dey’ll probably have the Danger Room up in no time,� he continued. “Ain’t no shame in askin’ for deir help on dis, chere.� He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Everyone got a right to be touched�.

“I know,� Rogue said softly. “And Remy, I tell you that I can’t wait to touch you again – kept worryin’ when we slept that I’d accidentally touch you even though the only part of my body not covered was my face�.

“But somet’in’ makin’ you hesitate�.

Rogue smiled and shook her head. “Damn, Remy, you’re always so perceptive!�

“No I ain’t,� he chuckled. “Jus’ dat you can’t hide your feelin’s even if you wanted to!�

Rogue smiled along with him, and she took a moment to sober up before she replied. “Well, Remy, I do feel kinda bad for them. I gotta go ask Forge and Hank to help with this so that I can…touch you, and meantime they don’t have anyone. No one to touch�.

Gambit took in her words. This was a new one for him. It hadn’t occurred to him that Rogue might feel sympathy for some of the other X-men this way. He himself was certainly thankful that he was one of the only men on the team to have a love interest also in the X-men; he was proud, in some way, of that fact. He just hadn’t thought of feeling sympathy for the others’ single states.

“Well, chere, ain’t much you can do ‘bout dat. ‘Sides, maybe dey used to it. Hank’s been single a long time. Forge too,� he added, though he knew Forge had long had his eye on Storm.

“I just feel bad for them. Everyone wants to be touched, everyone wants to be loved. Can anyone get used to not havin’ it? I never did, in all the years from when I first kissed Cody to when I asked Hank for that collar�.

Gambit nodded in acknowledgement of her words, which certainly made sense but which he could do nothing to help with.

“Well, is your decision, chere. I do hope date you ask dem to make you a collar soon�.

“Oh, I will, Remy, I will. I’ll just feel bad about it�. She paused and added, “And I gotta hope that puttin’ the damn thing on don’t bring back bad memories from when we were in FOH’s prison�.

He placed an arm around her and asked gently, “Do you wanna talk ‘bout dat? Bout what they said dey were gonna do to…us?�

“Don’t ever even wanna think about it�. Rogue then laughed and added, “Damn, Remy, don’t you wish you had a normal girlfriend instead of one with all these issues??�

“Nah, where’d the fun be in dat??�


***

The meeting room adjacent to the bridge contained many large windows. Storm stood alone in the room, staring out the window. Over the ever-present hum of Victory’s engines, she heard the door open behind her though she didn’t turn around. She knew who had entered the room by the sounds of his footsteps.

“It’s awe-inspiring, isn’t it?� she mused. “The vastness of space, the bright stars surrounding us. To think that we’re sailing right through it all�.

“Kinda makes you feel small,� Wolverine said.

“In a way,� Storm turned towards him. She didn’t want to admit to him that she rarely felt small, actually. Although she knew that in space her powers wouldn’t be of much use, she still intuited that she was such a powerful being that space’s enormity didn’t make her feel the least belittled.

“I, uh, I hear Forge and Beast are makin’ good progress on the Danger Room�.

Storm nodded. “We will all be glad when it’s finished. Though I’ve enjoyed the training we’ve been doing�. Without the benefit of holographically-created villains, the X-men had been training by hand-to-hand combat with each other, sometimes using their powers and sometimes not. “There’s a lot to be learned from an old-fashioned fight�.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself�.

After a pause, both Storm and Wolverine attempted to say something at the same time. Wolverine insisted that Storm speak first, after they stumbled around a bit.

“I was going to ask if you had visited the Professor lately,� Storm finally said.

“Yeah, I was there this mornin’. Poor guy. No change to his condition�.

“I know. I suppose we should be thankful that he was the only one injured in the battle�.

“What were you gonna say?� Wolverine asked.

“I was just wondering about the place we’re heading towards. We’re too far away for our sensors to detect anything. I was wondering if it’s a planet or a moon or another vessel like this one�.

“Guess we won’t know ‘till we’re a lot closer. I gotta crazy dream that it’s someplace gorgeous, someplace we can get out and explore. I like Victory enough but I about had enough of metallic walls and sterile corridors�.

Storm nodded and stepped closer to Wolverine. “Me too,� she said. “I really enjoy the outdoors�.

“I know,� he smiled. “I like it a lot�.

“Of course there is a certain allure to our surroundings now. We’re cloaked and hidden. We can get away quickly if someone attacks us. A bit of stealth feels comforting now�.

“Maybe, but I ain’t ever gonna find it as comforting as a bit of green under my feet�. He added, “I don’t have my hopes up too much about this place, though, since we don’t know what it is�.

Storm’s mind was spinning. She wanted to tell Logan that back at the mansion, she had contemplated inviting him camping since they shared a love for the outdoors. But would saying those words be a clear admission that she had intentions that went beyond friendship? Storm then wondered why he wasn’t making more of a move. ‘Am I mis-reading his signals and he’s not interested in me?’ she speculated. Although Wolverine wouldn’t count Cyclops or Gambit as an enemy any longer, he didn’t have a lot of friends on the team either, as Storm knew. ‘Perhaps it is just friendship that he seeks from me,’ she thought. She then began to wonder if she was giving off the wrong signals. `I might appear too confident, as if I don’t have a need for a mate. And in truth, I do *not* need a man to be happy. However, at the same time I would like to see if a relationship with Logan could work’. She then thought to herself, ‘I don’t want to make the first move though – not if I’m not fully sure that he has an interest beyond friendship’.

With these thoughts swirling around her mind, Storm wondered how her facial expressions must appear. She then mused that perhaps Logan felt awkward too, since his next question came out sounding that way.

“Your claustrophobia doesn’t…affect you on this ship, does it?�

“No, fortunately, it does not,� Storm smiled. “The ship is large enough that I don’t ever feel fenced in�. She then asked, “What about you…do you ever feel fenced in? I know that in the past you sometimes liked to get away from the rest of the team at times�.

He shrugged. “I’m an X-man. I’m stayin’ with this team. If I need time away from everyone, I can always come in here. It’s usually pretty quiet in this room�.

Storm agreed. They remained together silently watching the stars go by until the dinner bell rang.


***

I was sitting in sick bay, holding onto the Professor’s hand and just talking to him. Hank told us that those types of things might help. I was telling him how much he had helped me in my life. Meanwhile Hank was working nearby in the adjoining lab on creating a new inhibitor collar for Rogue, when an alarm sounded.

“Everyone report to the bridge immediately�, Nightcrawler’s heavily accented voice rang out over the intercom. Hank stepped out of the lab and looked at me. “This is not a drill�.

We bolted to the bridge. Within seconds, all of us were there.

“I don’t wish to alarm anyone,� Nightcrawler was saying when we got there. “But there is an FOH starship nearby�.

I gasped. It definitely was newsworthy; we’d been in space for almost seven days now and hadn’t encountered anything. Nothing. We had heard that FOH had several outposts in space, and the Professor had said that Magneto had fled to space -- but the truth is that space is really humungous and we hadn’t encountered any outposts or ships, or really anything other than some floating rocks and asteroids and maybe one barren moon.

“What’s its position?� Cyclops asked.

“Has it changed course?� Storm asked.

Well, our cloaking device was working because the FOH ship hadn’t changed position, wasn’t on any sort of intercept course, and gave no sign that it knew we were there.

“I don’t get it,� Angel said. “Isn’t it odd that they can’t detect one of their own ships? Not that I’m complaining�.

Forge shrugged. “We knew that’s how it could be. The whole reason why they developed cloaking devices was so that they would be able to move through space undetected. All of our tests indicated that they wouldn’t be able to detect us, so I’m not surprised that they are going on their way as if they haven’t noticed us�.

Nightcrawler punched some buttons on the computer and told us what he could about the other ship. It was comparable in size to ours and we guessed that they had a crew of about 60. But they were too far away for Jean to get into their minds and learn much more. Soon the other ship was out of sensor range again. I breathed a sigh of relief that we now had proof that the hallowed cloaking device actually worked!

***

So I’d had about a week on the ship at that point. My ribs were still healing, and as they started to get better I could join others in pool or play ping pong games in the rec room. I also looked forward to being able to work out again in the gym. I was able to start up again with light workouts. My normal kind of working out was not you’d associate with a superhero. I didn’t fight bad guys in the new Danger Room or use my powers; I just did cardio machines and weights…you know, the kind of working out you associate with wanting a good body in the unlikely event I’d ever get laid again (One star ship, 4 women, 10 straight guys, and me. Not good).

Other than those activities, I’d sit around and talk with those I was close to, play card games with others, I’d slowly linger over meals like everyone else did, occasionally read a book on the computer, play computer games, or sometimes watch a movie with the others in the rec room. Victory’s computer had a small supply of halfway decent movies and several really loathsome ones given what assholes FOH are. I asked Hank if he needed any help in the labs, like keeping track of supplies and stuff, but he said it was really a one-person job. My days seemed longer than everyone else’s because I didn’t have a five hour bridge duty shift and didn’t do the Danger Room or the hand-to-hand combat drills. Sometimes I’d hang with Hank or Jubilee or even Rogue and Gambit during their time on the bridge just to keep them company and because nothing ever happened on bridge duty. The sighting of the FOH ship during Nightcrawler’s shift that one time was about as thrilling as it got. I heard grumblings that we didn’t need to have one person sitting on the bridge at all times and that our leaders were being too cautious, but I think most of us thought it was better to be too cautious than not enough.

The other thing I spent my time doing was thinking up practical joke ideas. That had been my specialty but I was drawing blanks for ideas on this ship. The group seemed to be in such a serious mood – after all, we had the Professor in a coma and we had nearly lost our lives – that joke ideas either weren’t flowing for me or didn’t seem appropriate. I did a few of my infamous card tricks for the others, provoking eye-rolls and a few laughs. I thought of re-programming the bridge’s computer to make it look like an FOH fleet was approaching us but I knew that would get me absolutely no laughs and maybe get some people wishing I had another black eye. Some things you don’t joke about.

One day we were finishing up lunch. Food from the replicators tasted pretty good. It wasn’t great but it was way better than cafeteria food. The computers had a few menus already programmed into them but I’d learned that they weren’t hard at all to program and I put in a few dishes that hadn’t been there before. I’d looked up a Russian borcht dish for Colossus (the appeal of that dish really eludes me), some Southern and Cajun dishes for Rogue and Gambit (the fried catfish, greens, and sweet potato pie were my favorites), enchiladas and burritos (I was surprised the computers didn’t come with any Mexican dishes, but Jubilee especially loved that type of food), and an African peanut stew that Storm said was delicious. I knew that Cyclops had a thing for Reuben sandwiches and planned that for my next project.

So you see, the days were leisurely.

Anyway, after lunch, I noticed that the mess hall had emptied out and it was down to Storm, Cyclops, and me. I had been sitting on the other end of the rectangular table from them, and they got up and sat closer to me. They both said hellos to me and looked at me as I said hi back.

“I didn’t do it!� I joked. “I mean, I *thought* up lots of practical joke ideas, but I didn’t do them!�

“Are we *that* overbearing and strict that if you see us you assume you’re in trouble?� Cyke was trying to sound like he was joking back at me, but I could tell he was uncomfortable about something.

“Just giving you a hard time,� I smiled.

“How are your injuries healing up?� Storm asked.

“Well, my ribs are starting to feel better and Hank switched me to milder pain killers,� I answered seriously now. “I’ve gotten used to the tooth implant Hank put in. I still have a few aches and pains but I’m alright. I’m glad my face isn’t the black and blue swollen mess it was�. I did look a lot more like myself now.

“Hank once told me that even mutants without Wolverine’s healing powers do heal faster than regular humans,� Scott chimed in.

“I guess I should be glad for that�.

Storm then smiled, “You know, Bobby, people are still talking about how you rescued us at the FOH compound. You really did a fantastic job�.

“They’re still taking about it because there’s just not much else to talk about here,� I smiled back and then turned to Scott. “Other than people being excited about your and Jean’s baby. We have a long ways to wait but people do like to talk about how cool it’ll be to have a baby on the team. Do you have any names picked out?�

“Jean has a few ideas. Maybe once we have the ultrasound and find out if it’s a boy or girl, then I’ll start thinking about names more too�. He then paused and said, “But back to what Storm was saying. She and I are very impressed with what you did. You kept your cool and you fought well against the soldiers you encountered�. He leaned forward. “We’d like you to start training with the team again�.

“You have great powers, Bobby,� Storm said. “We don’t know what we’ll be facing in the coming months or years other than the fact that we need to deal with a very powerful FOH. We need you and want you to be training with us�.

I looked down at my hands. I had wondered if this might be coming. I had even thought they might ask me sooner after our escape from FOH.

I shook my head. “I used to do that, but you remember, Cyclops, I was never very good in battle. I made a lot of mistakes. And I get really scared. I don’t think I’m like the rest of you in that way�.

“We all get scared,� Cyclops said. “None of us is perfect�.

“And things are so much easier if you take them one step at a time,� Storm said. “We wouldn’t expect you to go into the Danger Room alone against Apocalypse. You start small and then you slowly build. When I started training, I found that approach helped me deal with my fears and improve my confidence�.

There was silence for a bit. My mouth felt dry. I then said, “Look, I’m not sure how to say this, so I’ll just…try to say it. I don’t think I’m made of the same material as the rest of you. I kinda think you’re either born to be a good fighter or not.� I shook my head. “It’s just not in me�.

They really looked disappointed. Well, Storm looked really disappointed – it’s always hard to tell with Cyke what he’s thinking behind those glasses.

“I’m sorry,� I went on. “Is it required of me, that I train?�

“No,� Cyclops said. “We’re not going to throw you overboard if you don’t want to train�. He didn’t smile as he said those words. Which almost made me wonder if he’d considered tossing me ‘overboard’ at some point. I’m kidding, I knew he wouldn’t – though you have to wonder if part of him wanted to.

“You’re part of us no matter what,� Storm said. “I would add that the only thing that is required is that you give some more thought to changing your mind. Because I don’t think that we’re doing anything in the Danger Room that can’t be taught or learned by almost any mutant. And with FOH being so powerful now, it is only to your own benefit if you can learn how to even better defend yourself – and others - against them�.

“I’ll think about it,� I said. I didn’t know if I really would.

“Thank you�.

“Hey, in the meantime, are there any things I can be doing to help run stuff on this ship? I mean, it seems like Victory pretty much takes care of itself but I’d always like to help. I kinda miss doing the Accounting I used to do at the Institute. I wonder if FOH have crashed all our accounts back on earth now�.

“We’ll see if we can think of something,� Cyke said. His voice sounded tight and formal. I knew he was pissed. “Thanks for offering�.

At that point, they headed off to wherever their duties took them. I was glad that conversation was over!

***

“Beast and Forge – dey be miracle workers,� Gambit proclaimed. His arms were around Rogue, as she leaned back against him on their bed. Instead of a collar, the two scientists had created a *bracelet* for Rogue. It blocked her powers just as the old collars did, but had none of the negative connotations.

Rogue turned her head around to face Gambit. “I shouldn’t have waited so long to ask,� she said. Once she had approached the scientists, it had taken about three days for them to produce the materials needed and to construct the bracelet.

“Well, dey say dat absence makes the heart fonder. And dose days of not bein’ able to touch you had dat effect on me�. He leisurely stroked her arms as he said those words. Gambit was a patient man indeed, though he was very glad he and Rogue no longer needed to wait.

“Me too,� Rogue said. “Not that I couldda…couldda grown much ‘fonder’ of you than I already am,� she added, suddenly feeling a bit shy. “I love you,� she added quietly.

“I love you too, chere�. He brought his lips to her shoulder and kissed it.

Ever since they had acquired the bracelet, Rogue and Gambit hadn’t spent that much time out of their room other than on mandatory bridge duty shifts and training.

A gentle sound rang. They realized it was the doorbell for their room.

“Who is it?� Gambit asked.

“Storm�.

“Give us jus’ a second,� Gambit replied.

Both members of the couple welcomed any visit from their beloved friend. They scrambled off the bed. Rogue located her nightgown and Gambit found a pair of pants. They pressed the button to open the door.

Storm entered. She had thought that by mid-morning they would have been awake and dressed, especially given that Rogue’s scheduled Danger Room session was to start in an hour. Being on board the ship did force the X-men into more of a routine, though Storm shook her head and silently told herself she should have known better.

“I hope I’m not intruding�.

“Not at all, sugar! We love to see you anytime,� Rogue replied.

“Have a seat,� Gambit said, pulling over the chair from the desk. On top of the desk were a deck of cards, Rogue’s gloves, a pecan roll, and a comb.

Out of the corner of her eye, Storm took a look at the shirtless Gambit. Attraction worked in mysterious ways, she mused. Remy was a very fine looking man, but she never had viewed him as anything more than a friend. She recognized his beauty but didn’t desire him, and she knew – without it ever being discussed – that he had always felt the same way towards her. She wondered what made someone not feel a sexual attraction to one person and feel it for another.

Then Storm wondered at her own thoughts; she was in their room to discuss important business, not to speculate about sexual attraction. Though she had to admit that the general topic had been on her mind, especially whenever she looked at Wolverine. She had not seen him much for the last several days. He sometimes took his meals in his room.

“Well, I stopped by because I wanted to get your perspective on something,� Storm began. “It’s about Bobby. Cyclops and I approached him a few days ago asking if he would consider training with the team again. He declined. Though he said he would think about it, I suspect he won’t. Do you have any idea why he won’t do this?�

Rogue and Gambit looked at each other. They sat side by side on the bed. “He’s never liked combat,� Rogue guessed. “By the time I joined the team, he was already done with it�.

“Do you think it’s as simple as that? That fighting is simply not to his liking?�

“Dere are people dat like it better den others,� Gambit allowed. “Even on dis team. Can’t fault a guy for not likin’ to fight�.

Storm nodded. “But his powers are so strong. And we need every capable mutant we can find. Once Xavier is healed and we feel we can return to earth, it is imperative that we topple FOH. We all need to do our part whether we like fighting or not�.

“Well we sure don’t disagree with you on that, but I guess Bobby just don’t see it that way. And ‘sides, we got the same problem we had as before, with or without the Iceman,� Rogue said. “When you got a team small as ours, does one person make a difference? ‘Specially when FOH has some goddamned power that was able to beat all of us�.

“We all make a difference,� Storm said. “We’ve had plenty of missions that were made or broken by one person’s contribution�. She looked from Rogue’s to Gambit’s eyes. “Do you not agree that he would do well on the team?�

“Guess I do t’ink he could do well,� Gambit said. “But you can’t force a guy to do somethin’ he don’t wanna either�. He paused and added, “I wasn’t around when Bobby used to fight but I heard about some of the mistakes he made…� Gambit allowed his voice to trail off but his unspoken message was evident.

Rogue took a breath. “I kinda wonder if Bobby’s just…a bit lazy. That’s not the right word, and I feel like a mound of hogslop for sayin’ it about a friend though�.

“Perhaps you mean that he is not as *driven* as some others,� Storm suggested.

“Yeah, that’s it!� Rogue responded.

Storm took in their words. “Well, I hope he might change his mind someday, but I suppose as you said, Gambit, we cannot force others to our will�.

Rogue smiled and looked at her friend. “So while we’re on the subject of talkin’ ‘bout other X-men, I gotta ask you somethin’�.

Storm had a feeling she knew where this was going. Meanwhile Gambit looked at his lover, wondering if this was going to get the answer she sought. Storm never opened up about her feelings, as Gambit had learned from one or two long-ago attempts.

“Anythin’ ever gonna happen with you and the Canadian? The two of you look like you’re dancin’ some kinda tango. Even Xavier can see you’re attracted to each other an’ he’s sittin’ in a coma!�

At Storm’s placid look, Rogue continued, “I’s just wonderin’ if you were both waitin’ for someone to give you their blessing or somethin’�.

Gambit offered, “Maybe Storm’s old-fashion’ and she’s waitin’ for him to make the first move�.

Rogue looked at Storm. “You ain’t old-fashion’ in any other way though�.

Awkward silence prevailed for a minute or two. “So…you ain’t gonna talk ‘bout this, then?’ Rogue asked.

“Well, I must admit that I’d rather not,� Storm said. As usual, she didn’t sound anything other than serene.

“You know, girl, when I was strugglin’ to figure out what to do ‘bout my feelin’s for Remy, you helped me a lot�. Rogue patted Remy’s leg. She didn’t mind mentioning that right in front of Gambit; she had already told him. They were at the point where they could look back and talk about the progress they had made, how it was when they were first becoming “a couple�.

Storm walked over and put her hand on Rogue’s shoulder. “I guess, my friend, that I am more comfortable listening and offering advice than pouring out my heart myself. But I do always love to listen and help others�.

“Fine. But I think you outta just jump him some day! He’d love it�. Rogue paused and then asked, emphatically, “What man wouldn’t?�

After a beat, Gambit muttered, “Well, dere’s Bobby�.

The three laughed, though not in any sort of derisive way.

***

We kept heading towards wherever it was we were going. We still, weeks later, didn’t have any sort of readout on the place and the Professor’s condition hadn’t changed. If the others were nervous about these uncertain things, they sure didn’t let on. I guess we all just took it as a leap of faith.

There was one thing that made us nervous though. We were finishing up dinner one evening – I mean, I guess it was evening though on a starship I kind of missed seeing the sun rise and set – and Cyclops and Storm said they wanted to address the group. I looked around and noticed that everyone was there except for Forge, who was on the bridge. Wolverine had decided to eat with us.

“We don’t want to alarm you,� Cyke began, which was never a good sign. “But we wanted to let you know that Storm and Forge and I have been doing some testing lately. It looks as though we are using up our power supply at a faster rate than we had anticipated�.

“We’re not in any immediate danger,� Storm said. “We’re certain that we have more than enough to reach our destination�.

“We’ve been trying to determine the cause. At first we thought that maybe the cloaking device or Danger Room were using up more power than we expected. That is the case, but it doesn’t fully explain why we are so much lower on dilithium than anticipated�.

“Forge is checking all of our systems to see if we have a leak somewhere. That is our best guess at this point as to the cause�. Storm continued, “It’s also possible that our internal sensors have or had some errors. We’re re-checking and re-calibrating all of them as well�.

As I sat and munched on my oatmeal raisin cookie, the others lobbed a ton of questions at our leaders. But I won’t write them all out because basically it was just a repetition of what they said already. They didn’t know why the drain on the dilithium was happening, they weren’t worrying in the short-term, and they’d keep trying to figure out what was going on. The thing that made my stomach clench a bit was when someone asked if we had enough power left to get back to earth once we reached the coordinates.

“We don’t know, but we think so,� Cyclops responded.

I’m not always the most perceptive guy but I really wondered how bad things were and if Storm and Cyke were just kind of glossing over it so that we didn’t all start panicking. Hank did raise the question of whether it might be better to turn around and go back to earth but all the reasons for not doing so were still there – FOH had a power source that overwhelmed us last time, they had their ships patrolling space around earth, and no medical institution that allows mutant patients would provide any better care for Xavier than he was getting here.

I had another idea as to why we weren’t going to change course, and I decided to run it by Hank later that evening. We were in the rec room, where most of us spent our free time, and after a spirited game of charades he said he was turning in for the night. I asked him if I could talk with him and so I went with him to his room.

“Do you think it’s that we’re all just plain scared?� I asked, seating myself on the chair in his room. Hank reached into a drawer and pulled out some clothing. “Scared of what we left back on earth�.

He knew exactly where my thoughts were. “It may very well be. We’ve been captured by enemies many times before, but never before…� he hesitated, then continued, “never before did any of them threaten to do what FOH threatened to do to us. Even saying the words feels horrifying, and I do not consider myself to be a coward�.

He didn’t need to say the words. What FOH said they were going to do is so vile I can’t type it. And it’s even scarier when you think of the fact they said they’d already done it to Alpha Flight.

“My sense is that people do not discuss it much, but that it greatly disturbed each of us,� Hank went on. “And for weeks we all had your black eye and other injuries to look at as a reminder of what they did to you. We have an immensely powerful and immensely *evil* enemy on earth and they are determined to humiliate and torture us. The fact that we chose not to return now is no surprise�.

“I know,� I agreed. “It makes my stomach churn. I think it’s like we all want to get as far away from that as possible�.

“Perhaps we prefer to face the devil we *don’t* know than the devil we did know,� Hank concluded.

I was glad to see that someone else had the same hunch as I did. We talked a bit about nothing in particular – Hank’s not one for small talk, but he can do it. I almost wonder if he did it because he liked my company and wanted me to stay in his room but then I told myself that I was flattering myself. He checked on my injuries every day, and asked about them again that night, but I was pretty much back to normal by then.

A question popped into my mind. I noticed that the fur on Hank’s back was askew. “Is it hard to comb the fur on your back?� I asked.

He seemed taken aback, so I went on, “It’s a bit crooked right now�.

“Ah,� he said. “Well, I am very agile but given the amount of fur on my body, it is hard for me to make the time to comb all of it. Is it that unaesthetic?�

“No, no, not at all. Well actually, I don’t know what ‘unaesthetic’ means but I assume you’re asking if it looks really bad. It doesn’t - I just happened to notice it. If you ever want me to brush it, just holler�.

I surprised myself by asking the question, and Hank surprised me with his answer. He entered the bathroom and came back with a brush. “Be my guest, if you’d like�.

“Sure,� I said. I sat behind him on the bed and gave his pelt a thorough brushing.

It felt nice to touch another person. No, not that way. I was never attracted to Hank so I wasn’t trying to do anything inappropriate, and obviously he wouldn’t be attracted to me either. I’m just saying that I realized I hadn’t touched anyone that much at all and there’s something neat or important about having contact with another person. The family that I grew up in never hugged or kissed or anything. We always had a dog, and my parents and I always lavished a ton of affection on the dog. Several years after my parents disowned me for being a mutant, I realized why we were always letting the dogs lick our faces and brushing and petting them – it was our only source of affection.

“There you go,� I said, when finished. “I’ll be glad to do it anytime�.

“Why thank you,� he responded, sounding sincere. “I may just take you up on your offer again�.

***

TO BE CONTINUED

Comments and reviews are welcomed and adored.

Chapter Five


After dinner one day, Storm walked onto the bridge, a steaming cup of tea in her hands. She was to relieve Forge of his shift and to work into the night.

“How does it look?� she asked him. He continued to mull over the computer.

Forge rubbed his eyes. “At this point, Storm, I think I need to get some rest. I’ve been analyzing and diagnosing for hours and I can’t pinpoint the problem. Maybe I need to approach it with a clear head�.

“That is a very sound approach,� Storm responded, settling down into one of the chairs.

She expected Forge to rise from his own chair, but instead he swiveled it towards her. “I’ve wanted to ask you a question, Storm,� he began, taking on a serious tone.

Storm took a sip of her tea. She had an idea about the nature of his question and nodded for him to continue.

“I would really like to get to know you better. As a person, not just as a teammate and as our co-leader. Would you be interested in perhaps having dinner with me…maybe alone, in one of our quarters together? I guess what I am trying to ask you for is a date – though our options for dating locations are pretty limited here,� he said, with a laugh.

She laughed along with him, knowing it came out forced. “You’re right – it certainly seems like the traditional options of movie and dinner or a night on the town aren’t available to us now�. She then continued, “Forge, I am very flattered and I cannot think of the right way to say this. But I like our friendship and I would like to keep our relationship the way it is. I sincerely thank you for the offer even though I must turn it down�.

Storm had been mentally toying with a few such replies as she suspected Forge’s question would be asked sooner or later. She hoped that her words did not sound too rehearsed and came across as sincere.

Forge nodded. “I understand�.

And then it was very awkward. Storm managed, “Thank you for your understanding. And again, I do enjoy our friendship�.

“Me too�. A pause, as he stood, “Well, I should turn in for the night then. Goodnight�.

“Goodnight�.

Storm sat at the computer, wanting to resume Forge’s work on the dilithium but instead looking out at the stars. She did not find him unattractive, she knew. In fact, she liked both his personality and his physical appearance. But she had her sights set somewhere else. At this point, she wanted Logan and no one else. This evening’s incident, however, reminded her that approaching a teammate for a matter such as this could turn embarrassing. Rejection was always painful. She wondered how long she should wait to see what – if anything – would ever pan out with the man she did want.

***

The days continued to pass. As for our dilithium situation, our leaders said that their best guess was that the sensors had been giving false readings and said that they had been re-calibrated now. They continued to say that we had enough resources to reach our destination. I didn’t press for any more details than that. Putting the uncertain future out of my mind felt like a good idea.

I hoped we would find the healing that Xavier’s odd messages had promised. He lay on that bed in sick bay like a statue, no matter how long all of us spent in there talking to him.

Meanwhile, I was still stuck for practical joke ideas. Like I said, I never felt that the mood was quite right. There was one kinda fun thing that happened one day. We sometimes used the meeting room to watch movies, so as to not get in the way of those in the rec room and get hit with stray ping pong balls.

I don’t know what a romantic comedy was doing in FOH’s movie library on Victory, but there it was. Perhaps because of the movie’s subject matter, that day it ended up being the four women and me in the meeting room with the movie. One or two guys had started out watching the film, but one left for his bridge duty shift and the other got bored.

The movie treated us to lots of scenes of the couple in bed, though none were gratuitous or anything like that. But after the third such scene, I noticed a pattern and I pretended to be exasperated as I asked, “Do they always do it with him on top??�

At the laughing from the women, I continued, “I thought I heard that girls preferred to be on top instead. Not that I would know, of course�.

More giggling from the ladies, so I had to ask, “Well? Do you?�

I guess the mood was sufficiently loosened up. Rogue, still laughing said, “Yeah, if I had to pick a favorite, I’d probably go with that�.

All eyes turned to Storm, who shook her head and responded, “Well, it’s been a while but I’m pretty happy with any position. Except for standing up – that one never works in real life�.

“Though it sounds like someone’s givin’ it a try before!� Rogue teased. “What ‘bout you, Jean?�

Jean had the faintest hint of a blush and I thought for a moment she wouldn’t answer. But then she said, “Being on top is not actually my favorite. I do like it though�.

We didn’t get more of an answer from her than that. Jubilee didn’t look upset at all and said something to the effect of ‘I’ll have to wait and see’. Fortunately, none of them asked me for details or anything on what I liked.

***

The starship Victory continued on its path. After nearly six weeks in space, it came within sensor range of its destination. Wolverine had been on bridge duty, and called the X-men leaders and Jean to the bridge.

“Nothing,� Cyclops said, looking at the monitor. “We’re so close to it but our sensors still can’t read any information on it�. He tightened a fist in frustration.

Storm punched a few buttons on the computer but found information equally unforthcoming. “At this point, all we know is that it’s a land mass of some sort�.

“Looks like it’s got some sort of heavy mist surroundin’ it,� Wolverine observed.

“Yes,� Jean said. “It’s almost like the mist functions as its own cloaking device�.

Victory continued to draw nearer to the land mass. Various X-men entered the bridge, seeking more information on their destination. The X-men decided to launch a probe.

As the team waited for the probe’s readouts, Jean’s blue eyes widened.

Cyclops turned to her, “What is it?�

“I…I can sense something on the planet. A presence of some sort�. Jean stopped, suddenly feeling foolish as all eyes turned to her. “I’m sorry. I’m suddenly wishing that my powers were as strong as the Professor’s. I’m sure he would be able to shed more light on this�.

Cyclops touched her arm. “It’s alright. *None* of us is the Professor�.

Jean nodded, as Storm gently inquired, “Is there anything you can tell us about the presence you sense?�

“It’s benign. And powerful. Very powerful,� Jean said.

“What if it’s Apocalypse?� Angel asked. The nemesis had not been heard of since FOH’s rise to power.

“No,� Jean responded. “I’ve sensed him before and this is definitely not him. I’m certain that the presence is not at all harmful�.

The probe returned data, and the X-men learned that the air on the land mass would be breathable and atmospheric conditions hospitable to humans. The probe indicated no humanoid life forms. Although they questioned the probe’s results, given Jean’s assertion that a presence exited on the planet, after minimal discussion they decided to land Victory.

***

I guess landing a ship is a lot harder than taking off in one. Either that or I just don’t remember much about our take-off given that back then, I was kind of freaked from the battle and the escape from FOH. For Victory’s landing on the whatever-you-call-it --- we weren’t even sure if it was a moon or planet or what -- Hank took the helm since he had the most dexterity combined with the most scientific mind. The rest of us found seats and strapped ourselves in, either on the bridge or in the seats in engineering.

It started out smooth, slow, and boring. And then I felt an abrupt jolt almost as if the ship was going sideways. My stomach and my mouth traded places, though I managed to keep from losing my lunch. From then on, it was a very bumpy landing; the feeling wasn’t unlike turbulence you’d feel in an airplane on earth, though it had been a while since I’d ridden in one of those. If we hadn’t had seatbelts on, we’d have been sprawled over engineering’s floor. Finally there was one big lurch and I thought we were done. Then I heard this loud crash and a hissing noise.

Forge rushed over to deal with it. The long and the short of it was that we had a bad landing and we managed to bust a hole in engineering during the descent. I heard Forge say something about a hull breach and the “possibility that we’ve lost more dilithium�.

But everyone was so eager to get out and see where we were and see if this place or the “presence� there did have some way to heal the Professor, that I don’t think we gave hull breaches much thought at the time. I didn’t, anyway. Though during all the running around, I was tempted to find Hank and ask if he’d been drinking prior to the ship’s landing, but I suspected that even a patient guy like him wouldn’t want me to joke with him on this.

We opened the exit ramp to the ship so that we could set foot on the planet. Wolverine would go first – in case our probe was wrong and the air on the planet was bad, he could heal quickly. The rest of us waited eagerly on the other side of the ramp.

“It’s okay,� Wolverine’s voice called over the communicator. “You can come out�.

The word “okay� turned out to be a gross understatement.

When the ramp was lowered, I blinked at what I saw. For a few seconds, I felt my eyes gray over as if I were getting light-headed because it was too hard to believe what was in front of me.

Victory had landed in the middle of an open field. The color green was everywhere. I walked down the ramp and took a deep breath – and inhaled the sweetest, freshest air ever. I heard a strange sound and looked up to realize that it was the chirping of birds. It felt like years instead of weeks since I’d seen or heard one. The sky was bright blue, and rays of sunlight streamed down through a few clouds. We were surrounded by trees and I felt a light breeze pass by. It was both gentle and invigorating.

It was like we walked into a resort or a prime vacation spot or at least a gorgeous campground. I could sure see why the Professor’s messages had associated the word “healing� with this place.

Forge looked down at a device called a tricorder and said, “From what I can tell, this place isn’t very big. Perhaps a few miles from end to end�.

“Let’s split up and search this place,� Storm said.

“What about the presence you sensed, Jean?� Cyclops asked.

“It’s still here,� she said. “But I don’t know where. I do still sense that it’s benign�.

“Still, we need to be careful not to lose our guard,� Storm said.

“Should someone stay on board the ship, just to be with the Professor and to ensure there are no problems?� Hank suggested.

“Yes,� Cyclops said. “It’s better to be too cautious than not cautious enough. I doubt that we’re in any danger here but we do need to be prepared for anything�.

I looked around at the group. The view outside was tantalizing. We’d be hard pressed to find any volunteers to stay on board the ship. I wondered if I should volunteer, but felt that in the unlikely event that something happened, I wouldn’t be much use. I was very grateful when Nightcrawler volunteered to stay on the ship, though I sure felt bad for the guy too.

Storm then assigned us to teams. As I joined mine to search the place, I had to remind myself to stay focused and not get like all dizzy. The place was so beautiful that it did make my head spin a bit.

This was probably the most relaxed “reconnaissance� mission we’d ever gone on. On my team, Rogue and Gambit held hands as we walked. Colossus looked visibly moved as he took in the beauty of the place, and I bet he wanted to start painting it right then and there. The temperature was warm and the day sunny but it wasn’t at all humid. The ship Victory was nice and had pretty much every amenity that we needed, but after being confined to it for six weeks, this place was just so freeing and stunningly beautiful.

We came upon a lake, I exchanged one excited look with Jubilee, and we jogged towards it. No one tried to stop us. The sight of the sun sparkling on the water was breathtaking. The water looked crystal clear. Forge told us that his tricorder indicated that the water should be as safe as the air. Part of me wanted to dive right in, but I knew that I’d need to hold back.

“There are two small buildings over there,� Forge observed, though I had been too enraptured by the lake to notice them.

We walked towards the structures. One of them looked not unlike a tool shed (my Dad had one when I was growing up). It was small, appeared wooden, and was locked. The tricorder started beeping when Forge pointed it at the shed.

“There’s a power source in here,� he said. His brow wrinkled. “I can’t get more specifics than that, but it looks like some sort of strong power source�.

“Dilithium?� Jubilee asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe�.

“Too bad it’s locked,� Rogue said. “’Course I could always break the door down�. I silently thought that we could also later get Wolverine to open the door with his claws, when our group joined back up with the other.

Rogue then apparently thought again. “But I hate the idea of destroyin’ anything on this planet�.

“Me too, chere,� Gambit added. “Such a peaceful place, I don’t wanna break anyt’in. Stuff here ain’t for our takin’�.

The rest of our team nodded in agreement.

The other structure was a bit larger than the shed, but not by much. It also appeared wooden, and the door easily opened when Rogue reached its handle. She shrugged and opened the door.

The room, which was just big enough to allow all six of us inside, was warm and a bit humid. It was very sparse. In one corner was something that I wanted to call a bed but it was maybe more like a large, well-padded mat. There was one window in the room, and a few empty pots and urns. A small cabinet hung on one wall, but when Gambit opened it, it was empty.

“You know, I feel weird saying this but…part of me thinks we should be creeped out because this place is so gorgeous,� I began. “But I don’t feel anything at all strange here�.

Although I saw Jubilee nodding along with me, Forge said, “Still, we shouldn’t let our guard down. If Jean’s right, there is some sort of presence here�.

“She said it was good presence though,� Colossus responded. “I will stay alert but I do feel place is nice and comfortable�.

We heard footsteps, and Gambit stuck his head out the door to investigate.

“The other team,� he told us.

As Forge had said, the place wasn’t very big so it’s no surprise that it didn’t take long for us to meet up with the others. We compared notes, with Nightcrawler listening in on the communicator.

The major natural features of the place were the lake and a heavily forested area, which the other team had investigated a bit. In between the two was a large, open field (onto which we landed Victory). We didn’t detect any animals other than birds overhead.

We told the other group what we had seen, but they had bigger news. On the other side of the field had been a large building.

“It might be better if you see it for yourself,� Storm said. So we eagerly followed the other group.

It was kind of funny, being here and walking through a lush, grassy field with the others. I made a joke about an “X-men field trip�. During the walking, I noticed everyone just trying to drink it all in – tilting their heads up towards the blue sky, looking at the clouds and birds, eyeing the trees. In a matter of minutes, we reached the other side of the place and spotted the building.

“It was unlocked,� Cyclops said. “We took a quick look inside earlier�.

We spent the half hour or so doing a more thorough exploration of the building. I will try to describe it best as I can. Probably the most striking overall comment I can make about the building is that it didn’t look alien or foreign to me. Just as this planet (or moon or whatever it was) looked like a prime vacation spot to me, this building looked not unlike something you’d see on earth, like a classy lodge or retreat center. Nothing about it looked *weird* -- no oddly-shaped doors or strange symbols on the walls or unusual colors. Nothing jarring. For a moment, my head started to spin again at the thought that I was so far from earth and standing inside a structure that looked like some wealthy person’s get-away home.

Like the smaller structure we had seen earlier, this building was sparsely furnished. But it wasn’t barren either. And I described it as a “lodge� because most of the walls appeared to be made of either large stones cemented together or logs. Like an upscale log cabin, if that makes any sense, in some parts.

The main entrance opened into a large foyer. From the foyer, you could head out in two directions.

One direction led to a staircase. Both the upstairs and downstairs had hallways that contained about two dozen rooms. The rooms were furnished, all of them. Their general layout was not unlike the rooms on board Victory – beds, most had desks, all had chairs, closets, small bathrooms. The rooms weren’t totally identical though; a few had alcoves, one had a sofa instead of desk. Of course unlike on Victory, each room contained a window with another delightful view of the planet. In fact, there were plenty of windows throughout the structure which gave the whole place a breezy feel.

If you went the other direction from the main entrance, you again arrived at an upstairs and a downstairs. The upstairs contained a large room, which was furnished with plush sofas and several chairs, and was highlighted by a large fireplace. Its dark walls – again, made of that stone and log combination – gave the room a rich and warm feeling despite the large size of the room. There was also a ladder on the side of one wall, which led up to a corridor and a few empty rooms.

If you took the staircase down, you came to a space containing three main rooms, again all of them large. One of them was totally empty. It was just like a wide open space. You had to walk through it to get to the other two rooms. One of those other two rooms looked like a dining hall since it was full of wooden tables and benches. I sat down on one of the benches and found it more comfortable than I’d expect from wood though. When I entered the other room that was connected to it by a doorway, my first thought was “kitchen�, though this room didn’t have much equipment. It did have tall counter tops, cabinets, and one large sink. All the rooms had spacious windows, and both of the main rooms on the upstairs and downstairs of this wing opened onto porches. There were also a few bathrooms on this wing of the building so that one didn’t have to walk all the way back to the bedrooms for that.

Hank and Forge had been taking tricorder scans. “I can’t tell what materials this building is comprised of,� Forge said.

“They certainly appear to be standard materials used on earth,� Hank added. “Wood, stone. This countertop looks like marble,� he said, placing his furry hand on it.

“Walls smell like wood and stone too,� Wolverine muttered. I glanced at him. My guess was that he was frustrated by not knowing what was the deal with this place while also being a bit in love with the surroundings. I bet he couldn’t wait to get back outside.

“Anyone else tink dis is very weird?� Gambit asked. “This beautiful place in the middle of space, no one on it, looks like it’s all ready for us?�

“I wish I could explain it,� Storm said. She did look mildly bewildered, but she wasn’t the only one.

Cyclops then turned to look at his wife. “What’s wrong?� he asked, putting a hand on her back.

“I…� she touched her fingers to her temple. “I feel a message of some sort�. Jean closed her eyes and appeared to tune out the twelve faces waiting for her next word. At one point her eyebrows scrunched together. She appeared to be listening or silently communicating for another minute or two. Then she gasped.

“What is it?� Cyclops asked.

Jean opened her eyes. “It’s okay. It’s alright�. She smiled, “In fact, I’m more confident than ever that we are welcome here�.

“What did you hear?� Storm asked.

Jean took a breath. “I did receive a message of some sort. I can’t explain it exactly. I can only…convey feelings and impressions. The feeling I received was that we are welcome here. I…I can say that I feel this place was created for someone else – not us – but still that we are welcome to stay. I also sensed that the small hut by the lake…we should take the Professor there and the place will help him heal�.

“A bunch of mumbo-jumbo,� Wolverine grumbled. I was surprised to hear him react negatively to anything Jean said.

“May be so,� Jean replied. “But what would be the harm in it?�

We didn’t debate much. Half the group returned to the ship and, along with Nightcrawler, brought the Professor to the hut.

Jean hovered over the Professor inside the hut. Cyclops asked the rest of us to back away since we couldn’t all fit inside. Several of the X-men started to again leisurely look around the place. Jubilee eagerly led Nightcrawler around, showing him the sights that he had missed.

“Can I do anything to help?� I heard Hank ask, as he stood in the doorway of the hut.

“Jean’s monitoring his signs,� Scott said. “I think as long as you stay in the vicinity, that should be fine�.

Hank nodded and seated himself on a log near the hut.

I sat on the ground right next to him. It was soft. “You were the only person not looking totally thrilled with this place,� I observed. “Other than Wolverine who never looks thrilled at all,� I added.

“It is not that, my friend,� he began. “Indeed I find our new surroundings so lovely that I nearly want to begin to recite poetry. However, something else is on my mind�.

“What?� I asked, though I had an inkling.

“The ship’s landing. I had simulated it three times and yet I still made errors. We were all so eager to explore this location that we did not even thoroughly check to see how much dilithium was lost due to my negligence. I should have performed that task better�.

“Hey, hey, that’s not fair,� I protested. “You landed Victory better than any of us could have! You got us down safe and in one piece! None of us has ever landed a starship before�. I paused, since I was nearly ranting. “Besides, everyone loves you so it’s not like anyone will hold it against you�.

“I am disappointed in myself,� he insisted. He then tilted his head. “However, I hope this demonstrates to you, Bobby, that we *all* make mistakes. To err is human�.

I shrugged as I played with a blade of grass. It felt just like the grass on earth. “If it had been me at the helm, we would’ve landed in 97 different pieces. There wouldn’t have been any need to carry the Professor into a hut and hope that a miracle occurs,� I smirked.

Hank put a hand on my shoulder. “I am serious, Bobby. If any good can come out of my blunder, I hope that it will illuminate that none of us is above error�.

“But some of us make more than others,� I said, hoping to end that conversation.

***

Scooping Gambit up in her arms, Rogue took flight. They surveyed the tree tops which looked like broccoli florets from their vantage point, coasted alongside birds - some of which flew from Rogue as others sang near her - and saw the metallic gleam of Victory which took up a substantial area. Rogue then set them down inside the thick forest.

“Dey was right, dis place ain’t dat big,� Gambit observed. It hadn’t taken long to fly from one end to the other. Gambit was a bit breathless. Each time Rogue had picked him up and given him a ride, it was a thrill. Flying was such an exhilarating experience.

“It is pretty small,� Rogue agreed. She looked around. A tiny stream flowed behind her. Purple wildflowers grew alongside dense bushes and wide trees. Sunlight was muted in the forest though enough light filtered through.

Gambit stepped closer to her. “Is nice and private here,� he observed. “Did you bring your bracelet?�

“My bracelet?�

“Jus’ wanna kiss you, dat’s all�.

Rogue eagerly reached into her jacket pocket and procured the bracelet. She stepped up to Gambit and kissed him. He returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist. They kissed for many long minutes, slowly and sensually. The gorgeous surroundings of the place certainly freed something inside both members of the couple.

However, when his hands began to drift, Rogue gently pulled away. “Remy. You said yourself this place wasn’t so big! What if someone wanders by?�

“Not gonna happen,� he said, before he began to explore one of her ears with his lips.

Rogue gave him a playful slap. “Shame on you for gettin’ me all excited here!� she declared, though again not angrily. “You wanna walk back yourself!?� She paused. “’Course I guess we could go back to our room on the ship,� she suggested, her voice sweet again.

“Now you’re talkin’!�

At that point, both of their communicators beeped. “All X-men, please report to Professor Xavier’s hut,� Cyclops ordered.

Gambit quietly muttered, “Sometimes I hate Cyke�.

Rogue swatted his behind before scooping Gambit up once again. As they flew, both felt a hint of remorse for their joking tone, when potential news of the Professor’s condition was likely behind Cyclops’ summons.

***

X-men congregated inside and around the doorway of the hut. Many craned their necks to get a better look.

“He’s conscious!� Hank exclaimed, staring at his tricorder. “His vital signs are returning to normal�.

Xavier lay on the mat, his eyes still closed. His body stirred. Jean lay a hand on his forehead, unable to resist a wide smile. “He’ll be back with us soon,� she said.

“Do you have any idea how it happened?� Storm asked.

“Storm, I’m sorry to say that I have no more idea about that then I do about to whom this place belongs or why we were made so welcome here,� Jean replied.

Hank continued to press buttons on his tricorder. “It indicates that he is sleeping now�.

As if on cue, a muted but distinct snore was heard from the Professor. Most X-men started cheering.

Shortly afterwards, Hank ushered the X-men out of the hut. “I believe we should allow him to rest. I imagine he will be tired and we need to give him space�.

“Should we return him to the ship? It has more medical equipment,� Cyclops said.

Hank thought for a moment. “I would rather not move him, and additionally I believe that the equipment I brought with me will suffice for now�.

“If he does start to need more, I can always teleport him back to sickbay,� Nightcrawler offered.

***

So we left the Professor with Jean and Hank. Cyclops and Storm meanwhile had no trouble thinking up work for the rest of us. They sent Forge, Angel, and Rogue back to the ship to assess the damage that happened during the landing. They had the rest of us take some readings of the planet and the building, to get a sense of when night would fall, and to double check things like making sure the air would still be breathable long term (I’d think we’d be keeling over by now if it wasn’t, but I suppose you never know). Storm and Cyke also said that they themselves would go back to the ship too, to find a way to get a remote feed from the ship’s computers so that we could monitor space from the planet, rather than from Victory. Although it appeared that this place was hidden by mists surrounding it and although FOH ships would be cloaked anyway, we still wanted a way to get a sense of what was out there without having to return to Victory.

***

Storm pressed a few buttons on the hand-held device and was satisfied with the resulting images on its screen. It was larger than a tricorder but still portable. “It looks good,� she said. “I’d like Forge or Hank to take another look at it just to make sure it’s calibrated correctly, but it should give us a good reading of the surrounding area of space�.

“But this isn’t too bad considering two non-techies came up with it,� Cyclops responded, proud of himself. His stomach suddenly made a loud grumbling noise.

Storm smiled and remarked, “I guess we didn’t exactly think about stopping for lunch today given what this day has been like�.

“I think I will make a trip to the mess hall. I’ll bring something to Jean and Hank too. Do you want anything?�

“No, thank you – I will go later�.

Cyclops piled soup and sandwiches onto a tray and then walked down Victory’s ramp to make his way to the hut. He looked forward to eating his Rueben sandwich. As he walked, he fleetingly wondered if he should ask Hank and Forge someday to make him an inhibitor collar. His glasses allowed him to get a sense of the beauty of the place but he knew he didn’t perceive it as well as everyone else did. Still, he appreciated the feeling of the warm sun on his skin and the scent of clean air. Cyclops had always felt an aversion to anything that prohibited mutant powers or simply could be seen as being anti-mutant. He remembered, years ago, talking with mutants who had flocked to Muir Island for a supposed cure and fervently trying to convince them that they were whole as is.

“How is he?� Scott asked softly when he reached the doorway of the hut.

“Still sleeping,� Jean whispered.

“But we are certain that he will recover,� Hank added. “At this point I would like to return to the ship and replicate a wheelchair for him. It will require a lot of dilithium but of course it is a necessity, since we are sure that he will be back to normal�.

“This is great news! Thank you, Hank -- please do make him one,� Cyclops said. “Here’s some lunch,� he offered.

Hank grabbed a sandwich and left. Scott then sat on the floor next to Jean, and they availed themselves of the food.

“I’m so happy,� Jean murmured. “The Professor is going to recover, we’re here on this beautiful place. With a baby on the way�. She stopped herself. “Although maybe it’s wrong to be this happy, when FOH is controlling everything back home�.

“Hey. I don’t think it’s ever wrong to be happy. I think we need to enjoy these times when we have them; we’ve had enough strife in our lives. And I am as happy as you about these things. I can’t believe I am finally going to become a father�.

“And what a wonderful father you will make. I’m happy for our child. He or she will be raised by two people who love each other very much�.

“Yes. And will have the Professor as a grandfather�.

“Did you ever doubt that he would recover?� Jean asked.

“A few times, sure. I just kept hoping that we would be right about the coordinates he kept hearing. I wonder why we’re not contacted more directly by…the beings who sent the messages�.

Jean lifted her soup spoon to her mouth. “I couldn’t tell if it was because they *couldn’t* be more direct, or if they were perhaps waiting for the Professor to get better�. She set the rest of her food aside and nuzzled against Scott.

Scott put his sandwich aside and pulled Jean into his arms. Another memory came back to him. He remembered the day that the X-men had had to rebuild the mansion after Juggernaut destroyed it. After a long day of hard work, he and Jean had cuddled in one of the half-finished structures. She had sat much as she was now, surrounded by his arms. Scott reached and again kissed her.

Jean sighed contentedly and turned so that she could more fully return the kiss. The kiss grew more passionate, and Scott’s mind raced with sensual images. He forced himself to pull away.

“Sorry, Jean,� he whispered. “I, um…you get me so excited…but with the Professor right here, we can’t…�

“You have the same effect on me. But you’re right. It would be wrong, on so many levels, with him here,� she said, though her body heartily protested. “Although I so desperately want to go back to the ship with you right now!�

“I know. Me too. But we can’t leave him�.

***

We reassembled outside the hut in a few hours, after we’d gotten word that the Professor was now awake. A wheelchair was parked outside of the hut, and we all pretty much took turns going up to the Professor. He was sitting up on the mat and he looked well. Jubilee, who was right ahead me, eagerly reached down and hugged him.

“Do be careful,� Hank cautioned. “He’s still weak�.

“Actually, I feel better every minute,� the Professor said. “Seeing all of my X-men is certainly lifting my spirits. And I appreciate the hug, Jubilee�. His voice sounded the same as before, just a tad weaker and scratchy.

“I’m so glad you’re better!� she enthused. “And you gotta see this place!�

“In due time. How are you, Jubilee? Have you been keeping up with your training?�

“Oh, of course!�

When it was my turn, I knelt before the Professor’s mat so he could be on the same level as me. Then I was really surprised. He extended his arms and hugged me briefly. It’s not like the Professor had ever been stern or distant but I didn’t associate affection with him either.

“You did very well, Bobby,� he said. “You rescued all of us�.

“You remember that?� I asked. Then I felt stupid. Of course he did – he didn’t get shot till after we were out of the FOH cell.

“Of course I remember. Thank you for what you did�.

I got all flustered and said something stupid like, “It was my pleasure�. I was really floored that he remembered and mentioned the rescue.

“We had a cake and celebration in honor of Bobby afterwards,� Hank added.

“I wish I could have been there,� the Professor said and he totally sounded like he meant it.

“We’ll have to have a celebration for your recovery,� I said.

After everyone had had a chance to talk to the Professor, he spoke to the group. He was still inside the hut – Hank strongly felt that he needed to rest – but he wanted to talk to us. So everyone assembled either inside or near the hut. It was kind of an awkward set-up but it worked. I stood outside and listened.

“I have been communicating with those to whom this place belongs. They did indeed contact me back on earth, more than once. We are safe and welcome on this planet,� he said. “We were invited here by mystical beings. They are beings from whom Alpha Flight’s Snowbird hails. They have told me that we can stay as long as we wish�.

“So if they are…friends of Snowbird’s, do they have any word on what happened to Alpha Flight?� Storm asked.

“I do not think that they know,� the Professor answered. “They want to see Snowbird again, that I can sense for certain. If Alpha Flight were to somehow appear, they would be more than welcome by the mystical creatures�.

“Seen many weird t’ings during my time in the X-men,� Gambit began.

“But this one wins the prize at the county fair,� Rogue finished.

Wolverine shrugged. “It don’t seem strange to me. We knew during her time in Alpha Flight that Snowbird came from mystical creatures�.

I think that everyone was obviously confused by the whole situation but not looking a gift horse in the mouth either. I loved this place, the atmosphere and feel of it, and loved that the Professor was back. From the looks on their faces, I guessed the others felt the same. So hey, if some demigods or whatever who knew one of Alpha Flight’s members said we could stay in their paradise, what’s the harm?

“I have news to share about the status of our dilithium,� Forge spoke up, bringing my thoughts from mystical creatures down to scientific reality. He had a grim look on his face. “We did have a hull breach during the landing and we lost some dilithium. We ran several test scenarios. Based on our best estimates, if we were to turn around and leave this place tomorrow…we don’t have enough to make it back to earth. Close but we couldn’t make it all the way there. We could *possibly* make it back to earth if we didn’t use the cloaking device, but that would be risky�.

“Far too risky,� Storm added. “If FOH detected us, they could send their entire fleet after us and overwhelm Victory�.

Hank spoke up. “I wish to apologize to everyone. It was my bad landing that caused this. I know I erred and I sincerely regret what I have done�.

My heart fell. I wondered if there was anything I could do for the guy. Anyone could tell he felt terrible.

Forge responded, “I don’t think that this situation is due just to the landing. We knew we were running low beforehand. The landing didn’t help the situation but it definitely didn’t cause it�.

“I agree,� Cyclops said. “Beast, there is no need for you to apologize. Who’s to say if any of us could have landed Victory any better?�

“We’re safe and not in any immediate danger,� Storm added. “We always find a way out when we’re trapped�.

“So what do we do now?� Wolverine asked.

“Perhaps we could revisit the locked shed that contains a power source,� Storm suggested.

“I have a proposal to make,� Cyclops spoke up. “It has been a long day and we’ve had a lot to take in. Our sensors show that the sun will begin to set in just over an hour. Let’s pick this discussion up tomorrow�.

I was a bit surprised. Just that I’ve known Scott a long time and this didn’t seem like him, but no one objected.

“I agree,� the Professor added.

“So like…can we sleep in the rooms in this building here?� Jubilee asked. “I mean, it seems like Snowbird’s friends said we’re supposed to make ourselves at home�.

We talked it over briefly, and most of us wanted to stay here. Even when I had entered the ship again to get lunch, I hadn’t liked its artificial environment and longed to get back out here. So we ended up heading for the building and picking out rooms – they all looked pretty much alike so which one you selected just didn’t matter that much.

Once we’d settled on that, I noticed that Scott and Jean, and Rogue and Gambit were the first people to break away from the meeting and head back for Victory. I didn’t see either couple again for a while. Over the next few hours, most of us packed our few personal possessions in our duffle bags and moved into our new rooms in the building. We powered up the building’s generator and transferred a food replicator from Victory to our new temporary home. Since everyone was kind of scrambling around and getting settled, we didn’t all eat dinner at the same time.

Of course someone stayed with the Professor at all times in the hut; he wasn’t up for moving out of there just yet.
***

TO BE CONTINUED
Author’s Notes –

Just a friendly reminder that, as I promised way back in Chapter 1, Alpha Flight’s backgrounds and canon have been altered in this story.

Chapter Six

The sunset on the planet was just as breathtaking as all of the planet’s natural views. Storm watched it from the building’s back porch and enjoyed the myriad of colors in the sky. She was tempted to fly up and gain a better view, but the one allowed from the porch was more than satisfactory. Her eyes drank it in. She noticed the temperature dropping and sensed that the evening would be cool but not cold. Her powers gave her the ability to alter the planet’s temperature, but she sensed that tampering with this location would be not only wrong somehow but also unnecessary.

The Wind Rider stifled a yawn. Powerful as she was, she did sometimes get tired and this day had contained more excitement than she had seen in weeks. Her system had almost gotten used to the routine on board Victory. She turned towards the rooms and looked forward to getting some sleep.

As Storm walked down the main hallway, Wolverine approached from the other direction. He carried a backpack with him.

“Have you settled into your new room?� she asked.

“Yeah. Great place here,� he responded.

Storm didn’t know what gave her the push to ask the next question. Perhaps the headiness of fresh air and open spaces had gotten to her. “Do you ever rise early in the morning?� she asked.

Wolverine seemed a bit taken aback by her question before he responded. “I can. Hell, in a place like this I probably would just to see the sun rise�.

“I was wondering if you’d like to see the sun rise tomorrow,� she offered, boldly. “I know how much you like the outdoors. If you want, I could even…� Storm now was at a loss for words as she couldn’t think of a non-awkward way to word her idea, “give you an aerial view of the planet. I could fly you around it�. She then felt her cheeks warm. “It sounds silly, perhaps, but you know what I mean�.

Storm then began to fear that she had been too forward. She had picked up plenty of X-men, including Wolverine, and flown them somewhere when needed – often into battle. She realized, however, that plenty of men might find the experience of being carried around by a woman a bit odd, a bit too much like a role-reversal. And when the scooping up of a teammate was not done in battle, didn’t it possibly carry different connotations? Storm tried to calm herself, reminding herself that they *had* just been talking about getting a good view of a sunrise.

“Sure, I’ll try it. Thanks for the offer, ‘Ro�.

Storm noted that he didn’t usually call her by her given name – few did so. “Let’s meet on the porch tomorrow,� she suggested. They settled on a time.

“Sounds good to me,� he said, before taking leave of her for the night.

Wolverine then walked to the foyer and exited the main door. He was going to spend the night outside and sleep under the stars.

***

Several hours after I ate dinner, I left several X-men in the large open room adjacent to the dining room. They were talking about moving some of the items from the rec room on board Victory to this room. The pool table and ping pong table would easily fit in here with lots of room to spare for tables around which we could play cards and board games.

I couldn’t help but to be in a good mood – we had a gorgeous place to stay in, the Professor was recovering. But I knew the fact that we lacked enough dilithium was serious and Hank was blaming himself.

So I walked towards Victory and entered the ramp up to the ship. We were leaving it ajar. The ship was powered down so as to save on dilithium, but we left emergency lights on in a few corridors so we could retrieve things from Victory as needed. I made my way to the supply room and located a lantern.

Once the sun set on the planet, it was really dark. I walked towards the hut where the Professor was staying and tilted my head up. The stars looked so incredibly bright. Like they were right there on top of you, like you were totally *there*, in the galaxy, if that makes any sense. They never shone so brightly back on earth.

I gently knocked on the door of the hut. Hank sat on a chair someone had brought him. I looked at the tray and smiled when I saw that he’d eaten the dinner I’d fetched earlier.

Hank put a finger to his lips. “The Professor is sleeping again,� he whispered.

“How is he – like, overall?� I whispered back.

“Other than the fact that he is overall weak, his health is back to normal. I suspect that tomorrow he will be up and around�.

“That’s great�. I entered the hut, leaving my lantern just outside so we had a bit of light, and sat on the floor next to Hank’s chair. “Are you going to sleep here tonight?�

“I don’t see any reason not to. I volunteered to stay with the Professor. And I know that Scott, Jean, and others will be here at daybreak to check on him�.

“Yeah, but what if you have to go to the bathroom during the night?�

In the dim shadows cast by the lantern, I could see Hank making a face. “Well, Bobby, I am sure that I can take hold of my lantern and reach the building in time�.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right�. I paused. “You want me to get you a blanket?�

“It’s warm enough in here, and of course I have my omnipresent fur coat�.

“You want me to brush you?�

“Not right now, but perhaps some other time, my friend�.

Actually his refusal was good since I didn’t have a hairbrush with me. “You wanna play a round of Uno? I brought a deck of cards�.

“I believe the lack of light here would make that difficult�. Hank leaned forward in his chair. “I know why you are here, Bobby, and I appreciate that you are attempting to elevate my mood. I understand that no one is angry for me for the poor landing and that I am not blamed. I am the one who feels most disappointed in myself. And I do not think that I can do anything about it other than try to forgive myself and resolve to perform better when I face my next challenge�.

“And remind yourself of all the amazing things you’ve done for the team over the years�.

“I know,� he said quietly. “Thank you for your concern�.

I rose to my feet. I got that he was glad I’d paid him a visit, he was totally bummed at himself, but he’d be okay. So I wished him a goodnight and went back to the building.

I turned down the covers of the bed in my new room and undressed. I liked to sleep in boxers and a T-shirt. Weeks ago on Victory I had replicated clothes that looked just like the ones I’d liked back on earth. I found the bed at this place to be soft and comfortable, more so than the one on board Victory. Part of me knew I should be mildly freaked out just due to the weirdness of the situation. But I didn’t actually feel weird at all. The atmosphere on this planet belonging to Snowbird’s people felt soothing and refreshing, mixed with a hint of excitement too.

The only thing was that I wished I had someone in the bed with me. Not just for sex, though that sure would’ve been nice too. I had to congratulate myself for going so long without it, though it wasn’t like I had any choice. But I really thought it would be wonderful to have someone to wake up with in the morning. I wanted someone to warm the bed next to me. As much as I wished for a boyfriend though, I didn’t feel alone either since I at least had family in the X-men and that was worth gold.

With those thoughts, I was asleep before I knew it.

***

“Remy, shouldn’t we be worried and all? We can’t get back to earth,� Rogue said, cuddled against Gambit in their new bed. She loved her inhibitor bracelet. It was so much less bulky and she could easily sleep wearing it, so she didn’t have to worry about accidentally touching Gambit during the night. Gambit preferred to sleep *au natural* in warm temperatures.

“I ain’t too worried, chere. Storm said we always find a way out. I say we enjoy this for what it is. We need a vacation�.

Rogue had to smile. Did Gambit ever fail to see the positives of any situation? “I love that about you. Mr. Sunshine,� she teased.

“Rather you call me Swamp Rat den dat,� Gambit muttered at his new nickname.

“What do you wanna do tomorrow?�

Gambit smiled at the question. He wasn’t one for planning out a daily schedule. “Sleep late and make love again. And I suppose somewhere in dere we gotta show at the meeting Cyke promised to discuss dilithium. T’inkin’ ‘bout dat’s enough to make me fall asleep now�. He yawned audibly.

***

Wolverine woke just before dawn. He could sense its approach, and knew that he had time before the sun began its ascent. He had slept peacefully the night before; in fact, it had been his best sleep in months. He had felt a sense of anticipation during the night too but it hadn’t prevented him from resting well.

He rolled up his sleeping bag and packed his backpack, wondering if Storm might ever enjoy sleeping outdoors. She loved nature which had to be a good sign that she might enjoy this as well.

When he reached the porch, it was still dark outside. He settled into one of the chairs, noticing that the porch also contained an old fashioned porch swing and a few coffee tables along with its many chairs. They looked not unlike any furniture one would see on earth. Eventually he heard footsteps and saw light emanating from inside the building. Storm approached, holding a flashlight.

“Hello,� she greeted him.

“Morning,� he nodded.

“I believe I will get some tea and something to eat. We still have time before sunrise. Would you like anything?�

“Thanks, darlin’. You need help?�

“No, I’ll bring it to you�.

“Thanks. I’ll have whatever you’re havin’ then�.

Storm soon appeared with a tray. She and Wolverine slowly picked at the breakfast as the first hint of pink began to appear in the sky. Wolverine took in the beauty, and wondered if Storm read his mind when she spoke. “Come on. I will take you up there�.

“You sure I won’t be too heavy for you, darlin’? I know you’re strong, but I ain’t light either�.

“If I get tired, I can always set you down for a bit and rest. Are you ready?�

He nodded, and she scooped him up in her arms and flew up.

Wolverine liked it. He was able to see the sunrise from the sky itself, the light starting to emerge from behind clouds. He felt the rush of air as they coasted above the treetops, taking in the colors of the place. It seemed to have a healing effect on his soul, though he doubted that anything could fully replace the damage or return what had been taken from him so long ago. But this place helped. Whatever awkwardness he might have felt about being carried by a woman who was taller than he evaporated when he allowed his senses to receive the views around him. And he enjoyed the warm feeling of Storm’s arms around him, although he had to admit that being in contact with her this way was pushing his willpower to the limit.

After a few sweeps– it did not take long to fly from one end of the planet to the other – Storm asked, “How would you feel about landing for a bit?�

“Whatever you want�.

Storm landed next to the lake. Wolverine breathed in a tranquil feeling as he enjoyed the scent of the clean water. He hoped the serenity of the scene would help him restore some measure of control.

Storm stood next to him, also facing the lake.

“Thank you,� he said.

“Was it worth getting up early for?� she asked.

“Yeah. I’d do it again�.

Something dawned on Wolverine that morning, a thought that he had been mulling over for a while. He knew then that nothing would happen unless he made it happen. He guessed that many things in his life had been that way, had been the result of his agency.

And it had taken all of his willpower to not aggressively pursue her these past months. Restraining the animal inside had been his fulltime occupation. Perhaps holding back had been the wrong thing to do. He knew that he could restrain this no longer. He had to deal with the daily frustration of not being able to fight and crush FOH, and he could not afford to be frustrated in yet another area of his life.

Wolverine knew that Storm was interested in him. If nothing else, he could detect from her body’s subtle scents that she had a carnal attraction for him. Whether or not she was interested in someone to spend her days with, someone to love, he didn’t know. But at this point, he wasn’t going to continue second-guessing things.

Wolverine put an arm around Storm’s shoulders and turned to her. She met his gaze and the look in her eyes gave him confidence. “Can I kiss you, ‘Ro?� he asked.

“Yes,� she replied, eagerly stepping towards him.

He hadn’t kissed a woman for a long time. Her lips felt soft against his and the kiss was pleasurable. When they paused for a moment, they drew back together again quickly. This time one of their mouths opened and Logan enjoyed the feeling of her tongue against his. He wanted to grab her body even harder but again summoned unknown depths of control to keep the kiss at a more romantic than passionate level.

And then Storm asked if he wanted to fly again, and he agreed. She picked him up and, after flying for several minutes, set them down inside the forest.

“Is this where you spent the night?� she asked.

“I slept outside,� he said. “I love sleepin’ under the stars. You wanna try it sometime?�

“Yes,� Storm said. She reached for him again and pulled him into another kiss.

As they kissed, Wolverine wondered how he could convey to her what he wanted to say. He didn’t want her just for the sex, and he was over Jean once and for all. He wanted to have a relationship with her, but those words sounded so charmingly wrong. Verbal communication wasn’t his strong point, he knew, and when it came to matters of the heart it wasn’t Storm’s best suit either.

But he decided to take try it. She had been so receptive to everything so far, just as he had dreamed she would be. And if she didn’t respond, well, he had weathered plenty of disappointments in his life.

“I don’t know how to ask this,� he began, when they drew apart from their kiss. “You wanna be together? You and me, give it a try?�

“I would like nothing better,� Storm responded, sounding a bit breathless, which he liked. She pulled him into another kiss.

And Wolverine loved that she didn’t push him to discuss it more, didn’t require that they sit down and spell out what they would be to each other anymore than that. They simply continued kissing, with hands beginning to roam over each other’s bodies. The feel of her hands under his shirt was intoxicating and his senses began to get dizzy with excitement. He liked the way she touched his back. His body, deprived of sex for so long, was responding with ardor. He again silently marveled at how well he was able to harness the animal instincts.

“I, um, I hope you don’t think that I want you just for…well, for sex,� Storm said.

Wolverine smiled. “You got a bit of blush on your face, ‘Ro,� he teased, feeling relieved that she had brought it up. He also felt proud of himself for his self-control.

She smiled, which he took to mean that she didn’t mind a bit of teasing. “I suppose you know that I am not good at discussing this kind of thing�.

“Yeah, me neither. But no, I ain’t lookin’ just for someone to warm my bed. Lookin’ for more than that�.

Storm once more smiled, wider than Logan had ever seen, before she again pulled him into a kiss. “Me too. So with that settled,� she began, breaking off the kiss again, “shall we warm your bed or mine?�

He looked downwards and felt a playful smile on this face. “We could warm the forest floor instead�.

“Logan, you are full of wonderful ideas today�.


***

Nightcrawler had decided to do early morning prayer and meditation in the forest. Fortunately, he did not have exceptionally strong hearing and fortunately the forest was large enough that he didn’t stumble upon Storm and Wolverine.

***

Cyclops tapped his fingers impatiently. He was eager to call the team together so they could discuss their next steps. And he had been kind enough to let them have free time yesterday evening. But this morning, even Storm had turned her communicator off and was nowhere to be found. This was most unlike her.

He walked from the hallway containing the bedrooms towards the dining hall. Yesterday most X-men had slapped a piece of paper with their name onto each door so each person’s room could be identified. Scott resisted the urge to tap on Storm’s door.

He took a breath and reminded himself to be patient with the entire team. They had only arrived in this strange, but gorgeous, place yesterday. Could he really fault them for setting off and exploring it? Besides, yesterday it had been clear that there was nothing urgent occurring now anyway and no immediate action to take. And he had to accept the fact that at least half the team would never be up for morning meetings. Rogue and Gambit were the worst in that regard, but several others such as Bobby and Jubilee weren’t morning people either.

Scott decided to post a sign in the dining room, making the guess that everyone – even the late risers -- would stop to eat either a late breakfast or a lunch at some point. The sign specified that a meeting would occur in the dining hall, and he gave the time for the meeting as mid-afternoon.

He then went to check on the Professor. This morning he was up and around on his new wheelchair. Hank had marveled at his recovery, and to Scott it nearly appeared that Xavier had never been in a coma.

***

We had a meeting on the afternoon of our first full day there. For a team of free spirits and people who don’t like schedules, you gotta give us credit for getting our butts in one place when we’re told to.

I had spent my morning the same way most of the team did. I slept late. I sauntered out of bed and to the kitchen to replicate some food. Took a shower in my room’s own bathroom, which I should mention was sparkling clean. Had forgotten to bring my towels from Victory which presented a problem (I’d remembered soap and shampoo though). Greeted the Professor who looked like he’d never been ill and he said that his new wheelchair was fine. Wandered around the planet, still almost wondering if I was dreaming when I felt sun warming my back. Hung out with people in our new rec room outside of the dining hall – but not too much since most wanted to be outside. Watched an impromptu volleyball game. Ate lunch in the dinning room with five others. And then before I knew it, it was time for the meeting.

We sat around the tables in the dining room, and first we got an official update on the Professor’s condition, even though everyone had hung out with him that day. He said he felt just like himself, only a bit tired. But he said he was feeling better with nearly each passing hour. Many of the building’s staircases had ramps next to them, but a few entrances would need to be modified to allow his wheelchair to pass.

Forge gave us some more information on the planet. We learned that the days were estimated to be 23.5 hours in length, with approximately 13.5 hours of sunlight and 10 of darkness. He talked about the distance between this planet and this solar system’s sun.

Then, changing subjects, Wolverine asked, “What about the Danger Room? Can we get back onto Victory and use it?�

We talked it through (it was boring, I won’t write out the whole thing here) and decided to have it on at two specified time periods each day, to minimize the dilithium usage.

Angel asked if we really had enough dilithium to stay here for a while.

“The fact is,� Forge began, “that all we need to power here is the main building’s generator – so that we can turn on lights and run showers and food replicators -- things like that. Those types of activities use up a very small amount of dilithium. The things on the ship that drain our power supply so much are the warp drive, life support, and cloaking device. Even with us using Victory’s Danger Room and gym five hours each day…my estimates show that we would still have enough dilithium to last us about six to seven years at this rate�.

We talked about a few measures we’d take to conserve dilithium here. We made plans to install timers on showers and to ensure that lights were not turned on when not needed – with all the windows and abundant sunlight, the building didn’t really need lights on that often.

“What about the shed we saw, next to the hut where you healed up?� Storm asked, facing the Professor. “Our readings show that a power supply of some sort is inside�.

The Professor spoke, “A few times when I have communicated with the beings who allow us to stay here, I have asked about it. They do not want us to open that shed. They feel that whatever is in there belongs to Snowbird�.

“We could force the door open, if we had to though, right?� Angel asked. “Between Wolverine’s claws and Rogue’s strength, we could tear it down�.

“Theoretically yes, but I cannot support that,� the Professor said. “I know we want to return to earth and defeat FOH. I share that dream too, but I think we need to put the dream on hold for now. To destroy something and to take something from these beings who have been so welcoming to us…it would be morally wrong�.

I saw lots of people nod their heads. Storm and Cyclops both voiced agreement.

“Even if we could return to earth, we still face the same problem we had before we left. There’s not enough of us to make a difference against FOH – not when they’ve gotten as powerful and swayed as many minds as they have,� Cyclops added.

The Professor said, “My biggest regret is that we did not devote more energy towards preventing their rise to power�.

“Let’s not be too hard on ourselves,� Storm said. “We had so many powerful enemies to face over the years and our numbers were so few. We cannot berate ourselves for not doing more�.

Jean looked dejected. “I always thought that FOH was so extreme that they would never get as far as they did. I hoped that regular people would see through them, but I guess I was in denial for a long time�.

“Perhaps we all were,� the Professor added.

“So it appears that our plan is to remain here indefinitely,� Storm concluded.

I know it sounds terrible of me, but I wasn’t too upset. I looked around the room. Was it my imagination or were others trying to not look as thrilled as they felt? We so needed a vacation.

“Perhaps,� the Professor spoke up again, “our hosts may let allow us to take some of their power supply at some point. If we demonstrate that we would be good stewards.� He paused and added, “They might not though. I don’t think that they view things quite the same as we do. However, I am certain that they would be upset if we took anything from them now�.

So that was the meeting. We gradually dispersed. “Who’s up for volleyball again?� Angel asked. Teams started to form. I made a remark: “We can’t leave here, so let’s party!� and got a few laughs for it.

***

The X-men decided to eat dinner together as a group, in the dining room, and celebrate the Professor’s nearly complete recovery. They replicated a bit more food than usual including some delicious deserts and alcoholic beverages – items that they did not often indulge in. Jean turned down the lights and lit a few candles to create an atmosphere. There was much talking and laughing around the table as serving bowls were passed. Various X-men took turns filling in Xavier on events he had missed while in the coma, though some stories were a bit embellished.

“That is utterly untrue!� Storm exclaimed, picking up a grape and lobbing it at Colossus. “You did not beat the Apocalypse level 12 program singlehandedly in 10 minutes�.

“Yeah, tell us another one, iron-man,� Wolverine muttered, good-naturedly. He sat next to Storm, close enough that their thighs touched under the table.

Colossus continued to brag to the Professor of his prowess in the Danger Room. “Is true! No one else finish him off that fast�.

Xavier smiled indulgently, “May I remind you, Colossus, that I can read minds if I have to?�

The group laughed even more.

The Professor then turned towards Scott and Jean, who were sitting next to each other as usual. Scott reached his fork towards Jean’s plate and snatched a bite of her ice cream. She threw him a mock-angry look. “Any word on the little X-baby?� the Professor asked.

“The baby seems fine but we still have a ways to go before we can have an ultra-sound,� Jean answered. She then made a face and added, “And we greatly appreciate all the name suggestions, but if anyone really thinks we’re naming the baby after them, forget it!�

“So no little Remy den, eh?� Gambit asked.

“I’m afraid not�.

The sun began to set but most of the X-men remained in the dining hall, laughing and talking. Someone brought out a board game from the new rec room, though as the board was set on the table, Storm got up and took her leave of her teammates for the evening. Wolverine followed a few minutes later.

Gambit nudged Rogue under the table. She responded with a quizzical look.

“What is it, Cajun?� Rogue asked eagerly as she and Gambit took a walk outside after dinner. Gambit illuminated their path by charging one of his cards.

“You notice Storm and Wolverine at dinner?�

“Did I…well, no. Notice what?� she asked, nearly flustered.

“Ah, chere, Remy’s always been more observant den you,� he noted with a smile. “I say dey are a couple now�.

“What? Really! Why’d you say that?�

“Dey sittin’ next to each other�.

“Big deal! Kurt and Sam sat next to each other and I don’t think they’re a couple, Swamp Rat!�

“You see the way Storm and Wolverine were lookin’ at each other?�

“They been doin’ that for months now�.

“I tell you, chere, the looks changed,� Gambit insisted. “I could feel a change in the air between dem�.

Rogue considered his words. “But she said she’d tell us when she had news to share!� Rogue exclaimed. She was truly hurt at the idea that her friend really might be holding out on her, not to mention chagrined at the idea that Remy truly *was* the more observant one.

“An’ you believed her? You know how she is. Never shares nothin’ personal�.

Rogue shook her head. “I’m gonna give that girl a talkin’ to next time I get her alone!�

***

Rogue couldn’t resist it. She knocked on Storm’s door later that very evening. When she didn’t receive a reply, she considered using the communicator to reach her friend but fought back that urge. She walked towards the rec room but didn’t see either Storm or Wolverine. Could Gambit have been right? She pulled Bobby aside and asked him about it – he often was quite aware of his teammates’ comings and goings – but he said he had no idea if anything had transpired between Storm and Wolverine.

The next morning, she rose earlier than usual and saw Wolverine working with Jubilee outside. The Danger Room wasn’t set to open for the day yet but he was apparently instructing Jubilee in a few moves. Jubilee seemed to be catching on quickly; she had matured as a fighter and always responded well to Wolverine’s tutelage. Rogue searched around the main building and, when she didn’t locate Storm, decided to try the Wind Rider’s bedroom.

“Hi,� Rogue greeted, when Storm opened the door.

“Hello, Rogue. Won’t you please come in?�

Rogue had been prepared to lay into Storm and berate her for not opening up earlier. But something about Storm’s tone of voice seemed open and very welcoming. It was hard, even for Rogue, to remain angry at Storm for long and besides, she knew that Gambit may have been wrong.

“Nice room you got here,� Rogue observed.

“Does yours look much the same?� Storm asked.

“Mostly. Ours is on the other side of the hall, so we face a different way and get a different view out the window. Yours ain’t no less beautiful�. She continued to survey the room. “We got a cabinet above the closet,� she noted.

“There’s an ample cabinet inside the bathroom instead,� Storm gestured. She then smiled and sat on the bed. “Though I must confess that I have news more important than room design to share with you�.

Rogue absorbed her friend’s excitement as she sat next to her on the bed. Ororo really was going to share her news! “What is it, girlfriend?�

Storm placed a hand over Rogue’s gloved hand. “You know that I am not one for gossiping. Or for taking too much of an interest in other X-men’s love lives. We all desire different degrees of privacy. So I ask you to keep this close to the vest�.

“Cut the preamble! Out with it, Storm!� Rogue’s lack of patience often got the best of her.

“Well, Logan and I have decided to…give things a try. We are a couple now�.

“Oh, Storm, that’s great! You do look like you’re glowin’ with happiness! I got a whole passel of questions for you. Like, how did it happen? Was it just yesterday? And girl, you have to tell me how the sex is!�

Storm smiled indulgently, musing that some things simply never change. She had always found Rogue’s quirks endearing though. “Now, Rogue. I am happy that Logan and I are together, but a lot of the details I really consider private. My plan is to tell Jean the news, and I should let Jubilee know as well. I know that you’ll talk to Gambit for me. Beyond that…I don’t see the need to make an announcement and, as I said, I would rather hold the details to myself�.

“But I shared all that sorta stuff with you! When Remy and I were gettin’ together�.

“I must add the fact that *you* sought me out for advice and offered all of that information. I never pried�.

“Is that what I’m doin’?? Pryin’?? Friends don’t pry. They just wanna know what’s goin’ on!�

“Oh, Rogue,� Storm turned towards her friend and embraced her. The sincere display of affection seemed to placate Rogue; Storm held her for several moments. “You know I care about you deeply�.

“Yeah. An’ you’re right,� Rogue said, pulling back from the hug. “In fact, I sure appreciated your guidance back then. But you’re different and if you don’t wanna share every detail, that’s fine�. Rogue paused and added, “But it’d sure be nice to hear *somethin’* ‘bout the lovemakin’! I ain’t after your man – I’s never attracted to him myself -- just curious�.

Storm shook her head and smiled patiently. She then spoke, “I will never forget that morning you pounded on my door after your first night with Gambit. You practically jumped up and down on my bed, telling me how wonderful it was and yelling at me for not pushing you to do it earlier – even though I seem to recall you being fully in control of when you made the decision to ask Hank for a collar�.

Rogue felt a hint of embarrassment at the eagerness of her slightly-younger self. She tilted her head back and said, “Well, Remy had that effect on me and he still does. Glad you got someone who makes you feel that way�. She then added wryly, “Or at least I reckon he does, since you ain’t gonna tell me ‘bout it!�

***

That evening the X-men decided to build a campfire outside and roast marshmallows. They didn’t need a real reason for the campfire other than a desire for more outdoors activities. The rec room inside the building often remained empty since most wanted to experience being outside. The six weeks on board Victory had been long and tedious for the team. This planet had beautiful weather; it had only experienced rain once, for about ten minutes, since they had arrived. The group wanted to avail themselves of the fantastic weather outside at every opportunity.

Jean pinched her hot marshmallow between her fingers to hoist it off her stick. She popped the gooey treat into her mouth. Looking at the fire and hearing the conversation of the others around her almost had a lulling effect. She simply could not bring herself to feel guilty about enjoying the days on this planet, she realized. The X-men had fought so hard for so long, and when they had left earth it felt as if they had nothing to show for all their battles. If something on this planet had healed Xavier’s body, perhaps it would also heal the team’s psyche. She looked at the faces of her teammates and hoped that most of them felt the same way and were equally free of guilt. Of one thing Jean was certain – the X-men had many long battles ahead of them.

She noticed Wolverine sitting behind Storm and brushing her hair. Jean remembered that she herself had touched Storm’s hair more than once. It was thicker than her own and felt like silk. Jean had almost been envious. She hoped that Wolverine’s rough hands would enjoy the sensation.

This was good, Jean felt as she continued to watch Storm and Wolverine. When she had told Cyclops what Storm had shared with her, Cyclops – who generally wasn’t interested in the love lives of any X-men other than his and Jean’s -- had also been genuinely happy. It had to have meant that Wolverine had finally accepted that Jean would not be his and had moved on, emotionally. He and Cyclops had been getting along so much better the past few years.

Other X-men noticed Wolverine’s gesture of affection towards Storm, and also saw the way she sat back against him when he was finished with her hair. Jean knew that the others would soon guess the truth if they hadn’t been told or heard it through the grapevine.

***

With everyone in a much better mood, it was time for me to get back into practical jokes!

I offered to again brush Hank’s pelt out one afternoon. I had done it a few times since my initial offer and he seemed to really like it. We had been having a picnic by the lake with Jubilee, Nightcrawler, and Colossus. The others eventually took off to get ready for their afternoon Danger Room session but Hank declined to join them.

“I would rather spend the afternoon continuing my research of the soil samples from this planet. Additionally, I had an intense Danger Room session this morning,� Hank explained. “Thus I am bypassing another Danger Room bout this afternoon�.

“Yeah, I had a pretty intense session about 7 weeks ago,� I joked, “so I’m going to bypass anymore training too�.

Hank didn’t say anything but that quip sure fell flat. It made me sound just lazy instead of truly scared of combat. I shrugged it off; Hank liked me the way I was, flawed and all, I knew.

“Hey, didn’t you spend some time with the Professor this morning?�I asked, happy to change topics. “Did he say if he’d gotten any ideas from Snowbird’s friends about whether we can use some of their power supply?�

“He did not,� Hank said. “I am certain that he will tell us if and when he has some dialog with them. However, he has always been clear that they might not decide to give us anything�.

“They’ve already been pretty generous,� I said. I shifted my weight and began brushing out the left half of his back. “Guess we can’t ask for more. So would we really be stranded here…forever?�

I still wasn’t complaining or the least bit upset about our predicament. I never heard anyone complain about it actually. The planet may have been small but you could never get tired of roaming around the forest or swimming in the lake. A few people had asked about replicating a canoe and were given permission from Cyclops and Storm. It actually didn’t require that much dilithium. So canoe rides were added to the list of things we enjoyed doing.

“That we do not know, my friend. I have never been one to accept ideas without firm evidence, but in this case I may make an exception to my policy. My instincts tell me that we are simply not going to be here for years on end, though we do have enough dilithium if the worst case scenario does occur. When I was in jail so many years ago, at times all the evidence indicated that I would languish there for years, but I continued to have hope and was released much sooner than logic would have told me�.

I nodded. “We gotta hope that something will come up one way or another�.

I finished brushing Hank. As I set the hairbrush down, I subtly reached into my pocket and pulled out a pink barrette. I was sitting behind Hank so he couldn’t see. We were allowed to replicate small amounts of personal items and when I had looked up how little energy this would require, I had to whip up this barrette. Deftly I clipped it on to Hank’s back and then came around and sat next to him.

“Looks like the picnic was a success,� I said.

“How could it not be, in such a glorious surrounding?�

Perhaps since we were alone, Hank then asked, taking a serious tone, “How have you been lately? Have you had more nightmares?�

I had mentioned to Hank that I’d had a few bad dreams since our escape from FOH. Nothing serious but maybe three nightmares in total. So I shrugged and said, “It’s been a while since I had the last one. I’m fine�.

I felt a strong gust of wind and looked up. Storm was flying overhead. I shielded my eyes against the sun with one hand and looked up; it looked like she was carrying Wolverine as well. They flew in the direction of the forest.

“How romantic,� I said.

Hank wasn’t one for gossip but the look in his eyes suggested to me that he was actually interested in discussing this. So I went on, “I always knew they’d get together�.

“Did you?� he asked.

“Well, no, actually,� I admitted. “I didn’t think he’d get over Jean or that either one of them would get vulnerable enough to admit that they needed someone else. But then again, he did come a long way in general since he joined. At first he didn’t even want to be around us and kept running off. But when Juggernaut totaled the mansion, he told Jubilee how much the whole thing meant to him. And you knew the team meant a lot to him when we – er, the rest of you, I mean – decided to go after Master Mold and the 20,000 or so Sentinels. He said as much then too. So he grew a lot the last few years emotionally. Storm was always mature – just not quite able to like share her feelings and such. I think seeing Rogue so happy with Gambit made Storm decide to risk it�.

“Yes,� Hank said, sounding distracted. He was gazing after Storm and Wolverine though by then you couldn’t see them in the sky anymore. Just lots of fluffy clouds against sunlight.

And then Hank murmured something that shocked me. “I envy them,� he said.

“You mean…the couples?� I asked. Duh.

“Yes�.

I was still surprised that Hank admitted this but was dying to hear more too. “You mean like you wish you had someone too?�

“Virtually every human being has certain needs. Most humans need companionship and affection. I feel that my need for those requirements is met through my friends in the X-men – for example, you, Jubilee, Jean, and others. One need that is completely unfulfilled for me, however, is sex�.

I wanted to joke, ‘Dude, join the club!’ but was really too surprised for levity. Maybe I had wrongly written Hank off as asexual. But can you blame me? In all the years I’d known him, I couldn’t remember him ever talking about sex, at least not his own need for it. He did talk about romance and love during that whole episode with Carly, so long ago. And then after that, he never spoke about it again, at least not with me.

“That’s gotta be hard,� I managed. “Is it?�

“Well, yes, of course. Sometimes I find myself dwelling on the subject quite a bit. I suppose it is not a surprise; if one is chronically experiencing hunger, then one dwells on food. I think about sex very often. For years I allowed the subject of science to absorb my interests, and I have truly always loved science. However I realize it also helped distract me from my lack of sexual activity�. He paused and then asked, “Does discussion of this subject cause you discomfort?�

“No,� I answered, still shocked to hear Hank admit that he thought about sex all the time. “I like sex. I miss it�. I paused and added, “And I’m sure you’re not the only person here who misses it too�. To help prove that the subject didn’t cause me ‘discomfort’ and because I did kind of wonder, I asked, “What kind of woman are you attracted to? Like, do you find a big and furry type like yourself attractive, or do you prefer a more conventional appearance?�

“I have met many fellow mutants over the years. Some of the women have unusual appearances as I do, and I’ve learned to see beauty in that. However, I certainly appreciate conventional beauty in a woman as well�.

I wanted to joke, ‘So basically you’ll find any woman hot,’ but it didn’t seem appropriate. So instead I said, “Well, I hope that someday you meet someone who is available and who you find attractive, and vice versa. ‘Cause it totally sucks not getting any sex�.

“You had no trouble finding it, back on earth,� he said, and I couldn’t tell if it was a comment or question.

I shrugged. I figured he knew this already, but I told him, “There was a gay bar I went to every week or so. But you never meet anyone who actually wants a relationship there, you know? I mean it was nice to go and…get that physical need taken care of. I’d kind of like to try being in an actual relationship though. Get both of these needs met, not just the sexual one or the companionship one. I guess I’m like you now – I love the friends I have here, but having to play with myself is getting a little old�.

At that moment, Jean walked by. She was behind us, and she called out, “Lovely barrette, Hank!�

Hank turned and gave me a sour look. I laughed. Then I helped him remove the barrette.

I wished that Jean’s timing hadn’t been what it was though. It was a breakthrough hearing Hank talk about this, and I couldn’t think of how to get the conversation back to where it had been. But then again, what else was there to say on the subject? Perhaps it was better left where it was.

I did find myself thinking about it for a while though; I wondered if I had done Hank wrong by kinda not thinking of him as sexual over the years. I also wondered about some of the other guys. Nightcrawler was a monk so presumably he’d taken a vow of celibacy and presumably his appearance would have made it difficult for him to find a sexual partner regardless. I wonder if he was ever preoccupied with sex too. Whatever the case, I felt really bad for Hank that his prospects for ever getting that itch scratched didn’t look so good, but I also thought of my own predicament too. My prospects weren’t any better, at least not as long as we were stranded on this place.

***

Cyclops walked up Victory’s ramp. The contrast in atmosphere between the planet and Victory always took a moment to get accustomed to -- despite the couple of weeks they had spent on the planet, its beauty still never failed to move Scott. Walking through the metallic and sterile corridors of Victory was such a different experience.

According to his watch, the Danger Room’s afternoon session still had 45 minutes before it would be shut down for the day to save energy. Scott silently chided himself for having lingered over a canoe ride in lieu of starting the training session right when the Danger Room opened. `It’s okay,’ he told himself. `This would be the first session I’ve missed since we got here’.

Cyclops entered the Danger Room to find Jean in the midst of a combat program. Various other X-men were in the room as well, though most were engaging in hand-to-hand combat with each other rather than fighting alongside Jean.

Scott opened his mouth in surprise and stood still for several minutes. He then turned around and returned to the building on the planet.

Jean entered their room twenty minutes later. She was slightly damp with perspiration though she also appeared invigorated.

“Scott,� she approached him, her voice soothing as she reached to put a hand on his shoulder.

“I thought we agreed that you were going to take it easy,� he said.

“Scott, I’m pregnant, but I’m not an invalid�.

He forced himself to take a breath. “It could be dangerous though. We discussed this and I thought we had an agreement�.

“We agreed that I could take part in the Danger Room on lower settings,� Jean insisted.

“Yeah, reluctantly I did agree to that,� Scott recalled. “What setting was it on? It didn’t look to me like it was level 1�.

“It was level 2,� Jean admitted. “Level 2 is low, so I don’t think that I went against what we agreed upon. Scott, level 1 is too easy for me – pregnant or not. Even Bobby would find level 1 too easy!�

Jean’s remark provoked a slight smile in Scott, but it was soon replaced. He stepped closer to her. “I can’t help but to be concerned for you and the baby. It just seems pointless for you to push yourself when you’re in there, since we’re not going to be going into combat any time soon�.

“That may be true. But we don’t know what the future holds for us. I find training as an X-man to be fulfilling, as you do. And besides, I don’t engage in the same type of combat as Wolverine. I use a lot of my telekinesis. I’m not often in the thick of battle, even inside the Danger Room. And there’s a long way to go before this baby is born. I don’t intend to sit around knitting all day until the baby arrives�.

“I understand that and I wouldn’t ask you to do that. It’s just that if something happened to the baby, you’d never forgive yourself, Jean. I am saying this for your own good and because I love you�.

Jean put her arms around Scott. She noticed that his voice hadn’t softened during their conversation and she didn’t need her telepathy to detect his disappointment and concern. “I love you too. I do think you’re overreacting. But can you agree that level 2 is still a low setting? I intend to continue training at that level. Anything lower and I fear that I would lose my touch. I do need to be able to protect myself and the baby, should the need arise�.

Scott allowed himself to remain in the hug. “What did Hank say about this again?� he asked, groping for a logical resolution.

“Our doctor said that moderate physical activity is recommended throughout pregnancy. He did say that I need to avoid higher-risk activity�. Jean then offered, knowing how much her husband responded to logic, “Let’s go see him and ask him specifically what he thinks of level 2. I am certain it falls in the category of moderate activity, but let’s ask for his professional opinion�.

“Yes,� Scott agreed. “That makes sense�. His voice finally did take on a more gentle tone. “It’s just that I care about you and the baby so much. I love you so much�.

“I know, Scott. You always want to do the right thing, and that is one of many aspects of you that I love�.

***

Chapter Seven

***

Storm began to wake from her sleep when the first light of the morning started streaming through her window. The sheets felt cool against her bare skin.

She had slept alone that night. As Storm and Wolverine navigated their relationship, they were experimenting with different ways of being together. Some nights they slept outside, side by side in sleeping bags or snuggled together inside one bag. Other nights they spent apart, perhaps with one outside and the other in his or her own room. Many nights they cuddled up together in one of their beds and remained that way until dawn.

`We don’t talk about it too much,’ Storm mused, as she stepped into the shower. `But if one of us needs space, then the other gives it’. She guessed that other couples who had more closely fused together might judge their flexibility as odd but Storm spent minimal time concerned with others’ opinions of her personal life.

She didn’t feel the need to compare herself against others, though she did have a few observations. The other couples seemed as if they could spend all day together. Even Rogue and Gambit appeared to never run out of things to say to each other. Perhaps because Logan was naturally not verbose, he and Ororo didn’t find themselves having extensive conversations often, nor did they need to be in the same Danger Room session each time or sitting next to each other at each and every meal. It didn’t mean that they didn’t enjoy each other’s company; it was just that neither felt the need to be together every minute.

Storm knew that many of the other X-men watched them, at least a little. Ororo and Logan received many covert glances during meals or social events. Perhaps some found it odd that they weren’t inseparable, though any who knew either Ororo or Logan should not deem it so. She suspected that several of the men might envy Wolverine and she fought against the urge to find that flattering.

As she stepped into her shower, Storm wondered if Cyclops ever felt irritation at his personal life being under such a microscope. It seemed to come with the territory; leaders were subject to more scrutiny in pretty much every area of their lives. But she didn’t plan to ask her fellow co-leader about it. He seemed adept at taking many things in stride now. Storm also considered that she could discuss some of these thoughts and experiences with Rogue or Jean – she sensed that both would love to talk on the subject – but she simply had no desire to discuss it. She was more content than she had been for a long while.

Storm’s communicator chirped. “Yes, Cyclops?� she asked.

“Can you please report to the Danger Room right away?� he asked.

“I will be there momentarily�.

Storm dressed quickly and flew outside, up Victory’s ramp, and into the Danger Room. When she entered the training facility, she saw Angel and Cannonball practically snarling at each other, and Colossus standing by looking nearly as angry. With their rumpled uniforms and hair, the three appeared as if they had been in a scuffle. Jubilee stood off to the side appearing puzzled, and Storm heard Professor Xavier’s wheelchair make its way into the Danger Room behind her.

“Is something the matter?� Storm asked.

“What happened?� Xavier asked at nearly the same time.

Cyclops looked at Angel and Cannonball and sounded mildly disgusted. “Well?� he asked. “Do you care to tell them what happened?�

“He picked a fight with me,� Cannonball claimed.

“That’s crazy. He started it!� Angel responded.

“Let’s start at the beginning,� Xavier said, calmly. “I want to hear from both of you. Tell me exactly how this began�. He turned to Colossus. “Are you involved in this too?�

“Unfortunately,� Colossus muttered.

“We’ll start with you, Angel. Please begin and tell me what happened, step by step�.

Storm listened to the X-men tell their versions of what had occurred. As far as she could tell, none of the three had any sort of ongoing grudge or feud against each other. It appeared that Angel and Cannonball had simply let their tempers get the best of them, Colossus got dragged into it, and a fight ensued.

The Professor pressed his hands together as he listened to each man’s tale. When they were finished, he said, “I propose that we have a cooling off period. I want the three of you to walk away from this and not have any contact with each other. Difficult to do in our surroundings, but I know you can manage it. Let’s discuss this situation tomorrow�.

Angel, Cannonball, and Colossus wordlessly filed out of the Danger Room. The Professor turned to Jubilee. “You are well, are you not?� he asked.

“I’m fine,� Jubilee shrugged. “Seen plenty of arguments in my life. I, uh, think I’ll hit the gym,� she said, turning to leave the Danger Room for Victory’s regular gym. Xavier watched her depart, confident that she truly was unflustered.

“A ‘cooling off’ period,� Cyclops remarked, when he was alone with Storm and Xavier. “It’s a good idea�.

“I daresay if I had enacted it each time you, Wolverine, and Gambit had argued in the old days, you would have had many cooling off periods as well,� Xavier commented. “I didn’t consider the concept until recently�.

“The three of us didn’t fight quite that aggressively when we got on each other’s nerves back then�.

Storm raised an eyebrow. “But you perhaps came close a few times�. She took a breath, “So what do you think was really behind today’s fight?�

“I believe that they were looking for a way to let off some steam,� Xavier said.

“Don’t people usually let off steam when they’re under stress or anxious?� Cyclops asked. “Granted, we’re stranded here for now, but we couldn’t be in a more tranquil or welcoming setting�.

“Yes, but the fact remains that we are stranded, tranquil setting or not. I suspect that many team members are feeling somewhat helpless knowing that not only is FOH in control back on earth but there is nothing we can do to combat them right now�.

Storm nodded. “Yes. All of us wish we could remedy the situation and make a difference on earth, but as of right now we can do nothing but train for battle - even though we may not have an opportunity to truly use our combat skills for a long time. If ever�.

“That does make sense,� Cyclops admitted glumly.

“There is another possibility as well,� Storm began. “The fact that we all live in close quarters with each other, that each of us interacts with the same 14 people each day; it could result in us simply getting on each other’s nerves�.

“That might be it as well. When people get irritated, they might look for reasons to start fights�.

“I believe there may be another component which is exacerbating the situation,� Xavier began. “As everyone surely has noticed – indeed I hear jokes made about it during dinner and such – we have a gender imbalance on the team. I believe that a lot of the men are finding it difficult�.

Storm knew it was illogical but she felt a hint of discomfort at discussing this subject. She couldn’t even say why, other than perhaps she was feeding off of Cyclops’ and Xavier’s own discomfort. She hoped she could mask her emotional reaction and she responded, “I understand that. Unfortunately we can do even less about that situation�. She paused and said, “I do have empathy for those who would like…a love interest�.

“The situation was difficult back on earth due to the laws passed regarding mutant and non-mutant contact, but now we are in essence marooned on an island with only the 15 of us. There is potential for the situation to escalate and to, perhaps, someday become very ugly�.

“I’d never really thought of that,� Cyclops said. “I mean, of course, I always knew I was lucky to have Jean. But Professor, when you say that this situation might escalate, do you mean that we might see more fights like this?�

“It certainly is possible,� Xavier answered.

“We should brainstorm on solutions then,� Cyclops said.

“Well,� Storm began, “at least we have the Danger Room and the gym so that people can work off that type of energy. Perhaps we can ask Nightcrawler to offer some type of counseling or mediation as necessary. He has experience with that sort of thing. Of course, that won’t solve our gender imbalance nor will it topple FOH�.

“But as we’ve said, those two problems are beyond our control,� Xavier remarked. “So we need to consider any solutions�.

Storm suspected that if some of the other X-men had been in the room, an off-color joke or two may have been made but she herself was not about to make one.

“We could offer an anger management class,� Cyclops threw out. “Though I don’t know who would teach it. But it couldn’t hurt�.

The three departed with no ideas other than asking Nightcrawler if he would be willing to offer counseling should team members request it and Storm agreeing to do some research on the subject of anger management.


***

I was eating dinner one evening, sitting at the table with Gambit, Rogue, Colossus, and Storm. Wolverine joined us just as we were starting the meal, and I had to smile as I saw him give Storm a peck on the cheek. We were eating a bit later than everyone else; the sun had set and the glowing from the dining hall’s lights cast shadows across the walls.

Rogue and Gambit sat next to each other, of course, and they did all these couple-y things. As I munched on my salad, I noticed them coming up with practically any excuse to touch each other. She had her bracelet on, so when she made a remark about how delicious something was, she could pick it up and give it to Gambit to nibble on. I actually didn’t mind it when people did that kind of thing, though by the time we were eating our dessert, they were awfully frisky with each other.

“You have good Danger Room session today?� Colossus asked.

“Dos Sentinels in dere no match for me today,� Gambit said.

“You had it on a high setting,� Wolverine added.

“Dat’s right�.

Rogue rolled her eyes. “It was so high, it wiped him out for the day! He was too tired to do what *I* wanted to after the Danger Room session!� she exclaimed, pretending – I guessed – to sound upset.

“And whatever could that have been?� I asked innocently.

“Well, sugar, it involves a bed…� Rogue began. Then she started again, “Though it doesn’t have to –“

Storm normally tolerates a lot from Rogue, but she actually cut in and said, “Now, Rogue, perhaps this isn’t appropriate dinnertime conversation�. As Storm said the words, I noticed her glance in Colossus’ direction.

I wondered what the deal was. “It’s okay, Nightcrawler’s not here so we don’t have to worry about offending a Catholic monk,� I said, trying to come off as funny. I didn’t think this one went over too well. I have a lot of quips that don’t end up coming off as funny as I intend.

“Dat’s okay, we be leavin’ soon,� Gambit began. “Remy’s not tired any more now, chere, so if you want –“

He couldn’t finish his sentence before Rogue grabbed his jacket and led him out of the room. They both left food on their plates.

“Ah, lovely!� I remarked sarcastically at their behavior. I stabbed my slice of replicated watermelon with my fork. The food replicator churned out decent food but this watermelon was too bland. I resolved to look at the program.

And then I went on, saying, “Well it’s nice to see that some people have someone to get down with�.

Storm sent a look my way and I had to wonder if she had become a prude or something. Since when was alluding to sex not okay at the dinner table? I could remember lots of risqué conversations back at the mansion over the years, though they usually occurred when certain people (such as the Professor, Nightcrawler, Cyclops) were not around – and they weren’t around this day either.

Colossus at least didn’t look like he was ticked off by Rogue and Gambit’s behavior or my comment. If anything he looked curious.

And then I knew for sure he was in an inquisitive mood when he asked me, “Bobby, when did you become a…what is right word? Gay?�

“Well, I didn’t really *become* gay. I was just kinda born this way,� I said. I was a bit surprised that Colossus brought up the subject, but maybe once you’ve been stuck with the same 14 people you decide to try to get to know them better? We’d pretty much gone through all the “small talk� subjects.

“So this not a choice for you?�

“God, no, not at all. I wouldn’t choose it�.

“Why not?� Storm asked. Maybe she thought this subject of discussion was okay then?

I shrugged, “I dunno, it’s easier to be normal. This has made me feel bad about myself, like I’m a wimp or something. I mean, I know in my head that I shouldn’t feel that way, but I guess I just do sometimes�.

“It don’t mean you’re a wimp,� Wolverine said. I was surprised that he was contributing to this particular discussion. “In Alpha Flight, there was a gay guy. Arrogant guy, Northstar, but a good fighter�.

I took another bite of the tasteless watermelon and was suddenly wishing this line of discussion would finish up before it turned into another attempt to get me to train as a fighter. And it also reminded me that, given what FOH bragged they had done to Alpha Flight, it wasn’t like I’d get to meet Northstar ever. That didn’t cheer me up.

Colossus spoke up, “I would choose to be mutant. Of course I did not choose to be mutant, but I would choose it any day�.

“Why?� I asked.

“Life in Russia very hard now. My powers help me to get out. And coming to Xavier give me family. Nothing ever replace my sister Illyana. I miss her always and miss rest of my family too. But at least here I have different family, I have somewhere to belong. If I am not mutant, I not have this�.

“Wouldn’t be under attack by FOH either though,� Wolverine mumbled.

“In Russia, we under attack every day by hard life. This is better for me�.

I glanced over at Storm and she really looked pensive. I wondered if she was thinking of her godson Mishnari. She didn’t talk about him much but I guessed that she missed him.

***

The days passed in a slow but enjoyable way for me. Since I didn’t set foot inside the Danger Room, I didn’t have a block of time each day spent on training. So I generally did what the others did in their leisure time – went swimming, canoeing, wandered around the forest, played games in the rec room, used Victory’s gym, watched the others play sports, and fiddled with the food replicators trying to make the food even better. I’d sometimes tag along with Hank as he took samples of, say, the material the building’s walls were constructed from or of a bird’s feather that had fallen to the ground but, as usual, I never understood the science part. It got chillier in the evenings and often I’d sit in the room with the fireplace, along with the others, drinking hot chocolate and just talking.

I know many of the others would think it’s weird of me, but one thing I missed from our days on board Victory was playing computer games. But the only part of the ship that we powered up was the Danger Room and gym, so no computer games were available. They did use up energy and we always had to try to conserve it, which I totally understood.

Once the four women decided to have a “girls’ night out�. I was told that this consisted of them doing things like painting each other’s nails and giving each other facials, and they decided that they were going to sleep in the rec room that night. So the guys were all like whatever, we sat around outside, played cards, and drank beer. So it was pretty much what we do any evening except none of the women joined us. I remember Colossus musing about what a great evening it was and Hank then said, “It is hard to believe that we have been here for a total of five weeks�.

I also had a hard time believing that five weeks had passed, but they had.

A few days after that, Jubilee bounded up to me as I was working out in the gym. “I gotta talk to you when you’re done!� she exclaimed.

“I can be done right now,� I said, eager to get an early ending to my workout. I wish weight lifting and cardio machines weren’t so boring. Whatever Jubilee had to say looked to be much more interesting, judging by the look in her eyes.

Just then, Forge entered the gym. The other X-men used it quite a bit too since the Danger Room didn’t necessarily train you in every way.

“Come on,� Jubilee said, leading me towards the door. We walked to her room. Whatever this was going to be, it was going to be really good if we needed privacy.

“You’ll never guess what Angel said to me today,� she began, just after she closed the door.

“You’ve got to tell me!� I said, sitting down on the chair and leaning forward.

“I’m walking from the building to the lake. And he comes up to me and asks if he can walk with me. Which seemed kinda weird, but whatever�.

I was practically hanging on her every word. I couldn’t wait to hear what would come next though by this point I had a small inkling.

“Then he says – and god, I hope I can remember this right – he says, ‘You know, Jubilee. I’ve always liked to have feminine companionship. I know I’m quite a bit older than you and you might think of me like an uncle or other brother. But maybe you could think of me in a different way’. Then he asks something like if I wanted to get together or get to know each other better – I don’t remember his exact words after that since I was so freaked�.

“Oh. My. God. That! That ding-dong!� I exclaimed.

“Ding-dong??� Jubilee asked, and we both laughed heartily.

“What did you say? I gotta hear this!�

“I didn’t know what to say! I mean, I want a boyfriend but just the idea of it being Angel feels so wrong. I mean, I thought about what me and you’d talked about before and the idea of kissing him makes me want to start laughing. Even though I want a boyfriend – and even though he is rich and kinda handsome�.

“He’s not rich here!� I said. “And I sure wouldn’t be surprised if FOH crashed his accounts back on earth anyway. I thought there was some legislation where they were proposing to do that to all mutants. And besides, who cares about money if the idea of kissing him makes you feel like bursting out laughing?�

“Totally�.

“And were those the exact words he used? ‘Feminine companionship’??� I echoed, incredulously.

“You can’t make that stuff up. Those were his exact words�.

“So – what did you eventually tell him?�

“I managed to get out something like that I’ve known him since forever and think of him like a big brother so that it’d just be too weird. Even though he’s very nice, I said. I mean, sheesh, we have nothing in common, but I didn’t say that. He looked disappointed�.

My head was still spinning. “Wow. Did this like come out of nowhere?�

“I guess now that I think about it, maybe it didn’t. He’s been really sweet to me the last few weeks. He did all sorts of nice little things�.

“I see. Now we know why�.

“I gotta tell Wolverine!�

“I dunno, Jubilee. He might break the guy’s wings off�.

She rolled her eyes. “Wolvie’s gotta get over that. Angel didn’t do anything wrong�.

“Nothing wrong, just something totally embarrassing and out of place�. I then quickly added, “Not that there’d be anything wrong with a guy hitting on you, of course. You’ve become a beautiful young woman�.

“Thanks, Bobby, but you sound like Storm now�.

“It’s true!� I insisted. And it was. I liked her hairstyle now; it was long and had bangs. Even her face itself was no longer as girlish and she was really starting to mature into beauty. And hey, maybe Angel really did want a relationship, but if he just wanted sex then I have no doubt Wolverine would break his wings off, regardless of whatever Jubilee might want.

There were still so many things I wanted to ask, so I went on, “How’d Angel take it?�

“He seemed fine. He said something about letting me know I could change my mind or think it over or something. I do almost feel bad for turning him down�.

“Don’t. You can’t go out with a guy out of sympathy. That wouldn’t be right. Hey, I think it’s cool what you did – even though you want a boyfriend you turned him down since he wasn’t the one�.

“I knew you’d have something cool to say. ‘Cause right now I just feel *weird* all over�.

I nodded. “I think it’ll pass though. And I won’t tell anyone, if that’ll help�. Though I was dying to tell Rogue and Gambit.

“Thanks. Now I gotta figure out how to avoid a guy in a small place like this. Maybe I’ll camp out in the woods for a few days,� she joked.

“You might run into Storm and Wolverine there though,� I pointed out. It was said that the two of them spent a lot of time in the forested area.

“As long as I don’t run into Angel�.

***

Victory’s sick bay had been powered up and Hank stood facing Jean and Scott. The couple held hands, Jean sitting on one of the beds and Scott standing next to her.

“Everything looks splendid,� Hank said, holding printouts with the ultrasound’s results in his hands. “There are no abnormalities, the fetus is growing at precisely the rate I would expect, and the placenta is in a good location in relation to the cervix�. He walked over to the couple to show them the test results and pictures.

“We are so lucky,� Jean said, beaming. “My intuition told me that everything is fine but it’s nice to have it confirmed by science�.

“You had said that you wanted to know the baby’s sex, correct?� Hank asked.

Jean and Scott looked at each other. “It would be nice to know,� Scott said. “We can at least start picking out a name�.

“We’ve had plenty of surprises in our lives – and I’m sure we’ll have plenty more – so it would be nice to have something *not* be a surprise,� Jean added.

“Well, the baby is a boy,� Hank said.

After thanking Hank for his help, Jean and Scott found Professor Xavier and shared with him the news that the baby was healthy and would be a boy. The ultrasound was also the main topic of discussion for the X-men at dinnertime. Jean shared the ultrasound pictures with anyone who wanted to see them.

“People are desperate for something to talk about,� Scott said, when he and Jean had retired to their room for the evening. “Maybe ‘desperate’ is the wrong word but since not much happens here, I think they’ll talk about anything�.

Cyclops’s words had much truth to them. The X-men had now watched all of the movies that had been on Victory’s computer, even the most insipid and juvenile ones.

“Well, I think they are sincerely interested in it too,� Jean added. “After all, we’re doing something that none of them has ever done. Some are more interested in the topic of babies than others but all are at least curious, I think�. She sighed, as she opened a drawer and pulled out her pajamas. “I wonder if we’ll be off this place before the baby arrives�.

“Something has to come up by then,� Scott said, but his tone was unconvincing to both himself and his wife. Snowbird’s people had not contacted Xavier for weeks. The hand-held sensors that he and Storm had designed so shortly after the X-men had landed proved unnecessary. The area of space surrounding the planet had been devoid of any remarkable activity whatsoever. Scott nearly had to laugh when he remembered the haste with which he and Storm and worked on the devices.

“I hope so,� Jean said, though without much passion. She patted her abdomen which was beginning to protrude slightly. “Although I have to admit that the idea of remaining here has an appeal, at least when I think of having the baby. And raising him. Earth right now is such a bad place to raise a child, especially a mutant child. Though we knew that already�.

Scott sat down on the bed. “We did. But somehow the baby’s arrival feels more real, more imminent now. And that really changes everything. It makes the situation on earth feel more dire�.

“I know. And we won’t be able to tell if our son’s a mutant until he’s born�. Jean finished dressing and sat next to him. “You haven’t seemed all that worried lately,� she said, putting an arm around his back, “but you do seem a little worried now�.

“No, no – not that much. It’s more that I’m realizing that raising a child will be as challenging an undertaking as leading the team has been�.

“I’m sure that we’re up to the challenge. Never for a moment did I doubt that you’d be a wonderful father. You’re a great team leader and you’ll be a great father�.

He turned to her. “And you will be a great mother. Anytime I feel nervous about raising a child, I just remind myself that you’ll know what to do�.

Jean smiled widely. “I am always so honored that you think so highly of me. Because I always think so highly of you. After all these years, I can’t get over it�.

“Me too,� Scott said. “Sometimes I have to pinch myself to think that you chose to be with me�.

“And I feel exactly the same way! I’ve always felt totally honored that you pick me to love�. Jean paused. “I mean what I said at our wedding so long ago. I truly wish everyone was this happy. I feel sad that not everyone is�.

***

A beeping noise woke Cyclops and Jean several nights later. Jean heard it first, and she nudged her husband.

“What is that?� Jean asked. The tone was different than the one on the communicators.

Cyclops sat bolt upright when he realized the origin of the strange sound. “It’s the device that Storm and I created when we first landed. Victory is sensing something!�

“Can you tell what it is?� Jean asked.

“No,� Scott said, reaching for the gadget which was sitting on the desk. Jean turned on the light as Scott peered at the device. “I think we need to get to Victory to get more information. I’ll go there and power up the bridge�.

“I’ll let Storm and the Professor know,� Jean said, scrambling out of bed and covering her nightgown with a blue robe.

Cyclops opened the bedroom door and saw Storm a few steps ahead of him in the hallway, carrying a lantern. Her device had also awoken her. Jean headed in the opposite direction towards the Professor’s room.

Storm and Cyclops walked rapidly out of the building, into the crisp night air, and through the field where Victory had been parked. Storm resisted the urge to fly; for some reason she did not want to appear to be trying to speed ahead of or trumping Cyclops. So she felt the slightly damp grass under her feet and wished she had found her slippers or some other shoes earlier. The first light of the morning was just beginning to present itself from behind full clouds. She knew her heart was beating faster than normal.

The X-men leaders walked up the ramp and reached a control panel. Punching in a code and several instructions, they restored power to the bridge and then walked down the dimly lit corridor.

Storm sat at one of the chairs and turned on the computer, silently speculating that it felt almost alien now, to be surrounded by the hum of computers and the feel of metal. Granted, she visited the Danger Room every day but the atmosphere in that holographic room was unique. On the bridge, the process of punching keys on a computer’s keyboard came back to her instantly though she acutely felt that this type of activity had not been part of her life for the past couple months.

Jean and the Professor soon reached the bridge.

“Do you have any idea what it is that you sense?� the Professor asked.

“We should have a clearer reading very soon,� Storm responded.

“Do either of *you* sense anything?� Cyclops asked the telepaths.

“No,� Xavier responded. “Nothing out of the ordinary�.

“Here,� Storm said, a minute later. “It looks like…a starship. Another starship�.

“Look at these readings,� Cyclops said. “It appears that the other ship is on a direct course to this planet�.

“I thought that there were some mists or something surrounding us,� Jean said. “Like a natural cloaking device. So how could it be directly on a course here?�

“I don’t believe it could be just a coincidence,� Storm said. “Their trajectory is definitely taking them directly here. They must have some way of sensing this place�.

“How far away are they?� Xavier asked.

“From what we can tell, at this rate they should be here -- not for a while,� Cyclops managed, surprised. “They are travelling slowly, much more slowly than Victory’s top speed�.

“It looks like at least 6 or 7 days until they reach this planet,� Storm said. “Unless they do increase their speed, if they can. I wish we could detect more information about their ship but it is simply too far away�.

The Professor added, “As they get closer, we should be able to learn more about their ship and, at some point, Jean and I should be able to reach their minds. We forget how vast space is, and without Cerebro we can’t reach into minds that are this far away,� he said, studying the chart of space.

“But we will eventually,� Jean concluded. “I wonder which type of sensor will learn about the ship and its inhabitants sooner – Victory’s or the Professor’s and mine�.

“I will attempt to communicate with the beings to whom this planet belongs and discern if they have any information,� the Professor said. He closed his eyes as the others watched him intently. He remained withdrawn from them for a minute or two before opening his eyes and shaking his head. “Nothing. They are not responding to me now�.

“I guess it’s not a surprise,� Jean said. “They haven’t communicated with us since you recovered�.

The room fell silent. Cyclops surveyed the three other faces. “I wish we knew whether the ship that approaches belongs to friends or foes�.

Storm nodded. “I suppose we are all wondering if it’s FOH�.

“I dearly hope not,� Jean said. “Since Snowbird’s people own this planet and since she was or is a member of a team of mostly mutants, I really hope that they would somehow not allow FOH here�.

Cyclops and Storm looked at each other. “We won’t know for a while who is on board this ship or whether the mystical beings of this planet can or will stop them. So I believe we need to prepare for the worst, just to be safe,� Cyclops said.

“I agree,� Storm said, as both co-leaders rose to their feet.

“What do you propose?� Xavier asked.

“We could get everyone out of bed now and get them to the Danger Room,� Cyclops said.

Xavier shook his head. “I do not think that would be a good idea. We do not want to cause people to panic, especially given that there is nothing we can do now and given that the X-men *have* been training every day here. I simply do not see any benefit in waking everyone up and sending them to the Danger Room�.

“Are you certain though?� Storm asked. “What if it is FOH? We might be safest if we board Victory and cloak ourselves. Our ability to hide and flee quickly is one of our strongest assets now�.

“If it is FOH, we will find out in enough time that we will still be able to board Victory and leave if need be. The other ship is still days away�.

Cyclops and Storm looked at each other.

“I suppose you’re right,� Cyclops said. “But if it’s FOH, remember how quickly they beat us at the mansion? We still have no idea how they did it�.

Jean spoke up, “I still like the Professor’s idea of not wanting the others to panic. As quickly as FOH beat us last time, we should still know with plenty of advance if it’s them or not�.

“I just don’t see any benefit to pulling everyone out of bed and either into the Danger Room or having them pack their belongings,� the Professor said, and it became clear that his idea would be the one they followed. “I propose that we instead call a meeting, share with the others what we have learned, and advise everyone that they might need to prepare to leave if we believe it’s FOH. We do need to emphasize that we have no idea who is on board this other ship. And we should let them know that we will continually monitor space – and Jean and I will attempt to reach them telepathically – so that as soon as we have more information, we will then act accordingly�.

“I like that plan, Professor,� Storm said.

Storm’s communicator chirped. “Where are you, ‘Ro? You want breakfast together?� Wolverine asked.

“Actually, Logan, can you come to Victory’s bridge? We have news�.

“Bad news?�

A second or two elapsed before Storm’s reply. “We do not know one way or another at this point�.

***

Gambit slept next to Rogue on their bed. His dreams were largely pleasant ones these days. He dreamt of Mardi Gras, of someday experiencing it again with Rogue at his side. He dreamt of warm nights and long, lazy days of games and companionship. He dreamt of the excitement of a mission from which he emerged victorious. He dreamt of the sweet woman at his side who appeared so fierce towards others and so loving towards him.

“What is that bangin’ noise?� Gambit heard Rogue mutter. He almost turned over and went back to sleep.

“Rogue and Gambit, I am sorry to bother you,� Storm’s voice could be heard, though Gambit wasn’t sure if she was standing outside their door or talking on their communicator. “But please report to the dining room at once�.

“Are we under attack or somethin’?� Rogue asked, her voice throaty.

“No, but it is important,� Storm insisted.

Every muscle in his body protested, but Gambit slowly pulled himself out of the comfortable bed.

Soon all of the X-men were sitting at the tables in the dining room. Given the hour of the day, most were in various stages of undress though Remy noted that the Professor, Jean, Cyclops, and Storm had all put on regular clothing. The others wore an assortment of pajamas, robes, sweatpants, and the like.

The four leaders shared the news and answered a barrage of questions. They did not know any more than they had earlier that morning.

“All we can do now,� Cyclops said, “is to continually monitor space. Storm and I will be doing that constantly either from the bridge or with our sensor devices, and of course the Professor and Jean will be telepathically trying to learn about the other ship’s inhabitants�.

“And I will attempt to reach the beings who own this planet again,� the Professor added, “to see if they will be willing to share any information�.

One or two X-men raised the idea that had been discussed earlier, of leaving the planet and taking advantage of Victory’s cloak, but everyone came to agree that this would be premature.

“However, any of us should be ready to depart at a moment’s notice now,� Storm finished. “We are going to put an escape plan in place, like a fire drill�.

“I hate not knowin’!� Rogue exclaimed. “I feel like I gotta know what’s comin’�.

“I understand. All of us feel that way to same extent. But our best course of action is to wait and see what we can learn and then act when we have more information�.

“Dere any advantage to takin’ Victory out and tryin’ to intercept dis other ship?� Gambit asked. “We could learn more about it sooner if we get closer to it�.

“That is not a bad idea,� Cyclops said. “But remember that we still have an issue with not having enough dilithium, so anytime we power up the ship, engage the warp drive and the cloaking device and the life support, we are really draining our supplies. And if it does turn out to be FOH, we are going to need all of those things in abundance�.

“As far as we know, the other ship doesn’t know that we’re here, and we wouldn’t want to lose this advantage,� Storm added.

“If it is FOH, then maybe we gotta take some of the power supply that’s on this planet,� Wolverine said, referring to the contents of the locked shed. “I hate to do it but maybe we don’t got a choice�.

“We can cross that bridge when we come to it,� the Professor replied. “We can at least consider it as a possibility though right now I am not in favor of it�.

The meeting ended soon afterwards, with the team abuzz on the news. The morning Danger Room session took on a new urgency for all of its participants.

***

More than a day had passed since we got the news and we still didn’t know anything else about the other ship. I could sure see where Gambit had been coming from when he had the idea of taking Victory out there to learn more. All we knew at this point was that the ship wasn’t wavering from its direct course here.

I sat on the porch eating lunch with a few of the others. I noticed everyone chomping on their burritos a lot faster than usual, as if they couldn’t wait to get back to the Danger Room. Hank had even invited me to join them in the Danger Room the day before, and believe it or not, I had almost considered saying yes. But I was too afraid of looking like a dork in front of everyone else.

Once I was done with my lunch and had watched everyone scamper back to the Danger Room, I got an idea in my head. I walked over to the forest alone. When I was satisfied that I was deep enough within the thicket, I iced myself over and made an ice slide. I sped around the forest and shot out bursts of ice at various targets. Well, the targets were huge trees so this exercise wasn’t exactly that hard, but whatever. One advantage of my powers is that they aren’t destructive. The ice always melts eventually and it wouldn’t harm the forest in any significant way.

As I glided along on the ice slide, I was doing a great job dodging the trees and other obstructions. I was doing so well that I kind of forgot about it. Until I hit a tree head on and fell.

Muttering swear words to myself, I got up and limped out of the forest. My head was killing me. If I needed a reminder as to why I didn’t fight alongside the others, I had it. I couldn’t recall any of them ever banging into something in the middle of combat. And now I had to think of an excuse for staying in my room the rest of the day and hope that I wouldn’t have any visible bruises or a bump on my head the next day.

***

“C’mon, ‘Ro. Sittin’ on this damn bridge ain’t gonna help things,� Logan insisted.

Storm leaned back and stretched. “You are right. We haven’t been able to detect anything more about this ship since the sensors initially picked it up this morning, no matter how many times I attempt to recalibrate the machine�.

“And you got the portable sensor in case somethin’ does come up. So bring it with you – let’s take a walk�.

“Logan, you are always full of excellent ideas,� Storm said, smiling.

As the two walked hand-in-hand through the forest, Storm’s thoughts kept returning to the other ship. “Perhaps when we wake up tomorrow morning the ship will be close enough that we can learn more about it. I also need to remember to remind the Professor that if he senses anything during the night, he should wake me up at once�.

“He’ll do it. You don’t gotta remind him�.

“How do you think the team is handling the news?� Storm asked. “Do they seem anxious to you?�

Logan nearly chuckled at the question. Feelings weren’t exactly known as his area, though he wasn’t unperceptive either. “Well, there were lots of bad guys demolished in the Danger Room today�.

“The group definitely seemed to have more energy in there then I’ve seen in a while,� Storm acknowledged. She then turned to Wolverine. “We should talk to Jubilee. She might be afraid�.

“Kid’s a lot tougher than anyone realizes�. He paused. “But yeah, it couldn’t hurt to talk to her. We don’t gotta do it this instant though�. Logan’s keen eyesight caught something in the distance. “You in here earlier making ice?�

“Ice? No; I generally do not use my powers anywhere other than the Danger Room. The climate is so perfect here anyway. Is –“ Storm stopped speaking as she and Wolverine got closer to the object that had caught his eye.

“Looks like one of Bobby’s ice slides,� Logan said. “Half-melted. And I can smell that he was here earlier�.

“I wonder what he was doing in here making ice slides�. The couple looked around and saw several puddles on the ground, which suggested that several more ice slides had been made and fully melted.

“His idea of a joy ride maybe�. Wolverine would never admit it, but he felt that the mutants who could do things such as fly or careen on an ice slide were lucky. He loved speed and he greatly missed his motorcycle.

“But we have been here for two months and not seen any ice slides in here before,� Ororo observed. “Perhaps Bobby does want to train! I should talk to him again�.

“Hold on, Storm. You don’t gotta solve all the world’s problems today. Bet you’d be better if you take some time to relax. ‘Sides, these ice slides are in the middle of the forest – maybe that means he don’t want anyone to talk to him about training�.

Ororo took a breath. “Alright. It is just hard to take some time for relaxing right now. I feel full of excitement and nervousness�. Admitting her feelings was never easy for Storm, but she found that each time she made a small step in that direction, it became less difficult.

Logan stopped walking and stepped close to her. “I got an idea for somethin’ that might relax you. Might make you more excited though too�.

Storm smiled. “I did say earlier that you always have excellent ideas, didn’t I?� She pulled him into a kiss, one that became passionate very quickly.

***

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Eight

***


Nearly 48 hours had passed since the initial detection of the other vessel. Storm and Cyclops’s sensors both sounded at the same time, and they rushed to Victory’s bridge.

A handful of other X-men had been around when the sensors beeped; they followed their leaders to the bridge.

“Anyt’in?� Gambit asked.

“Yes!� Storm hissed eagerly. She and Cyclops hunched over computers as the other X-men stood back. “Several details about the other ship are loading in�.

“It’s old,� Cyclops said. “An old ship, or one containing lots of scrap metal. It almost appears as if it were patched together. And it’s small. Much smaller than Victory�.

“Less than half its size, if that� Storm added. “From what I can tell, the ship is not in great condition. Many of its readings are weak. Its cloaking device must be weak as well if we can detect all of this�.

Gambit and Nightcrawler, standing next to each other, exchanged a look. “Perhaps that means it’s not an FOH ship,� Nightcrawler said. “From what we knew, their fleet contained newer, sleek ships like Victory�.

“Look at this,� Cyclops said. “It appears that this ship doesn’t have any weapons. No phasers or photon torpedoes�.

“No weapons?� Gambit echoed. It was another sign that this was unlikely to be an FOH vessel.

“This reading shows the number of life forms on board the ship,� Storm began, excited. “It looks like a total of 10 people are on board�.

“Yes,� Cyclops said, peering at his monitor. “That’s what I’m picking up as well�.

“Only 10 people? Forge asked. “That has to be another good sign. I don’t know if FOH would send just 10 people on an old, unarmed starship out after us�.

“Could always be a trick dough,� Gambit added.

“Can you sense anything else?� Nightcrawler asked.

“Trying,� Cyclops responded, still focused on the readouts appearing on his screen.

The Professor and Jean entered the bridge, responding to the calls they received on their communicators. Forge filled them in.

“Can you sense anything?� Forge asked the telepaths.

Xavier shook his head. “They are still so far away�.

“According to this reading, they should arrive here in about 4 days. Or 102 hours, to be precise,� Storm said.

“They haven’t changed their course at all since we first detected them,� Cyclops added.

Eventually all of the X-men made their way onto Victory’s bridge. They shared what they had learned, and Hank asked, “Are we close enough that we can attempt to communicate with them?�

“No,� Cyclops said. “We’ll need more time before we’re within subspace range�.

***

A lot of us ended up spending a lot of time on Victory’s bridge. I think everyone was hoping we could learn more about the other ship, though our sensors weren’t picking up anything else useful since Storm and Cyclops’s last report to the group.

During our camp-outs on the bridge, I sometimes discreetly played a few computer games in the background. Since the bridge was powered up, I had to take advantage of that. The others checked and re-checked sensors like 200 times a minute, hoping to learn more.

Storm once asked me if I had been practicing my powers lately but I shrugged her question off.

The next morning, I was on the bridge with Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, and Forge. We heard footsteps and saw the Professor, Jean, and Cyclops enter the bridge just as Cyke used his communicator to tell the rest of the team to get to the bridge. Pretty soon, the rest of the group eagerly joined us.

“What is it?� Storm asked, rising to her feet.

“We can sense the minds of the people on board the other ship,� the Professor said. “It’s Alpha Flight�.

“Alpha Flight??� Rogue asked. “So the FOH bastards were wrong when they said they’d killed ‘em?�

“Are you certain?� Storm asked.

“Beyond a shadow of a doubt,� Jean answered.

I looked around the room and everyone looked mostly happy and relieved. Except Wolverine.

“Don’t mean to doubt you,� he began. “But what if it’s some sort of trap? Like the FOH bastards want to get us all disarmed and relaxed, and then they overwhelm us�.

The Professor said, “It is true, Wolverine, that it is not completely outside of the realm of possibility that FOH might be working with a telepath who has the ability to deceive Jean and me. But I highly doubt that is happening now. I communicated briefly with James Hudson, Guardian, right before I entered the bridge. I am certain it is him�.

“Still, it is wise to be cautious,� Storm said. “FOH overwhelmed us at the mansion using weaponry we were unprepared for. Could this be a trick of theirs, especially given that they had told us that they had captured Alpha Flight? Perhaps they have brainwashed the entire team�.

I looked at everyone else’s facial expressions, and I gotta say something. Wolverine and Storm were the only ones who looked skeptical and afraid to let their guard down. Even as Wolverine and Storm spoke, I could tell from other people’s scrunched eyebrows and the like that they weren’t doubting that it really was Alpha Flight. Maybe it’s just because that was what we all really wanted to believe. Or maybe it was that the chances of the Professor and Jean being bamboozled telepathically were just so remote. Even a powerful telepath like the Shadow King hadn’t been able to do it, so how could FOH?

And then I heard Gambit sum it up best: “Any mutant strong enough to fool the Professor and Jean ain’t gonna team up wit’ FOH�.

“And if FOH is indeed sending troops after us, I simply cannot believe that they would opt to send them in an unarmed vessel,� Hank added.

The Professor said, “When I communicated briefly with James, I did not wish to be too invasive. And, indeed, he does not like having his mind probed, which is understandable; most people do not. However, I can certainly scan his mind again and specifically look for any evidence of tampering or brainwashing�.

“It could not hurt,� Storm said.

So the Professor did as he said and again told us he was confident that it really was Alpha Flight on its way, un-brainwashed and all. Most all of us were satisfied with that, I thought. The X-men continued to train in the Danger Room like always but I could almost see a dark cloud dissolve and feel everyone’s sign of relief.

After a while, Alpha Flight’s ship was close enough that we could communicate with them over subspace. That meant we could exchange written messages only.

Alpha Flight asked us how long we’d been on the planet and who all was there. We responded to them with the information and asked them who was on board their ship and if they had any injured people who required medical attention.

They provided their roster. I tried to read the names but everyone was hunched over the screen. So Storm read the names out loud.

“Guardian, Vindicator, Sasquatch, Northstar, Aurora, Puck, Shaman, Flex, Radius, and Feedback�.

I heard the others mention the fact that Snowbird wasn’t listed, which was odd since this place belonged to her people. They wondered where she was. But I wasn’t so interested in that subject, I must admit. I was trying to digest the fact that Northstar was on board that ship and I would finally, for the first time ever, get to meet another gay mutant. My heart started speeding at the thought even though I still had a few days to wait.

“Look at this,� Jean said. “They are telling us that Heather – Vindicator – is eight months pregnant!�

That tidbit of news certainly provoked lots of interested looks. There were even a few comments along the lines of ‘A playmate for Jean and Scott’s son’.

“However, they state here that none of their team needs immediate medical attention,� Hank said, studying the read out. “I am glad to hear of that�.

We would find that during the next few days – the time it took for them to get here – Alpha Flight didn’t want to share much more than that over subspace. They suggested that we talk in person once they got here. It certainly made sense to all of us. Our last communication to them said that we looked forward to seeing them and taking with them in person. They said the same in their response and that they looked forward to landing on “their planet�.

***

That evening, most of the X-men sat together in the gathering room which contained the fireplace. As they sipped various beverages and enjoyed the warmth from the fireplace, they discussed the day’s events.

“I wonder if Alpha Flight will be allowed to use the power source that’s on this planet,� Cyclops speculated. “Since this place belongs to Snowbird’s people, they might be given the power�.

“I wonder if they might share some with us,� Jean said.

“We will need to think carefully about how to best broach this sort of discussion with them,� Storm began. She sat next to Wolverine, holding hands. Out of the corner of her eye, she could glance outside the window and see bright stars lighting the dark night. After having been alone on the planet for so long, she pondered the arrival of more people. “Perhaps we might want to consider teaming up with them. Our combined forces might be able to overtake FOH�.

“Maybe dey know somethin’ ‘bout FOH’s weapon, the one dat beat us so easily,� Gambit said.

“Of course with Heather eight months pregnant, they might not be considering a return to earth – let alone battle – anytime soon,� Jean added.

“I wish we knew some answers!� Rogue said. “I hate havin’ to wait. We got no choice though�.

Jubilee looked down at her soda and began to stir it with a finger. Wolverine was sitting next to her, and he had noticed that she had not been her usual effervescent self for most of the day.

“Somethin’ botherin’ you?� he asked, somehow making the terse three-word sentence convey deep caring.

“I dunno,� she muttered.

“Out with it. What’s on your mind?�

“It’s just that I’m confused,� Jubilee admitted. “FOH told us that they killed Alpha Flight. So we don’t know what happened – heck, we don’t even know if FOH had ever even captured Alpha Flight in the first place or if they did but they escaped from FOH or what. I hate to think of any mutant being captured by FOH. But what if….what if FOH did to Alpha Flight what they told us they did?�

The room fell silent at Jubilee’s question. Although she didn’t specifically say the word, everyone knew she referred to FOH’s threats stating that they had raped the women in Alpha Flight. Jubilee vocalized something that everyone had wondered at least once since it had been revealed that Alpha Flight was on its way.

“Indeed, it is horrifying to think about,� Storm admitted.

“We do need to be prepared that this is a possibility though,� the Professor said. “If it did happen, then we should be aware that the members of that group are likely feeling a range of emotions right now and are probably traumatized to different extents. We should be prepared for anything�.

“Isn’t the fact that Heather is eight months pregnant a good sign though?� Jean asked. “I mean…god, this is terrible to talk about, but if FOH had…raped her repeatedly then I think there is a good chance that she would have miscarried�.

Hank nodded. “I agree. However, there is also a chance that she would not miscarry in such a circumstance�.

“FOH is fulla shit, I think,� Rogue piped out. “Hell, they told us that they’d killed Alpha Flight and here they are! So maybe they didn’t do the other thing either�.

“I dearly hope that is the case,� Nightcrawler spoke. “I do agree with the Professor that we should be at least mentally prepared for anything�.

An awkward silence descended. Jean then asked, “Should we do anything special to prepare for their arrival? Perhaps we could try to create a festive atmosphere, put up some decorations, play some music when they get here�.

“It couldn’t hurt,� the Professor said. “We do want to get on good terms with them. They might not be in a festive mood when they arrive here, but if that is the case we can always calm the celebration down�.

“They might want to celebrate a bit though,� Angel said. “Getting off the starship after weeks or months is cause for celebration, especially given how great this place is. And I agree that we want to get on good terms with them�.

“Yeah and besides there’s another case for wanting to be on good terms with them,� Bobby began. “Doesn’t this planet belong to them? If it belongs to Snowbird’s people, then is the planet considered Alpha Flight’s? If it is, I sure hope they don’t like kick us out�.

“They wouldn’t do that,� Jubilee said. “Um…would they?�

Storm and Cyclops looked at each other. “I think we should also be prepared for the fact that this is not out of the realm of possibility�.

“But where would we go? We don’t have enough dilithium to get back to earth,� Angel said.

“Let’s do what we can to get a good relationship with them and hope it doesn’t come to that,� Cyclops said.

Wolverine snorted. “We can kick their asses if we haveta�.

The Professor said, firmly, “Let’s not allow the situation to get that bad�.

***

After the discussion ended, Angel sat on the porch. He was usually in bed by this hour but, like many of the team, felt more stirred up than usual. Colossus and Cannonball moved their backgammon game to the deck and sat near Angel.

“I love this view,� Colossus said. “I am working on painting of the lake, but I like this too. All stars in the sky�. He had shown Beast, who deeply appreciated art, his in-progress painting. Beast had noticed that the passion Colossus poured into the painting belied his quiet and steady appearance.

“We’re not bugging you, are we?� Cannonball asked Angel.

“Not at all,� Angel replied.

As he and Colossus played their game, Cannonball said, glumly, “So there ain’t a lot of women on board Alpha Flight’s ship, it seems�.

“Just Heather and Aurora,� Warren answered, equally sullen. “Heather’s married and pregnant. Last I heard Aurora has an on-again, off-again thing with Sasquatch�.

Sam shook his head. “Even if they are off-again right now, what are the chances she’s single? There’s a lot of other guys on that ship – what’s the likelihood she’s not with one of them?�

Sam silently added to himself, ‘And what’s the likelihood that one of the other guys won’t go after Jubilee?’ He cursed himself for his shyness and his fear of Wolverine; he should have approached Jubilee weeks ago. He desperately missed the touch of a woman, of wrapping his arms around a girl and kissing her. Being without a girlfriend – or even without just a woman to sleep with – was causing him to feel an acute loneliness. Of course he knew that he wasn’t the only X-man feeling that way, but took little consolation in that fact.

“Is pretty sad situation for us,� Colossus muttered.

***

Jean and Storm literally collided with each other in the hallway outside the bedrooms. Both women giggled as they held onto each other making sure the other was unharmed.

“I’m a telepath, I take full responsibility for this,� Jean smiled. “I should know when another person is coming down the hallway�.

Storm matched Jean’s levity. “But surely you do not have your telepathic sensors switched on every minute?�

“No, you’re right – I can’t. It would give me a headache�. Jean smiled and looked around at the empty hall. “Do you want to go somewhere to talk for a bit? It just seems like forever since we had a chat, just the two of us�.

“I would love to�.

The two women acquired beverages in the kitchen. They sought out the porch but saw that it was occupied by Colossus, Angel, and Cannonball so they instead walked outside and sat by the lake. Now that the sun had set, the moonlight reflected against the rich waters, enhancing the allure of the lake.

“You know, I just wanted to say that I’m so glad you and Logan are together now,� Jean said, after taking a quick scan to ensure they were alone. “You both seem very content. Happy�.

Storm nodded. “Thank you. I cannot speak for Logan, but I definitely am happy. Our relationship is…different than yours and Scott’s but it works for us�.

“I know this is a bit awkward to say – but I’ve wanted to talk about this with you for a while. I’m glad that he’s finally over me,� Jean finally let out.

“I’m glad you brought that up,� Storm smiled. “It certainly did have the potential to be a difficult situation, especially given that our friendship means a lot to me. But yes, it seems to me that he has long since accepted that you will never be his. I’m sure he still finds you very attractive, Jean. What man would not? He and I have not discussed the situation ourselves. Perhaps the passage of time was what helped him…get over you, so to speak�.

“Time heals all wounds. Maybe it also makes men look up and realize that they have something beautiful and amazing right in front of them – you�.

Storm took Jean’s hand and held it for a bit. “Thank you,� she said, appreciating the compliment and knowing it was sincere.

“And of course I am long since over my attraction to him. I always did find him very attractive, but never once did I ever consider betraying Scott. What we have is so special that I would never have dreamed of risking it�.

“I know. A love like that is very rare and precious�.

The two women remained talking and sipping their drinks until they agreed to turn in for the night.

***

Gambit sighed contentedly as he leisurely stroked Rogue. Normally he would fall off to sleep after their lovemaking but this night he knew it wouldn’t happen.

“Dat was so good, chere,� he murmured.

“I got me a good teacher,� Rogue responded. “Just like you said you’d be�. Rogue turned and looked at him through half-lidded eyes. She mused that Remy had always come through on anything he had promised her. “Funny how that all was a couple years ago, when we were first gettin’ together, but I remember it like it was yesterday�.

“Me too. An’ I only love you more an’ find you even more beautiful each year, Rogue�. His hands gently stroked one of her arms.

Rogue buried her head against Gambit’s chest. “I wanna sleep now but I’m all stirred up,� she said.

“Not jus’ stirred up ‘cause of Remy?�

“No, Cajun,� Rogue smiled back at him. “It’s so weird to think soon there’ll be other people here. We had it all to ourselves for two months�.

“Remy was jus’ startin’ to feel bored and like we had enough of a vacation,� Gambit admitted. “Now I t’ink dat maybe dey lend us some dilithium and we gonna get outta here…and I’m wishin’ we had more time here�.

“’Course we don’t know if they’re gonna give us anything. Maybe they got business here, they do it, and then they hightail it outta here. I jus’ hope they wanna cooperate with us and not do anything dumb like try to kick us out�.

“Is all jus’ guessing now. We not gonna know till dey here�. He took a breath. “Gambit ain’t gonna worry ‘bout it till we know what the score is�.

Rogue smiled as his hands traced a playful pattern down her back. “Remy, stop that. You’re gonna turn me on again�.

“You complain’ ‘bout dat?� he teased.

“No. Jus’ that I….I guess I’m still hung up on this whole Alpha Flight thing. I mean, what if FOH *did* torture them?�

Gambit accepted that his distraction techniques had failed. “Well, chere, I guess it’s possible,� he said, his voice serious. “But you said it yourself around the fireplace earlier dat FOH lied ‘bout havin’ killed ‘em. So maybe dey lie ‘bout everythin’�.

“But you know, I been thinkin’ ‘bout it and I really do think that FOH was gonna do what they threatened to do to us. I didn’t get the idea that they were bluffin’�.

“Me neither,� he admitted. The warmth of the room had vanished and Gambit felt a distinct chill. “And Remy’s never been a coward, but in a way I wish dat we stay away from FOH and never see dem again so dat we don’t gotta risk gettin’ captured again�.

Rogue paused. “I feel the same way. And I sure never thought of myself as scared of much of anythin’ before FOH captured us�. She took a breath. “But we haveta defeat ‘em. We gotta find a way to beat ‘em otherwise they’re just gonna hurt mutants all over the place�.

Thinking about the subject made Remy’s head hurt. There was nothing the X-men could do right now to get at FOH. “Maybe Alpha Flight’s got some ideas or some resources,� Gambit said, though he wasn’t too optimistic.

“Maybe. You ever met any of ‘em?�

“No. When Storm and Jubilee and me were on Genosha, the twins were there too – Northstar and Aurora. But we didn’t get to talk. Dat Northstar is gay dough. I wonder if he and Bobby gonna get together�.

“Hmmm. I wonder,� Rogue said. She suddenly realized that had never really thought of Bobby having a relationship or having any sort of amorous hookups. Her mental image of him had been nearly asexual. “Bobby’s a sweet guy; I hope he could be as happy as you and me�.

***

Something dawned on Storm. She noticed that Wolverine didn’t care to talk about his Alpha Flight days, or at least he didn’t care to talk about a few members of Alpha Flight. Since the impending arrival of the other team was the subject of nearly every discussion lately, many X-men asked Wolverine to tell them about his time as a member of the Canadian group. Sometimes Wolverine obliged, other times he remained tight-lipped. The team was used to a taciturn Wolverine.

Storm noticed that when Wolverine was asked about specific members of Alpha Flight, there were two in particular who he never brought up on his own: James and Heather. Storm knew little of the team members herself; her main source of information was what she had read back at the Institute from Xavier’s files. However, she had seen pictures of James and Heather, and had at least learned a bit about them. Her talk with Jean the other day also brought the general subject of Wolverine’s previous loves to the forefront of Storm’s mind.

She made the decision to ask her lover about it. It would not be long before Alpha Flight would be landing their ship next to Victory.

Ororo and Logan were spending the morning, before their Danger Room sessions, taking a canoe ride together on the water. There was no dock in the lake and getting in and out of the canoe could sometimes be a wet experience. During their ride that day, they alternated between Wolverine rowing and Storm summoning breezes to propel the canoe.

Ororo mused about how comfortable she felt with Logan and that she enjoyed the fact that neither felt obligated to make small talk. In fact, both were happy to take turns rowing and just enjoy the scenery.

Still, she also knew that she would need to break the silence to discuss what was on her mind. “Are you tired of everyone asking you about Alpha Flight?� she queried.

“No,� Logan answered. He left it at that for several moments before adding, “Been a long time since I was on that team�.

“Yes�. Storm also remained quiet for a moment, and then asked, “Did anything bad happen between you and anyone on that team?�

“Well, James and me never got along well. The time he dragged me back and they wanted to cut me open didn’t help much either�.

Storm nodded. The incident Logan referred to occurred after he had joined the X-men, so Storm had heard of it.

“I can certainly see why you would be angry�.

There was silence for a bit. Storm observed a bird dart towards the water. A few bushes near the shoreline rustled gently in the breeze.

“Did you have a girlfriend when you were on the team? If you don’t mind my asking,� she added.

The words felt awkward on her tongue, but Storm had to ask what she had been wondering about and it was obvious that Wolverine wasn’t going to volunteer the information. She questioned why she would feel odd bringing the subject up. Neither liked to discuss their pasts, though Wolverine more so than Storm. Neither discussed their previous relationships, though Storm wryly admitted to herself that she didn’t have much in the way of previous relationships to talk about. Lovers, several; long-term relationships, not really.

“No girlfriend. Not anyone steady�.

“Did you find any of the women in Alpha Flight attractive?�

If Logan was angered by her questions, he did not display it. He simply answered, after several seconds, “Yes�.

Ororo thought that perhaps that would be the end of it, but then Logan spoke again. “Heather. I really liked her. But she was married�.

“Did she like you?�

“I think so. A bit. She never cheated though, and I never asked her to. It was better that I left�.

Ororo knew that it was unlikely that this was the sole reason Logan left Alpha Flight, but she sensed that it was a big part of the reason. Which suggested to her that his feelings for Heather had been deep. She also had to bite her tongue to keep from pointing out the obvious similarities to Wolverine’s relationship with Jean and Cyclops.

And then Logan did something unexpected. He set the oars in their holders and reached across to hold Storm’s hand. “That was a long time ago. I want you. No one but you. You ain’t worried, are you?�

“No,� Storm answered. She then hesitated and said, “Well, perhaps a little, but I suppose it’s simply because I care about you so much. I really like you�. She looked down as she caressed the side of his leg with her foot. She desperately hoped her words did not sound like those of a school girl.

She reminded herself that love had a way of making everyone sound like a blithering idiot. If it was indeed love that she felt for Logan, and vice versa. They had never told each other that they loved each other.

Logan chuckled. “Well I like you too, ‘Ro, so no need to stew over the past�.

Ororo smiled. A very small part of her also wanted to remind herself that if Heather was eight months pregnant that meant she would be cumbersome and achy all over, but Ororo put that type of catty thought aside.


***

You could really feel the excitement in the air as the hours leading to Alpha Flight’s arrival were counted down. Hey, after nine weeks of doing nothing, this was an event, so you can’t blame us. It was the main subject people talked about at meals, in the rec room, while swimming in the lake or at any of our hang out places. No one knew if it meant we might be teaming up with them, leaving soon, or what.

When Alpha Flight’s ship was a few hours away, we got serious about preparations. I helped with decorations. We decided to use the large room outside our dining hall – the room that was normally our rec room – as the main indoor party space. We’d also have the porch outside plus the dining hall to use. We planned to put food out in both the dining hall and the rec room. Replicating a few streamers and balloons didn’t use up much power, so we were okay there and the place looked good.

Alpha Flight was scheduled to land a few hours before sundown. They told us via subspace that – by luck, we guess – that time of day corresponded pretty decently with the time of day they had been keeping on their ship too. So they wouldn’t be jet lagged, which would be good.

We X-men assembled outside in the large field where Alpha Flight’s ship would land next to Victory. I held my breath as it came into my field of vision, slowly grew bigger and bigger, and made its landing. Their ship had a smooth landing from what I could tell. My hair got ruffled by the winds the ship kicked up.

After getting the okay from the Professor, I had replicated a new outfit for myself the day before. Believe it or not, I’m not all that into clothes. Not too long after we left earth on Victory, I did what the others did – replicated a few changes of clothing for me, nothing fancy. But it was getting old wearing the same few shirts and pants, and I wanted to look good for the party.

Okay, part of my motivation was that I wanted to look good when I met Northstar. I had a few expectations for how it would go. I thought that he and I would meet and talk a bit at the party, and then maybe slowly get to know each other over the next few days or weeks. Maybe nothing would happen, or maybe we’d become friends, or maybe we’d have a “friends with benefits� sexual relationship if we were compatible and found each other attractive (or hell, maybe even if not since presumably it had been a long time for him too). But things don’t always turn out the way you expect them.


***

Alpha Flight’s ship landed alongside Victory. Wolverine stood towards the front of the assembled X-men as they watched the members of Alpha Flight descend from their ship’s ramp. He inhaled deeply as they got closer. There was no mistaking the perception of his nose; these people *were* indeed Alpha Flight. Their presence here was no diabolical illusion or trick, he decided.

James and Heather led the way. The Professor, Storm, and Cyclops greeted them, shaking their hands and welcoming their team. Wolverine bit back a smirk; it almost came to look like the receiving line at a wedding, with the two groups pretty much having lined up and going down the line, making introductions and shaking hands.

Wolverine rather enjoyed seeing his former teammates though, with the obvious exception of James who slapped him on the back and commented that “it had been a while�. Wolverine fought his instinct and complied with the Professor’s request to play nice, so he choked back the words, ‘Not long enough’ in favor of shaking James’ hand. He then shook Heather’s hand while noting the size of her abdomen. Definitely very pregnant.

He had always liked Puck and Shaman, and they looked the same as always. Aurora was no less beautiful than she had always been as well; Wolverine wondered if her mental illness was under control or if she still suffered from multiple personality disorder. He had to admit that he knew little about the subject though he did see in her eyes the occasional wild and unbalanced glint that suggested she was still struggling. He greeted Northstar and Sasquatch. Wolverine had never met Flex, Radius, or Feedback before, and he shook their hands.

Alpha Flight didn’t look as if they had been tortured, Wolverine decided. His gut told him that whatever had happened to them, rape and other forms of agony at FOH’s hands had not been part of it. His instincts indicated that the team was tired, eager for a vacation, but not traumatized. He exchanged a look with Storm and felt that she understood his thoughts as well.

He heard Jean and Scott telling Alpha Flight about the party they had prepared. James said that his team would first like to select their rooms and would then enjoy socializing with the X-men. So the two groups headed towards the building’s wing that contained bedrooms. Although Wolverine happened to be walking several paces behind Cyclops and James, he heard them talking.

“We’d be interested in hearing your team’s story – how you got here, when you left earth,� James said.

“Us too, for your team,� Cyclops replied.

“Let’s talk about it tomorrow,� Heather suggested.�We’ve had a lot happen and there were some grim moments in there. For you too, I bet. Let’s celebrate today and spare each other the details until tomorrow�.

Wolverine saw that people seemed to like Heather’s idea. He watched the members of Alpha Flight behaving much the same way as the X-men had when they first walked outside on this planet. As they walked through the field, they observed the setting sun, breathed the fresh air, and looked enchanted to be outdoors. He heard a few X-men telling them about the lake, and the Alpha Flight members expressed eagerness to see it.

“Been a while for you, since you been outside?� he asked Puck, who happened to be the Alpha Flight member walking closest to him.

“Been way too long,� Puck responded. “This place is as gorgeous as Snowbird said it would be�.

Wolverine was never one to pry; he respected those who didn’t want to reveal everything. But since Puck said her name, he felt it wouldn’t hurt to ask. “Where is she?�

Puck looked down. “She’s dead�. He shook his head and said, “We’ll talk more about it later. I don’t want to think about it right now�.

“Fair enough. And – my sympathies�.

Puck nodded at the words of his former teammate. Wolverine then found Northstar falling into step next to him.

“Nice place here,� Northstar murmured.

Wolverine nodded and subtly gestured at Bobby, who was walking several paces ahead of them. “He’s gay,� he said, quietly.

“Merci,� Northstar responded. He then added, with a smile, “I did not know that you enjoyed playing matchmaker�.

Wolverine gave him a dirty look, and soon the large group of people reached the building.

***

The members of Alpha Flight slowly began to filter into the porch, rec room, and dining hall after each had selected a bedroom and placed a few belongings inside. Jean Grey had gone first to the rec room and cued up the music selection that had been prepared. It was a potpourri of different artists and styles, but all musical artists played were Canadian. She hoped the other team would notice that touch, along with the red and white color scheme of the balloons, streamers, and sign.

One of the first Alpha Fight members to enter the rec room was Heather. Jean smiled and approached her. Heather rubbed her lower back, best as she could reach it, before settling into a chair.

“Can I bring you anything?� Jean asked.

Heather returned the smile. “Why, thank you, Jean. I’d love a glass of water�.

“You need more than that; you have to eat for two. I’ll just put a plate together for you�.

“Great! Just please, nothing with too much sugar – I need to watch my sugar intake, whether it’s replicated sugar or not�

When Jean returned with the food, she sat next to Heather. “I’m pregnant too,� Jean offered.

“Are you?� Heather asked, looking at Jean’s midsection. “I kind of wondered but of course I didn’t want to say anything. When are you due?�

“About four more months�.

“Do you know what you’re having?� Heather asked.

“A boy,� Jean answered. “What about you?�

“A girl,� Heather said. “James is disappointed that it’s not a boy. I didn’t care one way or the other. I’ll be glad with a healthy baby�.

“That is the most important thing,� Jean responded. “Do you have all the supplies you need?�

“We have the basics. We, uh, left earth rather quickly and we don’t have a ton of dilithium on board the ship, so we were just able to replicate the most necessary items. I do look forward to having the baby here. It’s so peaceful and beautiful�.

Jean made a mental note of that; whatever Alpha Flight’s long-term plans were, they would at least be here for a month or so.

“It’s very healing too,� Jean said. “The Professor was shot by FOH and put in a coma. He didn’t heal until he came here�. Jean saw the look on Heather’s face. “But I know you said you wanted to focus on happy things today, so enough about that. Are you excited about becoming a mother?�

“I have wanted this for a long time,� Heather said, a smile on her face.

“Me too,� Jean admitted.

Storm entered the rec room, with Wolverine and Shaman on her heels. The two were engaged in a discussion, so Storm walked over to the kitchen to get herself something to eat. On her way there, she passed Jean and Heather and noted that they appeared to be getting along well. She caught a snippet of their conversation and was unsurprised that it had to do with the topic of babies.

As she replicated a drink for herself, Storm was nearly shocked to notice herself experiencing a twinge of jealousy. `Is that what Logan likes?’ she asked herself. `Pale-skinned red-heads? Both of them *are* very beautiful. I am not like that’. She shook her head and questioned what was the matter with herself. `I’m a goddess. And I don’t need to be someone else. My brown skin is beautiful just as my unusual hair is. Logan likes me – and more importantly, I like myself – as I am’.

Storm again blanched inwardly, this time at her feelings instead of her thoughts. `He makes me feel like a schoolgirl. All the petty emotions that come up like jealousy and insecurity. Is this what falling in love feels like?’ Storm was forced to admit that for once, she didn’t like the impact that being with Wolverine had on her feelings.

The subject of her thoughts came up behind her. “How you doin’, ‘Ro?� Logan asked. He rested a hand on her back.

“Very well,� she answered. “Can I get you a beer?�

“Love one�.

Storm and Wolverine drifted towards the porch where they sat together. Alpha Flight members continued to gradually filter in from the other wing of the building, and most spent a bit of time sitting near Wolverine and catching up with their former teammate.

Storm also noticed a few of the Alpha Flight members – particularly Radius and Feedback – making eyes at her and attempting to talk with her. She would be happy to get to know them, of course, but had no desire to lead them on or give them the impression that she was available. She reached for Wolverine’s hand and held it, noting out of the corner of her eye the disappointed looks on the men’s faces.

***

Eventually the party came into full swing. Jubilee looked around and guessed that people were enjoying themselves. They often darted into the dining room for food and took it to the porch to experience the cool breeze. A few others clustered together in chairs in the rec room, but most seemed to prefer the porch.

Jubilee recognized one of the songs that came on, a faster-paced tune, and unselfconsciously sprang up and started to dance. One of the Alpha Flight men approached her and fell into step with her.

“I’m Radius,� he said. “My real name’s Jared�.

“Jubilee,� she smiled. Then added, “It’s both my code name and my real name. Well, it’s really Jubilation but everyone calls me Jubilee�.

The song eventually ended and another young man brought Jubilee a glass of water, saying that she must be thirsty. He introduced himself as Flex – nee Adrian – and said that he was Jared’s half-brother. They struck up a conversation, though it flowed awkwardly; Flex appeared shy. Soon another Alpha Flight man, Feedback, stepped in.

“You keep looking over your shoulder,� Storm murmured to Wolverine when the two had a rare moment alone.

“Jus’ seein’ how popular Jubilee is�.

“And not liking it,� Storm stated.

Wolverine looked at her. “Jus’ wanna make sure the guys behave themselves with her�.

“I don’t think that anyone is going to take her in their arms and ravish her. Relax, Logan. It’s not a crime for them to talk to her�.

He was silent for a few moments and took several more glances in Jubilee’s direction. “Don’t like the way they look at her. They’re hungry. I’m goin’ over there�.

“Logan,� Storm said, fighting to keep from raising her voice. She wanted to add in that she didn’t think it was quite necessary or appropriate, but he had already risen and headed over to Jubilee. She saw Wolverine put a protective arm around Jubilee and lead her to the area of the porch where he had been sitting with Storm.

***

Once Alpha Flight’s ship landed, we led them to the wing of the building that contained the bedrooms since they’d said they wanted to get settled. Most of the X-men came along though a few went over to the rec room to wait for the party to start. It was a bit unwieldy with a couple dozen people walking up and down the stairs as the newcomers picked out rooms. Keeping track of who claimed which room seemed like the kind of task that normally would be mine but Cyclops had a tricorder into which he punched that information and I saw him give a device to James as well.

So I went over to the rec room. When I got there, Jean was talking to Heather. It’s a stereotype to say that pregnant women are radiant, but they both did look lovely, I gotta say. Storm was passing our beers to Wolverine and then to Shaman and the three walked out towards the porch. Forge and Hank were having a discussion that looked intense. Usually if the two of them are talking, it’s about a subject I can’t begin to grasp so I didn’t want to interrupt it.

I went to the kitchen to get a drink so I’d have something to hold, and then sat down on one of the chairs in the rec room, really hoping that I didn’t look like a dork sitting there alone. I never knew what to do in these situations. I was just considering going over to Hank and Forge and trying to wheedle into their genius-level conversation (not sure exactly what I’d contribute but I could try, Hank put up with a lot from me) when out of the corner of my eye, I saw Northstar walking towards me.

I had been wondering when or how to go up to him. During our “receiving line� right after Alpha Flight landed, we had shook hands and introduced ourselves, I’d given him my best smile, but that was it. It sure hadn’t seemed right to tell him that I was gay them. I did want to meet him though, and I’d thought that I could always ask Wolverine – he’s so sociable, you know – to introduce us later. But in the rec room, Northstar really did go right up to me.

“Hello, mon pote. May I sit here?� he asked.

“Of course,� I said.

I was nervous. Damn, he was *good-looking*. He wasn’t wearing particularly tight or revealing clothes, but I could tell that he was really built. Muscular arms and shoulders. He had a beautiful face too, if a face can be described as both beautiful and masculine at the same time. Maybe it was that his jaw was really distinct and masculine, yet he had these narrow eyebrows over his eyes. Great cheekbones, intense and wide eyes, jet-black hair, and elfish ears that had points at the top. His accent was thick and sexy. Oh dear. I didn’t know if he’d find me attractive or interesting, but I already knew how I was finding him and I wonder if I was blushing already.

“Um, can I get you anything to drink?� I managed.

“What do you have there?� he asked. As he asked the question, he gently touched a few of his fingers to both my glass and my hand.

“Oh, its, um, just water. I’m actually not all that into booze�.

“Really? What do you like to drink then?�

I shrugged. “I’m not much of a drinker at all. I like food. I like to eat and I even like to cook. When it comes to drinking, I’d just rather use up the calories on food instead, you know?� I hoped I wasn’t rambling and then asked, “What about you? What do you like to drink?�

“I miss a good wine. The replicated stuff isn’t quite as good�.

“I know what you mean�.

“I very much like to eat too but don’t care to cook�.

“Back when we lived at the mansion, I could whip up a few dishes pretty well�.

“Really? What did you specialize in?�

Was it just me or did he totally have a twinkle in his eye? He was looking right at me and really had a fetching look on his face. I was so thrilled that he looked interested in me that I was thrown off-kilter too.

And I’m not sure how exactly I answered his question. I rambled on about some of the dishes I made, though of course none of them were that fancy and there really wasn’t much to the omelets or special pasta sauces I whipped up. But he listened intently to my words.

When I figured I’d rambled on enough, I asked him if he liked Chinese food and I have no idea how I came to that.

“I don’t like sweet and sour. I like stir fry,� he said, “if it has a more salty and sour taste instead of sweet and sour taste�.

“Ah. I can make a good stir fry too,� I bragged, realizing how ridiculous I probably sounded. “I mean, I used to. Here we don’t really cook. You just punch a few buttons on a replicator. Takes some of the fun out of it but it’s sure nice and convenient�. I paused and asked, “So, do you want me to bring you something to eat? And some wine, even though it’s not as good as the real stuff?�

“I’d love that. I’ll go with you though�.

We walked over to the dining room and he filled up his plate. I tried to notice which dishes he was selecting and which ones he skipped over. He got the food on his plate quickly but he didn’t use his hyper-speed. Sometimes it seemed that a lot of mutants didn’t use their powers except when they had to. Colossus was in the dining room and we said hello before we went back to our seats in the rec room.

“You’re not having anything?� Northstar asked me.

“Not right now. I had a late lunch�. And I was too nervous to eat.

As he dug into his food – and he definitely ate with gusto – I decided to be a bit more forward than usual. I gathered that he had either guessed I was gay or perhaps someone had mentioned it sometime between when Alpha Flight landed and when he entered the rec room. But I wanted to make sure he knew. So I said, “I always wanted to thank you for coming out publically. I remember reading about it when you came out. It was really great – you showed a lot of people that a gay guy can be strong and powerful�. I stopped there, wondering if I was laying it on a bit thick.

But he seemed to like the praise. He seemed to puff up a bit. “You are gay too?� he asked.

I nodded.

And then I nearly keeled over at his next words. “Handsome man like you must have a boyfriend back on earth. Or here,� he added, looking around the room and not at me for practically the first time since we’d seen each other in here.

“Me? No. No boyfriend. What about you?�

“No�.

At this point I was trying to not grin from ear to ear. He was interested in me. Both of us were in “very deep like� with each other, I could tell. My heart was still racing. I wanted to spend time with him and forget about everyone else. I vaguely knew that others were chatting on the porch and even spotted some dancing out of the corner of my eye.

“How old are you?� he asked.

“Twenty-five. You?�

“Aurora and I turned thirty earlier this year�.

“Did you have a big double celebration?�

“Indeed we did. It was…was a very good party�. His tone had changed drastically from flirty to reflective. He tilted his head upwards. “Very good. It got me to thinking a lot about my life�.

“Really?� I leaned forward in my seat. “Like about what?�

“I, eh, had a lot of things happen in the past few years. I do not want to bore you by spilling out my life story. I will tell you more of it later if you would like. But I did resolve to be a better person, to be better in all areas of my life. You –“

He was cut off when two people approached us. I looked up and saw his sister and the guy who was named Walter and sometimes went by Sasquatch. They had their arms around each other and definitely looked like an item.

“How are you liking this new place, my brother?� Aurora asked.

“It is a nice place,� he said, sounding a bit irritated at the interruption. Then his tone changed completely and he added, “With very nice people,� as he took a glance at me.

We made small talk with them for a while before Walter found a way to politely excuse himself and his girlfriend. Aurora looked like she wanted to hang with her brother a bit more but his body language sure showed he felt otherwise. I asked Northstar about them and he said that they were making an attempt to be together though they had broken up more than once before in the past. He told me a bit about his sister’s struggle with mental illness and said that her current condition was as up-and-down as usual. And we continued to sit there and talk; I was fairly oblivious to the other activity around us and I think Northstar was too.

***

Gambit and Rogue stood in a circle, with a handful of others, talking together on the porch. Gambit took another sip of his drink and enjoyed the pleasant buzz. The Alpha Flight members they had met seemed just fine, though he hadn’t spoken much with their leader. The others that Gambit and Rogue had been chatting with began to drift away.

Gambit gently nudged his partner on the arm. “Look over dere,� he gestured subtly towards where Bobby and Northstar sat in the rec room.

“They’ve been there a while,� Rogue observed.

“Yes. And deir body language sayin’ only one t’ing�.

“Really?�

Gambit nodded.

“I guess I should be happy for Bobby then,� Rogue said quietly, puzzled as to why she wasn’t feeling that at all right then.

Gambit said nothing more. He was not physically attracted to other men but he did love sexuality in general, in all its forms, and was happy for what he saw developing.

***

I don’t want to bore you so I won’t share every bit about what Northstar (or Jean Paul, as he asked me to call him) and I talked about. Only that we sat there for what seemed like minutes but surely was more than two hours and we talked a lot. He wasn’t arrogant at all; at least he didn’t seem that way to me. He did brag a bit when he got to talking about his days as an Olympic athlete, but he never monopolized the conversation or failed to ask me about myself. He listened and seemed interested when I talked about myself.

“I don’t know if I’ve had as interesting a life as you,� I admitted. “I haven’t done much with the X-men or been an Olympic competitor.

Suddenly Gambit and Rogue were standing behind us. “You did do somethin’ pretty amazin’ and heroic dough,� Gambit said.

I turned around and reintroduced Rogue and Gambit to Jean Paul.

“I am not surprised,� Jean Paul said. “What did Bobby do?�

“Maybe you should tell him all ‘bout our escape from FOH. How we owe it all to you�.

Remy and Jean Paul then exchanged something in French that I couldn’t understand, and Jean Paul reached to hold my hand. “Perhaps we discuss it tomorrow morning. I am so happy to be off that ship that I do want to celebrate tonight�.

“I totally understand,� I said, not wanting to revisit that bleak time either. And the touch of his hand was making it hard for me to think. “There’s a lot of dark moments to that story�.

“But it does end wit’ you bein’ the hero. We won’t keep you from your celebration anymore dough,� Gambit said smoothly. He and Rogue drifted away, and I fleetingly wondered why Gambit looked so interested and Rogue looked just a bit weirded out.

By the way, Jean Paul did seem fine. I sensed that this wasn’t the best time to ask him, ‘Hey did FOH gang rape your sister?’ so I didn’t, but from looking at Alpha Flight, I guessed that they were basically okay. I didn’t want to broach the subject of how they escaped or even if they had been captured in the first place. It was such a sad topic in general and Jean Paul said he wanted to keep this day happy. I wasn’t about to argue. I was about as happy as I’d been in a long time.

I realized at one point that my stomach was rumbling, and that I hadn’t eaten. I looked up and saw that we were nearly alone in the rec room. It was pitch dark outside and only two members of Alpha Flight plus Colossus were left, playing cards on the porch. Everyone else must have turned in for the night.

“It is late,� Jean Paul said.

“Yes,� I said.

His eyes shifted around the room and back at me. His eyes were beautiful. “I am dying to kiss you. Come to my room and let me do that, mon chou�.

“Let’s go!� I said, not even thinking about the fact that I had no idea what “mon chou� meant.

And next thing I knew, we were in his room. I won’t tell you all the details about the night we spent together, just that we didn’t leave the room, we didn’t sleep much, and I had never before been with anyone who was so affectionate and loving.

***

TO BE CONTINUED

Reviews are always appreciated.

Chapter Nine

The following morning, most members of Alpha Flight took the time to fully explore and enjoy the planet. Various X-men also led them aboard Victory to show them the Danger Room. The X-men told Alpha Flight that they were of course welcome to use it as well and most of the group looked eager to take advantage of it. Alpha Flight didn’t have anything like the Danger Room on their ship and several said that they felt out of shape.

“So you go first, X-men,� James Hudson said. By late morning, most members of the two teams had assembled in the room with the fireplace, and everyone was eager to hear the “official� versions of what had happened. Several people had talked about the events casually the evening before but most had not heard the full accounts.

Storm exchanged a brief look with both Professor Xavier and Cyclops. James’ tone had seemed nearly aggressive. `Perhaps not aggressive,’ Storm amended. `Maybe entitled is the word. As if this place belongs to him and since we’re visitors, we need to share our story first’. Storm amended her thoughts again. `Of course, the fact is that this place does belong to them’.

“We would be happy to tell you how we arrived here,� Professor Xavier began. He gave an honest and candid account of the X-men’s capture at FOH’s hands, imprisonment, and escape. He included information about the dreams and messages he received back on earth, containing this planet’s coordinates. A few members of Alpha Flight looked at each other when Xavier talked about the messages and dreams.

“I wonder why Snowbird’s people reached out to you,� Walter said.

“So you have – who? – Iceman to thank for your escape from FOH?� Puck asked. “Where is he anyway?�

Aurora spoke up, “He’s with my brother, cervelle d’oiseau. I have not seen my twin since last night!�

“You missed him this morning,� Heather added. “He darted into the kitchen and threw some breakfast on a tray before darting back out�.

Radius crossed his hands over his chest and muttered, “At least somebody’s getting some action around here,� but his voice was low enough that not everyone heard.

Heather changed the subject, “I’m very glad to hear that this planet has the healing abilities that Snowbird told us about. She said we would always find restoration among her people. Thank heavens they healed you, Professor�.

“I will always be grateful as well,� Xavier said.

“Hey, wait a minute. What about the Sh’iar?� James asked. “Aren’t you friends with their Empress? Why didn’t they heal you – and can’t they help us with FOH on earth?�

“My last communication with Lilandra was over a year ago,� Xavier responded. “She is embroiled in civil war now – her sister is trying to take her throne. I am able to help her no more than she can assist us now. Their empire is very far away as well�.

“I see�.

“We are eager to hear what happened to you, how you came to leave earth,� Storm then said, hoping to prompt Alpha Flight to tell their story.

James began to describe what had happened. “We’d been planning on leaving earth for a while and coming here, to Snowbird’s people’s place. They call it Haven. We wanted to come here because we wanted to get away from all of FOH’s bullshit and we all needed a break, time to regroup and figure out what we wanted to do next. Plus we thought this would be a good place for Heather to have the baby. So we started working on a starship.

“But FOH nabbed us, same as they nabbed you. Same type of weapon you describe and we don’t know anything more about it than you do. One of our members, Witchfire, got killed in the scuffle.

“Just like you we spent days in one of FOH’s cells and they kept threatening us with the same thing they threatened you. I thought we were goners the day they told us that their leaders had arrived at the compound and were ready to torture us. But when they took down the force field to pull us out of the cell, the bastards took down both force fields instead of one at a time. We had just a second or two to react and we did. We rushed the entrance, we grabbed the soldiers and the collar control devices. We --- “

“My brother and Walter,� Aurora broke in. “They acted the most quickly and got right to the soldiers. Both strong enough without their powers�. She sounded proud as if she, and not her lover and her brother, had accomplished the deed.

James looked perturbed at the interruption but continued on. “So we overpowered them and got our collars taken off once we got our hands on those devices. We got the hell out of there and back to our headquarters and our ship, the Maple Leaf. We didn’t think about it much and just got into space and left.

James took a breath and continued on. “The Maple Leaf wasn’t completely ready for space. Its navigation system was crap and got us off course�.

“It’s not just that,� Heather added. “We soon realized that we had left too quickly and should have done more preparation. Several of our loved ones and team members were left back on earth, and we really started regretting how hastily we departed. I think it’s just that being captured by FOH and hearing all of their threats freaked us out completely. It made us panic. It traumatized me more than anything in my life. They kept threatening to cut open my stomach with a machete,� she patted her abdomen, “and kill the baby. That is, after all the rape they promised the other women and me. I feel sick all over just thinking about those horrible days in the FOH cell. So you see, as soon as we got free, we had to get away�.

James was glaring as his wife as if outraged at her words, which surprised most of the X-men.

“Anyway,� James continued, when he was finished glaring, “we got off course. We could keep you here for weeks and tell you what we faced for the next few months. We oughtta write a book. We nearly ran out of supplies and out of dilithium. We got boarded by some space pirates – but we turned the tables on them, even though by that point we were half-starved since our supplies had run so low. We overtook the pirates, but not until they had killed Snowbird and Murmur during the battle�.

The Alpha Flight members’ faces looked very somber at this point. Snowbird had been with the team for a long time.

“I am sorry to hear about all of your losses,� Cyclops said sincerely.

James nodded curtly and continued, “So we took the pirates’ supplies and got enough dilithium to make it here. We didn’t take their ship though, since it was a bigger piece of crap than ours�.

Murmurs among Alpha Flight members could be heard at that comment. Storm guessed that perhaps not everyone agreed with James’ assessment of the pirate ship; indeed she thought she heard one of the members of Alpha Flight whisper, ‘Their ship wasn’t so bad’.

“It’s good that we made it here,� Sasquatch said. “But we have to get back to earth. My son is there and I want to see him again�. Walter was divorced and his former wife, who was not a mutant, had custody of their child.

“And Marrina and her husband,� Puck said. “I can’t believe we left them behind, though I know they can hide a lot better than we could. They could always hide in the ocean�.

“I told you,� James said, sharply. “We’re not deciding anything until Heather has the baby! Get it? You’re all in strung out shape. We’re resting here until she has the baby and then we figure out what to do next�.

The look in James’ eyes and tone of his voice belied the fact that he may have been the most stressed and jittery member of the entire team.

He then paused and continued, “Snowbird said that this planet has a power source, much like dilithium�.

Xavier nodded. “It is in one of the sheds by the lake�.

“Excellent�. James then asked Xavier, “What are your plans? How long did you hope to stay here?�

“Well, I am afraid that we are stranded here for the time being. We don’t have enough dilithium to get back to earth�.

James was silent for several moments and his facial expression suggested a certain amount of smugness. “I see,� he said.

***

“Well, he shouldn’t be so smug,� Cyclops said angrily. “They have the power source from this planet but we have a much better ship. I took some readings on theirs and it really is a piece of crap, excuse my language. It’s ready to fall apart at the seams�.

Cyclops, Xavier, and Storm were assembled inside Xavier’s bedroom. They were now realizing that with Alpha Flight’s arrival, finding private places to speak could be a challenge; they did not want to risk being overheard.

“Indeed,� Storm added. “I do not know what Alpha Flight will ultimately decide to do – and clearly they do not know either – but I hope we can convince them that teaming up will be the better way. We have the superior starship and they have the power source. If we are to overtake FOH, we need more people than either of our teams alone�.

“Convincing them will be a difficult task,� Xavier said. “I did not need to use any of my psychic powers to see how threatened James feels by our team in general. He wants to be in control of his people�.

“And I cannot see him relinquishing command, though I doubt he is as effective a leader as…well, the three of us, if I say so myself�.

“The rest of Alpha Flight doesn’t seem that enamored with James, though. We have to get them to see that we have a common enemy, FOH, and that FOH has to be taken down,� Cyclops said.

“We should ask Wolverine if he has any ideas on how to reach James, though I know they did not get along,� the Professor added.

Someone knocked on the door. “Come in,� Xavier called.

Rogue entered the room and closed the door behind her. “I thought y’all would be in here,� she said. “Am I interruptin’?�

“Not at all�.

There was an awkward pause. Storm then asked, “What’s on your mind?�

“I uh, I actually just wanted to thank y’all. For bein’ such wonderful leaders. Sometimes you don’t realize what you got till you see somethin’ different and maybe none of us never realized what good leaders you are till we spend time with a fellow like Guardian. So I just wanted to thank you�.

The room was silent for a moment. The X-men’s leaders weren’t used to gratitude for their work in guiding the team.

“That is very sweet, Rogue,� Storm managed.

“I appreciate the sentiment,� Xavier added.

“I’m gonna bet I ain’t the only one who is feelin’ this way right now too,� Rogue added. “Well, anyway, I’m gonna head over to the Danger Room. See y’all later�.

Cyclops soon resumed the discussion. “One other thing I think we need to find out from Alpha Flight is more information on the pirates who attacked them. I don’t like the thought that there is a band of pirates out in space – even if Alpha Flight beat them, I want to know if there might be others where that came from. And find out exactly what they did to the pirates�.

“Agreed,� Xavier concluded.


***

The morning after Jean Paul and the rest of Alpha Flight arrived, I woke up to a gentle nudging. “Ma puce, I have breakfast for us!�

I turned onto my side and rubbed my eyes. The room was very light. I was tired but felt good. Wonderful memories from the night before (or, technically, that morning) were replaying themselves in my mind. I saw Jean Paul set a tray down on the desk and he came around to my side of the bed.

I hugged and kissed him. “You are wonderful,� I murmured. Not the most original thing to say but it was true. I just couldn’t have dreamed that last night could have gone any better.

“As are you. But come now, let’s eat. And I hear that the Danger Room is open certain hours. I am so eager to train again! Our ship Maple Leaf didn’t have anything like that�.

I gazed at Jean Paul. He was full of energy. “You’re a morning person, aren’t you?� I mumbled.

“Oui�. He paused. “You are not?�

“Not really�. The correct answer would have been ‘Not at all’. I then added, “But how stupid of me – of course you’re eager to see this place! You didn’t get to see much of it yesterday. Let me get showered and then I can show you around�. I looked at the clock. “And we have time before the Danger Room opens, don’t worry�.

As groggy as I was, I managed to shake off the sleepy feeling. When I showered, I replayed last night with Jean Paul’s hands all over my body. It had all been so thrilling and so incredibly fulfilling.

But I also sensed that he wasn’t the patient type either, so I made myself put the brakes on replays of the previous night and got to soaping and rinsing instead.

By the time I came out of the shower, Jean Paul had already eaten. I hurriedly dressed. I had kind of hoped we might make love again too, but on the other hand, I was a bit worn out in that area, and Jean Paul clearly had his mind set on exploring the planet now. I grabbed a breakfast burrito, went to my room for some clean clothes, and we set off on a tour of the planet.

We walked around the place quite a bit, and then Jean Paul said that he wanted to get an aerial view. “May I pick you up and fly around?�

“I’d love that,� I said.

Can something be both fun and terrifying? His arms were very strong and I knew he wouldn’t drop me, and it is kind of cool to be up so high. But it’s also scary. At least he didn’t fly very fast. I was glad for the moment he set me down near the lake after a few sweeps around the planet.

“It’s not very big here,� he said.

“But there’s still plenty of room. And it is lovely�.

“Yes. As lovely as you are�.

It was an old line, but I didn’t care. It was wonderful to hear and I think it was heartfelt too. Despite the fact that there were a few people milling around not far from us on the lake, I let him pull me into a kiss.

Jean Paul went on. “Indeed, my head is spinning from all the excitement. I had trouble sleeping last night because I was so stirred up. From being cooped up in that starship for months and then arriving here and meeting you – so much excitement all at once�.

“For me too,� I admitted. All of my instincts told me that this wasn’t going to be just a fling. And it was weird too since I’d never really had a relationship. He had never mentioned having any sort of long-term relationship either, though I resolved to ask him about it.

I led us over to a bench that faced the lake and said, “Do you feel like telling me Alpha Flight’s story, what happened since you left earth? I am curious to know�.

“As I am, about your story. You must tell me what happened to the X-men and how it is you became a hero!� As he said the words, he affectionately stroked my hair.

We talked through what had happened. Jean Paul sounded sincerely thrilled for me when I told him about my role in the escape, after he added in several curses towards FOH for their hatred of mutants and of queers. But I was honest too about my role in the X-men and that I hadn’t been a fighter for years. I kind of got the idea that he admired the “warrior� type and I had to let him know that I wasn’t that, never had been.

“But you can always change,� he said. “Your powers are very strong�.

Jean Paul told me Alpha Flight’s story as well. I was relieved to hear that FOH had not assaulted any of them. And Jean Paul got to brag a bit about himself since he and Walter were the ones who rushed the door when the idiot FOH soldiers took down both force fields. He had played a key role in their escape and was rightfully proud.

By the time he was done telling me of the months Alpha Flight spent in space – including how they nearly starved to death when their supplies ran out and their attack at the hands of some pirates – it was time for the afternoon Danger Room session. “I cannot miss this!� he said.

“I know, but I totally want to hear more! I, um…� this might sound weak but I had to say it, “I love talking to you and I want to hear everything�.

“I know, mon chou, and I feel the same way! There is still so much I want to talk about with you. And I want to make love to you again. I want to hold you for hours. But training must come first. Come with me! You can train as well�.

“I, uh… you know, I’d like to, but not this time. You go on ahead. Buzz me on the communicator when you’re done and we’ll get back together afterwards. I still want to hear more about the Olympics�.

He grasped one of my hands tightly. “Alright. But train with me tomorrow. Please?�

“Sure,� I said, not exactly thinking through the ramifications of my answer. He planted a quick kiss on my mouth and then disappeared in a flash.

***

Cyclops and Jean decided to skip the afternoon Danger Room session. Much was happening on the planet that Alpha Flight referred to as Haven. Although the X-men had led lives of excitement before, the past few months had lulled them a bit. Now everyone was stirred up again.

“I was so moved, I honestly didn’t know what to say to her,� Scott admitted, talking about the sentiments Rogue had expressed.

He and Jean were strolling through the forest. It was cooler inside the thicket of trees. Jean loved to look up at the sky and see it through the canopy of trees. She marveled at all the different shades of green that existed and wished that her husband could see them the same way.

“Sometimes a little outside perspective is all people need,� Jean said. “You and the others have been fantastic leaders all these years, and it’s a bit easy to take it for granted�.

“And people do expect the world of us,� he added.

“Yes. Leaders are expected to always make the right decision, to be compassionate when needed, tough when needed, to always put the team’s needs above their own, to somehow know exactly what to do in each battle against very different enemies, to come up with new and different strategies when sometimes it’s all one can do to stay afloat. It is overwhelming. I have never envied what you – or the Professor or Storm – have had to do all these years. I truly don’t think that anyone gets it unless they have had to lead themselves�. She paused and then added, quietly in case others were in the forest, “Or until they see a bad leader like James�.

“I will say one good thing about him,� Cyclops said. “I think it’s wise that he’s waiting until Heather has the baby before they decide what to do next. Sometimes it’s smart to take a break and take stock�.

“Though they can’t really do much of anything until she has the baby anyway,� Jean added. “It wouldn’t make sense for them to return to earth now. I didn’t tell you, but I spoke with Heather a bit before the party started. She is having a girl. She also told me that her husband was disappointed that it’s not a boy. You know, I am not trying to have a James-bashing conversation, but I must say that I don’t understand that attitude at all�.

Scott shook his head. “I never really thought much about the whole question of boy or girl,� he admitted. “I’m glad the baby’s healthy. I wonder if he’ll be a mutant. But I sure wouldn’t be less excited if it was a girl. No, I don’t understand his attitude either�.

Jean smiled at her husband’s remarks though they came as no surprise.

“Okay, now I have to admit that earlier I was saying that James seemed smug at the end of the meeting,� he went on. “Now I am feeling smug as compared to him. But I suppose it is wrong of us to compare ourselves to them�.

“I do agree. None of us is without flaw�. Jean stepped closer to Scott and pulled him into a hug. “But to me, you are as close to perfect as can be�.

“And you know I think the world of you,� Scott said, nestling his face against her and breathing in her scent. “In fact, I still do believe that you are without flaw, even though you tell me otherwise�.

Jean gently smacked Scott’s backside. “Come on,� she urged. “We could have a little alone-time back in our room�.

They eagerly headed for their room and an afternoon of lovemaking.

***

I got to spend some time with Jubilee while Jean Paul was in the Danger Room. I used the regular gym on Victory for just a bit before going back to the building and just walking around outside. I was used to the place being quiet during the times when the Danger Room was open but with Alpha Flight present there were a few more people than usual milling around. Jubilee caught up with me.

“How did it go?� she asked. “Everyone noticed that you and Northstar seemed totally into each other!�

“I can’t believe how well it’s going!� I said. I told her everything. I told her what we’d talked about, how attentive and sweet he was, and how both of us were totally excited by each other.

At long last I finished up. I noticed Jubilee’s eyes wandering a bit, and I asked, “How are things with you?�

“Um, I’m really popular lately. It took the guys in Alpha Flight about three seconds to realize that I’m the only single girl here. They were like way attentive at the party�.

“Really?� I asked. I’d had no idea. Heck, Apocalypse could have been at the party last night and I doubt I would’ve noticed.

“It’s kinda flattering, I guess�.

“Yeah. So, do you like any of them? Do you think you might pursue something with one of them?�

“Gosh, I don’t know. I think it’s kinda a bit much, a bit fast. I mean, I’d like to get to know them – I’m open to anything but it’s hard gettin’ all this at once�.

“I thought you wanted a boyfriend though�.

“I do! It’s just that…well, I don’t know�.

Almost as if on cue, one of the Alpha Flight guys walked up to us. I tried to remember his name but I honestly could not. He asked Jubilee if she wanted to go on a canoe ride. Jubilee turned to me and asked, “Well, how about if Bobby comes along too?�

I looked at my watch. “Can we keep it short though? I mean, not that I don’t want to hang out with you, but I just want to make sure that I’m there when the Danger Room session is done. Northstar and I are going to get together afterwards�.

“We got time. Come on�.

The guy’s name turned out to be Radius. The three of us ended up in a canoe, with Radius doing most of the paddling and a lot of flirting. My thoughts were totally elsewhere and I’m sure I looked like a space case to them. But I did get a few impressions of Radius and he seemed a bit arrogant and forward, and just not quite right for Jubilee. And for one who kept saying she wanted a boyfriend, she really looked a bit ambivalent about the whole thing.

But maybe my impressions were wrong. I honestly couldn’t think about much else other than getting back in Jean Paul’s arms.


***

Heather found Wolverine on the porch, reading through some papers. She sat down in a chair next to his.

“I can’t believe how beautiful this place is,� she said. “My head is spinning a bit at it, almost like my eyes just can’t take it all in after living on the Maple Leaf for so long. Did you feel that way when you first got here?�

Wolverine’s reply came after a few seconds. “I love it here�.

“I’m so happy that my baby will be born here�. She patted her protruding belly. “It’s so different here than on earth, so peaceful. I can’t help but to think that the birth will be easier here�.

“You got any names picked out?� he asked, taking a glance at her abdomen.

“I like the name Brianna. It sounds pretty and elegant to me. I have a few other candidates in mind, but I know that want something that sounds pretty and feminine. I always liked the name Amber too though, so I haven’t made a final decision yet�.

Both were quiet for several moments. Heather knew that Logan wasn’t going to help move the conversation along. “I, um, wanted to see if everything was okay between us,� she said, softly. Just as she began the sentence, the conversation of several others could be heard just off the porch, but no one entered the porch itself. “I know that last time we saw each other, Department H had us do a terrible thing in kidnapping you. They tricked the rest of the team into it, of course, but James and I knew everything. I….� Heather broke off. Wolverine’s gaze was steady. “I’m sorry. You have every reason to be angry at us, to hate us even�.

Logan again remained silent for several moments. He then said, “Don’t think I could ever hate you. But I sure don’t appreciate what you went along with�.

“I know it was wrong of me. I should have –“

“Leave it. Let the past stay in the past�.

Heather nodded. “That is very wise�. She soon added, “Our teams will be together on Haven for a while so I hope we do get along�.

She looked up and saw Storm flying around outside, with Rogue on her heels. She wondered if the two were having a race of some sort.

“How long have you and Storm been together?� she asked. “If you don’t mind my asking?�

“Not long. A few months�.

“Are you happy together?�

“Yes�. Had others been privy to their conversation they might have been surprised, but Heather had always possessed the ability to make Wolverine open up. His voice also tended to soften when he spoke to her. “What about you and James?�

Heather looked down at her hands. Her voice was just above a whisper, though Wolverine had no trouble hearing. “I hoped having the baby would bring us closer together. I always wanted a baby�.

Wolverine looked intently at her. “But it ain’t worked that way�.

Heather shook her head. What she could not bring herself to share with Logan was the fact that she had tricked her husband into the pregnancy. She told James that she had forgotten to take several of her pills since the team had been so busy and under so much stress. But she knew that James hadn’t bought the story. In truth, Heather had trashed the entire month’s supply of pills. Given the events of the past few months, it was not a surprise that James seemed constantly angry and the fact that he had not wanted to become a father was not helping.

When James tracked Heather down, a few moments later, he gave her a stony stare when he found her sitting next to Wolverine.

***

That evening’s dinner was the first meal where all members of both teams made a point to be present. Despite the coolness of the evening’s air, the windows of the dining hall were open; Alpha Flight was still getting used to and soaking in the fresh breezes of Haven.

The dining room was also full with all 25 people seated at its tables. Maneuvering around the room became difficult. Professor Xavier pulled his jacket more tightly around himself and looked at the crowd. He considered that perhaps one or two of the tables should be moved out into the rec room at some point, to create more space, though that might take away from the warmth of the dining room.

He noticed that conversations seemed to be flowing well; the room buzzed with people’s voices and the clinking of silverware. He observed that the two teams seemed to be doing a bit of intermingling. Cyclops, Storm, Puck, and Sasquatch were engaged in a discussion over the afternoon’s Danger Room training. Jubilee had one Alpha Flight man on each side of her, both clearly vying for her attentions. And of course Bobby and Northstar sat next to each other.

Perhaps there was hope after all, Xavier mused. Alpha Flight’s leader might be stubborn and difficult to work with, but if the rest of his team came to appreciate the X-men, then the two teams might indeed be able to share Haven’s power source or even work together to defeat FOH.

Xavier listened to the interactions over dinner but rarely spoke. He was used to being the oldest person in the room; he had long since gotten used to functioning as the approachable and respected – though slightly distant - father-figure. His days on Haven had been pleasant; he spoke with the others about their happenings and their emotional states, he lifted weights in the gym and used his powers in the Danger Room.

There were many things from earth that he missed though. He missed Cerebro. He missed contact with Moira and he worried about her and her family often. He had to fight his feelings of helplessness over the fact that he could do nothing to help her now. Xavier also missed the work that X-men had done on earth. Years ago, before FOH grew so powerful, he had felt that the X-men had been making a difference. That sense of accomplishment had slowly diminished though he also tried to not doubt that the situation on earth could someday be improved.

Another glimmer of hope remained as well. Magneto. Charles knew that his old friend and enemy had left earth. He did not know why Magento did not come to Haven; perhaps he didn’t know that this place existed. But perhaps somehow they would find each other again and Xavier could succeed in convincing his former friend the error of his ways. All human beings had some good inside them, even Magneto, even FOH members.

Although lonely, Xavier refused to give up hope.

***

Jean Paul and I sat down near Aurora at dinner.

“There you are! I nearly forgot that I have a brother!� she exclaimed.

He rolled his eyes at his sister and said to her, “No need to be such a drama queen. It is not as if I have forgotten you�.

“The rest of us just want to get to know the guy who you’re spending all your time with,� said Puck, who was sitting across from us, “that’s all�.

I smiled and suddenly felt very shy. I managed to say something like, “I hope to get to know the rest of you, as well. Of course Jean Paul’s told me a lot about you�.

“Did you, my brother?� Aurora asked. “I have truly wondered what it is you say about me when I am not here. Of course there is much we can share with you, Bobby�.

Aurora and Puck started to tell me a story of one of Alpha Flight’s early days. It was actually a tale that Jean Paul had mentioned earlier in the day. I tried to make like I was listening, but I glanced around and noticed that Hank was sitting at another table. I wanted to catch up with my friend and share my happiness but it didn’t look like that would happen during dinner anyway. There just weren’t enough hours in the day and I couldn’t get enough of Jean Paul.

After dinner, we again headed for the lake and sat on one of the benches near it. “I want to tell you something,� Jean Paul began.

I had a fleeting worry that it would be some bad news but I saw the look on Jean Paul’s face and could tell that it wouldn’t be. “I want to tell you about Joanne,� he said, sounding both very serious and eager.

“The daughter you adopted,� I said quietly. I had heard a bit about the story since it had been news when it happened a couple years ago. He had adopted an HIV-positive infant, she had died soon after, and he then came out publically. Granted, most Americans don’t pay that much attention to events in Canada but since this involved mutants, those of us at the Institute knew about it.

“Yes,� he said.

As I listened to him talk about her, I could tell that he really cared about her. He may have had his arrogant side – I saw glimpses of it during the past day – but he wasn’t someone who thought that the world revolved around him either; this girl meant a lot to him. She had been dead for a couple years now and he definitely thought about her often. He told me exactly how old she would have been had she been alive.

Jean Paul and I again ended up talking for the rest of the evening and I didn’t get around to spending time with Hank at all. Jean Paul asked me what my team members were like and he wanted to hear my perspective on some of the battles we (er, they) had fought over the years. I spent a long time telling him about their personalities, how they acted, which ones I was closest to. But I didn’t have the level of detail he was interested in when talking about the battles.

“But how exactly did they defeat Apocalypse and his horsemen?� he asked. “Everything I had heard about them made it sound like they couldn’t be stopped. What did the X-men do?�

“I don’t exactly remember,� I said. “I just remember them coming back to the mansion and everything was good. We went out for drinks afterwards. Everyone was real charged up, of course�. I went on to recount a few of the songs that were playing at the bar we went to afterwards, the fact that Rogue and Gambit had danced together, that Scott and Jean had shockingly joined in the dancing, and that even more shockingly that Scott hadn’t been a bad dancer. I told him that the bar later ended up closing its doors to mutants. But I couldn’t tell him anything about the battle other than the outcome.

I stopped myself. “I’m sorry I don’t know more about what exactly they did to win that one. It’s hard since I wasn’t in the battle myself�.

“It is alright that you don’t remember. I just enjoy hearing about strategies and battles -- I try to think of things I can use myself. And we’ve done so little fighting the past few months that I miss it. But I see that you don’t care for combat�. He paused and then added, “You do have great powers though. And you said you’d train with me tomorrow,� he reminded.

“I did?� I joked. I then gulped. He looked serious. “I guess I did�.

“You can do this, Bobby. It is not so hard. Remember, you rescued the rest of your team�.

“That doesn’t mean that I’d make a great solider though. I was never good at it in the past. I think Cyclops hates when I try to go into combat�.

“So? Why do you care what he – or anyone else – thinks?�

“I care about that a lot,� I said. It was true. “I mean, the X-men are family to me and I do worry about what they think�.

“That must be difficult, mon cher. You spend your life worried about what others think of you, and you are in for one difficult experience after another. You need to feel strong from within yourself�.

I paused and listened to his words. I suppose he had a point. So I took a different route. “Fighting just isn’t in my nature. I’m more of the sweet and nice type�.

“Most people do not like to fight. But we don’t have a choice with the immonde FOH in power back on earth. We have to use the powers God gave us�. He took a breath. “And I so dislike the stereotype that we gay men must be sweet and nice. I suppose I come across to others as rude sometimes, but I will not act all meek and nice just because I’m gay�.

I looked down at my hands and was very quiet. He didn’t continue speaking. So I finally said, “Jean Paul, that is the way I am. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve felt I had to be that way because I’m gay or if it’s really the way I am. I mean, I’m a smart ass at times and I like to play jokes on the others, but basically I’m just….nice. So if you dislike guys who are sweet and nice and are not good fighters….� I let my voice trail off.

He grasped my shoulders. “Bobby,� he began, his voice very serious now, “I like *you*. I would not try to change you. There is a lot to be said for being…sweet. I have perhaps learned that over the years. So please do not feel that you ever have to change the way you are for me. I like you as you are�. He paused. “But come with me to the Danger Room tomorrow. Please. Just try it once�.

“Okay,� I said.

And then he swept me up into his arms. We had such a wonderful night together that most of my fears started to evaporate.

***

The next morning, Cyclops, Beast, and Storm arrived early to the Danger Room. They wanted to prepare the facility for a tough session and were reviewing the pre-set programs.

“This one is too predictable,� Hank said. “The X-men have gotten used to it, even when it’s on the higher levels. I shall endeavor to make it more challenging�.

The trio looked up when they saw Puck enter the room. Storm smiled in his direction. Her estimation was that Puck was – perhaps after Heather – the most approachable member of Alpha Flight.

“Am I early?� Puck asked.

“A little,� Cyclops answered. “But that’s okay. You can always warm up in the gym down the hall – it opens up before the Danger Room�.

“Although actually, Puck, if you don’t mind,� Storm began, “there is something I would love to ask you about�.

“Ask away, Storm!� he encouraged, as she walked over towards him.

“I am curious to hear more about the pirates who attacked you when you were in space. We like to learn all that we can and, although the chances appear remote that pirates would attack us here, knowledge is power�.

“The chances are lower than remote, Storm. We toasted them. They’re not coming back�. He took a breath and added, “I know you might be outraged to hear what we did to them, but you gotta remember that they attacked the Maple Leaf without provocation, they forcibly boarded us, and were ready to kill us all so they could salvage and sell our ship as scrap. They killed two of our members. Maybe we could have found a more compassionate way to deal with them but we were angry as hell�.

“Understandably. But I have no interest in remonstrating anyone for actions in the past. I simply wanted to learn more about those who attacked you�.

“There’s not much to say. They weren’t mutants. They weren’t FOH. Just a rag-tag group of about seven men with big guns and even bigger phasers on their ship. They never would’ve gotten as far as they did if we hadn’t been nearly starving to death. Our supplies had almost run out and we were down to eating one meal a day - most of us gave our rations to Heather because of the baby. We’re lucky that the baby is doing fine�.

“Do you think there are any more where those pirates came from?� Cyclops asked.

“I doubt it. They weren’t part of any sort of organized group, not as far as we could tell�.

Soon the hour of the morning session began. Over a dozen mutants were ready to train once the doors were opened. Storm was disappointed to observe that Wolverine wasn’t among those. They had shared a bed last night but she hadn’t asked him if he would take part in this session. And then Storm nearly had to restrain a surprised gasp when she saw Bobby walk in with the group. She nudged Hank who had been pouring over the computer program.

“Oh my stars and garters!� he said quietly. “It looks as if he intends to fight with us�.

“We better use a low setting today,� Cyclops added.

Storm looked around the room. “But not too low,� she suggested. “I bet that he can handle more than you think�.

“I do agree,� Hank began, “but as a mere precaution, I will keep an eye on him during the fight�. With that, he bounded over towards the group in the center of the room.

Cyclops asked the group if they were ready, punched a few buttons, and the simulation began.

Storm observed the proceedings. The Alpha Flight members who had joined them today were Puck, Northstar, Sasquatch, Feedback, Flex, and Radius. She noticed that the first three fought quite well, which made sense as they were veterans of combat. Feedback, Flex, and Radius were far rustier and Radius appeared as if he was trying to show up the others, particularly his half-brother.

Her main interest today was in watching Iceman though. She knew that Cyclops was also looking in his direction.

“He’s good at making the ice slides,� Storm noted quietly. “I think he needs to slow down a bit though – in this scenario, speed is less important than accuracy but I don’t think he realizes that�.

“He needs to be more deliberate with his movements. And his aim isn’t the best – half his bursts of ice aren’t hitting the target� Cyclops responded, equally quietly though no one could hear them over the din of battle. “It’s not terrible either, though. For someone who hasn’t been practicing, he is doing better than I would think�.

As the others began to file out of the room, Storm, Cyclops, and Beast approached Bobby. Northstar stood next to his lover, clearly happy as well.

“Well done, my friend,� Hank said.

“Thanks!� Bobby replied. “Hey, it was okay that I was here today, wasn’t it?�

“It was more than ‘okay’,� Storm answered. “I am delighted to see you training here! You did well�.

Cyclops decided to try to add some levity. He said, with a smile, “All this time we’ve been trying to get you to train and you haven’t, but one day with Northstar here and then you decide to hit the Danger Room?? I guess he has more influence over you than we do�.

“Well,� Bobby shrugged, matching Cyclops for levity, “the fact is that Northstar has sex with me and you guys don’t�.

Hank and Storm laughed along with Bobby. Cyclops decided to try to give the humor right back to Bobby. “The Professor did always tell me that different people are motivated by different things, I suppose�.

Northstar was in a serious mood, “You did do very well, Bobby. Tres bien. We need to work on your aim though�.

“Yes,� Storm said. “You did perform exceptionally well, but aim is an area to work on. In some scenarios, you just want to hit the enemy with everything you have but in today’s scenario, a few targeted shots would have been a more effective approach�.

“Okay,� Bobby said. “I’ll work on it�.

“So we will see you in here tomorrow then?� Hank asked. “Outstanding!�

***

A member of Alpha Flight made a mistake. Frustrated at his lack of progress with Jubilee, Radius approached Rogue when he found her alone one day. He knew that she and Gambit were an item. But he hoped that perhaps they weren’t serious or perhaps Rogue could be swayed or might simply want some variety; he didn’t always think through his actions completely.

“If you ever get bored with that Cajun fellow, I could really rock your world,� Radius began.

“What in tarnation are you suggesting, mister??� Rogue asked angrily at his stale words.

He touched a hand to her thigh. “Just that if you wanted a bit more…excitement in your li---“

Rogue grabbed Radius by the collar, hoisted him upwards, and threw him halfway across the grassy field. He would later need to seek Hank out for minor medical treatment.

“That no-count loser!� Rogue exclaimed when she and Remy had some time alone together in their room. “I don’t feel the least inklin’ of guilt over his injuries! Serves him right!�

“Well, chere, Remy appreciates your loyalty�.

“Aww, Gambit, you know I’m crazy ‘bout you! I ain’t interested in anyone else�.

Gambit knew her words were true. It was one thing he actually never had worried about, the notion that she might be tempted by another. Back on earth, before the X-men had become so isolated, Gambit had perhaps had legitimate cause for concern that Rogue might someday observe him looking at another woman and fall into a jealous rage. But she herself truly seemed not to have eyes for anyone else, despite the variety of men on Haven.

“For dat I am grateful, chere�.

Rogue affectionately tousled Gambit’s hair. “Silly, Swamp Rat, you don’t gotta be grateful for any of that! I love you�.

“Love you too, chere�. He paused and added, “And Gambit’s gonna seek out Radius a bit later, jus’ to have a talk wit’ him and make sure he is clear on everythin’�.

“I think that’s a great idea!�


***

“I hope we do not see further strife,� Storm said to Wolverine.

“Serves the bastard right,� he grumbled.

The couple sat side by side on the porch. News of the incident involving Radius and Rogue had spread quickly. Many were surprised that Radius had made a pass at her given that she wasn’t single, and some felt that her response may have been too harsh.

“I know,� Storm admitted. “But we may see problems like this escalate�. She had shared with Logan the incident from weeks ago when Angel, Cannonball, and Colossus had ended up a pointless fight. It had been a fight which may have bubbled up due to frustration, including frustration over the lack of available women.

“He’s hit on Jubilee too. Maybe we gotta talk to Alpha Flight. Ain’t right for their people to be hittin’ on our women�.

Ororo listened to his words and replayed them a time or two. “Our women?� she asked.

Logan was surprised the slightly reprimanding tone of her words. He took a moment to respond. “Didn’t mean anythin’ by that�.

Cannonball stepped onto the porch. “Hi Storm, Wolverine,� he greeted. He was smiling and looked at ease. “Nice evenin’ we’re havin’�.

They both greeted Cannonball, and he asked, “Mind if I join you? I got somethin’ I wanted to ask you about�.

“Please, ask away,� Storm encouraged. “What is on your mind?�

Cannonball pulled over a chair so he could sit near the couple. “Well, it’s about Jubilee,� he began. “I, uh, I’ve been thinking about her a lot. I know she’s an adult now, though a lot of us still think of her as younger just ‘cause we’ve known her so long. She told me the other day that she’s almost 19. We’d gotten to talkin’ about our ages. But anyway, I was wondering….I wanted to ask her out on a date. But I wanted to make sure y’all knew about it and were okay with it�.

Ororo weighed his words. “Sam, as you said, Jubilee is an adult. It is not our – or anyone’s – place to give approval�.

“Hang on, ‘Ro,� Logan said. “Good of you to ask, Sam. Ain’t a whole lotta guys that I’d be okay with askin’ out Jubilee. But if you treat her real nice and with lots of respect, then you and I will get along fine�.

“But it’s not our place to say that, Logan,� Storm insisted. “We don’t own Jubilee�.

“No harm in Cannonball askin’ though. He just wants to let us know that he’ll treat her right. If she’s interested�.

“I still believe that this attitude of asking for approval harkens back to days when women were owned like pieces of property�.

“I swear, I didn’t mean that at all!� Sam broke in. “Honest. I know in the south we got some different customs, but I was just trying to be like a gentleman. I know how much you care about her and how much she looks up to you. And I know that there are some guys out there who are only interested in one thing, but I’m not like that�.

“How old are you?� Wolverine asked him.

“Twenty-two�.

He nodded. “Well, bub, if Jubilee is interested it’s fine with me. But if you don’t treat her right, you’d better watch out�. For emphasis, Wolverine slowly extended one claw.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be really sweet, I promise�.

With that, Sam left, leaving Storm to wonder how many men would still be interested in pursuing Jubilee despite Wolverine’s protection of her. More prevalent on her mind, however, had been Wolverine’s comments and actions.

She bit back the comment, ‘Nice macho posturing’ regarding his gesture of extending a claw. Instead she remarked, “I have a serious problem with Jubilee being spoken about as if she belongs to us�.

“It ain’t that. The kid’s like my daughter and I gotta protect her. She’s had a hard time before joinin’ the X-men, and the FOH run-in didn’t help her. We gotta watch over her�.

“Protect a mutant with powers as strong as hers? She’s not some delicate, dainty child�.

“It’s the emotional stuff. She ain’t never been in a relationship before and not every guy out there knows how to treat women. That’s what we gotta protect her from�.

Ororo observed that her normally serene countenance had given way to exasperation. Rather than continuing to talk in circles with Logan, she rose from her chair and left the porch. Logan did not follow.


***
TO BE CONTINUED

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Chapter 10

Jean made a mental note that she would need to tell Rogue something. She remembered, years ago, Rogue making a comment that Jean and Scott never seemed to argue and Jean having to insist that they sometimes did disagree. One morning Jean silently wished, almost, that she could share with Rogue the argument that she and her husband had just engaged in.

They had been leisurely walking along the lake. Jean had begun to reminisce. Being pregnant made her think, naturally, about her life on earth before the X-men - about the family into which she had been born.

“Sometimes I forget what they look like,� Jean admitted to Scott. “I wish we hadn’t had to leave earth so quickly. I wish we somehow had some pictures of them�.

“I know, Jean,� Scott said. “I can imagine it must be hard for you to be so far from them�. He paused and added, “I guess in a way I’m lucky. My only family is here. I don’t have anyone back on earth to miss�.

“And I do miss them,� Jean said. “My parents, my sister, my niece and nephew. None of them even know that we’re going to be parents soon�. She paused and then an idea came to her. “Scott, can we replicate a camera? I don’t know how much dilithium it would take. But I wish we could take some pictures of the baby when he’s born. It would also be nice to have some pictures of me pregnant. But our baby – once he’s here – will grow up so fast! If we had some pictures of him, it would help�.

“It would be nice to have them,� Scott responded. “But Jean, every time we replicate something, it costs us dilithium. And we have a limited supply of dilithium and no way to get more. We need to hold the line and only replicate things that we need�.

“Does a camera really require that much dilithium, Scott?� Jean asked, trying to keep her tone light.

“Well, it’s definitely not like replicating a meal. A camera has complex parts. It certainly wouldn’t require a *low* amount of dilithium�.

“But Scott,� Jean began again, “we’re talking about getting pictures of our son. He’ll only be a baby for a short amount of time. And besides, we use the Danger Room twice a day. That takes up a lot of energy�.

“But the Danger Room is a requirement. We’re a team of fighters, after all,� Scott insisted.

“Can’t we at least ask the Professor and Storm about this?�

“No, I don’t think we can,� Scott said, trying to keep his voice gentle and not overly stern. “I’m one of the leaders of this team; we need to be role models. If we get approval to do this, then we can’t say no when…when someone wants to replicate a movie or a new board game or clothes and shoes that they don’t need. We make enough exceptions and we’ll run out of dilithium before we figure out a way off this planet…we don’t even have any idea how or when we’ll be able to leave here. We don’t want to have to someday not have enough food for our son because we wasted dilithium on a camera to take pictures of him�.

“Do you really think it will come to that, though? Don’t you think we’ll find a way to get more dilithium one way or another – I don’t think Alpha Flight would exactly let us starve before they’d share some of their power source with us. Come on, Scott,� Jean encouraged.

“No, Jean. And I’m saying no as the co-leader of the team, not as your husband. I stand by what I said. We need to be role models. I don’t want the team getting angry at us because we were given an exception to the rules�.

“But none of them are expecting a baby,� insisted Jean.

“That’s not the point,� Scott said firmly.

Jean muttered a few words under her breath.

“What was that, my dear?� Scott asked. His question had carried a slightly playful tone but both members of the couple were getting exasperated and knew it.

“Oh, nothing, dear,� Jean answered. “Just a hope that you’ll be more flexible as a parent than you are in other areas of your life!�

The two had then spent the rest of the morning apart just to take some time to cool down. When they next saw each other, each had missed the other. They quickly kissed and made up, and agreed that this was not worth staying angry at each other.


***

The day after my Danger Room debut, Hank asked me if I wanted to spend some time working on target practice. I thanked him, but Jean Paul had already said he would work with me on that in the afternoon. So my boyfriend and I worked together in a sectioned-off part of the Danger Room while the other fighters that day went on with their simulation.

You know, riding around on an ice slide was fun but target practice was really boring. I knew what the others had said after the Danger Room session had been right though; I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. Jean Paul told me that aim is something that can be improved, that it’s a learnable skill. So we worked on it that afternoon.

We were nearing the end of the session when Jean Paul’s communicator beeped.

“It’s Walter,� we heard on the other end of it. “Can you come here? Your sister is in a mood�.

“Ah, she is always in a mood! Is it really worse than normal?� Jean Paul asked.

“Look, she’s been driving me up the wall for two days straight now and I’ve had all I can take. You haven’t been spending that much time with her lately. So can you kind of…take over for a bit?� Walter really sounded like he was at the end of his rope.

Jean Paul sighed. “If I must. Where are you?�

“Our room�.

“I’ll be right there�. He turned to me and added, “She is like a child�. He gave me a quick kiss and then made like he was going to leave, but spun on his heel before he left.

“There is one thing I keep forgetting to say to you,� Jean Paul began. His voice was low but he spoke with an urgency too. “It is about Jubilee. I know that all of the men are after her. Tell her that Radius is no good�. He took a quick glance towards the rest of the Danger Room, as if to ensure that Radius was out of earshot.

I smiled. “I kinda picked up on that already,� I said. “His incident with Rogue didn’t leave much doubt�.

Jean Paul still sounded serious; was having nothing to do with my more casual tone. “He wants only one thing. Unless that is what Jubilee wants as well, he is no good for her. He once told my sister that if she ever got tired of Walter, she should go to him. My sister has many flaws, but she would never cheat on her boyfriend. Some people have no morals!�

“Thanks for the tip. I think Jubilee sees how Radius is and she’s not all that interested, but I’ll say something to her to make sure she knows�.

With that, Jean Paul said, “a bientot�, gave me a peck on the mouth and disappeared in a flash.

For the remainder of the session, I tried, I really did. The program got harder as you progressed and I think I hit less than half the targets.

When it was finished, Rogue and Gambit approached me.

“You did a nice job, sugar,� Rogue said.

“With the target practice? C’mon, I was terrible!�

“It takes time. But you’re off to a good start and you oughtta be proud�.

I always want to start talking in a Southern accent when I converse with Rogue. Her accent is somehow so contagious.

“She be right,� Gambit added. “Welcome back to trainin’. If we back on earth, we buy you a drink to celebrate�.

I was really sincerely touched, though also feeling ridiculous at the attention. I wasn’t even doing that well! But I thanked them and left it at that.


***

Iceman was not the only one who had a discussion after a Danger Room session. Forge also approached Storm after training. “Are we allowed to compliment our leaders?� he asked. “Because you were amazing just now�.

Storm smiled. “Forge, please, I hope that no one comes to regard me – or Cyclops – as being in a separate category simply because we are leaders. I will happily accept any sincere compliment�. She then added, “And you fought very well too. I hope that someday we can win against FOH and we are lucky to have you with us�.

“We’re the lucky ones, to have you as a leader�.

Storm made a few observations. The look on Forge’s face and the body language he was using suggested that perhaps more was going on here than a discussion of a Danger Room session. Could Forge have heard about her quarrel with Wolverine? If that was the case, Storm marveled at the way word could spread so quickly on Haven. She also noticed that everyone else had left the Danger Room and the two were now alone.

“Listen, Storm, I just wanted to say that if you ever would like someone to talk to, about anything, I would certainly like to be your friend�.

Storm’s first reaction was slightly negative. If this was a come on, she didn’t care for it. She found Forge attractive, always had, but did not desire him the way she acutely did Wolverine. She was also still reeling at the notion that gossip may have spread about her disagreement with Wolverine. However, Storm tempered her reaction with compassion. She reminded herself that she could totally be misreading the situation, and that Forge had always seemed a sincerely caring person.

So she opted for a gentle approach. “Thank you, Forge. I appreciate that. Now if you’ll excuse me�. With that, she flew off.


***

I had an interesting interaction with Hank the other day. Northstar was showering after a Danger Room session, and Hank looked glad to run into me in the hall. “May I have a word with you in private?� he asked.

“Of course,� I said, and he led me to his room.

Usually I never felt awkward around Hank. It was nearly impossible to. But he looked embarrassed and flustered, and words seemed to be failing him, which was really odd. When the guy who can quote poetry from memory isn’t sure what to say, you know something’s up.

“I simply wanted to inquire…knowing that the matter is none of my business, of course, but as a doctor and as a friend, I just wanted to ensure that safety and protection are not forgotten…sometimes, I have heard, in the heat of situations we make decisions that are not –“

I took a guess at what he was getting at. “Don’t worry,� I said. “We’re not doing any of the real risky stuff yet, but when we do, we’ll use condoms�. Hank had had this conversation with me years ago, back on earth. Maybe he felt I needed a reminder. Then I had a moment of fear that perhaps I’d guessed wrong on what we wanted to discuss with me in the first place.

“Thank heavens,� he said, assuring me that I had correctly figured out the topic. “Perhaps you should even replicate some in advance and have them with you�.

I decided to make a joke of it. “I’ll carry them with me at all times, okay? I won’t leave my room without them!� I then had to add, seriously, “Thanks for your concern for me, old buddy�.


***

Jubilee wondered if she had somehow developed psychic powers. She knew, from the moment Sam Guthrie approached her that afternoon, what he was eventually going to ask.

Sam asked her if she wanted to go out canoeing. She speculated that he wasn’t being terribly original, though she reminded herself to cut him some slack. It was not like they had a ton of options either, especially for a place for two people to get away, alone.

As Cannonball rowed the canoe, Jubilee thought about her situation. She dearly wanted a boyfriend. Although the attention had initially been flattering, she was now tired of all the buzz and activity around her with different males approaching her. She knew that people had been gossiping about her, wondering who (if any) she would pick being the only single female on the planet. And Jubilee had been deciding that Cannonball was probably the best of the lot. He was on her team and it seemed easier to date another X-man than someone in Alpha Flight, especially since it was likely that the two teams would part sooner or later. Jubilee look a lot of pride in being an X-man. Wolverine liked Cannonball, he was closest in age to her, and she was comfortable with him. He didn’t make her heart sing though, but none of the others really did either - though she did find Radius to be very attractive, physically.

“Hey, Sam…you can kiss me if you want,� she said out of the blue. He was so painfully shy that she decided to make it easy for him.

“I can?� he asked, hardly believing his ears.

“Yes. I mean, if you want to�.

“I do!� he insisted.

It was awkward. The canoe rocked as they shifted position for the kiss. Jubilee had never been kissed before. She tried to think of whether Sam had or not and mused that perhaps he had. A few things he had said about his life in Kentucky had led Jubilee to think that he had been popular before anti-mutant bigotry took over and that maybe he’d had a girl, though the awkwardness of the smooch led Jubilee to wonder again. All of these thoughts swarmed through Jubilee’s head and she hardly thought of the kiss itself.

Sam talked about his family for the remainder of their canoe ride. Jubilee had heard him mention them before – he was obviously very close to his parents and sister and missed them horribly. She had a hard time relating to that since the X-men were so definitely her only family; she could truly say that there was no one back on earth who she missed at all. Everyone who she loved was here with her. The more Sam spoke about the Guthries, the more clear it was that he had a hole in his heart at his separation from them. Jubilee didn’t have much she could say to him on the topic but he seemed to enjoy having someone to talk to on the subject. When he finished, Jubilee kissed him again, this time very softly.

And that was that. The two sat together at dinner. Jubilee noticed Wolverine eyeing Sam very closely. When Feedback later said something to Jubilee that could be interpreted as a polite come-on, she told him that she and Cannonball were an item. In the evening they went for a walk together and held hands. Before bedtime Sam gave her a chaste kiss on the mouth outside of her room. The following morning, he greeted her with a small bouquet of wildflowers from the forest.

***

Wolverine had been enjoying a walk in the forest when he heard footsteps. He silently cursed. It was more difficult than he would like to get a minute alone and he had not wanted company. His sour mood shifted somewhat, though, when he recognized the other person’s unwieldy gait. It was Heather. He stopped walking so that she would catch up with him.

Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw him. “Logan!� she greeted. “I didn’t expect to run into anyone in here. How are you?�

He gave a grunt in reply. He wasn’t in the mood for niceties.

“Hmmm,� Heather replied. “My day isn’t going that much better. Care to talk about it or would you rather not?�

“No thanks, Heather,� Wolverine responded.

She was actually surprised to get three entire words from him. She truly did not know the cause of Wolverine’s foul mood either. Although word traveled fast in Haven, neither Wolverine nor Storm had told anyone else of their quarrel and Cannonball was not the type to gossip. He had told no one. If anyone had noticed Wolverine and Storm avoiding each other, no one had commented upon it. However the two never had been joined at the hip as some of the other couples were, hence a rift between them would be less apparent.

“Well, I am sorry to hear you’re not in a good mood�. She shook her head. “I look around Haven and cannot believe how gorgeous this place is; it almost seems impossible to not be happy here. But maybe my problems are of the type that will follow me anywhere. Of course it doesn’t help when my back aches, my ankles are swollen, and I don’t have my mother or anyone else here to teach me how to be a parent�. She silently added that she didn’t expect much help from her husband either.

“You’ll figure it out. You always were a smart woman�.

“Why thank you, Logan. You’ve always expressed such faith in me, whether I deserve it or not�.

Wolverine’s ears perked up again and he heard more footsteps. “James,� he said quietly.

Heather’s eyes widened again. Wolverine took a quick whiff of her scent and sensed that she hadn’t wanted to run into her husband.

“There you are,� James called, when he saw his wife. “Puck told me he’d thought you went into the for –“ He abruptly stopped. “Wolverine,� he said flatly when the other man came into his view.

James strode up to Heather and grasped her arm. “I can’t leave you alone for ten minutes and you go off with the man who always had a crush on you!�

“I didn’t even know he was here,� Heather said. “And we were just talking! Relax, James. I doubt anyone would want to ravish me when I’m eight months pregnant anyway. Lord knows you haven’t laid a finger on me in ages�.

“Don’t you talk like that!� he warned, his voice aggressive and his grip on her arm tightening.

Wolverine strode up to James. “Let her go! Ain’t no way to treat a lady�.

James dropped his grip on Heather. “I suppose you think you could treat her better,� he snarled.

“That’s enough!� Heather cried. “Both of you. Let’s not get into a fight. There’s enough strife back on earth, we don’t need to recreate it here. FOH wants us all dead - we shouldn’t be fighting with each other!� Her voice turned tender and she held her hand out to her husband. “James, you have nothing to be jealous of. Come on, walk with me back out of here�.

James’ tone somehow turned around quickly and now mirrored his wife’s. “With pleasure�.

They turned and walked away without a word to Wolverine, leaving him with the solitude he craved.

When Wolverine left the forest, however, he had a second encounter with a pregnant redhead whom he had once loved but couldn’t have.

“Hi, Wolverine,� Jean said. She was standing on the path facing him.

He realized that it was something of a surprise to see Jean alone. She normally spent as much time as she could with her husband. He took another look at her face and saw a purposeful expression. Jean had a mission, Wolverine surmised.

“Hi,� he said.

She fell into step next to him. “Did you have a nice walk through the woods?�

He was tempted to answer ‘no’ but stopped himself. “Out with it, Red,� he said instead. “You know I ain’t one for small talk�.

“Alright,� Jean smiled. “I understand that�. She stopped walking and faced Wolverine straight on. “You and Storm are the two most stubborn people I know. And neither one of you likes to open up much either. So I knew, as soon as you two got together, that you two would have a hard time of it when you came to have disagreements. All couples have them sometime, but I knew that neither one of you would want to talk it out or admit that you missed the other or admit that you might have been wrong. I don’t know what your disagreement is about but I can tell that something is wrong between the two of you. So I’m asking you to fix it. Being stubborn and not admitting that you miss your lover doesn’t get you anywhere, except miserable�.

“Thanks for the lecture,� Wolverine grumbled.

“Lecture or not, it is true. One thing I know how to do is be in a happy relationship for years and I can tell you that it sometimes means being uncomfortable and opening up more than you want to, and it sometimes even means eating a bit of crow too even if you still think that you were the one who was right�.

“You give Storm the same lecture?�

“More or less. So please go talk to her. I’ll give whichever one of you approaches the other first a prize. I don’t know what the prize will be, but I’ll think of something. I’ll take one of your bridge duty shifts if we ever get back into space�.

Wolverine shrugged. “You’re on. Except I didn’t hate bridge duty as much as everyone else. It was nice to be alone for a few hours�. He paused. “I’ll talk to her�.

“Thank you�.

***

Storm reached Wolverine first. They wordlessly walked to her room. She silently rehearsed two speeches inside of her head.

The first one contained her deepest thoughts and fears:

‘Sometimes I don’t like who I am when I am with you. I become jealous of other women. I sometimes feel upset at comments you make. I cannot abide by this out-of-control feeling, especially when I am of the sort who prefer their emotions to be under control at all times. Yet at the same time, I also love the wild feeling I have when I’m with you - and I’m not talking only about what occurs in the bedroom. Sometimes being with you feels so freeing’.

The second one was the far less revealing and more measured speech:

‘Perhaps I misinterpreted what you said. I know that you believe you only have Jubilee’s best interests at heart. Perhaps you can assure me that you understand that she is not our possession and then I can feel better about our disagreement’.

Storm continued to silently debate which of the two speeches to share with Wolverine. One made her feel absolutely naked and vulnerable. But the second one, she feared, was not as authentic.

They reached her room, and she sat down on the bed. Wolverine sat across from her on the chair. She eyed him, thinking for a second he had made a motion as if he wanted to kiss or caress her, but that the gesture had been aborted.

`To hell with it all,’ Storm said to herself. `I’ll throw caution to the wind and tell him the first version. If it scares him off then we can be done with this entire affair and only my pride will suffer temporarily, though at least I don’t have to fear him gossiping about the situation. And then I will not have to worry about ever falling for someone again’.

“Logan,� Storm began, “I have something to tell you.� She took a breath. “Sometimes I don’t like who I am when I am with you. I sometimes become jealous of other women. I sometimes feel upset at comments you make. This feeling of being out-of-control is very difficult, especially when I am of the sort who prefer their emotions to be under wraps at all times. Yet at the same time, I also love the wild feeling I have when I’m with you. Sometimes being with you feels so freeing�.

Logan’s eyes were wide as he listened to Storm pour out her emotions. “Wow, ‘Ro. I think that’s the most I ever heard you talk about how you feel or admit that sometimes you have trouble with things�.

Ororo forced herself to shrug. “Well, I felt it could not hurt to share with you what is going on inside my mind. Though I realize it may have been too much�.

“No. No, it ain’t. I like it when a woman opens up and lets me in. I kinda wondered about some of that stuff you mentioned. Wondered how you felt�.

Ororo nodded and waited for more of a response from Logan.

“I don’t feel the same way,� he said.

She struggled to keep her face neutral. ‘So that is that,’ she said to herself. ‘He simply does not care for me that much’.

“I mean,� Logan continued, “that I don’t dislike the way I feel when I’m with you. I like the way you make me feel. I get that outta control feelin’ but you know me, it doesn’t bother me. I like bein’ with you�.

“Ah,� Ororo managed. “I see. I mean, I am flattered that you enjoy being with me�.

“So maybe we can cut the fights over little things. Or not let ‘em bother us so much since there’ll always be disagreements�.

“That is certainly wise�.

“I get overprotective of the women I love,� Logan admitted. “But that don’t mean that I think I own them�.

With that, he lunged forward and pulled her into a rough kiss. It took Ororo off guard at first. She then released herself and fell into the kiss, as she both enjoyed and feared the wild rush of sensations coursing through her body.

***

So the days slowly passed. When I could tear myself away from Jean Paul and see what was going on, it looked like us X-men and Alpha Flight were getting along ok. The two teams worked together in the Danger Room and also played sports together. Jean Paul was telling me that there was a little bit of misunderstanding when X-men and Alpha Flight tried to play football against each other since the Canadian rules are different. They worked it out okay in the end, I’m told, though not without James getting pissed. Alpha Flight also introduced to the X-men a game that they sometimes played, “Extreme Volleyball�, which involved a wider net and the ball never being considered out of bounds. I didn’t play either game, of course, though I did watch one of the Extreme Volleyball games. “No powers� was a rule during sports like these, and Alpha Flight actually won the game I watched.

We also found that both of our teams scored the game of Scrabble differently, but we worked that one out peacefully too.

Other than the incident between Rogue and Radius (I can’t believe the guy, hitting on Rogue! How stupid do you have to be?), it looked like the two teams coexisted decently. Jean Paul told me that Alpha Flight was really enjoying the planet, though James was often grumpy despite the great surroundings and Aurora had her own emotional issues to deal with. Jean Paul had to spend a lot of time with his sister since you never knew how her mental illness would be on a given day or what condition she’d be in. Aurora was more or less friendly but distant towards me. I wondered if she might someday lash out at me for taking her brother away or something like that, but I didn’t worry too much.

And then suddenly, one night, I was back at the FOH headquarters, a prisoner in one of their cells again. Guards were coming to get me, smothering me. Then I was trying to escape, running down an endless hallway, but unable to find the X-men. The soldiers were chasing after me and catching up to me with each passing second, and no matter how fast I moved, I couldn’t locate the other X-men. I woke up just as the soldiers were slapping a collar on me.

I must have kicked Jean Paul or maybe he woke up due to the tangled mess I’d made with the blankets. I was sweating and my heart was still racing. It was the first nightmare I’d had since Alpha Flight landed.

And I didn’t want Jean Paul to see me like this. He reacted the way I knew he’d react as soon as he woke up and figured out what had happened. He gently encircled me with his arms, he called me “mon cher� and whispered soothing words to me. I could not ask for anything more, but I felt like an idiot too.

“I’m fine,� I said. “It’s just a nightmare. It’s over with�.

“It must have been very intense,� he said. Our room was mostly dark but I saw him take a look at the blankets which were scattered all over the place.

“No, I’m fine now, really�.

“What happened in the nightmare? Is it one you have often?�

I’m of the mindset that honesty is the best policy. So I told him. “I’ve had a few nightmares since we escaped from FOH. That’s what my nightmare is about – the time we were prisoners. It’s like I’m running down the hallway with the soldiers on my tail and I can’t find the other X-men. Do you ever have nightmares about that, the time you were prisoners of FOH?�

“No. I think somehow I have the whole terrible time erased from my memory. All I tend to remember is the moment that Walter and I rushed the door and got us out of there. I think my brain has forced itself to forget the days we sat in that cell and listened to them taunt us�. He paused and gently caressed my arm. “You are still shaking. You poor thing. This really bothers you�.

“I guess there’s no hiding it. I’m a coward, Jean Paul. That’s why I’m shaking, why I still have nightmares about something that happened months ago. You want to make me into a fighter, but I’m just a chicken. I bet the other X-men are like you – they never even think about when we were FOH prisoners�.

“None of the other X-men got beaten up by FOH as you did. None of them rescued the whole team either�. His voice was passionate and forceful as he said the words. “You are not a coward�.

I still clung to Jean Paul but avoided meeting his eyes. I didn’t want to keep insisting that I was a wimp but I also thought it might be wise if he saw the real me early on. I didn’t know what to say.

“You are progressing well in the Danger Room,� he added. “Very well, in fact�.

“Yeah? Well yesterday I was scared shitless before the simulation began. And during it, and, hell, after it too!�

“Everyone gets afraid, Bobby. You just need more experience�. He stroked my back gently as he spoke. “I am certain that you are not the only one who has nightmares sometimes. Being captured by FOH was….was too horrible for any words to describe. Everyone has their own way of coping with the terrible memories�.

I pulled out of our embrace slightly so I could look at him. “You really think I’m not a coward, even though I’m having nightmares? Are you sure? Because I want you to see what I’m like, what the real me is like�.

“I see it. I like what I see. You are sensitive and caring – maybe I can learn from you how to be more that way�.

“I’d rather be like you. Strong and brave�.

Jean Paul resumed stroking my back. “Thank you, mon pote�.

He kept touching and consoling me until I fell asleep again. I heard him repeatedly murmur something in French. This time I slept peacefully though all my old insecurities remained as well.

The next morning, I asked him what he’d said to me in French. He repeated the phrase: “je ne te quitte pas�. He then explained, “It means that I shall never leave you�.

My heart thumped intently. “Thank you,� I whispered.

***

Hank strolled along the lake, enjoying the morning’s fresh air and beautiful views. He saw Jean and Cyclops, walking hand in hand, approach from the other direction. They greeted each other, and Scott then said, “Care to join us for our walk, Hank? Unless, of course, you wanted solitude�.

“I would enjoy nothing more than your company,� Hank responded.

Jean smiled at her husband as Hank fell into step with them. “After all, he’s not Wolverine. Hank *likes* being around other people,� she said.

They shared a giggle over the slight dig at Wolverine’s tendency to go off alone, though Scott added, “I think he’s doing a lot better here than I would’ve thought�.

Hank then commented, “I am still awed at the natural beauty of our surroundings. I find myself sincerely hoping that we do not begin to take it for granted�.

“Me too,� Jean said. “Though it was neat seeing Alpha Flight’s reactions when they first landed. It made me think back to the wonder we felt when we first got here�.

“The longer we stay, though, the more likely we are to forget what it was like back on earth and to take this place for granted,� Cyclops added. Although his visor still did not allow him to see all of Haven’s splendor, he still could use his other senses to appreciate the feel of a breeze or the wetness of the water when they went swimming.

“Do you have any sense from Alpha Flight as to whether they might share the planet’s power source?� Hank asked, keeping his voice low. He heard voices in the distance.

“Storm and I talked about it yesterday and we don’t want to push it. Alpha Flight hasn’t brought it up either�.

“There’s still a ways to go before Heather has the baby,� Jean added. “I don’t think we should rush asking them about it�. She paused. “I also don’t think we should hold our breaths. James is not going to wake up one day and be filled with joy that he’s a father and in his great mood decide to share the power source with us. I just can’t see it happening�.

“Perhaps as our teams continue to get along well – with the noted exception of Radius and Rogue – that may at least inspire some goodwill towards us,� Hank observed. He then added, “From what I have heard, it appears that there is no lingering resentment between Rogue and Radius, which I’m certain is a positive�.

“I heard that Gambit had a little talk with him afterwards,� Cyclops added. “I also hear that he kept it respectful�.

“Gambit has matured well,� Jean chimed in.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hank saw the source of the voices he had heard a moment earlier. Bobby and Northstar had been on a canoe ride and their canoe was now reaching the shore. Hank, along with Jean and Scott, paused to watch them for a moment. The lake had no dock, so when people ended their canoe trips they had to paddle as close to the shore as possible and then get their shoes wet as they exited the boat. This morning however, Northstar hopped out of the canoe and dragged it onto the grass so that Bobby could exit on dry ground. He reached a hand up to steady Bobby as he got out. The couple waved hello to Scott, Jean, and Hank before going on their way.

Hank turned back to Scott and Jean. He did not typically talk about someone who was not in the conversation and was not about to begin doing so now. However he wondered if Jean had read some of his thoughts when she asked, “You don’t spend as much time with Bobby now as you used to, do you?�

Hank shrugged. “I suppose it is natural for someone falling in love to spend less time with their friends�.

One could see Scott’s eyebrows raise over the top of his glasses. “Wow, Hank, you sounded so sad when you said that just now�.

“I am fine. I do miss spending time with Bobby – he always brings a sense of merriment and he possesses a very sweet temperament. Perhaps if I, too, were falling in love then I would have less time to devote to friendships as well�.

“Maybe you ought to talk to him though,� Jean suggested. “He’s never had a relationship before and maybe someone needs to gently remind him not to neglect his friends. Every now and then Bobby needs a little reminder on this type of thing�.

Hank shrugged. “I do not see his behavior as out of line, however. When Rogue and Gambit were first beginning a relationship, the rest of us did not see them too often either�.

Hank silently added that when he had fallen for Carly years ago, she had been first and foremost on his mind for a long time. A few years after her operation, Carly had gotten married. She had sent Hank an invitation to the wedding, but he declined it. He had never mentioned that to any of the others.

“At least this relationship has gotten Bobby back in the Danger Room. I hope he will be okay when Alpha Flight leaves though,� Scott said.

Jean looked at her husband. “I hadn’t thought of that. Do you think Bobby will leave us and go with them? Or would Northstar stay with us?�

“I don’t know. And I wonder if there’s some way that Northstar can intercede and help us get some of the power supply�. Scott paused. “But one thing at a time. Like you said, we have a ways to go before Heather even has the baby, and I’m sure they’re not going to leave right after that. No sense in trying to do anything now – who knows what could happen in the next several weeks and months�.

“You’re right. As great as Haven is, it’s just hard to get used to the long days of no action here after all the excitement we had on earth�.

Scott nodded, though he wondered at Jean’s choice of wording. `Excitement’ seemed a mild way to describe much of the battle and angst the team had endured over the years.

“James’ disposition sure hasn’t seemed to improve much since landing here,� he muttered quietly. Then, in a more upbeat tone, Scott began, “But anyway, since we’re talking about relationships -- not that I am one for gossiping -- but I just want to make sure Jubilee is okay. She seemed fine at dinner yesterday�.

“I think she and Sam are happy,� Jean said. “I’m not going to worry. He’s a very sweet guy. Even Wolverine seems okay with them dating�.

“Good�.

“I am glad to hear that as well,� Hank added. “It is hard to think of our little girl as having grown up, but at this point she must be considered an adult�.

***

Rogue picked Gambit up and flew them through Haven’s skies. Boredom was their main motivation for that afternoon’s swift ride around the planet. Gambit enjoyed being flown around occasionally.

When their joyride was finished, Rogue set them down in the forest and they walked, hand in hand.

“Jean is really startin’ to show,� Rogue observed. “Won’t be long before she’s as big as Heather�.

Gambit nodded. Rogue continued on, “What do you think with all these babies on the way? You ever wanna have one of your own?�

“Been t’inkin’ ‘bout it more because of all the babies on the way now,� he admitted. “Mostly I been t’inkin’ dat I want one someday but not now. We still young, Rogue. Got so much time ahead of us�.

“I like the way you think, Cajun. That’s what I been thinking too. Someday maybe have one but not now. ‘Course, I want a weddin’ before any baby�.

Gambit smiled. “Ah, Chere, if we be back on earth I t’row you the biggest and grandest weddin’ you ever seen. I had me a lot of money�.

Rogue squeezed his hand tighter and slowed her pace. “Aww, Gambit, you know I don’t care ‘bout that stuff�.

“I know. And dat’s good ‘cause I t’ink FOH probably broke into my accounts. Dough Remy was real creative ‘bout where he put some of his money and can still get to some of it. He hopes�.

“If you can, that’s swell. But I mean it, Remy, I don’t care if you don’t got any money. And I’d love a big weddin’ someday but I also wouldn’t mind if we get married by a justice of the peace in a courthouse someday. It don’t matter to me�. Rogue paused. “I wonder how Scott and Jean handled that for their wedding, the finances. Jean’s family has some money though they’re not rich like Xavier�.

“I t’ink I hear dat Xavier give them a budget to manage, and Jean’s father kicked in some too. Chere, if you want somet’in’ small den we can do somet’in’ small but don’t you want somet’in’ at leas’ as nice as dey had? You should be the belle of the ball someday�.

“I guess it’d be nice. But for me it ain’t about how elaborate the ceremony is, it’s about what we’ll say to each other, the vows we’ll make�.

“Dat very sweet, chere. You got your heart in the right place like you always do�.

Suddenly the couple felt a strong gust of wind from overhead. They looked up to see Northstar and Bobby flying through the air.

“Looks like dey had the same idea we had,� Gambit observed.

“Yeah,� Rogue muttered, looking down.

“Okay, chere, what is it? Ever since Bobby get together with Northstar, you have dis look where I can tell you don’t like it. You ain’t no homophobe, are you?�

“No, lord no, not at all,� Rogue insisted.

“But somet’in’s botherin’ you ‘bout dis whole situation. Do you not like Northstar? Or you miss seein’ Bobby more often?� Gambit silently added that Bobby sure could be doing a better job of spending time with his friends.

Rogue shook her head. “No. I mean I guess not, though I hardly know Northstar�. She took a breath. “I guess somethin’ does bother me but I ain’t no homophobe. I did grow up where things were pretty traditional though. The times we went to church – which weren’t all that often – they did talk ‘bout it bein’ a big sin. I didn’t ever really think ‘bout Bobby bein’…gay ‘till now I guess. Before he was just a nice, sensitive guy who didn’t ever date or anything like that�.

Gambit chuckled at Rogue’s comment. He then added, seriously, “Dough he did do t’ings like dat before. You know he was headin’ out to a gay bar every week or so back home�.

Rogue shrugged. “I kinda put that outta my mind. Figured he was goin’ there for a drink and to be with his own kind for a bit�.

“An’ to find people to have sex with, you can bet. He wasn’t never no celibate�.

Rogue had to stifle a mild shudder, and Gambit caught her movement. “Is it the sex part of it dat you have trouble with?� he asked. If it was, he was surprised given how uninhibited and passionate she was between the sheets.

“Maybe,� Rogue said quietly. “Guess I oughtta put it outta my mind. We ain’t supposed to think ‘bout what our friends do in bed anyway�.

Gambit nodded. “Jus’ t’ink ‘bout how much you like the person. He’s been a good friend to you all dese years, ‘member how he went wit’ you to each an’ every store in New York lookin’ for the right outfit for one of our first dates?�

“I could never forgit that!� Rogue said, sounding more like herself. “Course the date was so good I almost forgot what happened before it�. Rogue then mused about their night on the town, the clubs they had visited, the drinks they shared, the music they had danced to, and the improv troupe whose performance they had enjoyed. Haven was a serene and beautiful place but Rogue was starting to miss the excitement of a big city.

On the other hand, Rogue conjectured, with all the anti-mutant laws, even if she and Gambit were back on earth they would no longer be able to enter any of those nightclubs or theaters now.

As they went on with their walk, Gambit continued to feel surprise at the notion of Rogue being uncomfortable with any type of sexuality. Perhaps it was what she had alluded to earlier, the teachings of her church, that caused the uneasiness. Yet surely the same church had preached against heterosexual sex for those not married? Gambit himself liked the little he had been exposed to of gay culture. He wasn’t attracted to other men, but he envied gay men’s openness about sex and desire, at least based upon what he had observed back in New Orleans. He felt that there was nothing quite like that among heterosexuals, even in New Orleans where attitudes towards sexuality were quite open. Of course strip joints and prostitution had flourished there, as in other places, but Gambit clearly saw that at the root of those arrangements were financial transactions rather than an open and sincere expression of sexuality. When he was being sexual with a woman, it had to be because she wanted *him* and she enjoyed sexuality and sensuality – not because she needed his money.

As he had these thoughts, Gambit realized that he didn’t feel he could share them with Rogue. He thought that she wouldn’t understand at all, and that idea caused a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach.

***
TO BE CONTINUED

Reviews are always appreciated.

Jubilee tapped Storm on the shoulder just as the older woman was sitting down to dinner. “Can you join me and Jean and Rogue in the hut after dinner?� she asked quietly.

“Of course,� Storm said.

Storm went on to eat her dinner with a small measure of excitement. The days were sometimes long and it was nice when something unexpected happened, she mused as she lifted a spoonful of the rice dish to her mouth. Jubilee calling the other X-women together? And having them meet in a place that typically went uninhabited? Storm could only wonder as she exchanged a brief glance with Jean across the table, but whatever the case it seemed a mature thing for Jubilee to do, especially if her purpose might be to ask for advice. As the meal progressed, Storm turned her head towards the table at which Jubilee sat. The young woman was taking her time eating her ice cream.

As the sun began to set, Storm and Rogue flew to the hut where Jean and Jubilee had already gathered. Jean used a lantern to illuminate the small room and enticing shadows bounced off the walls. As the temperature began to drop slightly, Jean was glad for the warm sweater she had brought.

“This is kind of neat,� Jean said. “Almost like we’re camping or going on a special trip�.

“Yes,� Storm agreed. “And we have not had a girls’ night out for weeks, so thank you for calling this one, Jubilee�.

“Any special reason you wanted to have one, sugar?� Rogue asked. She wished she’d saved her dessert for now; it would have been nice to snack on something sweet as they talked.

“Well, I uh, just wanted to ask you for a few tips,� Jubilee began. She was attempting to sound nonchalant. “Sam and I are going to be…getting intimate soon. I’ve never done it before so I just wanted to ask if you had any pointers�.

“I am glad you have asked us, Jubilee,� Storm said. “That is very mature of you�.

Jubilee smiled. She also knew that Storm enjoyed feeling wise, feeling needed. She had guessed that the Wind Rider would appreciate this.

“I agree,� Jean said. She leaned in a bit closer to Jubilee. “It’s not any of my business to second-guess a personal decision you have made like this one,� she began, “but are you sure this is the right time? You and Sam have only been a couple for…?�

“Oh, about six days,� Jubilee supplied. She had to bite back the question of how long Jean and Scott had dated each other before they slept together. (Unbeknownst to Jubilee, it had been after their second date). “But we’ve known each other for years. It’s not like he’s some stranger�.

“’Sides, Jean,� Rogue chimed in, “it ain’t 1950 anymore – not like they gotta wait till they get married or anythin’ like that. Unless they wanted to�.

“I know, I know,� Jean said, worried she had come off like a prude. “I was just saying that there’s no need to rush. He’s not pressuring you into this, is he?�

“Wolverine would kill him if he was,� Jubilee remarked. “Um, no, I guess I’m the one who’s pressuring him. I really want this�.

“If you feel you are ready and that it is the right time then there is no reason you should hesitate,� Storm said. “But there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Birth control is one of them�.

“I just ask Hank to replicate some pills for me, right?�

Storm nodded. “And make sure you start taking them soon enough, and take them at the same time every day. The other thing to keep in mind is sexually transmitted diseases�.

“Oh. I hadn’t thought of that,� Jubilee admitted. “So what do I do about that?�

“I would recommend that you ask him about his history and whether he has any STDs�.

“Yeah,� Rogue said. “It’s an awkward conversation to have but the way I see it, if you’re ready to have sex then you’re ready to talk about venereal diseases�. Though Rogue silently added that she had never asked Remy about it, not once.

Jubilee looked down at her hands. “I guess you’re right. It seems like such a drag to bring it up though�.

“Why don’t you mention it before things start getting intense?� Storm suggested. “Bring it up at a time when you’re not kissing�. She had actually never discussed the subject with a lover either.

“So like over lunch someday?� Jubilee quipped.

Storm smiled. “Well, I agree with what Rogue said. Part of being mature enough to enjoy sex is the ability to have difficult conversations like that�.

“Okay, okay, I will. But back to what you were saying about *enjoying* things…do you have any tips on that?�

Storm, Rogue, and Jean all looked at each other. Jubilee then said, “You’re going to tell me it hurts the first time; I already know that�.

“It is at least uncomfortable the first time,� Jean admitted. “Sometimes the first few times. I think the best thing you can do is be realistic and don’t expect fireworks. Just take things slowly and relax, and try to enjoy the different sensations you experience�.

Jean silently remembered back to her early days with Scott. The love they felt for each other, the coursing emotions. All of the passion, Scott fighting to restrain his, Jean encouraging him to let it out. Jean honestly and breathlessly telling him that she loved him so much that didn’t care what they did in bed, she just wanted to please him and make him happy. Scott telling her that he had the exact same thoughts, wanted nothing more than to please her and was not concerned with his own gratification. When they were first getting together, it was a blissful, nerve-wracking, heady time.

She also silently observed that she didn’t quite sense the same exhilaration between Jubilee and Cannonball.

“Yes,� Storm added. “Some books and movies would have you believe that the moment he enters you, you will be writhing with pleasure. It typically does not happen that way. In fact, many or most women don’t reach a climax through intercourse alone�.

“Does he got any experience?� Rogue asked.

“I think so. But he’s kinda vague on that,� Jubilee said. “He had a girlfriend back in Kentucky for a while but I’m not sure how far they ever went�.

“You can always just ask him how serious they were. It’d be better if he knows what he’s doing, then maybe he’ll have some ideas on how to please you,� Rogue insisted.

“How do guys even learn that stuff?� Jubilee wondered.

“I guess through experience,� Rogue said.

“Or from women who communicate what they enjoy,� Jean added.

“And how will I learn what he likes?� Jubilee asked. “The same way?�

“I think so,� Storm said. “You can always ask. Or watch his reactions, listen to his breathing. Most young men, I have observed, do not have problems climaxing, if that’s what you’re concerned about�.

“And I agree with what Jean said ‘bout takin’ things slowly,� Rogue said. “I dunno, for me the whole experience of losin’ my virginity was wonderful ‘cause I had such a great lover�.

“Really?� Jubilee leaned forward. “Would you tell me a bit about it?� This was the type of thing she had really wanted to hear – not because she was interested in what any of the X-men were like in bed but because she knew she could learn from the X-women’s experiences in general.

Perhaps it had been the glass of wine she had savored with her dinner but Rogue felt emboldened. “Thing is, we didn’t do everythin’ in one night. Maybe other people get in a rush to ‘go all the way’ or whatever you call it, but Remy made sure we took everythin’ real real slow. He showed me all these other ways to enjoy myself before we did…the big event. I mean, this went on over several days, even weeks. Like first, he’d just use his hands on me. Next time he’d use his mouth. We kinda worked our way up to the main event. I honestly think that was the best way and I’ll always be grateful to him for havin’ the skill to do it that way. It wasn’t even all that painful the first time he entered me�. She quickly amended, “It was still kinda uncomfortable though. But not painful�.

Rogue then realized she was blushing and wondered if she perhaps had given away too much. But Storm already knew it; Rogue had told her all of this before. And Jubilee looked immensely grateful.

“Thank you,� Jubilee said.

Storm said, “That does sound ideal. My only fear is that most men might not…have the skill, as Rogue said, to know that that approach is probably best�.

Jean shrugged, “Well, then, if that sounds good to you, Jubilee, why don’t you verbalize what you want? You can tell him that you don’t want to ‘go all the way’ at first and ask him to show you some other things. There would be nothing wrong with that. Sometimes I think that perhaps many men would appreciate a woman who knows what she wants and has some ideas instead of expecting him to guide the entire encounter. Oh, and I remembered that there’s one more thing I wanted to mention. Lubrication. When you do think it’s time for penetration, use some lubrication, replicate a bottle of it beforehand. You should be wet down there beforehand but some added lube will only make your first time much easier�.

Jubilee looked around the room. She had always loved being an X-man, and this evening again she intensely felt how much the rest of the team meant to her. Although she wasn’t at all religious or even spiritual, she actually sent a silent prayer to the universe for making her a mutant and giving her this community. Jubilee may have joined the X-men at a young age, but she knew enough of the rest of the world to realize that most people were not surrounded by this much community and caring. She knew now that the day she ran into Storm, Rogue, and Gambit at the mall as the Sentinels chased her had been the most fortunate day of her life.

“Thank you,� she said quietly, wishing she had the right words to verbalize the rest of her feelings. “I am *so* lucky to have you. All of the X-men. Thank you�.

***

Heather Hudson glanced longingly at an X-man one morning during breakfast, but the object of her gaze was not Wolverine. It was Jean.

Heather had wanted to ask the other woman to be her coach during her impending labor. Her husband had been so distant and so perpetually angry. But when she had broached the subject with James, he scoffed at the notion that anyone other than himself would play that role. She did stand her ground, though, that Jean be allowed to be present in the hut so that she could observe, if she would like. And James had agreed that Hank McCoy would be the ideal candidate to deliver the baby since their own occasional medic, Walter, had far less medical experience than Hank.

But James had grumbled, “I don’t want to be in the X-men’s debt. Bad enough everyone flocks to their ship’s Danger Room and gym�.

“Honey,� Heather began, “we’re not going to be in their debt. Let’s not forget that they are living on a planet that belongs to the people of one of our members�.

“And I like to keep it this way, with us in the upper hand position. So let’s limit the number of things we ask them to do�.

“I’m just glad that Hank agreed to deliver the baby. I feel very confident in him. You know this is a little scary, James. I’ve never had a baby before�.

“You were the one who wanted this,� he reminded her.

***

The days continued to pass on by. I sat next to Heather one day at dinner and she was *big*. Looked like she could go into labor any day. Even Jean was starting to get big I noticed, surprised.

I kept up with the Danger Room training. My aim improved. I still got scared. I made mistakes, even crashing into Forge once during a simulation resulting in a sprained shoulder for him. I apologized profusely but he didn’t seem ticked; he shrugged and said that worse had happened to him in the Danger Room before and he wouldn’t mind a few days off. The other X-men in general complimented me on the progression of my training (um…except for the day of that incident with Forge) but they didn’t go overboard with the praise. Maybe they wanted me to just take it in stride and realize that, yeah, this is the way it’s going to be and I fight with them from now on. No one showed any sign of being uncool with the fact that I was training, even the ones who I can tell don’t like me, like Angel. Even after the Forge incident everyone seemed alright with me training. The Professor made a point to go up to me one day and say that he was proud of me for training again.

I continued to spend most of my waking hours with Jean Paul. We slept in the same bed every night; I hardly set foot in my room anymore. I’d been warned that he was arrogant but truly he was never rude to me in any way. Proud of himself and his accomplishments, definitely. But I never saw him behaving like a jerk. I’d been warned that he was overly proud of his Quebecer heritage, but if he held the fact that I didn’t speak a word of French against me, (I was surprised when I’d learned what “mon chou� translated to!) he didn’t show it. The two of us just were compatible in most ways. I was easy-going and he was more intense. I had the sense of humor that could remind him not to always be so serious and that sometimes playing a practical joke on a friend was just what the team needed. He was a strong leader, a role model, for me in terms of training, diligence, confidence and even in asserting myself. I followed his lead in these areas. We never ran out of things to talk about. And I won’t say anything about our sex life other than that it was great and we were very compatible there too. It all just worked.

Part of me was eager to play some practical jokes on people. But maybe I was so swept up in what was happening with Jean Paul, that I was just out of ideas. One day I suggested to him that we could perhaps find a time when Cyclops was returning to his room and pretend like we had snuck in there and had been having sex in there. Or if not Cyke, then Wolverine. But Jean Paul was like no way, and after thinking about it more I was glad he had nixed the idea. So I remained practical-joke-less.

Anyway. I wasn’t always as in tune with what was going on with everyone else, as I should have been. One day in the Danger Room, I noticed Cannonball looking very worried when Jubilee was knocked to the ground by a simulated Sentinel. I resolved to tease her about Sam’s concern and obvious crush next time I saw her alone. But when I did, she said, “Sam and I are dating each other, Bobby,� and she said it like ‘duh, where have you been?’ I felt silly for not having noticed and muttered an apology.

That incident should have woken me up in preparation for something that happened the next day. I had left Jean Paul in the gym – he wanted to do more reps of his weight lifting but I was really tired. We tended to spend most of our time together but I told him my head was starting to hurt a bit (which was the truth, of course), and that an outdoor walk would do me some good. So he said he’d catch up with me later, we gave each other a quick peck on the lips, and I left. And I really hoped that the look of malaise on Rogue’s face that I’d seen out of the corner of my eye was just my imagination.

I ran into Hank as I was walking across the grassy field where Victory and the Maple Leaf were parked.

“Hello, my friend,� he greeted me.

“Hey,� I said.

Hank was stooped down towards the ground. It looked obvious that he was collecting samples, but I asked him anyway, “What’re you up to?�

“This planet contains no pests,� he said. “It is a wonder that we can sit outside all day and not fear being eaten by mosquitoes or any other insect. I am trying to learn how this is possible�.

“Interesting,� I said. I added, “It might not be any easier than trying to figure out how the Professor was able to be cured here just by laying in that hut though�.

“Still, we should try. Pursuit of knowledge is rewarding in and of itself�.

I smiled and shook my head, “Dang, Hank, you’re a better person than I�.

He matched my chuckle. “Not better, simply more curious about science. Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses�.

I then started to turn towards the building, but Hank said, “Will you stay with me a minute?� He set his equipment down and removed his glasses.

“Sure,� I said. I sat on the grass. “I have a bit of a headache, but I knew getting out in the air would help me and I feel a bit better already. Jean Paul’s in the gym lifting weights. The amount he can bench press is insane. Though I’m sure you can do more�.

“I am glad to hear that your headache is improving,� he said. He was using his serious voice so I knew something solemn was coming up next. “I wish you and I saw each other more often,� he said.

I felt a bit of a stab at the hurt in his voice. He masked it well but even I could tell that there was some pain there. “I’m sorry,� I said, looking down at the grass. “I haven’t spending that much time with you – or the others – lately�. Of course I thought back to my last conversation with Jubilee.

“We understand what you are experiencing. It is normal for young lovers to want to spend a lot of time together. All I am requesting is that you don’t neglect your friends�.

Which I clearly had already been doing. There really was a part of me that wanted to say, ‘Cut me some slack, Hank,’ but I kept the irritation out of my voice. It was hard to imagine being angry at Hank anyway. So instead I said, “You’re totally right. It’s just that, you know, it’s a big deal for me and Jean Paul. Neither of us has ever met another gay mutant before. And we’re falling – really falling for each other�.

I had actually started to say ‘falling in love’ but I stopped that. I didn’t really know what falling in love was all about, and Jean Paul and I had never exchanged the “L� word anyway.

“I can imagine it must be intense,� he said.

“It is,� I said, but my head was full of thoughts about my friends now. “I’ve hardly seen Rogue at all. I wonder if she’s ticked at me for not spending as much time with her. Though she and Gambit don’t seem to object to spending most of their time glued together either�. I was thinking out loud and as I said the words, I realized how true they were, at least the part about not interacting with Rogue much. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had an actual conversation with her. Even when we’d ended up across from each other at lunch the other day, she hadn’t spoken to me much. Gambit had been his usual self though.

I heard a noise and then looked up. Jean Paul had flown out of Victory and was heading towards the building. But he doubled back when he saw us and landed.

“I must tend to my sister,� he said, sounding a bit rushed, worried, and annoyed. “She and Walter had a big fight, apparently, and she is crying�.

“Good luck,� I said, as Jean Paul ascended back into the air.

Hank and I then started to say something at the same time. He signaled me to go ahead and speak. I just repeated, “I’m sorry and I will try to spend more time with my friends. Maybe you and me and Jean Paul can even schedule some time together. Like plan a board game in the rec room at a certain time or a forest walk. Maybe you and me can even plan some one-on-one time, if you wamt�.

“That is a splendid idea, and I am amenable to any such plans�.

***

Storm and Wolverine were sitting on the porch together. It was after lunch but before the start of the afternoon Danger Room session. They sat quietly, holding hands and just observing the view.

Cannonball stepped onto the porch and looked around. “Oh, hi, Wolverine, Storm. I thought Jubilee might be out here�.

“She is not here right now,� Storm said. “You could call her on the communicator�.

“I think I might,� Sam said.

Wolverine took a pointed sniff in Sam’s direction and quickly processed the information his nose transmitted back to him. For a second he got an angry glare in his eyes before he jumped to his feet. Sam took a step backwards.

“Okay, bub,� Wolverine snarled. “You hurt her, you die. Got it?�

Cannonball held his hands up and open in front of him. “Wolverine, I promised you I’d take good care of her and I meant it! She was the one who initiated it, not me. She was very clear about what she wanted�.

Storm stood up and placed a hand on Logan’s shoulder. “Ease up, Logan. Ease up�.

“I am eased up,� he said gruffly.

Storm smiled. She could tell that he actually wasn’t about to attack Cannonball. His teeth weren’t bared, his claws weren’t out. He didn’t even have his hands in attack position. Logan was taking it better than Ororo had thought he would.

“I promise, I’m real good to her,� Cannonball repeated.

“We know, Sam,� Storm said. “Don’t we, Logan?�

“Yeah. I still stand by what I said though. You better stay real good to her unless you like the feel of adamantium tearin’ through your skin,� Wolverine promised.

“I promise,� Sam vowed before making for a hasty exit. He wished he hadn’t decided to look for Jubilee on the porch that day, though he also mused that the confrontation with Wolverine would have to have happened sooner or later. He also felt that as awkward and clumsy as the previous night with Jubilee had been, it had still been worth it.

“Sam’s right in what he said,� Storm said quietly to Wolverine, once they were alone. “She did initiate it; she told us she was going to�.

“Who’s us?�

“Jean, Rogue, and I. She spoke with us about it a few days ago�. Ororo paused. “Logan, she’s nearly nineteen. What do you think is the likelihood that you weren’t sexually active at that age?�

“It ain’t that. Just that if he hurts her, he’s gotta face me�.

“There’s no need to threaten Sam though. Don’t you believe that he has behaved well with her?�

“I guess so. I just want him to know there’s someone looking out for Jubilee�.

“I am certain that he understands that quite clearly,� Ororo said, with a smile.

Logan returned her smile. He had known that this would likely happen once Jubilee and Cannonball started dating, and the understanding that Jubilee would be fine had begun to sink in.

“You’re right,� Logan grumbled.

Ororo stepped closer to him and gently ruffled his hair. “You know, enjoying lovemaking is part of becoming an adult. It is certainly something I enjoy a lot, with you�.

“Why thank you, ‘Ro. I feel the same way�.

“Do you?� Ororo asked, her voice taking on a very sensual but flirtatious tone. His hands were now around her waist and pulling her tightly against him.

“Yeah,� were the last words he spoke before pulling her into a kiss.

“We could always skip the Danger Room session this afternoon,� she suggested, when she pulled away for a bit of air. She then pulled him into another deep kiss, over which they lingered for many moments.

Jubilee dashed onto the porch. “Has anyone seen S – ooops, sorry, see you later!� she said, before making an abrupt about face and heading out the way she came.

***

Hank approached me one day after my Danger Room session. “I have been observing your training for a while now,� he began.

“Did you count how many mistakes I made?� I asked.

“Not at all. I have observed that you are progressing well. I think that in order to enhance your training, however, you need to do some more intense weight-training. I believe that additional upper-body strength would assist you in many ways during battles. I can assist you with coming up with a weight regimen�.

“Oh, come on, Hank. I *hate* weight training. You know that. Why do you care if I get more upper body strength or not?? Hmmmm,� I teased. “Maybe you have a secret. Maybe you want me to me to look more hunky for some deep dark reason�. I flexed a bicep for emphasis.

Hank rolled his eyes, something you didn’t see him do that often.


***

“You guys are so smart. Thank you for all the advice you gave,� Jubilee enthused.

“Is that all the info we’re gonna get? You ain’t gonna tell us anythin’ more?� Rogue teased.

“Now Rogue,� Storm admonished softly.

“Judging from the look on your face,� Jean turned towards Jubilee, “I think we can guess that things with Sam are going well�.

Jubilee’s smile remained. “They are. You guys give great advice. I just wanted to thank you again�.

The four women sat inside the hut early one afternoon. They had decided to take an “ice cream break� and have another talk. Everyone wanted to know what was happening with Jubilee and Cannonball, especially given that they had been the topic of the last time the X-women had gathered inside the hut.

“Glad it all went well for you,� Rogue said.

“It is always my pleasure to give advice,� Storm added.

***

Heather’s labor began early one morning. She and James moved several items from their room to the hut and they called Hank on the communicator around breakfast time. He diligently appeared at the hut as well, with Nightcrawler helping him transport some equipment from Victory. Jean arrived shortly after breakfast too; she had been honored at Heather’s invitation.

“I’m certain that this is the place I want to have the baby,� Heather said as she surveyed the warm, dark walls. “It feels so secure and so full of healing in here�.

“This hut certainly has a strong reputation due to the speed in which the Professor was healed in here,� Hank agreed. “However, should it become necessary to transport you to the infirmary on board Victory, Nightcrawler said he would be happy to stand by all day, and all night, to teleport us – along with the equipment�.

“The Maple Leaf has an infirmary too,� James added.

“I believe that Victory’s infirmary is better stocked. And the readings I have looked at indicate that it would take some time to start up the Maple Leaf since it has been shut down for a month�.

“Fine, fine. Whatever�.

It was a long day for Heather, as well as for Hank and James. Jean, along with Cyclops and members of Alpha Flight, brought food and supplies to the hut as needed. Heather walked around outside, near the lake, several times when it became apparent that she was strong enough and that the baby wasn’t going to be appearing for a long while. Using the bathroom was becoming a problem as Heather needed to stay hydrated but the hut lacked restroom facilities. Nightcrawler gladly helped by teleporting Heather to and from the bathroom inside her room.

***

Jean Paul left our bed far earlier the next morning than usual. Everyone was in a bit of a stir due to Heather having been in labor since the previous morning. The sun wasn’t even up when I heard him get up and start showering.

“Any news?� I asked, very groggily, as I heard him checking his communicator. He had a towel wrapped around his waist.

“Nothing. I am going to drop in and see if they need anything. Do you want to come with me?� he asked.

“It okay if I go back to sleep?� I was eager to help and see the baby when she arrived. But not at four in the morning, which was what I estimated the time to be. I was too tired to turn the clock in my direction.

“Of course. I’ll let you know if there’s any news,� he said, as he began pulling on his clothing.

Hours later, I was coming out of the shower when Jean Paul re-entered our room. He had a smile on his face and was shaking his head.

“Everything okay?� I asked.

“Heather and the baby are fine. Brianna, is what they are calling her. Lovely name and lovely baby as well. She was born just over an hour ago�.

“What’s so funny though?� He had this sort of smirk on his face.

“James is what is so funny. He has turned into a blithering idiot�.

“What?� I asked.

Jean Paul shook his head. “For a man who didn’t want a baby – and then was sorely disappointed when it wasn’t a boy – he has become smitten. He is reduced to carrying Brianna around and muttering baby talk at her, acting like she is the best thing to ever enter his world�.

“Really?� I asked. “I have got to see this! A side of your leader I’ve never seen before�.

“Nor have I. It is priceless. Come with me�.

As we left the room, I looked at Northstar. As bemused as he was by James’ turnaround, there was something else on his face. I knew how much Joanne had meant to him. It may have been longing, it may have been jealousy.

***

Jean and Cyclops sat on chairs inside the building’s foyer. Neither had slept much the previous night but they weren’t in the mood for slumber now either. They also quietly shared a few giggles over James’ transformation.

“I guess sometimes the things we least expect are exactly what happen,� Jean speculated.

“Even after he sang to her for a half hour, I still never expected him to look so happy to change her diaper though,� Scott noted.

They laughed again. “I am thankful to Heather for letting me be in the room though,� Jean said. “I need to be sure to thank her�.

“Oh, I’m sure she’ll call in a few favors. Something tells me they will be needing babysitters�.

Jean smiled. “You know, I was always grateful that I’m an X-man but feel even more so when I think about that. Raising a child isn’t easy. If we lived the lives of a normal middle-class couple in America, we’d probably not live near our families and we might be really struggling, trying to juggle our jobs and raise the baby. But here, there are so many people who I trust right here with us, and who are willing to help�.

“I feel the same way. And so many of them have already volunteered to help us when needed. We *are* lucky to be mutants and to have this family,� Scott added.

“I know. I just hope my labor goes as easily as Heather’s did�. Although Heather’s labor had been somewhat long, all had gone well and at no point had Hank worried about her medical condition.

“Between Hank’s expertise and the healing powers of this place, I am not the least bit worried�.

The Professor entered the foyer. “Nor am I,� he chimed in. “Although the spirits to whom Haven belongs have not been communicating with us directly, I feel their presence. I am certain you have nothing to fear, Jean�.

Jean went over the Xavier and spontaneously hugged him, feeling a sudden burst of affection. “Thank you for everything you did to build the X-men, Professor. The team has saved my life and made me who and what I am today�.

“We all feel that way, Professor,� Cyclops added.

“I am grateful to hear that,� Xavier answered. “Because I cannot help but to feel frustrated that our hands are tied right now when there is so much to be done on earth�.

“It’s true that we can’t get back to earth now,� Jean said. “But that doesn’t mean that someday we won’t use the foundation you gave us – our skills, and our ability to work together as a team. It just may be farther in the future than we’d like�.

***

The presence of a baby on Haven was a new experience for its 25 adult inhabitants. The members of Alpha Flight were, of course, impacted more since two of its members were the parents. Most of the rest of the team volunteered to babysit, an offer which was frequently taken up. Sasquatch felt the sting even more greatly of his separation from his son and eagerly looked forward to the day when he would return to earth and reunite with the boy. And Northstar missed his deceased daughter even more.

The X-men, too, enjoyed Brianna’s presence; if nothing else, a baby on the planet broke up the monotony of the days. Jean and Cyclops particularly enjoyed watching and spending time with Brianna; their own baby’s impending arrival felt more immediate and real now. They would observe Brianna on day three, for example, of her existence and wonder what their son would be like at that point. They, and other X-men, were allowed to hold Brianna, though James tended to watch her like a hawk and was always close by.

Brianna’s growth and development were the subject of many mealtime conversations. If Heather or even James appeared somewhere without the baby, others wanted to know where she was and wanted to see her soon. Brianna frequently reached up and grabbed hair, fingers, and whatever other objects appeared within her range.

Approximately two weeks after Brianna’s birth, the Professor assembled Cyclops and Storm in his room.

“Have either of you heard any news on Alpha Flights’ plans?� Xavier asked. Last time the two teams had had an official conversation on the subject, James said that Alpha Flight would discuss its next steps and future plans “sometime after� the baby was born.

“Nothing,� Cyclops said.

“Nor have I,� Storm added. “None of its members have brought up the subject during dinner or in the Danger Room. I have not asked anyone about it either though. I asked Logan if any of his former colleagues had offered this information to him and he said that no one has. He spoke briefly with Puck about it but said that Puck merely shrugged and didn’t seem to know where James’ thoughts were at�.

“Jean tried to gently bring it up a few days ago with Heather,� Cyclops added, “but she said that Heather’s mind just wasn’t on the subject – she’s obviously so focused on the baby -- and she didn’t say anything or give any information�.

“I do not want to push James,� Xavier said. “However he has appeared in a much better mood since the baby arrived�.

“And we cannot formulate our own plans until we have an idea of what Alpha Flight wants to do – and whether they will share any of their power source with us,� Storm said.

“But I agree with the idea of not pushing James too hard,� Cyclops said. “He has been in a good mood lately but we can tell that it’s not his natural style. In fact, I almost think that anything could push him back into being the way he was before. And I also think that once the euphoria over his daughter’s birth wears off, he will be just like he was earlier�.

“Perhaps we should try to find out Alpha Flight’s plans indirectly,� Storm suggested. “Jean and Heather seem to have a rapport. But if Heather isn’t telling Alpha Flight’s plans – or if she doesn’t know them – we may not be able to learn anything from her. But apart from Jean and Heather, obviously the member of their team who is closest to one of ours would be Northstar�.

“Would he know their plans though? It doesn’t look like Northstar talks to James at all�.

Storm shrugged. “I really don’t know, but we can at least ask Bobby to ask him what he knows�.

“Yes,� Xavier said. “Let’s do that. And if that doesn’t pan out, then we will need to bring up the subject directly with James at some point�.

***

I slept late. Really late. Jean Paul tried to first gently persuade and then jostle me out of bed to get to the morning Danger Room session, but I stood firm (or lay firm, whatever) and didn’t budge.

By the time he returned, I was sitting up in bed, reading a book Hank had printed out from Victory’s computer and fervently wishing that we had TV or computer games here. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Haven. But every now and then I wished for a bigger variety of things to do.

“You naughty American boy,� Jean Paul smiled and shook his head as he chided me for my laziness.

“I just wasn’t in the mood to get up and train in the morning,� I shrugged. “I’ll do it this afternoon�. I then grinned and added, “See, I never was a coward – I’m just lazy!�

He ignored my comment and sat next to me on the bed. “Heather was at the session this morning. She is in good shape for someone who gave birth so recently�.

“That’s good. Are we going to babysit Brianna again this afternoon? I’d be glad to do it, but remember that we have our Scrabble game with Hank planned too. Jubilee might join us�. I’d held firm to my resolution from several weeks ago of making time to spend with my friends.

“If they conflict, I can watch Brianna myself. Or I will bring her along and just watch you play since I cannot do as well with the English words anyway�. He shrugged. “We will make it work�.

“Good,� I nodded, though I also thought that watching a Scrabble tournament might not be so much fun. Jean Paul then looked lost in a thought. I touched my hand to one of his thighs and asked, “What’s on your mind?�

“I was just thinking about Joanne. It is hard to not think of her – I’ve not spent time with any other infant since she passed away, and now I see Brianna every day�.

“Is it hard for you?�

“Sometimes. I cannot help but to think of all the things that Brianna is doing that Joanne never did. She was born with this horrible virus inside of her. She never got to grow up as Brianna will. She spent most of her days inside a hospital and never got to experience the love and attention that Brianna has�.

“But wait a minute,� I said. “She had you. You gave her most of the love and affection that she experienced in her short life. You held her as –“ I broke off, stumbling over the words.

“I held her as she died,� he finished for me. “Yes�.

Needless to say, Jean Paul’s eyes were full of sadness. I reached over and embraced him. I muttered a few platitudes like saying that I was sorry for his loss. Whatever the case, it was clear to me that this infant who had been in his life for only a few days several years ago would always mean a lot to him.

“Bobby,� he began, sounding very serious – heck, I knew it was serious because he rarely called me by my name and it almost sounded strange with his accent. Usually I was “mon cher� or “mon chou�, or my favorite, “ma puce�.

“We have never discussed this before,� he said, “but I have a question for you. What does this mean to you? You and me. I have been assuming all of this time that whatever we have together means something to you and it is not just a fling. But I have never had a relationship before and I don’t think you have either. I dated but never had anything long-term with someone�.

I was glad he brought it up because – he was right – we had never discussed it during all these weeks.

“I haven’t ever been in one either,� I admitted. “In fact, sometimes I get worried about messing this up since I haven’t ever been in a relationship before and I want this to work out. Um, well to answer your question - you definitely mean a lot to me and this is definitely not a fling to me. I see this as serious. So we’re like on the same page then, as they say?�

“Yes. That is how I feel as well. I am glad we see it the same way�.

“But Jean Paul,� I began, hoping Storm would be happy that I was broaching what she had asked me, “doesn’t our future – together – depend on getting an idea of what our teams are doing? You know the X-men are stuck here until we get more dilithium or if Alpha Flight will share the power source that’s here. Do you know what James and Heather plan to do? Do they have any desire to team up with us and go back to earth to defeat FOH?�

“Well, mon cher, I am not all that close to either one,� Jean Paul began, “but I do not think that either one of them wants to do battle now. They listen to Walter and he keeps saying how much he wants to go back to earth and reunite with his son. And they listen to Puck who constantly reminds them that we might have made a mistake in leaving Marrina and her husband on earth – though I do not agree with that one; I think they wanted to stay and they can easily hide in the ocean. But regardless, I spoke about it with Heather recently and she said that she wants them go back to earth to gather those left behind. She said nothing about teaming up with the X-men and fighting FOH�.

“What do you want to do?�

“I am afraid that I am torn. Part of me wants to return to earth and defeat FOH at all costs. Part of me wants to stay here with you forever, where it is peaceful and quiet and we do not have to fear FOH capturing and torturing those of us we love the most�. He paused. “You? What do you want?�

“Um, you know how we agreed earlier that we’re on the same page about our relationship? I think we’re exactly on the same page about this too. I feel both ways. But I suppose in the end I should defer to what the X-men decide to do�. I took a breath. “Though we can’t *do* anything until we get some dilithium�.

“Do you want me to ask James and Heather about it? I truly think such a query might be better received from one of the X-men’s leaders though�.

“Would it? I mean, it seems that James doesn’t much like the Professor. Or Cyclops. Or Storm�.

“You see, he does not like anyone lately! Other than his daughter. But you do not want him to think that the X-men are trying to sidestep anything. They should approach him directly. He doesn’t like anything that could be seen as subterfuge. Even if it is not�.

I nodded. “Cool. I’ll mention it to Storm�.

***

When the Professor approached James, he decided to take the direct approach. After asking the Alpha Flight leader how his daughter was faring, Xavier got down to business. Judging by James’s reaction, it appeared as though he had reverted to his pre-fatherhood personality.

“I was just wondering if you had decided what Alpha Flight’s next step will be,� Xavier began. “I know you have a few family members and teammates who you want to see again. And you must be eager, as are we, to defeat FOH and make a difference for the mutants back on earth�.

“Don’t assume we have any goals in common, Xavier,� James replied, a hard edge to his voice. “Maybe we can’t do anything about FOH at this point. The bastards are so powerful�.

Xavier, slightly taken aback at his reply, remained silent.

James continued, “I haven’t decided yet what my team is going to do. Maybe in another week or so I’ll call a meeting�. He then added, “I hope your X-men are enjoying it here. It’s nice of Snowbird’s people to let you stay here when the place belongs to her and to them�. He did not need to state his next thought, ‘And, by extension, to Alpha Flight’.

***

When Brianna was about 25 days old, two things happened that really changed things in my life. The first one was that Walter dumped Aurora.

From what I had been gathering, this had been in the works for a while. I hadn’t spent a ton of time with Walter and Aurora, but I had kinda noticed that they didn’t seem like such a great match. He was scientific, brilliant, serious, and often appeared a bit remote or withdrawn. She was mentally unstable so it’s hard to say what her personality would be like on any given day. But often she was a bit childlike and demanding of Walter (and Jean Paul), and sometimes she came across to me as a bit superficial. Okay, maybe that’s harsh coming from a guy who loves computer games and misses cheesy horror flicks, but that’s just my opinion. I could also tell – from a few glances, a few remarks – that she didn’t care for all the time her brother spent with me.

Aurora had her good traits too. She was fun-loving and always up for having a good time. But Jean Paul had once told me that he thought that Walter stayed with her only for the sex. I had no idea if that was true or not but I can say for sure that Walter and Aurora didn’t seem to have at all the solid and strong foundation that Jean and Cyke or Rogue and Gambit so obviously had. Or heck, even Storm and Wolverine since they looked really tight now.

Once I asked Aurora how long she and Walter had been together. She smiled and said, “I don’t know. Three years, maybe four. Or is it five now? I cannot recall�.

I found out about the break up one morning when Jean Paul wasn’t in our bed when I woke up. I had slept late, of course, but when I called him on his communicator he said he was with his sister. I didn’t actually see him again for several hours, which was a while for us.

“I am sorry I cannot talk more,� he said, when I saw him in the hall. “Walter has broken up with my sister and she is out of her mind with sadness. I must go back to her�.

“Can I help?� I asked.

“I do not think so�. He then quickly added, “Can you bring me some food? We’re in her room�.

“Sure,� I offered.

The glimpse I saw of Aurora, when I delivered the food, was not good. Her hair was askew, her face pale, her eyes really wild. She looked like she wanted to keep crying but had no more energy. Jean Paul sat with her quietly. He gave me a quick kiss on the mouth but nodded for me to leave.

The other thing that changed my life was that James made a decision as to Alpha Flight’s plans.

The very next day, Jean Paul told me that James called a meeting for Alpha Flight. Great timing, James, but whatever. The location they held their meeting seemed to send a message too. Usually when lots of us gathered to talk, we either did it in the dining room or the large room with the fireplace. But of course both rooms lack privacy, especially the fireplace room. So James led his team outside and crammed them into the hut. The hut doesn’t hold more than five or six people comfortably, and there were ten Alpha Flight team members plus a baby. I guess some of them would’ve had to have crowded around the doorway?

Several of us X-men watched them troop across the grass towards the hut. Jean Paul and his sister flew as the others walked, Heather pushing a stroller.

“I’d love to know what they’re going to talk about,� Angel remarked.

“Don’t they know that we could still spy on them if we want to?� Forge wondered.

“I confess that I am tempted to teleport there right now to listen, but of course I will not,� Nightcrawler added.

“Seems so silly to me,� Angel shook his head. “They got to know that if we really wanted to find out what they’re saying, the Professor or Jean would read their minds�.

“But we won’t, Angel,� the Professor said as he entered the foyer. “I am sure we’ll find out what we need to know soon enough�.

“I still want to know now�. Angel looked at me. “Has Northstar said anything to you?�

“No. I don’t know think he knows – he’s been spending all his time in his sister’s room listening to her cry, so he hasn’t exactly been up on anything else�.

As I said the words, I also wondered if a lot of the guys were now salivating at Aurora’s newly single status. Though surely they’d know they’d be getting a handful with her and all of her issues, but on the other hand there are plenty of people out there who’d be happy with just a bedroom partner too.

Alpha Flight did not talk for very long. It didn’t seem to me that more than ten or fifteen minutes had passed before we saw them walking back to the building. By then, pretty much all of the X-men were congregating in the foyer.

“Come on,� James said, eyeing us and gesturing towards the room with the fireplace, “we’ll tell you what we decided�.

I tried to make eye contact with Jean Paul but he had his arm around his sister and her face looked damp – I guess she’d cried again. I did sit on Jean Paul’s other side, though, when both teams had walked over the creaky wooden floors and found seats in the large room. He held my hand.

***

“I’ve decided that we are going back to earth for a quick mission,� James said to the group. “We’re going to find our family members and other teammates and bring them back here if they want. So it will be a very quick trip�. He paused and added, “Heather and the baby will stay here for their own safety�.

The X-men looked at each other and digested James’ words.

“When do you plan to leave?� Cyclops asked.

“A few days�.

“Have you made any decision,� Storm began softly, “as to whether you can share some of your power source with us?� She observed that most of Alpha Flight were either looking down or at each other; none of their facial expressions suggested confidence.

“I haven’t decided yet but I am leaning towards no. The Maple Leaf has enough dilithium to get us to earth and back, but we want to keep intact the power supply that’s inside that shed out there. We want to keep it untouched for now�. He took a breath and added, “Maybe when we return, we can negotiate to give you some�.

“It seems like a rather dangerous mission,� Xavier said. “FOH is so powerful on earth. Would there be any harm if some of us came with you? It would help us at least get a handle on what’s happening on earth and will provide some reinforcements for your team�.

“We’d prefer to keep this just to Alpha Flight. The Maple Leaf isn’t very big anyway; it can’t take much more than a dozen people, so when you add in the fact that several others will be returning with us…we’d prefer not to bring any X-men with us�. James silently added that he didn’t want Xavier’s influence on his team; he didn’t want any X-men trying to usurp his authority. Though he didn’t speak the words, his meaning, however, came through clearly.

“Is your ship up for such a mission?� Cyclops asked, trying to keep his tone questioning rather than doubtful. “You had mentioned that there were issues with its navigation system�.

“We think the ship will be fine�.

“Are you certain though?� Storm asked. “I do not mean to question you but some of your team members look doubtful now�.

That comment did not sit well with Alpha Flight’s leader. “Look, X-men - I don’t need to justify myself or my plans to you! You’re not sending any of your team with us, you’re not getting any of our power supply, and Heather and my daughter had better be in really good condition when I get back!�

Xavier, Cyclops, and Storm looked at each other for a few moments. Many X-men wanted to reply to that but Xavier made a slight gesture that indicated silence or patience.

Meanwhile, most members of Alpha Flight looked embarrassed, and Heather spoke first. “James, I feel very comfortable that Brianna and I will be in good hands here. It was Hank, after all, who delivered her�.

James gave his wife an off-putting look at that comment. Brianna woke from her nap and began to cry. Heather reached for the stroller and pulled the baby onto her lap.

“Yes,� Jean added, “we’re glad that Heather and Brianna will be here and we really enjoy their company�.

For a few more moments, the only sound in the room was Brianna’s wailing.

“How well does the cloaking device on the Maple Leaf function?� the Professor finally asked. “I’m sure you know that stealth is of utmost importance on this mission�.

“Of course we know,� James said. “The cloak is fine; we’re not going to get caught by FOH again�.

“I see. We certainly wish you the utmost luck on your mission and sincerely hope you find your friends and family. If you happen to hear any news of Moira MacTaggert and Banshee, we would be grateful if you would share it with us. Along with any other news on the state of FOH and mutants in general�.

“Of course,� James replied, sounding calmer.

“About how long do you think it will take the Maple Leaf to travel to and from earth?� Storm asked.

Walter answered that question. “Our best estimate is that the trip is eight weeks each way�.

“Eight weeks?� Northstar questioned. He looked at James. “You said seven maximum, maybe six�.

“There’s no way our ship can make the journey in six weeks, Northstar,� Walter replied. “It took Victory that long to do it and the X-men’s ship is faster. No, the trip will definitely take longer than six or even seven weeks�.

“Again, we wish you the best of luck and we look forward to your return,� Xavier said. “We are happy that Heather and Brianna will stay here to keep us company�.

With those words, Xavier turned his wheelchair around and departed. Most of the X-men followed him.

***

I looked at Jean Paul. “Come with me,� he said quietly.

Aurora tensed up, apparently at the thought of being parted from her brother. “Come with me too, ma soeur�.

The three of us stood up. The twins looked like they wanted to fly, and next thing I knew Jean Paul asked me for permission with his eyes, I nodded, he picked me up, and away we went.

The twins flew us inside the forest. Aurora sat down on a tree stump. Jean Paul and I stood facing each other. For once, I could care less about the beauty of our surroundings and didn’t even try to take in the trees or wildflowers.

“You said you’d never leave me,� I said. I tried to make my voice sound even and calm though I think it came out trembling.

“I know. And I am *not* leaving you. I stand by what I said earlier. This separation is only temporary. I will return!�

“But sixteen weeks apart!� I bemoaned. “That’s four whole months! More, when you add in how long it might take you during the mission to locate your people. Maybe I should go with you�.

“I have been thinking about that endlessly since James told us his plans,� Jean Paul said, passionately. “I would much rather that you stay here. You’re becoming a good fighter but there is still a chance that something could happen on this mission. You are safe here�.

“And how do you think I feel about watching you go off on this mission where there could be danger? The thought scares me so much. I won’t even know if something happens to you! Can’t you stay here?�

“I cannot. I must stay with my sister and she wants to go on this mission�. Aurora remained eerily quiet as her brother talked about her. “She is adamant about going on this mission. She hopes she can win back Walter. If my sister was well, then maybe I could allow her to go off on this without me. But sometimes I think I am the only member of the team who cares about her enough. I need to watch over her, Bobby, and I cannot watch over both of you and be effective on this mission�.

“So you put her over me?� I pouted.

“No, no, jamais! I love you both deeply and my heart is aching! One can love more than one person. I am making the choice that I feel is best for everyone! Do you not realize that this is agony for me as well?�

I was too distraught at Jean Paul’s impending departure to even realize that he had said he loved me.

“But Aurora is needier than you,� he continued. Again Aurora was silent though I noticed that she watched us both. He pulled me towards him and whispered in my ear, “Bobby, it is serious. I think she might try to do something drastic, try to hurt herself�.

“Then can’t she stay here?�

“She is stubborn as I am. More so. I can try to convince her again but I believe that nothing will keep her from this mission. From Walter�.

“The bastard. For dumping her�.

Jean Paul took another glance at his sister. “She may have been heading for a break-down for a long time, mon cher. This just hastened it. And she has put Walter through a lot over the years, though her mental illness is not her fault�.

We were silent for a few moments. Jean Paul then spoke, “And think about it, mon cher. Do you truly *want* to go on this mission?�

“I want to be with you,� I said.

“But on this mission? Eight weeks in space in a run-down old ship with far fewer amenities than Victory, time back on earth trying to find people, and then eight more weeks back on a ship that will then be crowded. If all goes well. It will not be fun�.

“But if we are together…� I let my voice trail off.

“I know. But I will worry about you constantly. I want you here where you are safe and I do not need to agonize over you. I don’t want you to be anywhere near earth. Besides, I also have a loyalty to Alpha Flight and to do my part to help the team on its mission as we try to find the others�.

I was sad and hurt, and an irrational thought popped into my mind. “Is there someone else? Is that it? You want to reunite with someone on earth?�

“That is absurd. I most certainly do not have another lover�.

I looked down and felt bad at my question. “I know,� I mumbled. “I’m just so sad right now�.

“Yes. But you would be more sad if something happened to you on this mission. Please, mon cher. You are safe here�. With that he pulled me into a hug.

He was right. But I felt ill, right down to the pit of my stomach. I rested my head against his shoulder for a bit. From the way we were positioned, I could see Aurora when I opened my eyes. I tried to not hate her for this. She gazed in our general direction but her eyes were glazed over.

“Did you mean what you said earlier?� I asked quietly, pulling back from the hug. “That you love me?�

“Yes. With all of my heart and all of my mind. That is why I want you to be safe. Do you love me as well?�

“Yes,� I said, knowing it was true from the way I felt torn inside by our impending separation. Like I was being ripped apart and would have this terrible void until he returned. “Yes�.

***

Most of the X-men did what Alpha Flight had done not long ago: they searched for a private place to talk. Unfortunately it was even harder to find a private space that accommodated all of them.

“Let’s go to the dining room,� Cyclops said. �We can always close the door if we want privacy�.

So the team trooped downstairs to the dining hall, with Colossus closing the door behind them. Jubilee took a quick peek inside the adjacent kitchen to make sure no one was inside of it. The Professor looked around and saw that all of the X-men except Angel and Iceman were present.

“So now we know their plans,� Xavier began.

“The bastard,� Wolverine muttered. “Would it kill him to give us some of the power here on the planet?�

“This is the reality we must face. Alpha Flight’s leader is insecure and controlling, and despite our best efforts to ‘play nice’ during the past two months, we have been unable to influence him in the way we would like�.

“He hates me too,� Wolverine added. “That don’t help, no matter how ‘nice’ we been to his people�. Storm put a hand on Wolverine’s shoulder.

“We of course must hold firm to our word to treat Heather and the baby with the utmost respect – not that I foresee any of you having trouble with that,� the Professor added.

“Are there any options we have not explored?� Storm asked. “Anything? Could we offer to loan them Victory on this mission in exchange for allowing us to have some of their power?�

“I don’t like that,� Cyclops said. “Who knows if we would ever get Victory back? And while they were on their mission, we’d be stuck with their bad ship, which I don’t think any of us would want to use to take on FOH anyway�.

“Victory really is the only bargaining chip dat we got,� Gambit said. “Far as I see. But I agree – it’s too much to bargain away�.

“’Sides, it don’t seem to bother James that his ship is a pile of crap,� Wolverine added. “I don’t think he even wants our ship�.

“Can’t we just *take* some of the damn power supply?� Rogue asked. “We can force open the door to that shed. Maybe, Professor, you can explain to Snowbird’s people why we did it. Maybe they’ll understand�.

“I cannot support that idea,� Xavier replied. “They have been hospitable and generous to us, and they healed me�. He paused, “Besides, I have been trying to reach them and broach the subject with them. The signals they send back indicate for us not to take it�.

“So what we do den?� Gambit asked. “Wait four mont’s for Alpha Flight to get back and hope dat dis time dey share deir power supply wit’ us?�

The X-men looked around the room at each other. Silence reigned in the dining room as one blank look was met with another.

“It is clear that James will not consider anything else right now,� Storm summarized. “Unless there is some other bargaining chip – as Gambit called it – that we can offer, we do not have any other way of trying to convince him�.

“Still think we oughtta think about taking some of it,� Rogue muttered. She looked at Xavier. “Just kiddin’, Professor�.

“Can’t Bobby use some influence over Northstar to help us here?� Forge asked.

“The problem is that Northstar has no influence over James. It’s become apparent that no one in Alpha Flight does, not even his own wife,� the Professor concluded.

“Speaking of Bobby,� Hank began, “I notice that he is not here now. I fear that perhaps he is considering going with Alpha Flight�.

“Not gonna happen!� Rogue said. “It’s too dangerous for him�.

“Yeah, he oughtta stay here with us,� Jubilee added.

The X-men soon adjourned their brief meeting. However, it turned out that they had been concerned about the wrong X-man departing.

***

The twins and I flew back to the building when we were finished with our talk. I can’t even describe how I felt. Maybe I should have seen this coming but even if I had, it wouldn’t have made the pain go away any.

“I must go talk with the others about our preparations to leave,� Jean Paul said to me. He said something to his sister in French, gave me a kiss, and they went off to find the rest of their team.

Hank, Rogue, Gambit, and Jubilee walked up the stairs and met me in the foyer. “There you are!� Rogue said.

“Here I am,� I muttered.

“We are concerned for you,� Hank began. “We feel you would be much safer here with us, though we understand that you might have the desire to return to earth with Northstar. However, on Haven –“

“It’s okay,� I interrupted. “You don’t need to convince me of anything -- Northstar doesn’t want me to go. He says I’m safer here and he really wants me to stay here. And he can’t stay behind himself because his sister needs him. So I’m staying here�.

I looked at the four expressions of relief and happiness. And then for a minute I was able to step out of my own misery. I had friends who cared about me so much that they wanted me to stay with them and be kept out of danger. I had to be grateful for that. It provided something to fill the hole in my heart.

“It ain’t that we think you couldn’t handle yourself,� Rogue said. “We know you’re a good fighter now. It’s just that it’s a lot safer here�.

“And it’s better to keep the X-men together,� Jubilee added.

“An’ dis separation only temporary,� Gambit said. “He’s a strong fighter – he be back wit’ the rest of his team, you just gotta wait and be patient�.

“I know, I know,� I said. “And hey…I really appreciate your concern for me. Thank you all. I’m lucky to have such good friends. But enough with the mushy stuff!�

***

TO BE CONTINUED

Reviews are always appreciated.

Chapter 12

The day after Alpha Flight announced its plans, Angel tracked down the Professor, Cyclops, and Storm. He requested a meeting with them in private, so the four X-men assembled inside Angel’s room.

“I have something I wanted to tell you,� Angel began. “I have decided to return to earth with Alpha Flight. I spoke to James and he agreed to it�.

“Why do you want to do this?� Storm asked, surprised.

“Are you planning on returning to earth permanently or just going with Alpha Flight on this mission and then coming back here, with them?� Cyclops asked.

“The latter,� Angel responded. “I don’t intend this to be a permanent separation from the X-men. Assuming you’d still want me back�.

“Of course we do,� the Professor insisted. “But I share Storm’s question – can you tell us why?�

Angel smiled. “I can’t think of a delicate way to put this, so I’ll just come out and say it. I’m the kind of guy who needs to have…a woman in my life. A girlfriend. There’s no one here for me. So I have to go back to earth�.

“But it seems as though Alpha Flight has no intention of staying on earth for very long,� Storm said. “I believe they plan to retrieve their loved ones and return. If all does go well, then they may be on earth for a matter of days only�.

“And there are still those laws prohibiting mutants and non-mutants from dating,� Cyclops added. He was using the term ‘dating’ as a euphemism. The law actually stated that mutants and non-mutants were prohibited from marrying or engaging in sexual acts with each other. Additionally, mutants were forbidden to marry other mutants or to reproduce.

“There are ways to get around that,� Angel said. “I might not have a lot of time on earth but I think I can work something out�. He paused and added, “Professor, I’ll also do my best to find out what happened to Moira and Banshee. And it wouldn’t hurt to check on both your and my financial accounts though I am not optimistic about what we’ll find there�.

The Professor nodded. He wondered what it had taken for James to agree to ferry an X-man to and from earth. Perhaps Angel had promised some of the contents of his accounts as payment. Of course Alpha Flight could also use all the strong fighters it could find if they did encounter trouble, too.

“I see that you have made your decision,� the Professor said, “and I will not try to convince you otherwise. We will miss you here and definitely look forward to your return�.

Storm and Cyclops voiced similar thoughts. “Also, be warned that their ship really isn’t that good,� Cyclops added. “It’s nothing like the Victory�.

“I know. James had Feedback give me a tour last evening. It doesn’t look good from an amenities standpoint but I think it’s space-worthy�.

Cyclops remained silent but he wasn’t fully sure of Angel’s assertion. He silently said to himself that perhaps his standards were simply too high.

“I will say my goodbyes to the rest of the team one at a time,� Angel added. “Of course I view them as ‘until-we-meet-agains’ rather than farewells�.

***

“I can understand his frustration,� Storm said to Wolverine. “I also appreciate Angel’s honesty about his decision�.

The couple was taking a walk in the woods. The main building seemed to buzz with activity as of late, with Alpha Flight members transporting belongings to the Maple Leaf. Each Alpha Flight member had participated in nearly each Danger Room session since they announced their departure, the team knowing they would miss having that strong facility since their own ship had no Danger Room. The Canadian team also tended to spend much time apparently trying to memorize their surroundings; they would miss Haven. Wolverine sought tranquility and quiet more often than usual now.

“Too bad to be partin’ with one of our own though,� Wolverine muttered. “He’s gotta really want it bad if he’s leavin for it�.

“It is natural to want love and companionship. Or just sex. I’m not sure exactly which of the above Angel is seeking – perhaps it is all of them�.

“Yeah. Guess it is natural – lot of the guys here don’t seem happy without a girl of their own�.

Storm made a few mental calculations. “If all goes well, by the time Angel and Alpha Flight return, Jean and Scott’s son will be about two months old. If Alpha Flight does finally agree to give us some of their power supply then –“

“That’s a big ‘if’,� Wolverine cut in.

“Then I wonder if Jean and Scott will even *want* to go back to earth,� Storm speculated. “Being the parents of a two month old, they might not want to go into a dangerous battle on earth. Perhaps Jean would remain here as Heather is doing; perhaps both she and Scott will do so�.

“I still say you’re gettin’ ahead of yourself, Ro. We don’t know if we’re ever gonna get off this ball, don’t know if Alpha Flight’s ever gonna give us any power. Hell, don’t even know if they’re gonna make it back�. He paused. “But if they do, you’re right. Jean and Cyke might stay here with their baby. You might be leadin’ the team. You’ll do a damn fine job of it�.

Storm forced a smile. “Thank you, Logan�.

He slowed his pace and looked into Ororo’s eyes. “Always knew you were a brave leader. Knew it soon as I joined the team and saw you on our first mission�.

Ororo squeezed Logan’s hand harder. “Thank you,� she said softly. She hoped his words were true. Part of her believed that Wolverine had noticed little else besides Jean back when he had first become an X-man. She shook that thought from her mind and added, “Sometimes I am brave. Other times I think about leadership and battles and I feel fear. A very intense fear, one that makes my palms sweat and my stomach clench�.

A thought popped into Logan’s head. “You ain’t told anyone else this, did you?�

“I mentioned it once to Xavier when he asked me to be second-in-command, years ago. I have not shared that with anyone since then�.

“Well, lady love, I’m honored that you told me. You’ve done a damn fine job of hidin’ any fear too. But you know you ain’t got a lot to be afraid of. You know how to lead the team�.

“I do. I can do it, and I thank you for your vote of confidence�. Ororo then stopped in her tracks. “What about you, Logan? Could you be a co-leader someday?�

He shrugged. “I could. But we ain’t a big team. We got fifteen people and three leaders. Don’t really need more than that – what’d be the point?�

“I wonder if perhaps someday we found other groups of powerful mutants, some who want to join us – perhaps then our team would grow�.

Logan’s gaze drifted towards the forest floor. As much as he missed action, he also knew he would never grow tired of Haven’s forest. No matter how many times he walked through it, it always appeared different and there was always a gnarled bush taking an unusual shape or bright batch of wildflowers that he had never seen before.

“Maybe,� he said finally. “I ain’t bankin’ on that happenin’, Ro�.

***

I’m going to sound like a jerk for saying this, but I was really intensely starting to dislike Aurora. I now had less than 24 hours left with Jean Paul and she was still monopolizing his time – despite the fact that they’d have the next four months together on the ship. She was still emotionally needy and he hated leaving her alone for any stretch of time. I guess in the past Heather had played a kind of “mothering� role with the rest of Alpha Flight. But she was occupied with her baby now, and the other person Aurora had leaned on – Walter – wasn’t on speaking terms with her, so Aurora really had no one else but her brother.

I should show more compassion, I know. I guess it’s that I didn’t know anything about mental illness. Maybe I kept blaming Aurora for her condition and maybe that was totally wrong of me; I suppose she didn’t choose to be mentally ill. I can be a jerk, I know.

But I kept my resentment inside of me and didn’t share these thoughts aloud. I didn’t want Jean Paul’s last several hours with me to be filled with my complaints, especially given the condition his sister was in. I let the resentment out during a crowded Danger Room session. I fought aggressively, fought rough – still didn’t hit a lot of my targets, though Storm had told me that my aim was getting better.

During Alpha Flight’s final evening on Haven, Jean Paul felt it was okay to leave Aurora with Puck and Shaman for a bit. She protested that she was not hungry, but they said they’d sit with her during the meal so we could get a bit of time alone.

“If Angel thinks he can hit on my sister during the trip back to earth, I will show him – what is the expression? – that he has another thing coming,� Jean Paul whispered as we walked about to his room.

“I still can’t believe he’s going with you guys,� I began.

“I know. But Bobby, I stand firm with what I said earlier. I will feel so much safer and happier if you stay here, so you are not to come with us�.

There was no use arguing about it. I wanted to remind Jean Paul that the X-men’s ultimate goal – if we could ever get any damn dilithium – was to return to earth and fight FOH, and I would certainly be in danger during that war. A lot of danger. So it was wrong of Jean Paul to think that I could be protected forever. But I could also see his point – no point in taking unnecessary risks either and I wasn’t really needed on this mission. Jean Paul was as stubborn as an ox anyway, that was evident.

We reached my bedroom. Jean Paul had already transferred all of his belongings to the Maple Leaf; since his room was bare, we decided to sleep in mine. My room had been nearly untouched during the past two months since Jean Paul had arrived. The sheets felt cool and crisp as we pulled them back, to make love for the last time. He went even slower than usual and I again marveled at him -- he had been the only person to make love to me with tenderness and gentleness. He held me and promised to return, promised he could handle whatever danger he’d face on earth. I had been in a daze since the announcement was made but now it really hit me that he was going away. Four months seemed like an eternity.

And then his communicator buzzed. Puck said that his sister was crying and would respond to no one. Fortunately we were done with the lovemaking by then. He dressed and kissed me goodbye. I next saw him the following morning when he tapped on my door. We cuddled together until it was time for Alpha Flight to eat its last meal here. In the dining room we sat next to each other and ate breakfast. I hadn’t slept well the night before and had no appetite.

“Cheer up, Bobby,� Puck urged. He looked energized and refreshed. “We’ll be back in no time!�

“It is true,� Jean Paul added. “Have something to eat�.

Along with a handful of X-men, I walked across the field with Alpha Flight as they headed towards the Maple Leaf for the last time. The team members climbed the ramp of their ship.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Heather and James kiss for a long time. Their farewell kiss, I guessed. My mind certainly wasn’t on them but maybe it did help to realize that I wasn’t the only person in pain. I felt guilty glancing in their direction but I saw a measure of passion in that kiss. Weeks ago, Jean Paul had told me that the two really did love each other – they were just horribly unsuited to each other, he said; it was a very illogical love but they couldn’t ever permanently split, either. I hadn’t believed him but now I saw a small spark of it, or at least a remnant of the fact that there had once been something strong and good between them.

Jean Paul reached for me. He pulled me into a kiss, and I didn’t care that there were assorted X-men milling about. We kissed for a while.

“I love you,� Jean Paul said.

“I love you too�.

I saw Hank standing nearby. For some reason it hadn’t registered that he was there. But he always was there for me; he was always standing in the background and helping me but I always took him for granted.

“Take good care of him while I am away, my friend,� Jean Paul urged Hank.

“You have nothing to fear, Northstar,� Hank promised.

Jean Paul flew up the ramp, Hank rested a hand on my shoulder, and I finally did let out a few tears.

***

“It seems quieter here,� Cannonball observed that afternoon.

“There are only ten fewer of us but it certainly makes a difference,� Storm said.

Cannonball, Jubilee, Storm, and Wolverine were sitting together in the rec room. Cannonball had wanted some time alone with Jubilee but she had preferred to spend the afternoon with Storm and Wolverine. Three of the four X-men in the room were playing a board game. Wolverine sat drinking a beer, observing and talking with the others, but not participating in the game himself.

Haven was experiencing one of its brief and rare rain showers. The room felt slightly humid though the group knew it would pass. Storm always hesitated to use her powers here; she did not want to upset the planet’s natural balance. She also knew that Haven never seemed to have more than an hour or two of bad weather per week.

As Jubilee moved her game piece along the board, Cannonball took a glance at Wolverine and felt unsurprised at the older man’s disinterest in playing the game. It involved answering questions and occasionally divulging feelings and opinions. It just wasn’t Wolverine’s thing, Sam mused.

“I’m glad Brianna’s staying,� Jubilee added. “She’s such a sweet baby. It’s kind of fun to have her around�.

Wolverine leaned forward in his seat. “You ain’t thinkin’ of havin’ one yourself soon, are you?�

Out of the corner of his eye, Sam saw Storm shoot Wolverine a look. He also saw Wolverine take a glance in his direction.

Jubilee just giggled and said, “Don’t be crazy! I’m like way too young to even think about whether or not I ever want one�.

A bit of silence fell. Storm then said, “Well, I hope Alpha Flight will be successful on their mission. I wish them well�.

“Me too,� Wolverine grumbled. “’Cause sittin’ here’s gettin’ suffocating�.

Sam silently remarked to himself that Wolverine wasn’t the only one feeling suffocated lately.

***

The dining room felt spacious and open at dinnertime. Rogue carried her tray into the kitchen, selected her items from the food replicator, and took a seat next to Gambit at one of the tables. The afternoon’s rain had long since ended and the open windows brought fresh, post-rain breezes into the dining room.

Hank and Bobby entered the room shortly afterwards. “I will bring you something,� Hank was saying to the younger man. “What would you like?�

“I can get it,� Bobby mumbled. He followed his friend into the adjoining kitchen and, a minute later, they sat across from Rogue and Gambit.

“So how’re you hangin’ in there, Bobby?� Rogue asked.

“Alright,� he muttered, looking down at the rich lasagna that he had no desire to eat.

“Wish dere was somethin’ we could do,� Gambit said.

“I wish the same as well,� Hank added.

At that point, Nightcrawler entered the dining room and took a seat with the group. “Bobby, I too am sorry as well that you are separated from the person you care about. I am sure you are tired of hearing everyone say that it is only for four months�.

“No, no, keep saying it,� Bobby insisted, sounding a bit more like his old self. “Maybe if enough people say it, it’ll sink in�.

“It may indeed be a cliché, but you may be surprised at how swiftly the time does pass. One day you will wake up and see the Maple Leaf landing, and be surprised that the day has arrived so soon,� Hank speculated.

“I hope so. I just hope I stop feeling like this all the time,� Bobby said. “Well, whatever. I gotta get over it, I guess. It’s not like somebody died. I just really miss him�.

“The important thing is that he is coming back,� Nightcrawler said.

“You’ll be training with us tomorrow, right?� Rogue asked.

“I’ll be there. Missing the target as usual, but I’ll be there�.

“You should not put yourself down,� Nightcrawler advised. “I’ve been in the Danger Room with you many times and you fight well�.

Bobby forced a smile. “Thanks for all the encouragement, guys. I’ll be fine�. He sliced into his lasagna and forced himself to take a bite.

Later that evening, Rogue and Gambit took a walk around the lake. They held hands as they observed the sunset. It painted the sky in rich hues of pink and gold.

“Remy feel sorry for Bobby,� Gambit said. “I can’t t’ink of how hard I’d be takin’ it if you and me were apart for four mont’s�.

“Of course, Remy. I feel the same way. We’re lucky that we ain’t been apart, not since you joined the X-men in the first place. But you don’t think that…well, I mean you don’t think what Bobby and Northstar got is as serious as what we got, do you?�

“Dunno, chere. You an’ me be soulmates. Don’t know if Bobby and Nort’star are or will be. Dey do care bout each ot’er a lot dough, maybe even love each ot’er�.

Rogue closed her eyes for a second. “I do sure care about Bobby myself and always will. I hope he’ll be alright�. She couldn’t say why but she had been noticing all day that she seemed to like Bobby better now that Northstar was gone. She knew that sentiment was completely illogical and tried to put it out of her mind.

“I’m startin’ to miss earth myself,� she said quietly.

“Dat so?�

“I mean, I know it’s in a badly messed up state right now. But I wanna know what’s goin’ on there and find a way to make it better. I love it here on Haven but I’m startin’ to itch to get back. I wanna go with you, see Jackson Square someday like we talked ‘bout�. Rogue stopped talking and looked at her lover. “You don’t feel the same way?�

Gambit was silent for several moments. He finally said, “Don’t know. Remy sometimes feel tired of fightin’. Fought enough battles in my life, first in New Orleans and den with X-men, and I wanna enjoy be able to enjoy my life. Nice to be here, take a break, spend all day wit’ you and not worry ‘bout who we defendin’ ourselves from today. It’s beautiful here and my eyes like to see beauty�. He paused and added, “Gettin’ rid of FOH be the right t’ing to do, but no one know how to do it. It may be dat we can’t, dat dey get too powerful now�.

“But we haveta try. We gotta! Part of bein’ X-men means tryin’ to make the world a better place, for everyone – human and mutant. Even if it does mean some sufferin’ and sacrifice on our parts�.

Gambit smiled. “I know, chere. I know. Once we get the means to go back to eart’ and fight, I go an’ I do my best. But now, we can’t. Ain’t nothin’ we can do ‘bout dat so I’m enjoying t’ings the way dey are now�.

***

That first night, I couldn’t sleep. I’d been alone for most of my 25 years – alone, in terms of not having a lover – but somehow during the past two months I had gotten so used to falling asleep next to Jean Paul every night that anything else felt alien. The bed seemed huge and cold without a warm body to snuggle with. I didn’t do much sleeping, just a lot of tossing and turning and hugging the pillow.

When the sun first came up, I was tired enough of laying around and not sleeping so I just got up. I decided to head towards the lake and walk around the path, hoping it would at least clear my head or remind me that things weren’t so bad. My heart still felt really heavy and then I felt even worse when I reminded myself that it wasn’t like anyone had died, and it wasn’t like I’d never see him again. I just needed to be stronger and deal with it and stop being such a sentimental wimp.

I involuntarily gasped when I heard a noise. I turned around and saw Jubilee on her skateboard, using the paved pathway around the lake. You didn’t see her whip out her skateboard that often anymore. You also didn’t usually see her up at this hour.

She skated right up to me and slowed down.

“You’re not usually up at this time,� I said. She looked tired. I can’t imagine how I looked.

“Neither are you,� she shot back. “I just couldn’t sleep. I had to get out and get some air�.

“Really?� I asked. “Is something going on?�

“No, no…it’s just that…� She let her voice trail off.

“Just that what? Tell me,� I prompted, knowing that she would tell.

“Just that I’m tired of Sam snoring,� she admitted, looking down at her gym shoes.

“Oh, he snores?� I asked.

“And tosses and turns and hogs the blankets. I dunno. I just miss being able to stretch out and take up most of the bed. And get a full night’s sleep without having to turn him over and try to get him to stop snoring�.

I nodded and listened to her intently. My experience and thoughts on this were totally different for my own relationship but it was interesting to hear someone who felt otherwise.

“Is that the main thing that’s bugging you?� I asked, wondering if there was more.

“I dunno,� she said, as she reached down and scratched her knee. “Sam’s such a sweet guy that I feel bad saying anything like this. Don’t you tell anyone, Bobby�.

“I won’t,� I promised.

She continued. “Sometimes I just want to be able to swim in the lake or ride my skateboard without him following me all the time. I even – I know this sounds silly -- but I even started writing a short story, but I can’t sit down to do it without him standing over me and wanting to read it. It’s like ever since we decided we were boyfriend and girlfriend then he thinks we need to spend every minute together�.

I guess I was surprised. Well, not surprised but again, our views were so different. I wanted to be with Northstar most of the time and had never felt sick of him. So that led me to speculate.

“Maybe Sam’s not the one for you,� I wondered aloud.

“Maybe,� Jubilee said.

“Or maybe you just need some time apart. Just because you’re a couple doesn’t mean you need to spend all your time together�.

“Yeah, but Rogue and Gambit are almost always together. Of course Cyclops and Jean too, And you and Northstar – we couldn’t get you alone during all the time he was here! So shouldn’t I *want* to be with Sam all the time?�

“Well, maybe not. Look at Storm and Wolverine. It seems to me that they are good with spending some time together, some time apart. Actually, it’s not at all rare that you see one without the other – and they apparently don’t think that you need to sit elbow to elbow at every meal either. Being apart some never seems to bother them. Maybe for them absence makes the heart grow fonder. So I dunno, maybe you and Sam need some of that�.

Jubilee was quiet. “He’s such a sweet guy that I feel bad saying all this�.

“How’s the sex? If I may ask�.

“It’s good. Actually, it’s really good and it keeps getting better�. From the glint in her eyes, I could tell that she was being honest. Which was nice, Jubilee deserved that.

“Well, that’s good,� I said.

“Yeah,� Jubilee mumbled.

“I can tell there’s a ‘but’ after that�.

She shrugged. “But shouldn’t there be more than that? It’s like I like the sex a lot but sometimes I feel like there’s something…I dunno, missing�.

She then added, sounding far away, “He’s such a nice guy though. He really is. I just don’t know�.


***

“Good to see you still trainin’, bub,� Wolverine said to Iceman after a Danger Room session. This time the term “bub� was spoken in a manner such that it didn’t come across as an insult.

“Yes,� Storm added. “Seeing you improve each week has been good�.

“Thanks,� Bobby replied. He walked with them down Victory’s corridor towards its exit ramp. “You guys will probably hate that I say this, but I still don’t *like* fighting and I don’t think I ever will�.

Storm stopped and faced Bobby. “Bobby, I do not like to fight either. I do it because I must, but I cannot ever relish inflicting pain or causing destruction, even against FOH. But we have a duty to use our powers for good�.

After a moment, Bobby said, “I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one there who doesn’t like fighting. Because I really don’t�. Bobby shook his head. “I had the weirdest dream last night. It reminded me that I don’t think I’m a born fighter. I was back at the house I grew up in. Outside, on the lawn and the driveway, there were these giant white eggs that had been left by some weird dinosaurs that were going to attack us. Then these tiny lizards started coming up the street, ready to fight. And the rest of the X-men were all there, getting ready to fight back against the lizards. I was standing near the garage and not wanting to miss the battle but I had to get my shoes on. And it was taking me forever to get my shoes on which was making me nervous and anxious -- but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get them on�.

Storm and Wolverine exchanged a look. Storm wanted to raise an eyebrow. Wolverine muttered, “Lizards, eh? Were you traumatized by Sauron? You weren’t with us in the Savage Land though…�

“No, it was just a weird dream�.

“You can say that again,� Storm remarked with a smile.


***

Storm felt that time was passing quickly. She looked at her calendar and realized that already six days had passed since Alpha Flight’s departure.

“I believe that means we have been gone from earth for over five months now,� she told Wolverine as they strolled through the forest. “I wonder how things have changed�.

Logan nodded. He wondered as well. “Sometimes it feels like the days are passing fast. Other times, seems real slow here�.

“Do you ever wonder if we will be here forever? Sometimes I fear we will never leave this place�.

“Not gonna happen, ‘Ro. We’ll get outta here sooner or later, and soon after we’ll wish we were back here again. Somethin’ always comes up�.

Ororo stopped walking and turned to face Logan. “Did you know that there are some days that I do not wish to return to earth? There are days when I contemplate living the rest of my life here and I feel that I would enjoy that. It is a truly terrible thing for a co-leader of a team to say, is it not?�

Logan smiled. “I’m kinda honored that you tell me this stuff, ‘Ro. I know you don’t tell anyone else this. But I’m guessin’ that only a small part of you feels that way. I know you wanna get back to earth and fight the good fight�.

“I suppose so. A good leader should be comfortable with uncertainty -- and the fact that I do not know when or how we will leave Haven sometimes bothers me�.

“I’m sure it bothers Xavier and Cyke too. You ain’t alone�.

They resumed walking together. After some time, Ororo spotted a log and decided to take a rest on it. Logan rummaged around in his pocket.

“Here,� he said, “I made this for you�.

It was a wood carving. The piece of wood was circular, and it featured an image of a woman standing, with her cape and hair flowing.

“Found the piece of wood on the forest floor – didn’t chop anything down,� he added.

“I am very touched,� Ororo managed. “I have never received so lovely a gift. Thank you, Logan�.

“My pleasure�.

“A hand-made gift is very special�. She held the gift in her hand and continued to look at it. She ran a finger along the carvings, enjoying the feel of the smooth wood. She then looked up at him and said, simply, “I love you, Logan�.

He smiled. She had never said those words before, nor had he ever expressed the same sentiment to her. “Love you too, Ororo. Always will�.

She rose from the log and put her arms around Logan. They kissed happily and passionately. Storm planned to place a cord around the wooden medallion and wear it as a necklace.

***

Jubilee turned over ideas in her head, agonizing over one and discarding another. She tried reciting different speeches silently but none felt right. She finally sought out Storm’s counsel, and the two women spoke in private, inside Storm’s room.

“I don’t know what to do,� the young woman admitted. “I like Sam. He’s nice. But I think I realized that I don’t want to…be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore. It’s just that I think I need space. Maybe I’m not ready for a relationship or maybe I just don’t want one – I dunno�.

Storm nodded and began to say something, but Jubilee continued speaking, “But wait. There’s more to it than that�. She took a breath. “I sound like such a slut when I think of this. But I like *want* to have sex. I like the sex part of it but I don’t like the being-a-girlfriend part of it. That’s terrible, isn’t it?�

“Well, I certainly do not think it’s terrible at all,� Storm said.

Jubilee smiled. She knew that Storm was non-judgmental.

“I’m sure Wolverine wouldn’t approve,� Jubilee muttered.

“Wolverine does not need to know. His memory might be gone but I am fairly certain he has not led a celibate monk’s life either. And regardless, it is not his decision�. Storm paused. “So, do you intend share these thoughts with Sam?�

“That’s what I’m struggling with! How do you tell someone, ‘Gee, you’re really nice but can we like not be in a relationship anymore? Oh, and can we still have sex sometimes?’�

“The words might indeed be hard to say. But the positive of it is that you are being honest and straightforward. After all, the idea of being someone’s girlfriend solely because you want sex seems dishonest. At least this way, you are being truthful and open. How do you think Sam feels?�

“I can’t tell. He doesn’t talk a lot about his feelings. I think sometimes he gets frustrated with Wolverine watching over us like a hawk. I think he likes me but I doubt he thinks I’m his soulmate either. I don’t think he loves me like…you know, like you and Wolvie or anything like that. I know I don’t feel that way about him – though he is really nice�. Jubilee smiled and shook her head. “For the longest time, I wanted a boyfriend. Now I just want to be free. Am I fickle or what?�

“You’re human. And you’re nineteen. We all learn new things about ourselves as we grow and mature, and sometimes our needs and wants change too�.

“You’re so wise, Storm�.

“As I believe you are. I am glad that you are thinking of what you do and do not want, and are getting ready to communicate it�. She took a breath and asked, “What will you do if he wants something different?�

Jubilee shrugged. “Well, if he wants to stay together as a couple then I think I’ll hold firm and tell him that I need some space. Or if he wants a clean break and doesn’t want to sleep with me anymore, then I’ll be okay with that too. In fact, I’ve been kind of wondering about some of the other guys here, like Peter. Or even Forge, though he’s too old for me to have like an actual relationship with, but I wouldn’t mind sleeping with either one of them�. She shook her head. “I still bet there are some people who’d call me names for thinking about all this�.

“There may be some with that attitude but they are not worth wasting your time on. I believe that sex is a wonderful thing and there is no harm in enjoying it, as long as you are not causing anyone harm�. Storm paused, and then continued, “I am sure that many or even most of the men speculate about us in a similar manner. I really do not think you should agonize over speculating about them�.

“Thank you, Storm,� Jubilee said, impulsively hugging her. “I wish every girl on the planet had a big sister like you�.

“Jubilee, I am the lucky one,� Storm insisted, feeling that all aspects of her life were indeed more positive than she would have dreamed possible decades ago.


***

I missed Northstar like crazy, and everyone was getting a bit bored, but the sun kept rising and setting and time kept moving on.

Space was quiet. No other ships were in this sector. What had started out as peaceful felt almost eerie now.

We did all sorts of things to stay busy and fend off boredom. We held card game and board game tournaments, organized into teams with scores diligently kept. (I was on one of the winning teams!) Ditto on sports games though I just watched and didn’t play those. I wasn’t competitive but a lot of the team liked a good competition, and I did sometimes keep score. We also programmed more and more challenging Danger Room sessions to keep us on our toes.

Of course we had Brianna to entertain us. That helped. Most of us were happy to take her off Heather’s hands so that Heather could rest. It was fun spending time with her though honestly at that age she didn’t do much other than eat, sleep, and use her diaper. She was adorable though. Everyone was cordial and kind with Heather and she got along well with us. She was nothing like her husband, thank god.

Despite our best efforts, boredom did sometimes happen. We’d watched every movie in Victory’s library twice, even the ones we couldn’t stand the first time through. Hank and Jean even started talking about getting a few of us together to put on a play, but you have to admit that the logistics for that would be hard – when you had only fifteen adults and needed several actors, there weren’t too many people left to actually watch and enjoy the play.

Colossus painted a lot and two of his completed works were hung in the foyer. One was a brilliant, deep red sunset and the other depicted the lake at dawn. Both were stunning. I could stand there and look at them all day; the level of detail and emotion in the paintings were incredible.

We talked about leaving Haven. People speculated that once Alpha Flight returned, we had to get them to share their power source with us, no matter what. Some even wondered if James might demand that we give over Victory, become members of Alpha Flight, and work under his leadership in exchange for the power source. People talked about it and even considered the idea of pretending to agree to it, in order to get back to earth. Others again raised the idea of just taking Haven’s power source now, though none of our leaders would even consider that notion. Only once in my presence did someone speculate that Alpha Flight might not return, but Forge looked immediately embarrassed to have said those words and quickly added that he “was sure� they would be fine and come back. Someone else chimed in that as long as Heather and Brianna were here, Alpha Flight was returning for sure. I clung to that.

There were a few scuffles and brief fights among the team. Generally the X-men had been getting along well. But it was all the news when Gambit and Wolverine had a brief brawl one evening. I didn’t see it myself and no one seemed to remember what it was over. When I saw Remy the next day he shrugged and said, “Everyt’in’s cool�. I guess they worked it out. Or Rogue and Storm made them work it out.

I remember once watching an impromptu basketball game. Only Wolverine, Cyclops, and Gambit were playing. I thought back to the early days when those three hated each other and were always fighting. I actually wanted to smile when I realized that they now not only tolerated each other but actually liked each other deep down (well, despite Gambit and Wolverine’s scuffle the other day). They’d never admit it though.

Oh, and can I gossip for a second? Jubilee and Cannonball broke up. Jubilee told me the whole story not long after the two had agreed to splitsville. She seemed fine with it and glad about the decision, and the two looked okay with each other. But a few weeks later, I saw Sam leaving her room. I asked Jubilee about it, and she shrugged and said that they now had a “friends with benefits� arrangement. She said she was happy with it, and that it had actually been her idea; it had just taken Sam a while to come around to it. I told her, sincerely, that if she was happy then I was happy. I wondered how Wolverine felt about it and imagined him grumbling about it with Storm in private.

And I’ve mentioned it too many times so I won’t say it again other than that I obviously missed Jean Paul like crazy. The short time he was here, we had spent most of each day together so now I had a big hole in my days. I wished that we had some way to keep in touch. As I went through my day, I thought of things I wanted to say to him, things I wanted to ask him but couldn’t. His absence really ate at me.

I was bored enough that I did keep up with what Hank had started with me on months ago – building more upper body strength. He’d supervised my training in the gym and had me on a diligent schedule involving one day of intense work and one day of rest. I didn’t like doing it but, what the hell, there was nothing else to do. I was able to gradually lift more and more and I noticed that lifting and carrying things became a lot easier. I sure was a long way from being anywhere near as built and bulky as some of the other guys though.

One day I woke up and happily crossed out a red “X� on my calendar -- two months had now passed since Alpha Flight’s departure. If all was going well, we were at the halfway point; they would be at earth now and returning home soon. I didn’t pray much, never had, but I whispered a few prayers again.

Later that day, several of us were eating lunch on the porch when Storm flew over and told us that Jean had just gone into labor.

***

Professor Xavier left the hut. Scott, Jean, and Hank were ensconced inside, medical equipment and communicators at their fingertips.

“We’ll be fine,� Jean had told their visitors. “It should be a while before the baby’s here, judging by my contractions�.

“Promise that you will call us if you need something,� the Professor had insisted.

“Yes,� Nightcrawler had agreed. “I can teleport you anywhere. I will have my communicator right by my bedside, assuming that your labor does go into the night�.

Jean thanked them for their kindness. It was when Xavier was moving back towards the building that he first felt the mental tug.

A presence from the past. No. Two voices from his past. He shut his eyes and concentrated.

“Professor?� Nightcrawler had asked.

“I’m fine,� he answered Nightcrawler’s unspoken question. “There is something I need to investigate but it is nothing to be alarmed about�.

As Nightcrawler nodded, the Professor called Storm on his communicator. He asked to meet her inside Victory.

When Xavier reached the ship, Storm was landing on its ramp. “Is something the matter, Professor?� she asked.

“Let’s power up the bridge,� he replied.

`Not giving a straight answer is unlike the Professor,’ Storm mused as she pressed several buttons. Victory’s lights switched on and its machines began to hum. Xavier and Storm headed for the bridge.

“Can you detect anything unusual in this sector?� he asked her as she tapped buttons on the computer.

“Scanning now,� she said. Her eyes read the data on the screen. “Nothing so far, Professor. Do you sense something?�

He closed his eyes again and once more concentrated. He then opened his eyes. “Yes,� he breathed. “I sense Magneto. And I sense Moira MacTaggert�.

Storm raised an eyebrow. “Both of them? In space?�

“I don’t know. But I have not sensed anything like this for a very long time�.

Storm’s eyebrows were knit in confusion as she again studied the computer monitor. “When Alpha Flight first approached Haven, we first sensed their ship and only later were you able to sense their minds. Do you know why you believe that Magneto and Moira might be in this area? I am running every scan I know of and nothing is being detected�.

“I don’t know the answer to that question, Storm. My impression might be wrong. Or perhaps we detected the Maple Leaf early on due to its advanced age and its cloaking device not being the most powerful. Or it may be that because I was so emotionally close to Magneto and Moira that I have more of a connection with them and can sense them more easily than anyone in Alpha Flight�.

Storm observed that the Professor sounded confused and unsure.

“I believe they are somewhere out in space,� he posited. “But I do not feel that I can reach out to their minds and communicate with them as of yet�.

“You must be relieved to have a sense that Moira is still alive�.

“I am. But I am equally confused at the situation,� Xavier admitted.

The Professor and Storm remained on the bridge for a while, long enough that their absence did not go unnoticed.

“Everythin’ alright in here?� Wolverine asked, entering the bridge.

“We are unsure of what exactly may be taking place,� Storm said.

Xavier turned his chair towards Wolverine. “That is indeed correct, and while we are unsure, I ask that we do not discuss this. I especially do not want to disturb Jean now that she is in labor�.

“I know what you mean, Xavier. But people notice that you and Storm ain’t in the buildin’ and they’re gonna wonder why you’re on the ship with the bridge powered up,� Wolverine pointed out.

“I understand, but it is premature to try to alarm anyone right now�.

“He does have a point, Professor,� Storm insisted. “I can activate one of those portable sensors that Cyclops and I made and continue to observe space from there. You, of course, can do your monitoring from any location�.

Xavier agreed to Storm’s idea. The three filed out of Victory, Wolverine and Storm walking behind Xavier. They entered Haven’s main building and turned towards the wing of the personnel quarters. The couple walked into Storm’s room.

“What is it?� he asked quietly.

“He thinks that he senses both Magneto and Moira MacTaggert. But our sensors are not detecting a ship�.

“Could be a ship with a hell of a cloaking device�.

“That is what I suspect as well, since we know the Professor’s mind must be accurate. But you can understand why he does not want word of this to spread. This must be a very sensitive time for Jean�.

“Yeah. And Magneto spells trouble. We don’t wanna bother Jean�. He paused. “What would Magento and Moira be doing together out in space?�

“I don’t know. But Magneto has fought bitterly against us in the past and I think we need to prepare for anything�. She paused. “It is hard to *secretly* prepare to fight though – it will be difficult to keep this information from Jean and Scott for too long. That is why the Professor wants to wait to gather more information before we take action. I hope Jean and Scott’s son arrives soon�.


***

Jean experienced another wave of pain, another intense contraction. She gritted her teeth and squeezed Scott’s hand harder before deciding to use her psychic powers. She closed her eyes and mentally took the pain and placed it inside a box. She closed the lid and stored it away. She concentrated on keeping that pain box away from her until the contraction passed.

“I told myself that I wasn’t going to do that,� Jean breathed. “Wasn’t going to use my powers to block the pain. But I’ve never felt such extreme pain in my life. Not even during the Phoenix saga�.

Scott reached a damp cloth to her forehead and, after receiving Jean’s nod, patted it. He hated to be reminded of the Phoenix saga. Those months spent apart from Jean had been nothing less than agonizing. That epoch fortunately felt so long ago, especially with the Shi’ar so distant, embroiled in their own civil war. Scott hoped never to be separated from Jean again and had no idea how he had survived their time apart. He had never felt like himself during their separation, like he had been missing his very soul.

“There’s no harm in using your powers. We’ve been given them and we should use them. I don’t see any point to suffering for suffering’s sake�. Scott smiled. “Besides, if we ever have a second one you’ll need to have pleasant memories of the first one’s birth�.

Jean made a face. “Scott, I don’t know if anything about this will be pleasant until I have the baby in my arms�. She smiled. “But you holding my hand and using that cloth on me does help�. She then asked, “How are you holding up? Are you nervous?�

“Hank keeps saying that all your vital signs are strong and he anticipates a smooth birth. That helps me feel much better�. The doctor was sitting on a chair outside the hut, resting.

“I’ve said it before, but I know you’ll make a wonderful father. I look forward to watching you interact with our son�.

“Please keep saying it, Jean, that part about me being a wonderful father. Because sometimes I worry. Growing up in an orphanage, I never had a father. Thank God for the Professor though. He’s been like that to me�.

“So then you know what to do, how to be a role model for a child. And we’ll always stay with you, Scott. You have the family you craved as a child, and with our son, we’ll only be closer as a family�.

“I know. I feel it. And I am so lucky to you have you, Jean. I love you more than anything�.

“I love you too, Scott�.

***

TO BE CONTINUED

Reviews are always appreciated.

Chapter 13

I sat with Jubilee on the porch as we leisurely sipped drinks. The sun was going to set soon and it was always neat to watch. I loved looking at all the different colors. The latest word was that it would be a long while before the baby would arrive, probably not until the morning at the earliest.

“Hey, um, Jubilee?� I began. “Can I ask you a question?�

She nodded.

“I know it’s none of my business, but I was just curious. I saw you leaving Colossus’s room last night…so I was just wondering…�

Jubilee smiled. “We’re sleeping together,� she said. She then added, playfully, “Well, duh, since you saw him leaving my room – I’m sure you figured he wasn’t giving me painting lessons!�

I laughed along with her. Then I asked, “But…what about Cannonball?�

“What about him? We’re doing a friends-with-benefits thing, remember? If I want to sleep with someone else too, it’s my business only�. She paused and asked, “Do you think I’m like a total slut?�

I decided a truthful approach would be best. “Uh, Jubes, if you knew how many guys I’d slept with back in the day, you’d know I’m like not in a position to make that sort of judgment. You have a way to go to catch up with me in terms of numbers of different guys�. I silently added, ‘A long, *long* ways’.

“But now you want only Northstar?�

I nodded. “Yeah. I’ve sowed my wild oats and there’s a difference between having sex and making love�. I then added, “But hey, nothing wrong with having sex. We all need it�.

“Definitely,� she said.

“So…Peter does know that it’s just a friends-with-benefits thing too, right? Like, he’s not expecting that you’ll be his girlfriend now, right?�

“Oh, I was real clear about the score when I approached him�.

“That’s good. Honesty’s a good thing. And Peter must be really happy. If he’s anything like most guys I know, and given that it’s been a while for him. And of course given what a beautiful lady you are�.

“He’s happy,� Jubilee smiled.

“You do, um, use protection, right?� If Hank could ask me about it, then I could ask Jubilee.

“Of course,� she said, sounding like she’d wanted to say an exasperated ‘Duh’ instead.

Jubilee’s gaze drifted. “Hey, look. There’s the Professor and Storm and Wolvie coming back from the field. I wonder what they were doing out there�.

“Maybe taking a walk – or ride – in the forest. You never know. It’s a beautiful place; it doesn’t get old�.

“Yeah, that’s true�.

I would later find out that Colossus had made a sketch for Jubilee before their first night together. Jubilee showed it to me once. It was a beautiful drawing of two people embracing. I wasn’t an art critic or anything, but Peter’s work always seemed to have so much depth in it. ‘Romantic’ was the first word I thought of when I saw the sketch. ‘Warm’ was the second. His artwork was always rich.

***

Two happenings occurred in the early hours of the following morning: the Professor made contact with Moira, and Jean and Scott’s baby was born.

//It is true, Charles// Moira responded to Charles’ telepathic contact. //I am on a starship with Magneto and a handful of other mutants. We are coming to your planet. He has no intension of attacking you, of that I am quite certain. We will be there in a matter of days.//

As he probed her mind to feel her response. Charles knew that something was wrong. //What is wrong, Moira? I feel intense sorrow from you.//

//My son and my husband are dead. I saw FOH kill them in front of my own eyes. And Siryn’s own eyes, God bless her soul; my poor stepdaughter is fatherless.//

//My deepest condolences, Moira. I cannot imagine the pain you must be feeling. I am so deeply sorry.//

Moira’s mind was silent. //Let us wait until the ship arrives and we can speak in person, Charles. The pain is too deep right now. FOH did other things to us too, things that I canna even speak about. Please, Charles, I would rather wait until I see you in person before we talk more.//

//I understand, Moira. I will wait to contact you until I see you in person. You are certain that Magneto is not planning to attack?//

//Completely.//

From his gentle probing of Moira’s mind, he knew that this was indeed the case. Of course Magneto’s mind was impenetrable to him due to Magneto’s formidable helmet. That fact provided very little comfort to Xavier, however. Moira’s comment about FOH doing “other things� to Moira and her family was haunting the Professor. He feared the worst and had to will his mind away from speculating on that, in order to preserve his sanity.

Moments later, the Professor’s communicator beeped and Hank spoke, “Professor? Jean just gave birth to a healthy baby boy. He is 7 lbs, 2 ounces. Mother and baby are doing well. If you are awake, they are eager for visitors�.

“I will be right there, Hank�.

***

“We’re naming him John Charles,� Jean said. “John after my father, and….well I suppose I don’t need to explain the Charles part�.

“I am very honored, Jean and Scott,� the Professor said, humbly. “I am delighted for you, and deeply honored,� he repeated.

The baby was red and small, fast asleep in Xavier’s arms. He had a bolt of red hair on his head. Scott sat next to Jean’s bed.

A few other X-men had begun to filter into and near the hut. “You must be godawful tired,� Rogue said.

“The word ‘exhausted’ doesn’t even begin to cover it,� Jean smiled wearily. “My body has never been through anything like that. It was very hard…but now that I’ve done it, I also feel a bit exhilarated, if that makes any sense. The whole process is rather…awesome�.

“And we had an awesome doctor,� Scott added. Hank had only left the hut when he had been satisfied that all was well, and he now dozed inside his own room though attached to his communicator.

“We are going to have a party to celebrate John’s birth, right?� Bobby asked.

“Once Jean and I get caught up on sleep, we’d love to,� Scott answered.

“Good luck with that,� Heather smiled knowingly, her slumbering infant strapped to her back. “I suspect you’ll have trouble sleeping for the next eighteen years or so�.

“We also plan to have Nightcrawler baptize John,� Scott added. His religious background was Protestant, not Catholic, but Nightcrawler’s religious ministrations would suffice especially given that there was no alternative.

“Is John a mutant?� Rogue asked.

“Hank’s going to run some tests tomorrow to find out,� Jean said, stifling a yawn. “At this point, all I care about is the fact that he’s here and he’s healthy�.

“Me too,� Scott said, gratitude evident in his voice.

***

As if the birth of Jean and Scott’s baby wasn’t enough to get us all talking, the Professor dropped a bomb on us during breakfast. We, of course, didn’t usually all eat breakfast together since we didn’t all get up at the same time, but he said that enough of us were there that he wanted to share with us what he knew.

It was shocking news. Magneto – on his way here. With Moira MacTaggert, who says that Magneto’s not coming here to fight us. And then the news that Banshee’s dead, along with Moira’s son.

“I will discuss this one-on-one with those who aren’t here,� the Professor added.

“At this point, our strategy will be to continue on as we always have,� Storm said. “Continue to train and be prepared for anything. Though it seems as though Magneto is not bringing a war with him, it still behooves us to continue to train hard�.

“Magneto always means trouble,� Colossus added.

“So Moira is not telling you anything else?� Nightcrawler asked the Professor.

“I must respect her wishes,� the Professor answered. “She is in such an intense state of grieving. It was nearly painful to be in contact with her mind. Magneto’s ship will be here soon enough and I believe that we must find out from him face to face what his plans are�.

I looked closely at the Professor’s face. It looked like an odd mixture of hope and worry, covered by his always-present calmness.

***

Jean cradled the sleeping infant as Hank activated the tricorder in front of him. The doctor pressed several buttons.

“The odds would have it that he’s probably a mutant, right?� Scott asked.

Hank smiled. He had had this conversation with Jean and Scott before, not long after they announced their pregnancy. But there was no harm in having it again. He could only dream of what it would be like to be an anxious, excited parent. Hank knew that it was an experience he would never have. He banished the brief sensation of self-pity and sadness and replaced it quickly with his usual serenity.

“It is difficult to say with absolute certainty,� Hank began. “It is not as if we can reference decades of research on this subject matter. In all likelihood, John is a mutant. However, having two mutant parents does not guarantee a mutant child either�. He didn’t want to bring up the most infamous example of this: Graydon Creed.

“Being a mutant – being an X-man – has brought me such happiness in life,� Jean began. “If John is a mutant, I hope it will do the same for him�.

Moments later the test was completed. John was indeed a mutant. Jean and Scott greeted the news with a kiss.

“Just fourteen more years to go to find out what his mutation will be,� Scott smiled.


***

“Two mont’s of nothin’ happen’ and now Jean and Scott had the baby and we got Magneto on his way�. Gambit shook his head. “I know if the Professor say Magneto ain’t comin’ to fight, den Magneto ain’t comin’ to fight. Still makes me wonder dough�.

“I know,� Rogue said, sitting next to Gambit on the porch, taking a sip of her sweet tea. “I guess Storm’s right, though. Not much we can do other than keep trainin’. An’ hope that the Professor ain’t lost his touch. I’m sure he’s right�.

“Me too. An’ dis group’s fightin’ is as strong as ever. If it is all a trick – say, if Magneto’s holdin’ Moira hostage – den we can beat him. Always did in the past�.

“He may be powerful but there’s fifteen of us to fight back!� Rogue agreed. “He’d actually be crazy to try and pull somethin’�.

Rogue looked down at her hands. Since she didn’t have her bracelet on, she wore her gloves. She gently tugged at the fingertips. “I wonder if Mystique’s with him,� she said quietly.

“She may not be, chere. Don’t sound like Moira said he had dat many mutants wit’ him. What are the odds?�

“Not too high�. Rogue sighed. “But she did usedta fight along with him, sometimes. I wonder where she’s at now. Things on earth are such a mess. But she’s a shapeshifter – she oughtta be able to find her way outta anythin’�.

“You feelin’ sad, like you miss her?� Gambit asked quietly.

“I dunno. I never know what I feel ‘bout her. I talked to Kurt and he said he feels the same way. I’d almost rather that she *ain’t* with Magneto now,� Rogue said resolutely.

The two sat together in silence for several moments. “Glad Jean and Scott’s baby okay,� Gambit said.

“Me too, thank goodness. Cute little thing. Wonder if he’ll keep that red hair or if it’ll get darker. Wonder what his mutation will be. Good thing he don’t have his daddy’s eyes�.

Gambit leaned in closer, after checking to ensure that no one was approaching the porch. “Remy’s still surprised dat Jubilee and Colossus sleepin’ toget’er�.

“Me too. Peter sure seems happy ‘bout it�.

“Did you see the look on Sam’s face dough? I don’t t’ink he and Jubes gonna be ‘friends wit’ benefits’ dat much longer�.

Rogue nodded as she took another sip of her tea. “Can’t imagine the whole thing myself. ‘Friends with benefits’? Ain’t for me. Why wouldn’t a girl want a real relationship instead?� She paused and added, “I ain’t judgin’ – just wonderin’�.

“Everyone different, Rogue. But I sure agree dat I like what we got instead�.

Gambit’s prediction regarding Cannonball and Jubilee would turn out to be correct. Sam soon decided that he didn’t like the fact that Jubilee was sleeping with Colossus, even though Jubilee was neither man’s girlfriend, and so Cannonball ended his arrangement with Jubilee. Jubilee continued to have Peter as a “friend with benefit�.

***

The days leading up to Magneto’s arrival contained a flurry of activity. The X-men opened the Danger Room for extended hours. They also planned to put Victory’s bridge into a sort of stand-by mode, though planning the timing for this proved difficult. The sensors didn’t detect Magneto’s ship at all and the X-men didn’t know exactly what he would arrive.

“Got one hell of a cloakin’ device,� Gambit muttered, standing on the bridge next to Storm.

“The cloaking device on Victory should be equally strong, according to our last diagnostic,� Storm said.

“Still, ain’t for the Professor, we’d not even know Magneto be on his way here�.

Meanwhile, Scott and Jean tried to get used to being parents. Their sleep was interrupted by John no fewer than two times each night. However, the night Magneto arrived, it was Xavier who roused them from their bed.

“He’s almost here; it’s just a matter of hours,� the Professor said. “I can feel it. I’m going to tell Storm�.

“We’d better wake up everyone and get them ready,� Cyclops said, vaulting out of bed. He felt the bodily aches of one not getting quite enough sleep, suffused with a jolt of adrenaline. He had several ideas of what he would do if Magneto tried to harm his son.

“I’ll have Storm start up the bridge in case we will be in a fight�.

Cyclops smiled when he saw how quickly the X-men were prepared. Despite months of inactivity, they hadn’t lost their touch. The entire team was in uniform and looked ready for anything. `Now I have to hope that *I* haven’t lost my touch either,’ he said to himself.

Jean and Heather trooped with the others to Victory’s bridge and with their babies strapped on their backs. Scott hoped that he could focus on the events at hand without worrying about his wife and son.

In the end, however, the X-men’s preparations were for nothing. As Magneto’s ship approached, Xavier was able to sense his foe’s mind. Apparently Magnus had removed his helmet.

“Moira is right,� Xavier said. “I am completely convinced that he is not here to fight us�.

When he had gently probed Magneto’s mind, he also tapped into Moira’s once again. He nearly recoiled at the depths of pain stored inside his former love.

***

I was glad when the Professor told us that we truly had no reason to be ready for battle. Fighting in the Danger Room is one thing, but the thought of a real battle had made my stomach knot up. Even after we left Victory and stood in the field, waiting for Magneto’s arrival, the knot remained even though the threat of a fight was gone.

It was still dark outside. Gambit kept using his lighted cards to illuminate the area in front of him, and a few others had flashlights. My eyes adjusted. Along with Jubilee, I made a run to the kitchen and brought coffee and tea for those who wanted it. Heather and Jean brought out those stroller/carriage type things so their babies could more easily go back to sleep. Some sat down in the field or even migrated to the porch to relax as they waited.

Magneto’s ship decloaked only just before it landed. I scrambled to my feet and watched it land, feeling the strong wind it kicked up and hearing its engines. The ship looked nearly identical to Victory.

“Could he have stolen one of FOH’s ships too?� I heard Cyclops wonder.

It landed smoothly, settling down on the grass alongside Victory – where the Maple Leaf had been earlier, though Magneto’s ship was much larger than Alpha Flight’s. We all stood watching as the ship’s ramp descended, and its inhabitants walked out.

Magneto walked down first. The knot in my stomach intensified. I knew the Professor said we had nothing to worry about but for years I had thought of this man as our powerful enemy and it was hard to see that dark uniform, cape, and that white hair without remembering battle. I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder. It was Hank. He must’ve noticed that I was shivering. I whispered a thank you to him.

Moira and her stepdaughter Siryn disembarked next. Good god, they looked terrible. Both were clad all in black. Both were rail-thin, at least as far as I could tell from looking at the bones jutting on their faces, since their clothing was quite baggy. I couldn’t quite read the expression on Moira’s face, but Siryn looked a bit…blank. A bit absent. I don’t know how else to describe it. Moira went up to the Professor and stood next to him, but didn’t hug him or touch him in any way. I saw him make a brief gesture with his arms, maybe like he wanted to hug, but it went nowhere. Siryn stood back, looking like a statue.

There were a handful of others with them, some of whom we already were acquainted with. Pyro and Avalanche were there, and I quietly muttered, ‘Oh great’ to Hank when I spotted the two troublemakers. But they were quiet – neither Pyro nor Avalanche said anything or tried to provoke us in any way. That was kind of weird, I thought.

Next, a good-looking blonde woman descended the ramp and I had thought that I’d seen her somewhere before. Then I remembered where. I had read the reports and seen pictures of what my teammates fought during the Dark Phoenix saga. She was Emma Frost – like Magneto, another old enemy and a very powerful one too. I wasn’t happy to see her there either. I tried to see the look on Jean’s face but she was out of my visual range. Those X-men I could see sure didn’t look thrilled at Emma’s arrival. I wondered where the rest of the lunatics from the Hellfire Club were since there were none here with Emma.

There were some friendlier faces coming down that ramp too. The small green Morlock known as Leech was there, along with another of his brethren – Caliban. I tried to remember what their powers were but it was hard for me since I had never actually gone on any of the missions where the X-men had encountered them.

The last two people to disembark the ship were two young women, neither of whom we had met before. One had short hair and a tough look on her face. When she got closer to us I saw that she had some odd protrusions coming from her body. They looked like sticks or clubs, and it seemed like they just were just growing right through the skin. It was too bad she couldn’t, apparently, retract them. Next to her stood a shorter girl with long black hair and light brown skin. She looked “normal�. The young women were introduced to us as Marrow and Moonstar.

“Enough with the introductions,� Magneto said. “We must talk at once�.

“I am all ears, Magneto,� the Professor said. “Would you like to talk here or inside?�

I heard some of Magneto’s group make comments about wanting to sit down and wanting something to drink. And Magneto did look a bit tired, I noticed. I reminded myself that he wasn’t exactly twenty years old anymore. So we X-men led Magneto’s ragtag team inside our building and before I knew it, we were all sitting in the room with the fireplace. Food replicators had been activated and many people had drinks in their hands.

Jean and Scott’s baby began to cry in the background. Jean, who looked strong and not at all like she’d given birth a few days ago, shushed John.

Magneto began talking. “Caliban sensed that you would be here. I come to you because the situation for mutants on earth is grave�.

“We know, Magneto,� the Professor said. “We have not been gone that long and it is our greatest wish to return and make a difference�.

I noticed that Cyke and Storm were holding back a bit. It only made sense to have the Professor be the one to lead the discussion with his former friend and enemy.

“It had been my intention to leave earth once and for all. I saw that life for mutants was becoming only more and more bleak -- and thus at one point I had been content with the idea of finding a haven in space to live out the rest of my life. I am old and tired of fighting what I thought was a hopeless cause. I did in fact find a planet, a peaceful retreat. So I left, along with my children, Wanda and Pietro. But then I received news that FOH is building concentration camps for mutants. They intend to ‘exterminate’ each and every one of us�.

Although this wasn’t exactly a surprise – we had to have known that that was FOH’s final goal – it still was hard to hear. We all exchanged looks with each other.

“Have they begun imprisoning mutants into these camps yet?� the Professor asked.

“When I left earth six weeks ago, they had not but they were very close to doing so. Very few countries had any laws or protections for mutants any longer and most governments were more than willing to cooperate with FOH fully. I returned to earth attempting to build an army but…� Magneto paused. “But there are few mutant fighters left. Most of the Brotherhood was killed when I left earth the first time�. Magneto looked at Wolverine. “Sabretooth is dead. As is Mystique�.

There was a bit of rumbling heard around the room at that news. It was hard to tell what Wolverine thought of anything but I had to guess that he wouldn’t be mourning Sabretooth much. He didn’t look jubilant either though; what Magneto had said about concentration camps would certainly mute any happiness in the room. I wondered what Rogue and Nightcrawler were feeling about Mystique’s death. It was safe to say that neither was close to her. But heck, I had been estranged from my parents for a long time; if I were to receive news that either had died, I wasn’t sure exactly how I’d feel either but I would be at least a little sad.

“Are you certain?� Nightcrawler asked quietly.

“Yes�.

Nightcrawler closed his eyes and I saw his lips moving though he spoke no words. He made the sign of the cross.

Magneto continued, “These are the only mutant fighters I was able to round up. Pyro and Avalanche have been with me since I left earth the first time. I rescued Moira and Siryn from FOH on my return trip to earth. By then, those mutant-haters had already killed Banshee and Proteus. They’ve destroyed most of the Morlocks too. Marrow, Caliban, and Leech were the only ones I could find and rescue�.

“My group was also killed in battle against FOH,� Emma Frost said. “I am all that is left of the Hellfire Club�.

I looked down at my hands. I was sad to hear what had happened to the Morlocks but I sure couldn’t mourn the Hellfire Club that much, not when I think of what they did to us. But still, Emma looked a bit weakened and diminished – the loss of her group must have impacted her in some way. The rest of the X-men didn’t look that moved though.

“I knew I needed more people than I have here to bring down FOH,� Magneto said. “We can’t do it alone. So we used Caliban’s powers to locate you here. We must join together. We must destroy FOH�.

“We must prevent mutants from being rounded up into concentration camps,� the Professor said. “And we must get the public to see the evil that is espoused by FOH. But I will not destroy or harm individual FOH soldiers�.

“Charles,� Magneto shook his head. “Can’t you see that this is war? No, it is beyond war. It is genocide. If we do not fight back, and fight with all we have, we will be annihilated. When I returned to earth, I was shocked by how far FOH had gone and how brutal they have become. I – who had been planning to live out my final years removed from conflict – was forced back into action. FOH will stop at nothing to torture and kill all of us�.

“I see the need to fight back inasmuch as we need to defend individual mutants. But we must work with the common man. We need to help people see the truth that is FOH, while doing so in a way that won’t incite more violence�.

I looked at the two older men. And as bad as it sounds, I almost said to myself ‘Here we go again’. It was the same argument the two had been having for years now and I worried we’d be sitting here until the sun rose and set again, listening to our leaders rehash it.

But then Moira said something that shocked me, shocked everyone.

“Charles, we need to do whatever it takes to stop FOH,� Moira began. She still had that beautiful lilting accent. But her voice also sounded icy, hoarse, distant, and broken. It was freaky. “FOH held my family in custody for weeks, trying to learn how to replicate Banshee and Siryn’s powers. They raped me. They did it repeatedly, in front of Banshee and Kevin, while they held us prisoner. My son actually went blind for days from it. I’ve no doubt that FOH will rape every mutant female on the planet before killing us all. FOH must be defeated at all costs and I donna care how many of those bastards have ta be killed!�

It was like a bomb went off in the room. Or like someone dumped freezing cold water over each of us. Everyone started talking at once.

I saw the Professor turn to Moira and it looked like he was apologizing to her. I heard Rogue express some agreement with the idea of killing “FOH bastards�. Siryn was sitting across from me and she still looked alarmingly blank and detached, even a bit like she wasn’t really in the room with us.

Magneto’s voice rose above everyone else’s and the room quieted down so he could be heard. “You see what is in store for us! You heard it from one of your own. All mutants will be enslaved and all of our women will be raped – just as Siryn and Moira were - if we do not stop FOH!� His voice was adamant and even a bit majestic as he said, “Let us find a way to work together, Xavier! I have a strong ship and plenty of dilithium. Come with us back to earth and let’s bring down FOH together. I cannot do it without you. And I suspect that you need something from me as well – perhaps dilithium – otherwise you would have returned to earth long ago�.

I looked at the Professor and wondered if I saw a bit of uncertainty, something I didn’t usually see on his face. Then again, he had to still have been reeling at hearing what had happened to Moira and Siryn. I wondered if he had ever stopped being in love with Moira throughout all these years.

“I know that my X-men agree that we must stop FOH,� the Professor began.

“That is right, Professor,� Storm said. “There is no doubt that we all agree with the idea of overthrowing FOH. I am certain that the area where we disagree with Magneto is in terms of exact tactics�.

“Maybe not,� Wolverine spoke up. I craned my head to see him and then nearly jumped back. He looked ready to kill someone. “We gotta stop FOH. I don’t care if any of their bastards get killed in battle against us. You saw what they did. They were gonna do it to us and it was just a stroke of luck that we got out in time�.

Magneto said, “I know that you might not trust me. That is understandable. We have been foes for a long time. But I am willing to give you enough dilithium to return you to earth. You can take your own ship, provided it is space-worthy. We may not always agree on tactics, but we have the same goal and we must prevent mutants from being placed into extermination camps!�

“I still do not know if we can work together,� the Professor began. Where Magneto was now sounding energized and inspiring, the Professor now sounded deflated and injured. “I will not condone killing of anyone, even those who have done horrible things to mutants. If we do that, the hope of mutants and non-mutants ever working together will be dashed and the public will just view us as a bunch of murderers�.

“We will have a much better chance of defeating FOH if we all agree on tactics,� Cyclops pointed out. “A united team is a lot more effective than a divided one�.

“Perhaps we should take some time to think about this,� Storm said. “Maybe even tomorrow we can all fight together in the Danger Room and see how we do as a team�.

“I say we get off this rock and kill some FOH bastards,� Wolverine said. “Right now. Why the hell are we sitting here talking about this??�

“Because the risk is too great if we team up with Magneto and our different beliefs cause the situation for mutants to get even worse,� the Professor answered patiently.

“Xavier, I tell you that it *cannot* get any worse!� Magneto insisted. His tone then softened a bit. “But yes, please do take some time to think about it. My group would be more than happy to train with yours in the Danger Room if you think that would be best. Tell us when and where�.

So it was settled and our meeting ended at that point. The plan was that we’d all turn in for the night and regroup the next day. Magneto and his group rose to return to their ship where they said they would spend the night.

Just as I was wondering if any of Magneto’s people might want to explore Haven (it was still the middle of the night but we had lanterns), the young woman named Moonstar walked right up to Hank.

“You’re Henry McCoy, right?� she asked. The look on her face, even her tone of voice and demeanor, were not of the type that I’d associate with a Magneto crony. She sounded level-headed. Self-assured but not the least bit conceited. Actually, she also seemed…nice.

“Yes I am,� he said.

“I briefly knew a female mutant on earth who reminded me of you. She looked like you, but more like a panda bear. She was with the group I was hiding out with when we got captured by FOH. In fact, we all called her Panda – I don’t know what her real name was. A few of us fought back and I escaped, but she was fatally shot during the escape. I’m sorry to bring this up, it’s just that I didn’t know her for very long but something about you really reminded me of her. I’m sad that she’s gone�.

“I am very sad as well,� he said solemnly. “Though I did not know her, FOH’s treatment of mutants is nothing short of a tragedy�.

“That’s for sure�.

The one named Marrow then went up next to Moonstar. The two held hands and followed Magneto back to their ship. I stood there watching them and looking at their joined hands.

***

The Professor watched the large group disperse from the room. He felt chilled to his bones; even the heat from the fireplace did not warm him. His head throbbed and he suddenly felt very old. The serenity he had found here over the past several months had already drained.

He and Magneto exchanged a look before Magneto left to board his ship. “You mentioned your children,� Xavier began. “Where are they now?�

“I left them on the planet I mentioned earlier, the place to which I retreated,� he explained. “I wanted them to stay safe. We must take on FOH, but of course there will be danger�. With that, Magneto nodded, “Until tomorrow, Charles�.

As Magneto departed, Xavier saw Moira out of the corner of his eye. She looked as if she was going to follow Magneto back to his ship.

“Moira,� he began softly, “would you like to talk? I would also be happy to offer my listening ear to Siryn if she would like that as well�.

Moira gazed at the man she once loved passionately. She knew in her heart that she could not take another loss, could not open herself up to someone else after everything she had been through.

“Siryn doesna talk at all anymore, Charles,� she said, her voice chilly and barely above a whisper. “I think it would be best if I went to bed now. Thank you for the offer�.

“The offer is always extended to you and Siryn. If there is anything at all I can do to help –“

“Thank you, Charles. Goodnight�.

Moira turned and walked towards Magneto’s ship, Siryn mutely following. The Professor remained sitting by the fireplace for a long while.

***

“I wonder why Magneto rescued Moira and Siryn,� Storm pondered. She sat on her bed and removed her boots. “I suppose he knew that Siryn’s powers could be useful and he wanted to understand how FOH had replicated them. Perhaps he also wished to gain more leverage and credibility with us�.

Wolverine stood facing the door, his arms crossed.

“I’m gonna sleep outside tonight,� he said. “I hope it’s our last night on this planet before we get back�.

“I know you must be feeling restless and angry. Perhaps some time outdoors would do you good. Would you like company?�

Logan turned to face her. “I’m pissed off that we’re waitin’ here, thinking it over. We oughtta be headin’ back for earth this very second�.

Ororo gently touched a hand to his arm. “I know that it frustrates you. But Magneto has been our deadly foe for so long. We don’t trust him. Working with him could end up being a disaster�.

“I don’t think life for mutants could get any worse. You saw Moira! And her daughter�. Logan clenched a fist. “When I think of what they were gonna do to you and Jubilee and Jeanie…I can’t sit still and be okay with it!�

Ororo stepped closer to him but he pulled back. She saw the look in his eyes and noticed him trembling with rage.

“Maybe we could open up the Danger Room now,� Ororo suggested. “Give you an outlet for your understandable anger�. She knew that he would not be feeling calmed down for a while.

“No thanks, darlin’. I guess I need to be alone�.

Ororo nodded. “Call me on the communicator if you change your mind�. She wanted to tell him that if sex would make him feel better then she would be ready and willing. But once again, the proper words failed her and she marveled at how Logan could do that to her, cause her to question what to say.

After Logan departed, Ororo could not get to sleep. There was too much going on, and keeping the nerves and anticipation calm in her belly required a lot of effort. As she lay on her bed she watched the sun’s rays begin to paint the sky with the early light of morning. Ororo showered and then decided to fly around Haven, saying goodbye to its splendor as she, too, suspected that the X-men would not be here for much longer. She willed her eyes and her mind to commit each detail of the place to memory

During one of her overhead sweeps, she located her lover inside the forest. Ororo landed near him. He was sitting on a stump, looking at a creek.

“If you still wish to be alone, I will leave. I, um, I thought you might like some…well, some lovemaking though�.

Logan looked at her. He once again wondered how she could keep her emotions in check so well, how she could remain so calm. He was also stirred, as he always was, by her beauty.

“Only if it’s what *you* want�. He didn’t need to explain more than that. He inhaled the scents coming from her body and understood that she did, indeed, want it.

Storm deftly removed her blue, silk nightgown and stepped close to her lover. This time he didn’t pull back. Logan wrapped his arms around her and kissed her with passion and love.


***

Cyclops and Jean did not sleep for the remainder of that night either. They sat on their bed watching their son slumber peacefully. Cyclops was drinking coffee, a rare treat for him since it tended to irritate his stomach.

“It looks like one way or another the X-men are going back to earth,� Cyclops said. “I think the Professor and Magneto will reach some sort of agreement. Everyone was so shaken by what happened to Moira and her family…� he let his voice trail off.

“I agree,� Jean said, her voice equally soft and glum. “The mood in that room was definitely one of joining up with Magneto. Whether we trust him or not, I’m sure it’s what we’ll do�.

They looked at each other.

“It’s going to be a war,� Jean said. “We can’t bring our son into it�.

“Maybe you and he could stay on the ship and not go into combat? That might be the safest way—“

“Scott,� Jean cut him off. “We can’t put John in any sort of danger like that. Cloaking device or not, it’s too risky to bring the baby on the starship and bring him to earth when FOH runs everything. We can’t do that that to him�.

“You’re right. So are you thinking that you would stay here with him?� It was hard for Cyclops to keep his voice steady. He set his drink down and put his arms around his wife.

“I just don’t see any other option. This is a safe place. And John needs me. My powers would be useful on the mission but the Professor is a powerful telepath too. As is Emma Frost. So I am not crucial to this mission. Or this war,� she corrected herself.

Scott’s voice had a hint of desperation. “I want to stay here with you two. I can’t imagine being separated�.

“I know. But what do you think is best?�

Scott had known it would come to this. In the back of his mind, he had known as soon as Magneto had started talking with the group.

He was quiet for several moments. “The best thing for us, for our family, would be if I stayed here with you. But the best thing for mutants back on earth is if we do everything possible to make this mission a success. Which would include me playing a part in leading our team�.

Jean nodded. “I know. Like you, I suspected it would come to this as well�.

“I can’t imagine being apart from you and John. It feels like having my heart torn open! It was hard enough during the Phoenix saga, and I can’t imagine being parted again. And from John, he’s just a few days old and he hardly knows me�.

“It will be very hard,� Jean said soothingly. Her eyes were dewy with muted tears. “But it is better if you are there to lead the team. You’re such a strong and powerful leader�. She struggled to keep her voice from wavering. “Perhaps the battle – or the war – will not be a long one. Maybe we wouldn’t be apart for that long�.

“Maybe. We just don’t know though. FOH is so powerful. It could be months or years, if we are even able to defeat them at all�.

“And all this time, I’ll be back here, not knowing how you are! We have a psychic bond but…but is it strong enough that we’ll be able to sense each other so far away?� By now, the tears were cascading down Jean’s face.

“Maybe there’s another way. Maybe you and John really could come with us. If we keep the ship cloaked at all times….�

“I’ve thought about that, Scott, I really have. It’s so tempting. But we just don’t know what we’ll face on earth. For all we know, they might develop the technology to sense our cloak by the time we get there. If anything happened to our son, would we ever forgive ourselves? Can you imagine what FOH would do to him? He must stay safe at all costs. And he’s a newborn who needs his mother if he’s to survive�.

“You’re right,� Scott said. Despite his years of practiced control, he was having trouble keeping his voice steady now too. “We just can’t bring him with, and he needs you here with him. At least when I’m fighting FOH, I’ll have one consolation. I’ll know you and John are safe here. That will help�.

Jean didn’t add the fact that she would spend every moment of her existence worried about Scott while he was away. Instead she let herself cry freely now, and Scott held her tenderly as the tears flowed out unfettered.

***

Not long after the sun rose, word started circulating that the X-men would be having a meeting early in the morning. It made sense. I didn’t think anyone had slept the night before. I had managed maybe an hour or two. I never knew Moira or her family that well, but I felt ill and terrified on their behalf. We had to stop FOH.

After I’d showered and dressed, I sought out Storm. I found her, walking next to Wolverine as they emerged from the woods.

“Um, hi guys,� I said. I started feeling very awkward all of a sudden, just because I could tell from their general disheveled state what they had been up to. Storm, especially, had that flushed face look. Wolverine was undressed from the waist up. “I’m sorry if I’m bothering you. I was just hoping I could talk to you for a second, Storm�.

“You’re never a bother, Bobby. We can talk right now if you’d like�. She glanced at Wolverine. “Is it of a private matter?�

“Well, no, not really,� I said, falling into step beside them. “I was just wondering that if the X-men do go back to earth with Magneto – which I’m guessing we will – what about Alpha Flight? Will we plan to meet up with them? Some of them might want to join us in fighting against FOH�.

“And of course one of our own, Angel, is with them,� Storm added. “I am certain that we will want to meet up with them and ask if any would like to join us�.

“Where’d you think they’re at now?� Wolverine asked.

“If their mission’s going as planned, they should be near earth now,� I offered. “So maybe we’ll meet them as they’re returning to Haven and we’re on our way to Earth. But I know that space is really really big�.

“With the Professor’s help, we should be able to sense them,� Storm said. “Do not worry, Bobby. I know you are eager to be reunited with Northstar and we will do all we can to ensure that you are reunited. No one will question that – and of course we’d like to get Angel back and see if anyone in Alpha Flight will want to join us�.

“We’ll need all the help we can get,� Wolverine said. “This is gonna be the fight of our lives�.

I got the assurance I needed, so I thanked them and left. I had wanted to talk to one of our leaders beforehand just to get a sense of that sort of thing. I then went to the kitchen to get something to eat and saw Rogue there.

“Good morning,� I said.

“’Mornin’ sugar,� she greeted me. She looked only half awake. “Meeting’s in 35 minutes. I’m bringin’ coffee to Gambit. Hope that’ll wake him up. Man can sleep through anything, don’t know how I’m gonna get him to this meetin’�.

“He just should’ve stayed up all night,� I said. “He’s done it in the past�. Then I got serious. I knew standing here alone with Rogue in the kitchen that this might be my only chance to say what needed to be said today. “I, um, was sorry to hear about Mystique. I wanted to offer my condolences to you�.

It sounded stiff and formal but it was the best I could come up with. These things are never easy.

“Thanks, sugar,� she said, and then hugged me. I was a bit surprised at that. “I’m doin’ okay. Maybe her poor soul will find more comfort in the next world than this world. Though she’s probably givin’ ole Lucifer a scare right bout now!�

I smiled and chatted with her for a minute before she took the coffee to Gambit. She seemed fine, and I resolved to find Kurt and say a few words to him too.

***

The Professor had used his communicator to invite Moira and Siryn to the meeting the X-men were having that morning. He had expected them to decline but was surprised when he sensed Moira walking through the building’s main entrance.

“Would you like some breakfast, Moira? I didn’t get a chance to show you around the place last night,� Xavier said.

“No thank you, Charles. With the time we’ve been keeping aboard Magneto’s ship, it’s the middle of the afternoon for us right now�.

“Ah, yes, jet lag,� he responded, observing that he felt tongue-tied. “Is Siryn coming to the meeting?�

“No. She decided to stay in her room. She doesna leave it too much – it took all my effort to get her off the ship with everyone else last night�.

“Moira, I…I was wondering whether you would like us to have a memorial service for your husband and son. You might –“

“No thank you, Charles,� Moira said, abruptly turning away from him. “Will the meeting be in the same room as last night?�

“Yes. I will show you the way�.

***

The X-men assembled in the large room with the fireplace. Their emotions were a mixture of excitement, anticipation, outrage, and fear, tempered by general grogginess.

“I have been thinking about what Magneto said last night,� the Professor began. “I, of course, have some thoughts regarding it but I want to hear from all of you first�.

“Actually, Professor,� Jean began, “maybe you should share your thoughts with us first. You know him better than any of the rest of us�.

Upon seeing a few nods at Jean’s words, Xavier replied, “Very well then. I have grave reservations about our ability to trust Magneto. However those reservations are outweighed, in my mind, by the need to return to earth and stop FOH. What I believe we should do is talk with Magneto and attempt to get more specifics. I believe we should take him up on his offer to give us dilithium, and we should require that we take our own ship – as he said last night. I think we should talk with him about what tactics we can plan to use when we reach earth, keeping in mind that reaching an exact agreement with him on this may be difficult�.

The X-men looked at each other.

“You could not have summarized better my views on this quandary,� Hank said.

“Yes, I agree as well,� Storm said.

Cyclops looked around the room and interpreted the others’ looks as agreement. “Does anyone have any differing views?�

No one did. Cyclops then added, “There is something that Jean and I would like to share with everyone�.

From the tone of Cyclops’s voice, the Professor knew what he was going to say. He had guessed that the couple would have no choice should these circumstances arise.

“I will be staying here, with the baby,� Jean said. “I will miss all of you very, very much�.

Heather Hudson sat in the room with her baby as well. “So it will be you and me, Jean, along with our babies left here?�

Jean tilted her head. “I guess there’s no choice, is there? It’s too risky to bring them with. We just can’t expose our children to potential danger like that�.

“I agree�.

“Cyke,� Wolverine began, “you could stay here with Jean and the baby. You don’t haveta be separated�.

Cyclops’s reply sounded a bit wooden. “I feel so strongly that defeating FOH is one of the most important missions we ever had or ever will have. I’m compelled to be there and to co-lead the team�. His voice then softened. “As wrenching as it will be for me to be apart from my wife and son�.

After some silence and a bit more discussion, Xavier requested Magneto’s presence in the room. As the X-men waited, they talked. Jubilee sat, still sleepy, watching the others. She saw Moira sitting next to the Professor, not speaking to anyone.

`Wow,’ Jubilee thought to herself. `Moira was a total brainbox, and she was always with it. Now she just looks like an empty shell. God, that could’ve been *me*’. Jubilee looked down and squeezed her eyes shut. Moira’s son and husband had been killed by FOH, which was bad enough. But Jubilee shuddered at the thought of what else FOH had done to Moira and Siryn. `Repeatedly,’ Jubilee reminded herself. `And we barely escaped from that last time’. She had to remind herself of her duty as an X-men though a large part of her wished she had a valid reason to remain on Haven with Jean and Heather.

“You cold, my dear? I bring you some tea,� Colossus said quietly.

“No, it’s okay,� Jubilee said. “I’m fine�. She also wanted to add, ‘Quit acting like I’m your girlfriend just ‘cause we’re sleeping together – and I don’t like tea anyway’ but couldn’t think of a polite way to say that to the very gentle person.

***

Magneto joined us after not long at all. He sat down next to the Professor and they talked. I don’t think I’ll rehash the whole thing for you. Basically the two were like, yeah we don’t totally trust each other but we need to bring down FOH. Magneto again reiterated that he’d give us plenty of dilithium and that we could take our own ship.

“And when we get to earth – then what?� the Professor asked. “All-out war is not acceptable to me – any plan where innocent bystanders could be killed is not acceptable�.

“I knew that you would say that, Charles. And I believe so strongly in the need for us to work together that I have thought of a few ideas for you to consider during our trip back to earth. We could infiltrate FOH’s headquarters and use their communications equipment to broadcast messages showing the truth about their plans and what they have done to mutants�. He paused. “My other plan is for you, Charles, to use your powers and enter the minds of FOH leaders, world leaders, and ordinary citizens to convince them that mutants mean them no harm and to show them what FOH has done�.

“I am sure you know that I do not care for your second idea. But I am quite impressed with your first. I cannot tell if you are describing these more peaceful tactics only because you know I will approve of them. But I can tell you, Magnus, that if we reach earth and you engage in tactics that cause havoc and harm citizens, or if you torture any FOH soldiers, my team will fight you first before any of us can do anything about FOH�.

“Understood�.

I was actually surprised that the Professor didn’t look even more strongly opposed to Magneto’s second idea of using telepathy. But then I glanced at Moira and reminded myself of the reason. I looked at the Professor again and wondered if he was a bit heartbroken. I think he was.

So that was basically it. The Professor, Storm, and Cyclops looked at each other. “X-men, pack your bags,� the Professor said. He gave us a departure time that left less than five hours on Haven.

Then I looked at Jean and Scott again. I was giddy at the thought of getting to possibly see Northstar sooner, but I wasn’t insensitive to my teammates’ pain either. Obviously the Professor wasn’t the only heartbroken one.

***

Wolverine spent his last few hours on Haven bidding it farewell. Though not a sentimental man, he loved nature and knew he would miss Haven’s thick forest, grassy field, and clean lake. He was eager for battle, eager to take down FOH. As he walked through the forest, he appreciated the serenity he had experienced on Haven even as he looked forward to a fight, a victory.

Logan knew that he was trading the carefree life on Haven for a month and a half of schedules and bridge duty shifts on board Victory, walled up inside the metallic ship every day. At least he would have Storm with him to help make the days go by more pleasantly.

He would miss Jean, he contemplated, as he walked. She was not his and never would be, but he still liked her presence – her smile, her stunning beauty, her sense of humor. That was one thing he wished he could change about Ororo; she had a more serious demeanor than Jean. But he was content with Ororo and glad for her love. In fact, he realized as he continued to say silent farewells to Haven, he would not trade Ororo for Jean even if the choice had been his.

Logan wished that he had a camera. His surroundings for the next six weeks would be comprised of metal and machines instead of lakes and sky. And then, a battle – one which could last for months or even years. One that the X-men had to win.


***

//Moira, as you know we will be departing in less than an hour. Would you and Siryn like to move your belongings to our ship and travel with us back to earth?//

The Professor had not seen Moira since the meeting, which she had abruptly left, so he contacted her telepathically.

//I dona think so, Charles. Siryn doesna leave her room much. It is better if we stay here.//

Xavier understood. Moira had lost too much for her to seek out the companionship of others. Isolation and solitude were useful in preventing someone from getting one’s heart ripped open again.

//If you change your mind, please do let me know. Magneto has given us a good supply of dilithium, so we could use a shuttle to transport you from his ship to ours.//

Moira did not respond.

***

We hauled our bags and belongings from the building back to Victory. Nightcrawler offered his teleportation services to anyone who needed it but most of us didn’t have that much to carry. Storm, Rogue, and Wolverine had loaded Victory with the dilithium that Magneto had given us.

I had a lump in my throat at leaving Haven. I had met Jean Paul here, the Professor had been healed here – it was such a peaceful place. Who knew when we would be back?

Jean and Cyclops had spent the hours leading up to our departure alone together. So we didn’t see Jean until our final boarding when she came out to say goodbye to the rest of the team. I felt my insides quiver just looking at her; it was obvious that she’d been crying. We hugged goodbye but didn’t say much. I felt that every second she spent with another X-man was a second she’d rather have had with her husband, and who could blame her for wanting to use every last minute of dwindling time with Cyclops?

Out of the corner of my eye, I did see Jean spending a bit more time with the Professor, Hank, and Storm – the ones who I guessed she was closest to after Cyclops. I couldn’t really read Cyclops’s expression as he stood by. It’s hard to see what is under those glasses, but his jaw looked set and stern and he seemed to be standing more stiffly than usual.

Magneto’s team had spent most of their brief time at Haven aboard their ship, which I learned they called The Prevail. I was glad that unsavory losers like Pyro and Avalanche had stayed out of our way. There was talk that perhaps Magneto had tightly leashed his group, so to speak, so as to make the task of convincing us to come with him easier.

But two members of his team walked down The Prevail’s ramp and over to us while Jean was saying her goodbyes to the team. They were Marrow and Moonstar. They each held a duffle bag and walked up to Storm.

“Can we come with you guys?� Marrow asked. It sounded a bit abrupt to me; I didn’t think she’d even said hello.

“We’d like to learn more about this whole X-man thing. It seems like you have a really cool team,� Moonstar said. “We promise not to cause any trouble. Magneto said it’s okay, and if you do get tired of us he said he’d send a shuttle so you could return us to him if you wanted to�.

“Maybe you could train us to fight too,� Marrow said. “Magneto’s a good talker but he doesn’t have a clue how to actually *train* someone. But Emma said that you guys do know what to do�.

I saw Wolverine looking at the young women. He said, “We do need trained fighters. Nothin’ whips people into shape better than our Danger Room�.

Storm looked at the Professor. The Professor gave a tiny nod, which made me wonder if he had done some sort of brief scan of their minds.

“I do not see why not,� I heard Storm answer.

But Forge was standing nearby and he said, “We would have a problem with personnel quarters though,� he said. “Remember, there are only twelve officer quarters. Angel isn’t with us on this trip, but the Professor will be using the room that was his before�.

Forge was right. During our trip to Haven, the comatose Professor hadn’t had his own room since he’d been in sick bay the entire time. So each of the twelve officer rooms was occupied. I was wondering if Storm and Wolverine would offer to share a room, when Marrow spoke up.

“Your ship’s got the same layout as The Prevail,� Marrow said. “Dani and I can sleep in the troop barracks�.

The barracks was basically a huge room that contained lots of bunk beds and a bathroom down the hall – apparently where FOH had intended its rank and file to sleep. It was far from the officer quarters that we inhabited and even more sparse, if that was possible. There really was nothing else in it except for bunk beds and a few shelves. The one time I’d looked through them, the word that had popped into my head had been “dingy�, though Victory had never actually been inhabited by any FOH soldiers so I don’t know where the shabbiness would have come from.

“That would be fine,� Storm said.

“Yay!� Moonstar said. “Thank you�. She had a really nice smile, and I was glad that she’d be with us for the trip. She just didn’t seem like she belonged with Magneto’s people. She looked sincere and laid back.

Marrow, on the other hand, just didn’t look that friendly. I couldn’t remember ever seeing her smile and she often looked bored too. Maybe I was weirded out by those bones growing right through her skin but she just didn’t seem personable.

Colossus carried one of his paintings up the ramp to the ship. He left the sunset painting in the foyer of the building but was taking his portrait of the lake at dawn with him.

Anyway, there wasn’t much to it after that. We boarded the ship, communicated with Magneto over subspace, set the coordinates, and warped towards earth. We set up a bridge duty schedule and a training schedule, and I was assigned to both - same as any other X-man. For my first bridge duty shift, Forge said he would sit with me and train me. Hank added that it wasn’t hard and he was sure I could do it.

The first night in my room on Victory was weird and it took me a while to fall asleep as my mind tried to process all the sensory changes. We’d been on Haven for more than five months, after all. My room on Victory had a small window, as did all the Officer quarters we X-men slept in. But instead of looking out and seeing trees or the lake as I had on Haven, now all that stared back at me was darkness interspersed with a few bright but distant stars. Haven had been fairly quiet other than the chirping of birds but now there was the constant hum of Victory’s engines as background noise. And space was really cold; the temperature on board the ship would never be as balmy as on Haven. I liked the cold but tended to wear a jacket or sweater most of the time on the ship.

I hoped we’d reach the Maple Leaf soon. Despite all the excitement, first and foremost on my mind was the Quebecer I’d fallen for. I prayed that Jean Paul and the rest of Alpha Flight had been safe on earth and hadn’t encountered any problems.

TO BE CONTINUED

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Cyclops stood staring out the tiny window in his room. With Victory at warp, Haven was already so far away. During Victory’s first several hours in space, he felt compelled to perform Captain-like duties. He sat on the bridge as he checked coordinates and poured over the schedules with Storm, he inspected the Danger Room though he had used it countless times on Haven, and he later asked Hank to take him around the engine room.

He paused to ‘talk’ with Jean. //It won’t be long before you are too far away for us to communicate. I already feel the mental connection…beginning to fade// Jean communicated.

//Me too// Scott thought back. After all these years, he found Jean’s ability amazing. He just had to think his replies back to her and she could pick them up.

//This separation will be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.// Scott continued. //Being away from you, not being able to bond properly with John.//

//I know. But I will talk about you all the time. He’s too young to understand but I can give him mental glimpses of you – your voice, your manner. I can do it in a way that won’t confuse him but will give him an impression of you.// They had discussed this before but Jean sensed that a reminder would not hurt.

//It will be hard for me to lead this team and be apart from you. You are my strength and my light.// He wished he had a picture of Jean and the baby to bring with him, and he deeply regretted his argument with Jean over the subject of replicating one. He wished he had listened to her. Scott closed his eyes and tried to remember his son’s appearance. He thought back to the last kiss he had placed on the infant.

//You are my strength and light as well, Scott.//

By nighttime, the ship was too far away for telepathic communication to take place. The X-men had left a communications device with Jean and Heather, but it did not have a wide range. Jean and Scott could type messages to each other for a bit longer before too much distance separated the ship and the planet. Scott tried to send his last message and looked hopelessly at the screen as the error message repeated itself. He took a breath. The message was nothing that he hadn’t communicated in the last 48 hours – words of love for Jean and the baby, words of hope for their mission to defeat FOH, words of pain at being separated from those he loved.

The X-man leader looked at his watch and realized that night on board Victory had passed. It would soon be time for his bridge shift.

Scott walked to the small bathroom and prepared for a bleak day without Jean, without their baby. He disrobed and surveyed the tub and shower. It was clean. Over the years, Scott often would find tendrils of Jean’s hair adorning the shower. It was so long and thick; she had a lot of it and so it tended to just end up all over the bathroom despite Jean’s best efforts. He would gently nudge her to clean it up since Scott preferred things to be neat and orderly. The site of a spotless bathroom used to please Scott but today it just reminded him of Jean’s absence.


***

During Victory’s first “evening� in space, Storm, Gambit, and Rogue stayed up late in the rec room. Once their pool game was finished, they remained to just talk and enjoy each other’s company.

“Seems kinda pointless to say that I miss Haven,� Rogue said. “But I miss it, even though goin’ back to earth’s the right thing to do�.

“I suppose that the saying ‘No use crying over spilt milk’ may apply here,� Storm said. She paused and added, “Although I realize that I sound like Hank when I say that!� She then said, “Our time on Haven was beautiful but we must prepare ourselves for our obligations and the challenges we face�.

“Vacation over, get back to work,� Gambit muttered in agreement, taking another swig of his drink.

“I wish that Moira MacTaggert were on board the ship with us for our journey,� Storm said. “I believe that being around the Professor could only help her�.

Rogue looked down at her gloved hands. “Bein’ around her’s kinda hard though,� she admitted glumly. “Can’t believe what the FOH bastards did to her and Siryn. We barely escaped from it ourselves. What if we hadn’t?? What if they’d done that to us??�

Gambit reached for one of Rogue’s hands and held it. Storm was quiet for several moments and then said, “But they didn’t. I don’t know if speculating on how terrible things might have been will ever help us�.

“Can’t really help it, Storm! We’re goin’ back – goin’ up against them again. And I just can’t imagine what we’d do if they did do somethin’ like that to us! We’d fall apart! How’d we X-men ever get goin’ again??�

“We do it somehow, chere,� Gambit murmured. “Dis team been t’rough so much, we all so strong. We’d survive somehow, dough I t’ink it be hardest t’ing we ever face�.

“I agree,� Storm added. “Though it is hard to dwell on this subject, I am certain that one way or another, the X-men would survive and continue on. I dearly hope we never have to deal with such a situation�.

“Can’t think of how awful it’d feel if that happened to us X-men. ‘Awful ain’t nowhere near strong enough! We escaped by the skin of our teeth last time, Storm,� Rogue reminded her. “We gonna be so lucky again this time?�

“We do not need luck. We are strong, we are brave, and we have justice and goodness on our side. That will have to be enough for the next time we face FOH�.

“I hope so�.

None of the three slept well their first night back on board Victory.

***

I was nervous when it was time for my first bridge duty shift. In fact, I was starting to think that a session in the Danger Room now sounded good in comparison. But I had no choice. Forge met me on the bridge when it was my turn that second day in space, and he had an instruction manual with him.

“For today, I’m just going to teach you the basics,� Forge began. “Hank is going to sit with you for your next shift to teach you more�.

Oh great, like I needed to be babysat, I thought. But I nodded mutely and reminded myself that this was a huge starship, able to warp through space and execute a bunch of complex tasks – being responsible for the bridge wasn’t something small.

I didn’t want the other X-men to think I was lazy or stupid, so I tried to pay attention. It was boring as hell though. I was glad Forge had a manual with him because there was no way I was going to remember which sensor detected what.

“The main things you need to do are monitor space and monitor the ship,� he went on. He showed me which controls I could use to scan space and detect our position in it, as well as which monitored our life support system, cloaking device, and engine functions. He showed me the normal ranges for each and said that if anything ever had an abnormal reading, just call Cyclops or Storm. I wrote a few notes in the manual. I noticed that we travelled just behind The Prevail and, as Forge said, we needed to make sure that neither ship got too close to the other. He showed me how to use subspace to contact The Prevail if we had to.

“The hardest thing about bridge duty is boredom,� Forge said. I had sure heard that many times! “You need to stay alert and keep your eye on the sensors. If you have to, you can read or play computer games but you have to keep pausing periodically to monitor the sensors. Always keep in mind that there is a possibility that something could happen –another ship could come into range or a problem could happen with the engines or with life support, and you want to be damn sure that if it happens on your watch, you are right on it�.

“Got it,� I said. “I promise to pay attention�.

Forge then looked away and touched a hand to his temple. “Are you alright?� I asked.

He was quiet for a few seconds which weirded me out just a bit. He then focused on me and said that he was fine. He sat down at the captain’s chair and brought up subspace. He started typing.

“Is something happening?� I asked, confused.

And then I got more confused. Forge’s cheeks were suddenly just a bit flushed. Was he blushing?

“It looks like Emma Frost is contacting our ship,� Forge finally said, sounding distracted. “I, um, I need to take this to the Professor or Cyclops�. He then focused again and looked more like himself. “It’s nothing to be worried about, Bobby�. He stood up to leave and said, “Remember, just call me or Storm or Cyclops if you need something. Or Hank�.

Or anyone, I silently added.

“Okay,� I answered, but Forge was already heading out the door and down the hallway.

***

I tracked down Rogue and Gambit in the rec room as soon as my shift was over. They saw me and smiled. They both had a certain eager look on their faces, and I wasn’t surprised when Rogue suggested we talk somewhere private. The three of us walked down the hall to my room.

“You got news for us, Gambit can tell,� Gambit said.

“And you have news too,� I said. “But I’ll go first�. I told them about the strangeness with Forge and the communication from Emma on the bridge. Then I added, “I spent the rest of my shift decoding a message that was sent from Victory to Prevail – while periodically keeping my eyes on all the sensors, of course,� I quickly added. I was proud of my computer ability too, and I said, “A shuttle was launched from our ship. I guess Forge took a shuttle over to the Prevail?�

Rogue nodded. “He was in here talkin’ to the Professor before he left. We couldn’t hear what they said, just the Professor sayin’ that he was sure Emma didn’t have any bad intentions and he could take her message at face value�.

“So dat Emma’s invitin’ men over…to enjoy deir ‘company’,� Gambit said.

“I guess that’s the conclusion,� I added. “If ‘enjoy their company’ is a euphemism for sex since I don’t think they’re sitting there discussing literature. I just hope she doesn’t have any sort of trick up her sleeve�.

“She don’t,� Rogue said. “If the Professor says she ain’t lyin’ then she ain’t lyin’. Poor Forge. Havin’ to go to the Professor and ask him if he can take a shuttle to the other ship so he can have sex with Emma�.

“Are you kidding?� I asked. “At this point, the guy’s gotta be overjoyed. Been a while for him. It was smart of the Professor to let him go�. I looked at Rogue and Gambit’s faces. Rogue didn’t look angry. “But what if Emma um…*invites over* some guys who aren’t single?�

“Well, if she invites over one Cajun, she’s either gonna get a ‘no way’ as her answer, or one Cajun’s gonna be single again,� Rogue said matter-of-factly.

But she was smiling and Gambit was too; from the looks on their faces they both understood that the former response was the only one that could conceivably happen. They cuddled and kissed in front of me which I thought was cute. I got up and left them in peace.

I would later learn that in the next few days, at least one other X-man got an invitation from Emma and had accepted it. It was Cannonball. I guess it made sense, since he had ended whatever he had going on Jubilee. Anyway, I was happy for Forge and Cannonball, seriously – if they are anything like me then it’s hard for them to go for a while without some sex. And I used to like meaningless sex so maybe they did too. Emma certainly seemed to love the arrangement, at least that’s what I assumed though I didn’t know her.

I wondered which of the other X-men would receive invitations from Emma during our trip back to earth. I never got an invitation myself; perhaps word was out in the mutant community that I was gay – or, more likely, she read my mind to learn that fact. Or heck, maybe she didn’t find me attractive in the first place.


***

During Victory’s second evening in space, Rogue and Gambit heard a knock on their door. “It’s Storm. May I come in?�

“’Course, sugar,� Rogue said, pressing a button to slide the doors apart. The two had been just sitting in their room talking alone, almost ready to go to bed.

“Thank you,� Storm said, stepping through the entrance.

Gambit smiled. “You always so formal, Storm. You don’t gotta t’ank us for lettin’ you in our room�.

Storm returned the smile. “However, I might owe you a thank you when you hear what I have to request of you�. She paused. “As you know, we have two…new people on board. Marrow and Moonstar. I am not sure why they requested to join us for the trip back to earth – they may truly be interested in learning about the X-men, they might simply want a change of pace after spending weeks with Magneto’s group – there could be any number of reasons. But I do want to show them what the X-men are all about, and at the same time I would like to help them learn to use their powers. But as you know, much of my time is spent with the Professor and Cyclops trying to determine tactics for when we reach earth. And the two of you have a wonderful way with people. Will you take charge of their training? Find out what they need, help them control their powers, train them. Perhaps even see if you can learn their reason for being here though I am certain we have no cause for concern there. The Professor briefly scanned their minds before we allowed them on board�.

The six-week trip to earth had the potential to be boring, especially since the initial journey to Haven hadn’t been thrilling. Both Rogue and Gambit appreciated the offer; it was an honor to be asked. They both eagerly assented to Storm’s idea.

“Thank you,� the Wind Rider said sincerely.

“Our pleasure,� Rogue said. She then got a glint in her eye. “And since we’re helpin’ with this, we’d sure love to get the scoop on how things are in your neck of the woods. How’s everthin’ goin’ with Logan? You two seem happy together. An’ I notice sometimes you wear a medallion around your neck – did he make it for you?� she asked, referring to the piece of wood that Logan had carved.

Storm gave an indulgent half-smile as she rose to leave. “I am very happy. I believe Logan is as well. And yes, he carved this for me,� she said, fingering the smooth wood.

Gambit chuckled, “T’ink, chere, dat’s all we’re gonna get from Storm on dis subject�.

Rogue shrugged, still looking at Storm. “It’s somethin’. We just want our friend to be happy�.

“Thank you,� Storm said. “And I assure you that I am very happy�.

***

Rogue and Gambit looked forward to carrying out their mission. The next day, they contacted Marrow and Moonstar using the communicators that the new duo had been given.

“We’re in the gym,� Marrow’s brusque reply came over the communicator. “Sure, let’s talk. We’re not going anywhere�.

Rogue and Gambit soon entered the gym. It was a large room, intended for a sizable FOH crew. Aside from Marrow and Moonstar, the gym’s only other inhabitant was Bobby, who was grudgingly working on one of the cardio machines on the other end of the gym. Marrow and Moonstar were in the weights section, with Marrow reclining on a bench and pressing a barbell.

“You findin’ your way ‘round dis ship okay?� Gambit asked.

“Yeah,� Marrow replied.�Seems pretty easy�.

“How’s your room?� Rogue asked. “Wish we had enough of those officer rooms to give you one of them�.

“Actually, we like the room we have,� Moonstar said. “It’s really big and spacious. Not that we have a ton of belongings or anything like that. We just pushed two of the beds together and that works fine�.

As Moonstar talked, Gambit noted again that his initial impressions of the twosome were being confirmed. Moonstar smiled, looked interested, and generally appeared as if she wanted to be liked. Marrow was more closed and less approachable. He also noted Moonstar’s comment about pushing two of the beds together and felt that confirmed his feeling that they were lesbians.

“You ain’t been inside the Danger Room yet, have you?� Rogue asked.

“No,� Marrow answered.

“Wanna?�

Marrow sat up and looked at Moonstar. “We’d love to. But how does it work? We haven’t ever done much training to fight�. Moonstar said.

“What sorta trainin’ did you have?� Gambit asked. “You fight any? What your powers like?�

“I got bones growing outta my body,� Marrow said bluntly. “Been in plenty of fights in my life – I can just break a bone off and use it like a club�.

“Does it hurt when you do that, when you rip off a bone?� Rogue asked.

“A lot�.

“Who have you fought agains’?� Gambit asked. “Other mutants?�

“Not usually other mutants. Usually it’s thugs, mutant-haters, gangs, that type�.

“What about you, Moonstar?� Rogue asked. “What’re your powers like?�

Meanwhile, Bobby apparently finished up his workout. He exited the gym.

“Mine’s a bit more…complex,� Moonstar began. “I can sort of read other people’s minds and kind of create a projection. Like a hologram�.

“A projection of what?�

“Of what I can get from their minds. Like, what they’re thinking about at the time�.

“Wow, I bet the Professor’d be really interested in learning more about that,� Rogue commented. “Like, does the projection do anything? Is it just an image floatin’ in the air or can you control it? And does it have to be somethin’ the person’s thinking of at the time or can it be somethin’ from their past? Do you have any other telepathic abilities?�

Moonstar smiled and looked down. “Uh, Rogue…I honestly don’t know. When this first started happening, I thought I was going crazy. I didn’t know where to go or what to do. I’m from a reservation and my family was way poor. So all I learned was really how to shut my power off, like to contain it. I taught myself how to do that, and that’s it. I left the reservation and took a bus to New York, hoping to get some answers. But I don’t know much about my powers�.

“I know what that’s like, sugar,� Rogue said. “Powers can be scary stuff. But you’re in the right place to learn more about ‘em�.

“You are,� Gambit agreed. “Wanna?�

“Yes. I really do�.

“Let’s get you wit’ Xavier den. He is the expert in dis area and he can help�.

“That’s be great�.

Gambit decided he’d had enough serious talk for the day. He shifted the conversation. “So how long you two been toget’er?�

“About a year and a half,� Moonstar answered. She didn’t see Rogue’s questioning look in Gambit’s direction. “As soon as we met each other, we fell for each other�.

“You ain’t alone, you know. Bobby’s gay too. His boyfriend, Northstar’s, on a mission on earth. He misses him�.

“Which one’s Bobby again? The young guy with the light brown hair? The one who was just in here now?�

“Dat’s the one�.

After making plans to see Marrow in the Danger Room soon and to get Moonstar some time with Xavier, Rogue and Gambit left the gym. As they walked down the hall, Rogue asked, “So they’re like…lesbians. How did you know?�

“Saw ‘em holdin’ hands dat one night on Haven. And dey jus’ told us dat dey pushed the beds together in deir room�.

Rogue looked towards the ground. “I heard that Mystique had a…a lesbian lover once. But that was after I’d left her group. She had lots of male lovers too, though, in her day�.

“You missin’ her?� Gambit asked gently.

“No. No, I ain’t�. She didn’t want to add anything else to that, didn’t want Gambit to again ask her if she was a homophobe. Rogue vividly remembered how uncomfortable she had felt when she had learned about Mystique and Destiny’s relationship, years ago.


***

Storm approached the Professor after lunch on the third day of the voyage to earth. Most of the rest of the team had finished eating and left the mess hall.

“I was wondering, Professor, if you had any luck reaching Moira,� Storm began gently. “I know that she is obviously still traumatized, but at some point we need to find out what FOH learned of Banshee and Siryn’s powers. It may hold an answer as to how they overpowered us back at the mansion�.

The Professor nodded. He glanced at his bowl which still contained a fair amount of stew. Hank had asked him yesterday – “out of medical concern� – to please ensure that he ate enough. Charles had not had much of an appetite lately. He ran his spoon through the lukewarm stew as he replied to Storm.

“I agree that we need to find out how much FOH learned from Banshee and Siryn, but I want to be careful when I broach the subject. Obviously the subject of their imprisonment is a very traumatic one for them. Siryn is not speaking with anyone – not even Moira - these days�. He paused and added, “Besides, I’m not sure how much we would learn from them. FOH obviously found some way to replicate their powers. Hank began some research into techniques that might defeat Banshee�.

Wolverine strode up to where the Professor sat next to Storm. He put an arm around Storm’s shoulders.

“You eatin’ enough, Professor?� he asked.

“I appreciate your concern. I am fine,� Xavier answered.

Storm touched one of her hands to the Professor’s. “I can only imagine how difficult this is for you,� she said quietly. “We know that Moira and her family mean a lot to you. And we also know that…with you being our teacher, it may be hard for you to feel that you have a peer here to confide in. But we offer –“

“Thank you, Storm,� Xavier cut in. “I know that you – all of you – care about me. I assure you that I am well. Being with the X-men, returning to earth, seeing all of you trained and ready – all of those things help sustain me. I look forward to working with Moonstar on her powers too. But most of all, I thank you for your leadership of the team�.

Storm and Wolverine both thanked the Professor and took their leave of him; it was obvious that he appreciated their concern but that was all. As they walked down the corridor, they talked.

“Least we tried,� Wolverine said. “I think he’ll be okay. Ain’t gonna be great but he’ll hang in there�.

“I know. Still, I would like to see him doing more than merely ‘hanging in there’�.

“Yeah, me too, but ain’t no miracles happenin’ here. Xavier’s right about one thing – thanking you for your leadership. Cyke’s more on edge than I’ve ever seen him. Thank god we got you�.

“It is understandable that Scott is hurting right now. I have every confidence in him as our co-leader�.

Logan remained silent for a moment. Did Ororo always need to sound so professional and so restrained? It wasn’t as if he had wanted a Cyclops-bashing session – he had long since moved from disliking the leader to respecting him. But he thought that perhaps he liked Ororo best when he got to see the real Ororo, raw and unrestrained.

`Wish I saw that more often,’ he thought to himself, and realized that his wish was more likely to remain unfulfilled.

***

Later that afternoon, Wolverine and Colossus ended up in the same Danger Room session. The Russian had been weakened by an earlier skirmish. When the computer matched Colossus and Wolverine up for a fight, Wolverine’s teeth were barred. The Canadian fought as if his own life were at stake. Colossus hadn’t even had time to change into his metallic form before Wolverine overpowered him, roughly pushing him to the ground.

“Stop, comrade, stop – you win!� Colossus bellowed.

“Yeah. I win,� Wolverine said, as he slowly got off of Colossus.

Forge had been in the Danger Room with them. “You’re injured,� he said, looking at Colossus. “You might want to ask Hank to meet you in sickbay. You should get that arm bandaged up�.

“Yes,� Colossus said. He watched Forge leave the room. The Russian was normally pleasant and even-tempered, but he couldn’t ignore this incident.

“You use a lot more force than you need on me today,� he began. “You angry at me?�

Wolverine glared at him. “Ain’t mad at you,� he muttered, though he gave Colossus a look that could kill.

“Yes you are. I not blind. You act this way with me for days now�.

Wolverine looked at the ground. He had not been consciously aware that he had been treating Peter any differently. The last few days had been full of activity, with Magneto’s arrival and the departure from Haven. Interpersonal relationship had not been at the forefront of Wolverine’s mind, though he began to realize that they had been at the back of it.

“Is about Jubilee?� Colossus asked. “She the one who come to me. And I act like – how you say? -- perfect gentleman with her�.

“Really?� Logan asked, taking a step towards Peter. “Is that why you use her, bub? ‘Cause if you really cared you’d…� Logan’s voice broke off as he realized that he didn’t have the words to say exactly what he intended to say.

“I would do what? Jubilee come to me and say she want this arrangement. Me, I prefer be her boyfriend not her…whatever you call it. I rather have *real* relationship, but she one who want this ‘friend with benefit’, as she call it. Not my idea – it *her* idea�.

“Can’t believe this was her idea,� Wolverine grumbled, though as he said the words, he knew that he could believe it.

“You don’t believe me, ask Jubilee�. Colossus turned towards the door. “And do not do this again to me�.

***

Colossus walked down the corridor after his confrontation with Wolverine. Confronting the Canadian had not been easy, not even for the man of steel, and he was glad it was over and that his point had been made. Colossus continued to walk, unsure of where to go. Part of him wanted company and thought the rec room might be a good place to visit, but part of him wanted solitude and to resume working on either his latest drawings and painting.

His words to Wolverine had been honest. His relationship with Jubilee was not structured in a way he found ideal. He had only consented to the arrangement because he thought it would be better than having no woman in his life at all. Although one of Colossus’ needs was being fulfilled, he longed for something more substantial. It was hard to not envy the couples on board Victory who were happy together, who came together to do more than fulfill a physical need. He was used to keeping his emotions inside of him, though, so he had no plans to share his angst with anyone.

Colossus’ desire for sex had been strong enough that he’d had to, at first, overcome his perception of Jubilee as a younger sister. He had forced himself to think of her as simply a woman. He had no trouble with that perception now, but he still felt that their situation was not what he hoped for with a woman. He couldn’t confide in Jubilee . She had a passing interest in his paintings and in hearing about his life back in Russia, but she didn’t feign that she had a deeper interest. Most of the time, the two didn’t have a whole lot to say to each other. As far as he could tell he was satisfying her in bed though he didn’t know for sure. He hoped he was.

An idea popped into his head. He picked up his communicator and asked Hank if he wanted company. With Hank fluent in Russian, Colossus could get a taste of home. He could also show Hank his latest sketching and know that Hank would be sincerely interested in them.


***

Look, there wasn’t a lot to do during the trip back to earth. Sitting on the bridge, training in the Danger Room, hanging in the rec room, eating meals together, and hoping Cyke or the Professor would be in a decent mood were all we had to occupy our days. So you’d just have to forgive us for speculating on the sex lives of the other X-men. There was nothing else to do.

I sat in sick bay as I watched Hank “calibrate the tricorders� or something like that. I’d asked if he wanted my help but he’d said no, so I just chatted with him as he worked. He told me that it was a welcome break from researching Banshee and Siryn’s powers.

“It looks like both Forge and Cannonball have made several trips over to ‘visit’ Emma,� I said. “She sure didn’t waste any time on that. Too bad she wasn’t with us on Haven during all the months we were there. She would’ve been popular. And it’s really too bad Angel’s not here – he would’ve been the first one on the shuttle. He’ll actually be pissed when he finds out what he missed�. I stopped. “Sorry. You hate gossiping about other people’s sex lives, don’t you?�

“I do not hate it,� Hank replied. “Though I cannot say that I find it of the utmost interest either�.

“Thanks for indulging me�. And then I had to get at the question I’d been wondering about, as inappropriate as it may have been. “So, does Emma just not interest you? I mean, you must’ve rejected her offer,� I spoke the last line as somewhere between a question and a statement.

“There was no offer, Bobby. She never contacted me�.

“Oh. Maybe she’s just real busy with Sam and Forge and she just doesn’t have time for lover number three,� I managed.

“Perhaps she does not find me attractive,� he stated simply.

“Do you find her attractive?�

“Physically, of course – I believe most heterosexual men would find her so. Emotionally, no, I am not interested in her or her personality. I cannot forget what the Hellfire Club did to us X-men. Perhaps for Forge and Cannonball it is different, as they were not with us when it happened. Or perhaps their desire for sexual relations with Emma has outweighed their better judgment�.

“So if Emma invited you over, you’d say no�.

“There is no use speculating on it, Bobby. She will not be issuing an invitation to me. I understand that my appearance is uninviting to many and I am at peace with that fact�.

I sat there with a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Or a bit of a nervous feeling, like you might get if you had an inkling that you did something wrong, pushed something too far. My head started to hurt and I started feeling that I not been acting the way that a good friend should.

“I’m sorry, Hank. I guess I let my curiosity on the whole thing get the best of me. I didn’t mean to…I don’t know, rub it in. Maybe some people find the way you look ‘uninviting’ like you said, but I have to believe that there are plenty out there who do find you physically attractive. And besides, what’s on the inside is more important anyway�.

“It is not a crime to be curious, and there is no need for you to apologize. Truly, I am very well aware of the adage that the inside is more important than the external trappings�. He took a breath and added, “No one understands it better than I�.

I looked at Hank and wondered if he was feeling pain over this. I tried to make light of it. “Emma hasn’t invited me over either, so maybe she doesn’t think I’m all that hot�.

Hank had his usual non-judgmental look on his face, and then turned back to his tricorders. My gossiping that day hadn’t gone all that well.

***

Jubilee pulled up the bridge duty schedule. According to it, Wolverine should be in the middle of his shift. He had not been lucky; this shift would span much of the night, according to the time they kept on the ship. Still fully dressed, Jubilee had declined Colossus’s offer to spend the night with him. She took a breath and made her way down the corridor, towards the bridge.

When the doors slid open, Jubilee’s first instinct was to gasp. Storm was sitting on the bridge with Wolverine, and for a split second Jubilee feared that she might have interrupted something. But she soon realized that the two were fully clothed. They appeared to be simply sitting together, looking out the large picture window at the stars. Storm was apparently keeping Wolverine company.

“Hi, guys. Hope I’m not interrupting anything,� Jubilee began. She was biting her tongue. She wanted to stride up to Wolverine and give him a piece of her mind, but somehow just *looking* at Storm made her want to take a calm and polite approach instead. And she did remind herself that she wanted to be treated as an adult; maybe a more restrained approach would remind them that she was no longer a child.

“Not at all,� Storm said. “Please come in�.

Storm’s calm manner deflated some of the anger and confidence Jubilee had been feeling, though she couldn’t say how or why that happened. She suddenly felt very awkward. Jubilee began to wonder if she should try to make small talk or somehow ease into what she wanted to discuss, but she was depleted of ideas in that area as well.

“I, uh, I noticed that it seems you’ve been pissed at Peter lately,� she said, looking at Wolverine. “I was just wondering why and if it had anything to do with me�.

Wolverine crossed his arms over his chest. He finally asked, “He treatin’ you okay?�

“Yes,� Jubilee insisted. “I mean, I think it’s really cool that you’re concerned about me and all, but Peter’s treating me fine. He hasn’t done anything wrong. I um…I realized that I like don’t wanna be someone’s girlfriend, that I kind of like being single now. So what Peter and I have going on now works for me. It was all my idea anyway�.

“Well, darlin’, if it works for you, then that’s fine with me�.

Jubilee wanted to retort that it did not *look* fine to her, that he still seemed angry about something. Well, when was Logan ever not upset over something, Jubilee asked herself. But she couldn’t say those words to him.

“Good. So I hope that means you won’t bother him or be mean to him or anything like that. ‘Cause there’s no reason to�.

After a few moments, Wolverine said, “You got it,� though he didn’t sound particularly happy.

“Thank you�. Feeling more at ease, Jubilee asked a question about the ship’s heading and its speed in comparison to The Prevail’s. She talked with the couple for a bit and then felt a yawn overtake her due to the late hour. She said, “I just wanted to make sure we’re all on the same page…thank you,� before returning to her room.

Alone on the bridge now, Storm and Wolverine looked at each other. Storm opened her mouth to speak, but Wolverine said, “Don’t want to discuss it anymore now�.

Storm forced herself to take a moment before responding. “That is your right. I just hope that you sincerely meant it when you said that you agreed to not bother Colossus�.

“I don’t ever go back on my word�.

Storm nodded. After more silence, she then began again, “After all, Jubilee is an adult now�.

“Said I don’t wanna discuss it�.

She bit her lip. Ororo knew that Logan was generally not verbose but did he have to sound so brusque with her? As much as Ororo disliked comparing her relationship to others, she couldn’t ignore a silent voice that wondered, ‘Would Cyclops ever speak to Jean that way?’

Logan looked at Ororo and stepped closer to her. “Hey,� he said softly. “Thanks for keepin’ me company here�. He put an arm around her.

Ororo wondered if she was weak. If all it took were a more gentle tone and a touch from Logan to soften her disposition, was that not a sign that she had taken her guard down far too much? If matters of the heart were this complicated, Ororo would see why she had remained single for so long. She could see why some, like Jubilee, chose to remain unattached.

She touched a hand to Logan’s face, feeling the rough hairs on his cheek. It was true, Ororo admitted to herself. He made part of her just melt. “My pleasure, Logan,� she said softly. “I would like to stay a bit longer too. Would you like some coffee?�

“Not unless you’re gettin’ somethin’ for yourself�.

“I was going to get some tea. I’ll bring you something as well�.

“Thanks, Ro�.

***

Cyclops was not in a good mood. That was pretty clear to all of us. I’d known the guy for years, and over the years, I’d seen him be strict, stern, and a stickler for rules. But I’d also seen him learn to relax a bit, learn to trust the rest of the team, and have fun. The last several years, he’d been way better on those fronts.

Believe it or not, I liked Cyclops. I always had. I thought that by any standard, he’d been a great leader and co-leader over the years. He really cared about people – he cared about the team and he always wanted to make the world a better place for mutants and non-mutants. And yeah, I’d always had the sense that he wasn’t all that comfortable with or fond of the idea of homosexuality in general, but he’d never once made a homophobic comment or done any homophobic actions that I was aware of. When Northstar was here, Cyclops treated me the same as he always had and he’d even said some good things about Northstar’s fighting ability. I came to think that if I’d been straight, my relationship with Cyclops would have been no better and no worse.

He was always way tough on me and my training, that’s for sure. I knew that I was never his favorite fighter. Since I’d resumed training, he had again been tough but fair. He has even given me a few compliments (though nowhere near as many as Storm and others have).

But with Jean gone, things were not good. I always felt that Jean had helped lighten him up and make him more easy-going. All of us had known, I guess, that things would be hard for Cyclops now that he was apart from his wife and son – and were they ever.

I was in the Danger Room with Gambit, Cyclops, and a few others. It had been a typical session; no better or worse than usual. My aim was okay, I’d been nervous during it, and everyone had trained pretty much as they usually had. As the group was filing out of the room though, my ears perked when I heard Cyclops say to Gambit, “May I have a word with you?� It was clearly a command and not a request.

I heard Gambit reply in his usual easy-going manner that they could talk anytime, and then I heard Cyclops lay into him.

“You’re not trying hard enough!� Cyclops yelled. “You’re putting in a half-assed effort and we’ve got the fight of our lives coming up in five weeks! I can’t have you slacking off like this! Next time try harder or don’t even bother�.

I couldn’t listen anymore – partly because it was painful and partly because I’d gathered up all my stuff and had no reason left to be in there. But I waited in the hallway for Gambit. If he didn’t want to talk, I’d leave him alone but I thought I could at least ask.

Gambit’s eyes were glowing and fists clenched. “Are you okay?� I asked.

Gambit shook his head. “Oh, Bobby. It take all of Remy’s willpower to not beat dat Cyke to a pulp! Every last bit o’ willpower. Storm would be proud of me, at leas’�.

“How bad was it?�

“You heard mos’ of it. You leave, he just repeat himself and add in dat I ain’t trainin’ Marrow and Moonstar hard enough. Yeah, well Xavier’s the one who be trainin’ Moonstar – I ain’t no telepath!�

I shook my head. “You know what he said is bull though, right? I mean, it seems to me that you’re training plenty hard�.

“Remy know it. An’ I know dat Cyke sufferin’ ‘cause Jean ain’t here. Dat be the only reason I don’t punch him in the face. He’s actin’ like an asshole but Remy feel bad for him too�.

I wanted to say that Gambit did seem remarkably calm and he sure deserved some props for that. But I couldn’t think of a good way to say it. So I just asked, “What are you going to do?�

“I t’ink I mention dis to Storm. And maybe Xavier. Maybe I ask dem how dey t’ink my training’s goin’� He sighed, “And I gotta act like dis don’t bot’er me or Rogue gonna knock out Cyke. Dat won’t be good�.

“I hadn’t thought of that. She’s gonna be pissed and she doesn’t have as much restraint as you do�.

He smiled, “She let t’ings bot’er her a lot more den I do. She gonna be madder ‘bout dis den I am�.

I returned Gambit’s smile. I thought it was neat how the members of the couple were different from each other in many ways but they just seemed to jell. It was like their differences complemented each other’s well.

***

A day or so later, I was on the bridge. Bridge duty had quickly become routine and not nerve-wracking for me. It really wasn’t that hard, it wasn’t scary like combat, and the biggest challenge was boredom. I checked the ship’s logs and there wasn’t much activity. A few subspace messages between Victory and The Prevail. I assumed most of them had to do with transporting men to and from Emma. I was sure the Professor must have reached out to Moira a few times but then remembered that those would likely have been telepathic communications.

I played my computer games, kept one eye on the important sensors at all times, daydreamed, and waited for my shift to end. At long last, the doors slid open and Jubilee, my relief, entered the bridge.

“Thank god,� I said. “Bridge duty is over�.

“Yeah, yeah, quit gloating,� she said. “Mine’s just beginning. Is there anything in the world – or the galaxy – more boring?�

“Not that I know of,� I said. “You want me to bring you anything?�

“No, I’ll be fine,� she said, plopping down into the captain’s chair. “Besides, Colossus will pop his head in here at least twice asking me if I need anything�.

“That’s sweet of him,� I offered.

“Yeah, yeah�.

“You sound quite unimpressed,� I observed.

Jubilee shrugged. I thought for a moment that she was going to blow off the subject, but she motioned for me to step closer even though we were alone on the bridge.

“I miss Sam,� she confided. “I don’t want to be Sam’s girlfriend – I’m cool with the decision I made to end that. But I gotta say he was better in bed than Peter�.

“Really?� I asked, leaning in closer. I know, it’s terrible but I love this sort of gossip. “In what way?�

“I dunno. Peter’s technique isn’t very good�.

I thought for a moment. “That can be improved though,� I said. “You can try to teach him�.

“I’ve said a few things. I don’t wanna hurt his feelings though. He is really sweet�.

“There’s probably ways you can do it without hurting his feelings though. I mean, sheesh, Jubes, you gotta speak up about something like that if you’re not enjoying it�.

“I’ve tried to kinda be subtle in what I said but I’m starting to think that maybe it was so subtle that he didn’t get the hint. The other thing is that Peter’s…kinda, um, big. I mean he’s big all over but he’s big there too�.

“Oh�. I took a breath. “Yeah, that can be tough. It’s actually not all that much fun when the guy trying to get inside you is huge. You can’t do much about that though. But maybe some positions would be easier than others�.

Jubilee nodded. “Bummer that Sam’s not interested anymore, and now that Emma’s offering unlimited shuttle rides to guys she wants to do it with, Sam’s not gonna come back to my bed�.

“I don’t get that. I mean, if he’s pissed that you’re sleeping with Peter, then shouldn’t he also be pissed that Emma’s sleeping with Forge?�

Jubilee shrugged. “I think I hurt his feelings. Didn’t mean to but that’s how he took it when I said I didn’t want to be his girlfriend anymore. And as for Emma, well, I guess people just expect her to be sleeping around so maybe from her it’s viewed as okay. Sam’s old-fashioned in some ways, and it bugs me that he feels that way about this whole thing. But I don’t let it make me mad anymore�. She paused. “And besides, Emma’s prettier than me. Probably better in bed too and she’s obviously had way more experience than me, so maybe that’s why Sam doesn’t mind that she’s also sleeping with other guys�.

“You don’t need to compare your looks against Emma’s. I think you’re beautiful, Jubilee�.

She laughed. “Coming from a gay guy, that means a lot,� she joked. She then got serious for a second and said, “I didn’t realize the two new girls we took on board were gay too�.

“I know�. Marrow and Moonstar always sat together at mealtimes. At a recent dinner, Storm had asked them something about how they had met and their answer had made it clear to anyone who hadn’t known that they were a couple. “I go for years not meeting another gay mutant, and now I meet three in the span of a few months�. I got choked up for a second thinking about Jean Paul. I missed him so much.

And then I clammed up, not wanting Jubilee to see me all emotional. She put an arm around me and murmured, “Don’t worry. We’ll meet back up with them soon. It can’t be long now�.

***

Gambit was starting to actively dislike the Danger Room. He walked into it and saw Wolverine training Marrow in hand-to-hand combat. He stood to the side and observed them. When they appeared to be finishing up, Gambit offered his thoughts. “Not bad, Marrow. You doin’ better at anticipating what your opponents gonna do�.

“Thanks,� Marrow managed. She was sweating profusely.

“Your stamina’s still gotta improve though,� Wolverine added. “Try hittin’ those cardio machines in the gym or runnin’ around the track more�.

Marrow nodded. She was too winded to give any sort of lengthy reply.

“But you did good. I’ll show you some more moves tomorrow,� Wolverine promised.

‘Gimme a minute to catch my breath,� Marrow began. “Can we give it one more try today?�

“Sure�.

Gambit stood by, wondering if this was worth an altercation with Wolverine. He thought that training Marrow and Moonstar was a responsibility given to him and Rogue, not to Wolverine.

`Oh well,’ Remy told himself. `No point in gettin territorial ‘bout it’. He reasoned with himself that the more trainers the new duo had, the better. Everyone’s fighting style was a bit different. And Marrow really wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around anyway, so if Wolverine wanted to spend more time with her, let him knock himself out.

Gambit knew that there wasn’t a lot he could do to enhance Moonstar’s training though – she spent time with Xavier every day now. But he still hoped to help acclimate Moonstar to the X-men. Unlike her girlfriend, Moonstar seemed eager to learn more about the X-men and what they stood for. At dinner yesterday, she listened raptly as Storm and Hank described various missions and battles they had experienced over the years.

As he headed towards the Danger Room’s exit, Gambit nearly collided with Jubilee. “Whoa, ‘scuse me ‘petite,� he said.

“Oh, sorry,� Jubilee said. “Not watching where I’m going. Is Wolvie in there?�

“Yeah. You lookin’ for him?�

“Sorta,� Jubilee replied.

Gambit stood by as Jubilee walked through the Danger Room. He watched the young woman out of the corner of his eye as she got ready for training. He noted that Jubilee watched Wolverine and Marrow closely.

Gambit decided that he was finished with the Danger Room for the day. He walked down the corridors towards the bridge. When he looked at a clock on the way, he saw that Rogue still had over an hour left for her bridge shift, and he decided to join her.

“Thanks, sugar,� Rogue smiled when she saw her lover. “Been like watchin’ the grass grow. It’s nice to have some company�.

“My pleasure, chere,� Gambit responded. He glanced at Rogue’s wrists, which were now usually the first place his eyes settled upon. She wasn’t wearing her bracelet, so a kiss on the mouth would not be an option. He settled for a demure kiss on her gloved hands, which reminded him of the past, when this was one of the only ways they could touch.

“How was trainin’ today?� Rogue asked as Gambit sat down next to her

He told her. He then added, “I almos’ wonder ‘bout the look on Jubilee’s face when I leave dere. Almos’ like she’s jealous to see Wolverine trainin’ another young girl�.

“You think?� Rogue asked.

“He an’ Jubes used to work toget’er closely. She’s good in the Danger Room. Has been for years. She don’t really need his help dat much no more�.

“It is always hard to think of Jubilee as havin’ grown up, but she did�.

There was silence on the bridge for several moments before Rogue asked, “So, you ain’t gotten any invitations from Ms Frost, have you, Swamp Rat?�

Gambit wondered where this question had come from. The discussion of Jubilee’s possible jealousy? Or the fact that Emma and her invitations *were* frequent subjects of discussion on Victory, usually conducted when Cannonball and Forge were not around.

“No, chere. You don’t gotta worry ‘bout dat if I do. You know I gonna say no if she ever ask�. He paused and asked, “’Sides, why be jealous? Dere way more men den women here – if anyone’s gonna get reason to be jealous, you’d t’ink it’d be me�.

Rogue looked at her gloves and tugged on the ends. “Yeah, I guess. But you see, Remy, I don’t *want* anyone but you. Compared to you, all the other guys look like hogslop. Ain’t a one of them I find attractive, not next to you�.

“Really? Remy be very flattered, chere�.

“But that’s the problem. You don’t feel the same way. You find other women darn right gorgeous�.

Gambit wondered what mood Rogue was in and how he could get out of this one without telling a lie. Of course Gambit found other women attractive. He found most women attractive, he loved sex, it was just the way he was and the way he would always be. Sometimes intense emotions scared Rogue, and maybe the intensity was causing her to experience a bout of insecurity – at least that was what the Cajun speculated. He finally began, “Chere, I love you and only you. I’d never do nothin’ to hurt you – ‘cause I love you and ‘cause you’d break all my arms and legs and every bone in my body if I ever did!�

That provoked the desired response. Rogue chuckled a bit. “So I guess I don’t gotta worry�.

“I promise dat you don’t. And Remy again be very flattered dat you find him so attractive. I t’ink you the mos’ beautiful woman I ever seen�.

“Oh, Swamp Rat, you’re makin’ me wish I’d brought my bracelet so I could kiss you,� Rogue smiled.

“Dat is too bad. We can wait till later. Or I can make a trip to our room�.

Rogue looked at the monitors and sensors in front of her eyes. “Maybe we oughtta wait. I don’t have too much time left on this darn shift. My tummy’s rumblin’ too – can’t wait for dinner�.

“Same here. Bobby did a good job on dat sweet potato pie recipe. Tastes a lot better now�.

“I agree�. Rogue paused and then asked, “So how you think Moonstar and Marrow are likin’ what they hear about the X-men? I was thinkin’ about when Storm and Hank were talkin’ about over dinner yesterday, and the look on Moonstar’s face�.

“I was jus’ t’inkin’ ‘bout dat,� Gambit admitted. “Moonstar look like she really into it. Like in her eyes she missin’ somet’in’ – somethin’ dat we got�.

“Really? But I get the idea that girl hates battles�.

“I don’t t’ink it was combat she longin’ for. T’ink it was community�.

“Oh,� Rogue digested that information. “She does miss her home, she told us�. Rogue thought about the community aspect of X-men. As much as some of her teammates irritated her at times, she cherished the X-men and the bonds they had together. She knew that Gambit felt the same way.

“Yeah. Hope we can give her what she missin’. An’ dat her powers can help us�.



TO BE CONTINUED

Thank you for your review.

Chapter Fifteen

A knock sounded on the Professor’s door. “Come in,� he called.

Cyclops was right on time, per what they had agreed the previous day. The two had discussed having breakfast together in Xavier’s quarters, and Cyclops now entered carrying a tray of food.

This was good, Xavier mused as Scott sat down beside him and spread the food out on the small table. Both men were lonely, both missed someone they loved, both carried the burden of trying to solve earth’s problems and oust FOH once and for all. Xavier was glad that Cyclops was here. Isolation didn’t help anyone, he believed.

“How is your research going?� Scott asked

“I have gathered quite a bit of data,� the Professor answered as he poured his cup of Earl Grey tea. “I plan to begin reading through it in depth today, looking for strategies and ideas that we can use�.

The Professor had told Cyclops of his research plans a few days ago. He was studying movements throughout history which had changed a culture, and he hoped that the X-men could glean some ideas on tactics from them. They needed to learn how to win the war for the general public’s hearts and minds so as to convince them that mutants were not a threat and deserved to live in peace alongside non-mutants.

“Are any of the subjects of particular interest to you? To us?�

“They all make for fascinating reading. Gandhi’s fight against colonization, the Black Civil Rights movement in the United States, struggles for religious freedom throughout history. They achieved goals that had been considered impossible�.

Xavier looked at the expression on Scott’s face. “Are you thinking that the scenarios are too different for us to gather anything useful from?�

“I guess so,� Scott admitted. “FOH is so powerful, they have turned everyone against us. We may have powers, but there are so few of us�. He paused. “Sometimes I despair at the idea of us being able to change anything�. Scott didn’t admit the second part of his thoughts. He doubted whether the hearts and minds of the public could be changed without Xavier using his powers to tap into their minds either. He thought the situation had deteriorated far too much for any less drastic tactic to be effective.

“We must not lose hope. Each of these social movements that I am studying experienced numerous times when the prospect of success looked bleak. But we can do what may seem impossible now�.

“I hope so,� Scott said, as he spread a thin layer of butter on a slice of toast. “I really hope so, and I will do whatever it takes to make it happen,� he added, though he certainly did not need to convince the Professor of his sincerity. The fact that he had left his wife and son behind spoke volumes.

“So, how is Moonstar’s training progressing?� Scott asked, changing the subject.

“Very well. She is bright and eager to learn, and her powers are strong. She has not had any formal training before, but we are progressing slowly and steadily�.

“Colossus told me that he’s working on something to brighten their room. Like a drawing on a huge sheet of paper. He said he’ll frame it to make it look nice – since replicating a frame won’t use up that much dilithium. I thought that was nice of him. I feel bad for our two new –“ he searched for the right word “well, I guess they are our guests – to be sleeping in those ugly barracks�.

“Colossus is always so thoughtful,� Xavier remarked. “I am sure that Moonstar in particular will appreciate the gesture�. The Professor paused. “How are you, Scott?�

“Oh, the same as yesterday�. Scott paused for a moment, debating whether or not to open up. Describing his feelings would be stating the obvious, but he also thought it would somehow help. “I feel like my heart’s been torn open. I thought every day apart from Jean and the baby would get a little easier, but I can tell you that it hasn’t�.

“I am sorry that you are in so much pain, though I certainly understand why. What are you doing to help you manage your pain?�

“The same thing you’re doing to manage yours, Professor. Fighting, helping the team improve, and hoping for a better future�.

***

Wolverine reclined against the headboard. He was content. Spent and tired, and very content.

Storm emerged from the bathroom. “Would you like me to bring you something to drink?� she offered, as she wrapped a bathrobe around herself. Wolverine wished she would remain unclothed instead. “I could use a cool glass of water myself�.

“You don’t gotta leave the room for that, darlin’,� he answered. “There’s a pitcher right there on the desk,� he gestured.

“Oh,� Storm responded, looking – Wolverine thought – sincerely embarrassed at having forgotten. “Of course�.

She poured water into a glass and touched her fingers against it, summoning ice to make the drink more cool and refreshing. She then brought the glass to the bed and resumed her earlier position, cuddled up against her lover.

Logan liked having her near him. They hadn’t altered their sleeping patterns – some nights they spent together in his room or hers, other nights they slumbered apart. Today he felt quite mellow as the sweat on his body cooled and he savored the relaxing sensations his body had generated. He wondered if he might fall asleep, when Ororo asked him a question.

“Did you enjoy it?�

Logan chuckled. “You gotta ask, ‘Ro?�

“I suppose I do not�.

“You seemed to like it�.

“I did. Very much so�.

Ororo was silent again. Logan again reclined, as his lover rested her head against his chest. He shut his eyes and started to experience the pleasant sensation of his body drifting off to sleep.

Ororo spoke again. “You are not angry with me, are you Logan?�

He was jilted from the possibility of a nap by her question. “Where’d that come from?� he asked. “I ain’t makin’ you feel like I’m mad, am I?�

“No, no,� Ororo insisted. “It was just…a feeling I had. Of course I do hope you would come to me and try to discuss it if you were upset about something. As difficult a conversation as that might be,� she added.

Wolverine nodded. He wasn’t angry with Storm. But he didn’t know how to share with her what he had been feeling lately. He did wish that Storm was less restrained, and he wished she had more of a sense of humor and would laugh more freely. He wished she would let her guard down around him more often. Sometimes their interactions seemed so formal. Of course in the bedroom she was completely unrestrained – which he loved – but that was the only time and place he saw that side of her.

But when Wolverine thought about trying to share this with Storm, he felt a slight stabbing at his heart. As if this would hurt her needlessly, and he didn’t want to hurt her at all.

`Can’t change a person,’ he said to himself. `At least can’t change ‘em too much. Tellin’ her this is just gonna upset her. If we act a little formal together, hell we ain’t been together that long so that explains it’.

So Logan just said, “I love you, ‘Ro�.

“Love you too, Logan,� she whispered.

He enjoyed being cuddled up against her and sensed that she soon drifted off to sleep. He stroked her hair but remained awake.

***

Hank received a subspace communication one afternoon. It was an invitation from Emma.

He surprised himself with the fact that he took a moment to seriously consider it. She certainly was a beautiful woman, and who knew whether he would ever get another chance? But he responded the way he knew he would: he declined it. He didn’t like Emma, didn’t like the memories of the X-men’s run-in with the Hellfire Club, no matter how many years ago it may have occurred. And he had gone for this long without sex; he could certainly go for longer. He didn’t judge those who chose to “visit� Emma but he himself didn’t want to engage in meaningless sex with her.

Hank didn’t mention the invitation to anyone and took pains to delete Emma’s invitation from Victory’s communication logs. Her invitation did, however, bring the general subject of sexuality to the forefront of Hank’s mind.

***

Gambit, Rogue, and Bobby stayed up late one evening. They were in the rec room, leisurely enjoying a board game. Gambit’s bridge shift would start soon, and the other two were keeping him company until the night shift would begin.

“Is dat a yawn?� Gambit teasingly asked Bobby.

“Sorry,� Bobby mumbled. “I guess it is. Maybe I should turn in for the night�. He stood up. “But if you do find yourself falling asleep,� he said to Gambit, “just call me and I’ll get to the bridge and bring you some coffee, play a few more card games with you�.

“T’ank you�.

The X-men frequently did what they had to do to stay alert when on the bridge, even if they sometimes needed to call someone else to keep them company. Three days ago the Professor had telepathically detected an FOH vessel. Due to its strong cloaking device, it had never shown up on the ship’s sensors despite most of the X-men crowding onto the bridge and looking at every sensor on board. The FOH ship gave no sign that it could detect them either. And yesterday during Beast’s bridge duty shift, he had caught a swarm of pea-sized asteroids on a collision course with Victory. The asteroids were small enough that they would have passed through a regular scan, but having someone on the bridge, running detailed scans and staying alert had allowed enough time for the tiny menaces to be detected before they would have ripped Victory’s hull, having the same effect as thousands of powerful bullets. Both events served as a reminder that the X-men needed to remain vigilant at all times.

“Goodnight,� Rogue bid Bobby as he turned to leave the rec room. As the doors to the room slid open, Cyclops entered. The X-men’s co-leader greeted the others in the room.

“You stayin’ up late?� Gambit asked. He had decided to take the high road following his altercation a week ago with Cyclops in the Danger Room. He had let it go, given Cyclops’s understandably depressed and irritated condition. He had, however, spoken to Storm and Xavier. Both had assured him that his fighting skills appeared as strong as ever. When Gambit had recounted the incident to Rogue, he had glossed over it and vastly toned down Cyclops’s words so as to avoid an abrasive Rogue-Cyclops fight.

“I can’t sleep. I thought I’d see if there was anyone in here who might want to play a game or something,� Scott said, holding a drink and sounding very dejected.

“Sure, we’d love to. We got 35 minutes till Remy’s on the bridge,� Rogue said. “Heck, if we’re havin’ fun we could always take the game on the bridge. While of course makin’ sure we keep our eyes on the sensors too,� she quickly added, though she noticed that Cyclops did not seem at all concerned about the possibility of them not paying enough attention while on bridge duty.

Cyclops pulled up a chair as Gambit set out the game board. The three started to play.

Rogue and Gambit exchanged a look. Cyclops rested his head on one hand, glumly and slowly moving his game piece across the board and mumbling the words when it was his turn to pull and read a card. Sitting closer to the man too, they could see uncharacteristic stubble on his face. They were playing one of the more fun and lighter games – it wasn’t competitive – but Cyclops definitely did not appear to be enjoying himself. Although they couldn’t see his eyes through his visor, the rest of his body language left little doubt as to his feelings.

“Cyke,� Rogue said, after a while, gently laying a gloved hand over his. “You okay? You wanna talk ‘bout it?�

“What’s there to talk about?� he asked. “I miss my wife and son and I can’t do a damn thing about it�.

“Could you dough?� Gambit asked. “If is dis bad, maybe you take a shuttle and go back to Haven�.

“I can’t do that,� Cyclops said, sounding irritated. “I have a duty to be here, to take this fight against FOH to the end. Given what FOH is doing on earth…how can I bail out?�

“�Cause you’re human. An’ maybe you have a hard time really bein’ effective if you dis hurt�.

Cyclops was silent for a beat or two. “I’m fine,� he insisted. “I’m not suicidal, I’m not depressed – I just really miss Jean and John. Like a part of me is missing. At least Jean and John are safe on Haven though. I have that to be thankful for�.

Rogue shook her head. “Sad to see so many folks missin’ others. Bobby’s startin’ to get all worried ‘cause we haven’t heard from Alpha Flight yet. He really misses Northstar. Poor guy – he’s real sad too�.

Cyclops muttered, his tone harsh, “That’s not the same thing�.

At Rogue and Gambit’s questioning looks, he then amended, “I didn’t mean to sound that nasty. I just meant that he and Northstar haven’t been together that long, not anywhere near as long as Jean and I have�.

“I do reckon it’d be harder to be separated for a couple that’s been together a long time,� Rogue said.

Gambit looked at Rogue and then at Cyclops. “When you really love someone, dat don’t matter so much. Missin’ someone you love hurts the same no matter any dat stuff�.

Rogue began to say how glad she was that she was here with Gambit, but then stopped herself. She didn’t want to add to Cyclops’s misery and had no idea what she could do to help him.


***

I don’t know if it was just me or not, but time passed really slowly. Maybe it was because we had spent so long on Haven, and there had just been more things to do on Haven and a more beautiful setting in which to do it. Victory was nice, we had all the amenities we needed (and with the supply of dilithium we got from Magneto, we splurged slightly more often on goodies like desserts or alcohol), but it still got boring.

Maybe it was because each bridge duty shift you had to sit through just made your whole day feel longer.

I sat next to Hank at lunch one day and asked him if he knew how long it had been since we left Haven. He was about to open his mouth to reply when Cyclops, sitting across from me, said, “Four weeks and three days�.

Poor guy. He’d been a grouch the whole trip but I didn’t blame him at all. Being light-years away from the person you loved was no fun.

And I’ve already written about it so I won’t say anything more. I missed Northstar like crazy. I thought of him all the time, thought of things I wanted to tell him. I thought of his facial expressions, his accent, even the way he walked and I so desperately wanted to see and hear them again. I had gotten used to sleeping alone again, as I always had, but I didn’t like it. I wondered if he missed me as much as I missed him, and how his sister was doing.

I did some mental calculations and realized that if it had been four weeks since we X-men had left Haven, that meant it had been more than three months since I’d seen Jean Paul. We had had less than two months together on Haven. Sometimes I felt sad because those two months now felt like so long ago. It was starting to feel like we’d been apart since forever. I wondered how often he thought of me, but I didn’t wonder too much – my gut told me he thought of me as much as I him.

With each passing day, I began to feel a mixture of excitement and anxiety. I wondered when we’d hear from Alpha Flight again. Would the Professor tell me he had made telepathic contact with Alpha Flight? Would I be sitting on bridge duty one day and detect the Maple Leaf? Or would someone wake me up in the middle of the night during their bridge shift to tell me that the ship had been contacted? Would we get a subspace message from the Prevail telling us that Caliban had detected Alpha Flight?

But none of these events happened and I started to worry. The others noticed it. I’d get sympathetic pats on my hand during meals or friendly slaps on the back during Danger Room sessions. “Space is really big,� people reminded me. “It might be taking them a while to find the others on earth�. And of course, “Their ship is slow. Remember they can’t travel as fast as we do�.

I tried not to worry. Worrying wasn’t my usual thing anyway – I was usually pretty relaxed about things in general. But with the long, slow days and not a lot to occupy my head, I did worry.

On the gossip front, there wasn’t a whole lot going on. I didn’t hear of any big fights or observe any tension among the couples. The most interesting thing was a discussion I had once with Jubilee. She said that Emma had invited Colossus over for “a visit�. Colossus had asked Jubilee beforehand what she thought of it, and she’d said that given their arrangement, he was free to sleep with whomever he wanted. So he went over once and Emma has yet to invite him for a return trip. Jubilee then added that she’d given him some coaching and that, perhaps combined with whatever Emma may have said or done, had improved his performance somewhat. Meanwhile, Cannonball and Forge continued their visits to Emma. On most days there was one shuttle going from one ship to the other.

But the Professor didn’t go over to meet with Moira, nor did Moira come here.

One day, not long after Cyclops had told me we’d been gone from Haven for over four weeks, the Professor, Cyclops, and Storm made an announcement at dinner.

“We will be going to the Prevail to meet with Magneto tonight,� the Professor said. “Now that we are close to earth, it is time for us to have a discussion on tactics�.

“Why are you going there?� Wolverine asked. “There’s one of him and three of us. Shouldn’t he come here?�

“I really don’t think it matters,� Cyclops said. “He let the Professor read his mind. He doesn’t have any plans to deceive us�.

“I was hoping I might see Moira over there as well,� the Professor admitted. “Perhaps I can talk to her. We do still want to learn all we can about how FOH replicated her husband’s and Siryn’s powers�.

I saw Jubilee look down at her plate. “I know you said there’s nothing to be worried about,� she began. “But for some reason, the thought of all of you going over there makes me nervous�.

“If Magneto had any plans to attack us, he’s had weeks to do so,� Storm said. “Especially given that we will not be the first X-men to board his ship�.

She said the words straightforwardly but there might have been a smirk or half-grin on a few faces, I noted.

Storm continued, “And of course, we have every confidence in the Professor’s ability to determine Magneto’s intentions�.

“So there’s like no chance Emma could be using her powers to like block Magneto’s real thoughts or anything like that?� Jubilee asked.

“No,� the Professor said. “I would be able to detect it. My powers are far stronger than hers, and I say that not as a conceit – merely as a fact�.

“Good. So we don’t have to worry about you�.

“Not at all�.

***

The shuttle bearing the Professor, Storm, and Cyclops docked inside the Prevail. A fourth passenger was aboard as well; Cannonball decided to join them for his visit to Emma. It only made sense to make as few trips as necessary. Magneto may have given the X-men copious dilithium but they still found it wise to conserve the energy source as much as possible.

Emma met the group in the shuttle bay. Storm’s composure remained as calm and steady as always, though she had to nearly bite back an eyebrow raise at Emma’s revealing attire. Storm thought to herself that there was a time and a place for sexuality and she couldn’t imagine wearing such a get-up on a daily basis, and outside of the boudoir no less.

However, Storm didn’t judge Sam, or anyone else, for going to Emma. Sexuality was a basic need that most humans felt and there was no alternative for Sam or Forge. Forge had indeed tried to pursue a relationship with Storm herself and she had turned him down, months ago. And when Sam had had an alternative – a relationship with Jubilee – he had enthusiastically pursued it as well. Though a part of Storm had felt a bit of sadness to see the ending of that relationship, she was glad that Jubilee had realized what she did and did not want and was going after what she wanted. And Storm reminded herself that Jubilee could always change her mind and decide someday that she wanted a more conventional relationship.

“I’ll take you to Magneto,� Emma said, and turned for the others to follow her.

At those words, Storm silently chided herself for having her mind on matters of the heart and reminded herself to focus on the task at hand.

“I had hoped we might see Moira as well,� the Professor said.

“Did you tell her that you were coming?� Emma asked.

“Yes,� the Professor admitted, suspecting where this was going.

“Then I’m sure if she wanted to see you, she’d be here now. She hardly leaves her room, Xavier�.

“That is why I’d like to talk with her�.

“Can’t make someone do something they don’t want,� Emma said, as the group walked down the corridor. “If she wants to be left alone, you have to abide by that. Those FOH bastards, damn them for doing that to her and Siryn. Magneto’s right, you know, when he says that’s what they’ll do to us all. Put all mutants in camps, rape every last female, before they kill us all. They live for that�.

“Well, we’re going to stop them,� Cyclops said.

Storm turned and looked at her co-leader. His voice conveyed more determination and fire than she’d detected from him in a while.

The layout of the Prevail appeared identical to Victory’s. Emma led the group to a conference room, in which Magneto sat, and then left with Sam’s hand in her own.

A couple of hours later, the Professor, Storm, and Cyclops waited in the shuttle for Cannonball to return so that they could head back to Victory. The Professor telepathically contacted Moira again and received the same frustrating silence that he always did.

Storm mused that it was a bit awkward as Sam knocked on the shuttle’s door and, hair rumpled, entered. She thought that Bobby would crack a joke now, ask Sam whether he had had good sex. But her present company was not in much of a mood for humor and Sam quietly strapped himself into his seat.

***

So, our leaders returned and gave us the scoop. Basically they agreed that our first approach would be to infiltrate FOH’s headquarters, gather evidence as to what they had done against mutants, and use their communications equipment to broadcast that evidence widely.

If that didn’t work, we would switch to Plan B. The Professor would use his powers to open the minds of FOH leaders and get them to change their attitudes on mutants. He might also need to do so for other world leaders, not just FOH. He had always been so loathe to use his powers that way but apparently he thought that he might not have a choice now.

Hank said that he had perfected a psionic shield that would protect us from powers similar to Banshee’s and Siryn’s if FOH did use that weapon. The Professor was trying to get Siryn to help us test it but she refused to be contacted. Hank was pretty sure that this defense would work, though. Magneto, we were told, was very glad for it.

“Did you get into any specifics?� Rogue asked. “Like for Plan A, any ideas how we gonna get into FOH’s headquarters?�

“We’ll work out the details when we get closer and know more about the situation there,� Cyclops said. “But our initial thought is that some of us will provide a distraction and others will do the infiltrating�.

“We think that perhaps a smaller team should infiltrate the headquarters while most of us are distracting them,� Storm said. “We began to think of who we would want in the group doing the infiltrating of FOH’s headquarters. Some ideas we had were Forge and Beast, because of their technical prowess – that would help in terms of gathering the evidence against FOH and using their communications equipment. Gambit, because any mission calling for stealth has his name written all over it. Nightcrawler’s teleportation might come in handy inside as well – though we are, of course, not certain about that as we know it is harder for you to teleport when you are not familiar with the place previously, Kurt. Our other thought was that it might behoove us to have a telepath on that team as well, so perhaps Emma would be part of it. It would be useful in any circumstance to have a handle on the minds and thoughts of those around�.

“Can we trust her?� Nightcrawler asked.

“Yes,� Xavier said. “I know that she has fought us before, but I firmly believe we must leave that in the past. I read her mind again. She *wants* this mission to succeed and has no plans to turn on us�.

Cyclops then said, “If the rest of us are creating distractions and fighting FOH during the infiltration, we will need to train in the Danger Room with Magneto’s team. We need to get used to fighting alongside them. So they will be coming here tomorrow to work with us in the Danger Room�.

So that was that. Now the big battle wasn’t an abstraction, it was actually going to happen. We were going to fight FOH, we were going to create a diversion, going to have some of our team infiltrate their headquarters – despite the fiasco last time we went up against them. Between thinking about all that and my now-constant worry about Jean Paul, I must have looked how I felt – like crap. Hank went right up to me after the meeting.

I have this rule. I try to not initiate touch with straight guys given that most straight guys, even the non-homophobic ones, don’t particularly like being touched by gay guys. But I didn’t even think about that, as soon as we were alone I just kind of collapsed into Hank’s arms and let him hug me.

***

“All will be well, Bobby,� Hank insisted. The two were alone in Bobby’s room, minutes after the meeting had ended. “Remember that we X-men have fought and triumphed against powerful opponents. Even when the odds seemed insurmountable, we won the battle. I assure you that there is no need for you to worry�.

“No need to worry?� Bobby croaked. “We got our asses kicked last time we fought FOH!�

“But this time we have a defense against their main weapon. And we have been training relentlessly for months. You are stronger and more powerful than ever. I have every confidence in you and the team�.

“Well I don’t feel so confident, not when I don’t even know where Northstar is or what happened to Alpha Flight�.

Hank reached for Bobby and again pulled him into a hug. He patted his back and quietly said a few soothing words. “I know this is a time of great anxiety for you, but I strongly feel that we will triumph. I feel that weeks from now, you will look back on this day and smile when you realize how far you have progressed. Try to relax�.

Bobby relaxed into the hug. His insides still swirled with anxiety but he appreciated his friend’s gesture.

“Is there anything we can do to help you relax?� Hank asked, again his voice low. “You always enjoyed brushing me – would that provide you with a soothing, rhythmic activity?�

“Um, yeah,� Bobby said, amused at the way Hank phrased the sentence. Hank’s near-bombastic word choice always made Bobby want to smile. “I guess so�.

Bobby broke away from the hug and searched for a comb. He found one on his bathroom’s countertop. Meanwhile, Hank seated himself upon Bobby’s bed.

Hank was perceptive. Bobby did find the activity of brushing his hairy friend to be comforting. It was such a vast task – moving that comb through the dense fur on Hank’s large body that Bobby was often able to put aside his worries as he did it.

“I guess you’re right,� Bobby said, after he had begun brushing Hank’s back. “We’re the strongest team of mutants out there. We have an amazing telepath, we’ve got incredible fighters, and we even have Magneto on our side. I can hold my own in battle. I can do it�.

“That is the attitude, my friend. I assure you that we will fight well against FOH. We will defeat them�.

“I hope so. It’s just hard because so much is unknown – who knows what will happen when we actually go up against them? And I’m just so worried about Jean Paul. I keep thinking that we should’ve heard from Alpha Flight by now. And there’s nothing I can do about the whole situation except wait for the Professor to detect them. I guess I just need to accept that. And try to be patient, but it’s hard. And – hey, do you want me to do your legs after I finish your back?�

“I would enjoy that. Thank you. The backs of the legs are difficult for me to reach, despite my agility,� Hank replied.

The two continued to talk, both of them bolstering Bobby’s confidence as Bobby continued to run the brush through Hank’s fur. When Bobby finished Hank’s back, the larger man lay face down on the bed so that the backs of his legs could be combed. They continued to talk, Hank enumerating the many possible – and harmless - reasons why the X-men had yet to make contact with Alpha Flight.

As they spoke, Hank felt a subtle shift overtake his body. At first he questioned what he was feeling. But as the moments passed, he realized that his body was beginning to respond in a new and somewhat shocking manner to the sensation of the combing.

`It is nothing,’ Hank told himself. `I can ignore these stirrings’. But as the sensations slowly built, Hank had to reason with himself. `I must be having this reaction because I rarely experience touch. Perhaps my body is starved for it, in a way, and it is only reacting accordingly. I only fantasize about women, not men; I certainly do not have any inappropriate feelings towards my friend. I believe this must be a fluke’.

Hank soon began to realize, however, that he would need to gently extricate himself from this situation somehow.

“You got awfully quiet,� Bobby said. “I guess repeating the same reassuring stuff to me over and over has gotta get boring after a while�.

“No, no, not at all,� Hank assured his friend. “I simply lost myself in the pleasurable sensations from the brushing for a moment. I –“

Hank was cut off by the sound of a communicator. “Hank? It’s Forge. Just wanted to see if you were okay. You were supposed to relieve me of my bridge duty shift ten minutes ago�.

“Oh my stars and garters!� Hank exclaimed, immensely grateful. “My apologies, Forge. I lost track of time. I shall be there as soon as possible�.

Thankful for the cue to exit, Hank abruptly stood up and faced the door. “Thank you, Bobby,� he said, over his shoulder. “Please visit me on the bridge if you would like to continue our discussion�.

“You want me to come with you and brush you more?� Bobby asked, speaking to Hank’s back.

“No, thank you,� he responded, quickly. “I must focus on the sensors. Thank you, my friend!�

As Hank left and the doors slid closed, Bobby shrugged and said, “Okay – bye then�.

***

Light-years away from the X-men, Jean Grey sat on a rocking chair on Haven’s porch. She nursed John as she watched the sun set.

Her days were long, peaceful, and quiet. After living with the X-men for most of her adult life, the experience of sharing a tranquil place like Haven with only one other adult required quite an adjustment for Jean. She and Heather got along well enough to make the situation somewhere between tolerable and good. Heather’s personality and temperament, Jean noted, were similar to her own, which functioned as both a positive and a negative. The two coexisted peacefully enough but also tacitly agreed that time apart was necessary as well.

However, given that both women had a newborn baby to which to tend, Jean knew it was a blessing to have someone else to share the work with. While Brianna kept to a regular sleeping schedule now, John didn’t sleep through the night no matter what Jean tried. Jean was very grateful that Heather would keep an eye on both babies so that Jean could occasionally doze during the day. She returned the favor when Heather needed it.

Jean checked the calendar. Less than five weeks had passed since the X-men departed. As much as Jean enjoyed the calm and the unending time to bond with her son, it truly felt to her as if Scott and the others had been gone for ten weeks, not five. As fulfilling as Jean found the work of parenting, she wished she had other pursuits with which to occupy her mind as well.

“We knew we’d have to make sacrifices when we joined our teams,� Jean said to Heather later that day as they ate dinner on the porch. She often longed to eat each meal earlier and earlier in the day just to give herself something to do. “And we knew there’d be greater sacrifices still when we decided to have children. But I am really finding it hard to be away from Scott, and all the others�.

Jean was, of course, making an understatement. She had cried herself to sleep more than once. Without Scott’s arms around her, she sometimes didn’t fall asleep at all.

“I know,� Heather said. “Sometimes I wish I had a normal life�. She paused and added, “I really miss James. Our marriage isn’t perfect – I know you know that. Heck, he’s not perfect, and neither am I. But I really miss him. He always has such a strong sense of purpose, sense of direction. It’s hard to not have that now�.

Jean nodded. “I also feel bad for Scott. I know it’s killing him that he’s missing so much crucial time in our baby’s life�.

“We just have to keep praying that our teams will return safely – and soon�.

Jean listened to Heather’s words. It wasn’t anything that they hadn’t expressed countless times during the past few weeks. Jean’s life was so absent, she knew, without Scott. She had the baby to devote her energies and attentions to, and she loved the baby wholeheartedly. But with Scott, she shared such a passionate, continual, consuming love. Her days were odd and empty without him, even though she had her son to dote on and bond with. But she was without Scott, without the man who still – after all these years – could cause her to catch her breath, so intense was their love.

***

Jubilee narrowly dodged a blast from a simulated FOH soldier. “Watch out, girl!� Rogue hollered, as she flew through the Danger Room, picked up a simulated truck, and dumped in on top of a band of FOH.

“Thanks, Rogue!� Jubilee called. She forced herself to snap out of her daze. She pivoted and mustered energy to blast more advancing soldiers with her fireworks. Some of the simulated soldiers were knocked out, one turned and fled, and the remaining two were finished off by a charged card that Gambit lobbed at them.

After the session, Jubilee walked back to her room. She had lost her focus for a few moments there, and she knew that she could not afford such a mistake during the impending battle. She suspected it had to do with what she had seen in the Danger Room earlier that day: Wolverine training Marrow.

Wolverine had certainly thrown himself into his self-appointed mission of training the young woman in combat skills, Jubilee noted. She had seen the two working together several times now. It was completely irrational, Jubilee knew, but she missed his attentions. When he wasn’t working with Marrow, he tended to naturally spend his free time with Storm. Wolverine’s attitude towards Colossus – and the fact that Jubilee had had to confront him regarding it – didn’t help matters any.

Mentally, Jubilee played back the consoling words that she knew Storm would say to her: `Your skills are at a level where you don’t need one-on-one training any longer, and Wolverine knows that. And you are making adult decisions now in all areas of your life, which is certain to change all of your relationships with the others’.

But was it wrong for Jubilee to miss the days when Wolverine taught her to drive and doted on her in his gruff manner? Jubilee had no idea how to get that type of relationship back.

***

Back on earth, Northstar flew through the air. He reached a speed that was inhuman; it should have been impossible. He flew so fast that if someone from the ground were to look up, they would not have seen a person – at most, they would have seen a ripple in the sky and felt a gust of wind.

As he flew, Northstar desperately wished that Alpha Flight had a telepath on their team. He had to find his sister. Aurora had run away once since the team had covertly landed on earth. Northstar had found her and brought her back to the team. Now she had run away again and he was determined to once more retrieve her. James thought that FOH was closer and closer to realizing that Alpha Flight had returned to earth, and was now hot on their trail. Northstar had to find Aurora, fast.

His stomach made a rumbling noise. His clothes were damp from flying through rain. Northstar wished he was back on Haven, safe and satisfied, with Bobby in his arms. Some sense of duty had compelled him to return with his sister to earth, and now duty again had him scouring Canada for any sign of her. He wondered if he truly had made a mistake in returning to earth.

Just over 24 hours later, Northstar’s communicator sounded. “Hurry!� Puck urged. “We think FOH detected us. We had a glitch on the bridge and our cloak dropped for a few seconds. We’re starting up the engines and getting ready to take off if we need to. I think they’re sending a ship this way�.

“We’re on our way back,� Northstar answered. “I found her�.

He flew with Aurora in his arms. She had somehow injured her arm. This time she didn’t resist when her brother carried her. She didn’t yell at him or kick him, but she didn’t make any attempt to fly herself either.

Northstar pushed himself harder and faster. His hunger, general fatigue, and the strain of carrying Aurora slowed him down considerably. He flew at a fraction of the speed he had the day before.

The twins reached the spot where the Maple Leaf had been hiding. Northstar looked at the indentations in the ground and he somehow knew that the cloaked ship was gone. He tried his communicator – a low-range device that would only pick up those in North America – and received no reply, no matter how many desperate times he tried.

“They’re gone,� Aurora breathed. “They left us here�.

Northstar’s ears perked up. He grabbed Aurora and flew higher into the air. Two FOH trucks roared through the wilderness and reached the area that the Maple Leaf had been hiding. Soldiers dispersed and began to scour the area. Northstar, still holding his sister, flew away as fast as he could manage.

***

My communicator sounded just as I was walking towards the gym to begin my boring every-other-day weights workout.

“Bobby, it’s the Professor. Can you join me in my room please?�

“I’ll be there right away,� I said. I kind of half-walked and half-jogged towards the personnel quarters. I couldn’t think of too many reasons why Xavier would be calling me. He had never summoned me to his room before. I hadn’t been playing any practical jokes or doing anything that could get me in trouble, so I started having both fears and hopes about what this could mean.

“Please, sit down,� he said, gesturing to the chair as soon as I stepped through the door.

“What is it?� I asked. I realized I was a bit winded and it obviously wasn’t just from the fast pace I used to get to his room.

“I just made telepathic contact with James Hudson. He is in a starship with most of Alpha Flight; they left earth several days ago and should be rendezvousing with us soon,� the Professor said.

I couldn’t read his expression, but I hung onto every word. “Most of Alpha Flight?�

“Northstar and Aurora are not with them,� he said, plainly.

“What happened?? Are they dead?� Oh dear god. All the fears and worries I had over the past few weeks bubbled up. I knew my heart was racing. I tried to make myself just breathe. Then I had to make myself focus and listen to what the Professor was saying.

“James does not know�.

“Doesn’t know?? So they might be dead??�

“I know this is difficult. Please try to listen; I will tell you what happened, based on what James told me. He said that the team reached earth and began to search for their loved ones. During that time – and they were on earth for many days – Aurora ran away. Northstar and the others went off in search of her, and after a while, Northstar found her and brought her back to the team. By then, FOH was beginning to realize that Alpha Flight had returned and was close to tracking them down. James says that Aurora ran away again, and Northstar again went in search of her. The Maple Leaf took off when an FOH ship attacked it. He said that he didn’t have a chance to ensure that everyone was accounted for, and that the FOH ship damaged their engines. They made it out of orbit and have enough power to cloak and move at low warp speeds. James felt that it was not safe to return to earth and look for Northstar and Aurora�.

“Not safe?? What kind of asshole leaves his people behind like that?!�

“I share your frustration, Bobby. James told me that he had to make a decision based on the good of the majority of his team, who were on the Maple Leaf when FOH attacked. He said that had their ship not been damaged, he would have returned to earth to retrieve the twins. He felt that he couldn’t risk his team being captured by FOH again�.

I forced myself again to breathe and try to get calm but my heart was thudding. My throat was dry, I felt a bit dizzy, and was glad that I was sitting down.

“Can you sense them? Northstar and his sister?�

“We are too far from earth for me to sense anyone on it. I am sorry, Bobby. When we are close to earth, I should have that ability and I promise you that I will let you know as soon as I have something definitive�.

“What about Caliban? Why didn’t *he* sense Alpha Flight earlier? Can he tell us where Northstar is?�

“I believe that his powers allow him to only sense mutants whom he has met. He met several X-men before but apparently has not met anyone in Alpha Flight�. Xavier took a breath. “For all we know, Northstar and Aurora might be fine. There is a good chance they are evading FOH. Both are strong fighters with many years of experience in combat. Their powers to fly at hyper-speed should be a great asset in helping them resist capture�.

“But with Aurora being all mental, I’m sure she’s not in the best condition. And a big part of their plan was to use the cloaked ship as their base on earth. Without that, they don’t have that many places to hide. And FOH probably still has that Banshee-like weapon, and the twins don’t have a psionic shield to protect themselves from it. After all, they – and all of Alpha Flight – was captured by FOH once before�. Despite the dread I was feeling, I was forcing my brain to think and function.

“There are plenty of places to hide. And fortunately, it is only two of them who have to hide - and they should be on familiar territory. I knew this would be difficult news for you to take, Bobby, so I wanted to tell you first. Here is what I can promise you. When we get closer to earth, as I said, I will attempt to reach them telepathically. I will also insist to Magneto that our first order of business be to find them, when we reach earth. Convincing him may be a struggle as he is eager to defeat FOH, but I assure you that I will do everything I can to get him to agree to doing so�.

I guess I was feeling all emotional or whatever, so when Xavier said those words, I got off my chair, reached over and bent down to hug him. “Thank you�. Then I stood back up. “What if he doesn’t agree?�

“I will do everything I can to convince him, Bobby. If I can’t, then we can explore other options such as breaking off with Magneto. I would prefer to keep that as a last resort�.

I nodded. The Professor reached for one of my hands and gave it a squeeze, which was not a characteristic behavior of his.

“Be strong, Bobby. I encourage you to both hope for the best while mentally preparing for the worst. If FOH has captured them, there is a good chance that they would leave them alive for a while. They did so with both the X-men and Alpha Flight when they had captured us before�.

“They didn’t leave Banshee or Kevin alive when they had them,� I said. My heart again fell to the floor.

“Based on what Moira shared with me, FOH waited weeks before executing them. But remember that we do not even know if FOH has captured Northstar and Aurora. They might be doing quite well hiding and waiting for a rescue�.

The Professor paused and then said, sounding more business-like, “You are the first person I have shared this information with – I have not yet told Cyclops or Storm that we’ve made contact with Alpha Flight. I would like to do so now. Come with me; I am going to summon everyone to the bridge. We must discuss our plan�.

Obediently I followed his wheelchair. I tried to focus. Xavier’s tone and actions somehow kept me from breaking down and crying. But as I walked to the bridge, with my head down, I had to remember an article I read years ago. It was by this woman who waited her whole life to find her soulmate. She found her soulmate and the soulmate died within a year of cancer. Decades had passed and she’d never met another – that had been her one chance, her one soulmate. I wondered if I would have the same kind of luck.

We got to the bridge, Xavier made an announcement, and everyone else was there within a minute or two. I slid down into one of the chairs as everyone else milled about and waited for the news.

So Xavier basically told the others what he told me. He said that he estimated Alpha Flight’s ship to be about four days away. When he gave them the news about Northstar and Aurora, Hank and Jubilee went right up to me. Hank put his hand on my shoulder.

I had been so wrapped up in thinking about Northstar, that I hadn’t cared too much about the others in Alpha Flight or who was on the ship with them. The Professor said that all the others who had set out for earth were now back on the Maple Leaf, including Angel. In addition, Angel had located Psylocke. Years ago she had spent about 15 months with the X-men before leaving but apparently now she wanted to rejoin. They had only a few others with them: Sasquatch’s son and Heather’s parents. Alpha Flight had not had much luck regrouping with the rest of their team. While on earth, they had learned that three members had died. Marrina and her husband had elected to remain on earth.

And that was that. The Professor said he would talk with Magneto in person. Apparently another shuttle was already scheduled to go from our ship to his; Forge was going to be on it to pay Emma a visit. Someone muttered something about Emma being “one busy and energetic lady� but I was so crushed over the news on the twins that I didn’t crack a smile.

***


TO BE CONTINUED

Thank you for your review.

Chapter Sixteen

Cyclops and Storm stood in the shuttle bay, watching as the forcefield was erected and the shuttle bearing Xavier and Forge departed into the dark vastness of space. The Prevail still warped slightly ahead of Victory. Both vessels had slightly lowered and matched their speed so that the shuttle transfer would be made easier. Cyclops looked at space’s blackness and again felt another twinge, thinking of HOW much distance now separated Jean from him. Anything could happen in the next few days or weeks – or months. And this enormous gulf separated him from the ones he loved the most.

“I thought I was getting used to it, but it still hurts every day�.

After the words escaped his mouth, Cyclops visibly started. He hadn’t been aware that he was speaking aloud, but he wasn’t upset by Storm gently placing her hand on his shoulder.

“I can only imagine what you are experiencing,� she said quietly. “I dearly hope this mission will go well and we can return to Haven soon. I believe it will�.

Storm missed Jean too. And she didn’t add in some speculation that had been occurring as the X-men got closer to earth. If they were able to topple FOH, wouldn’t most X-men want to stay on earth and try to rebuilt mutant/human relations? Would Scott alone take Victory to return to Haven so he could be with Jean? Would some X-men want to go with Scott so they could remain on Haven, temporarily or permanently?

“I hope so too,� Scott murmured. He then added, sounding more like himself, “I hope the Professor’s discussion with Magneto goes well. Magneto might not agree to rescue the twins first�.

“His whole reason for traveling through space, finding us, and giving us dilithium was so we could defeat FOH. I agree that convincing him to take a detour will be a difficult task. I am worried, for Bobby’s sake�.

“Yeah,� Scott said, realizing how true his words were, “me too�.

***

Magneto sat facing Xavier. He looked at the other man, unable to decide whether he loved him, despised him, pitied him, or was mystified by him. Perhaps it truly was all of the above, he speculated.

“I was not aware that the X-men planned their battles and strategies to suit the needs of a homosexual romance,� Magneto commented. He had asked Xavier why they cared so much about Northstar and Aurora - above and beyond the fact that they were two powerful mutants - and Xavier’s answer had been honest.

“I truly believe that finding the twins – and rescuing them – will not require more than a day or two of our efforts,� Xavier insisted. “FOH has been in power for so long, does a day or two really matter?�

Magneto chuckled. “No. No, it does not�. He spread his hands. “I will not oppose your plans, Charles. Find and rescue the twins, and then we will get to work on defeating FOH. Do not look so surprised. I am consenting to this because we need every powerful mutant we can find and, as you say, this will not take the X-men long to do�.

“Thank you, Magnus,� Xavier said, still truly surprised.

Magneto shook his head. “You X-men. Always sopping over with love and compassion. It is your fatal weakness�.

“On the contrary,� the Professor replied, “it is a strength�.

***

Rogue nearly bumped into Hank as she walked down the corridor containing the personnel quarters.

“Didja just come from Bobby’s room?� she asked Hank. “How is he?�

“He appears worse, from my perspective,� Hank answered. “I brought him some ice cream hoping that it would cheer him up. He seems both depressed and anxious�.

Wolverine had been walking down the hallway as well and heard their exchange. “Session in the Danger Room’s what the boy needs. That’ll help him work it off�.

“I truly am not certain what will assist him in feeling better, other than us demonstrating that we care about him�.

“I can do that,� Rogue said, “Lemme talk to him now�.

With that, Rogue rapped gently on Bobby’s door. “It’s Rogue. Can I come in?�

Bobby mumbled his assent, and Rogue entered the room. Although she failed to coax him out to join the others for games in the rec room or for action in the Danger Room, she did sit with him for a long time. He said that he didn’t want to talk about Northstar, so Rogue just kept him talking about whatever subjects came to mind. He seemed to appreciate her presence, Rogue surmised, as he stirred a spoon around his half-eaten bowl of ice cream.

After a while, Professor Xavier knocked on the door and asked to be let in. Bobby nearly leapt to his feet.

“He’s back from Magneto’s ship,� Rogue said, though she was stating the obvious.

“Hello Bobby,� the Professor greeted as his wheelchair glided through the doorway. “I do have a bit of good news for you. Magneto agreed with our plan to search for the twins first. He didn’t resist that plan; he agreed with the idea of finding Northstar and Aurora first before we battle FOH�.

Bobby blinked and then went up to the Professor. “Thank you,� Bobby said. “Thank you very much. Whatever you said to Magneto must’ve convinced him�.

“There is no need to thank me�. The Professor then turned towards the door. “I will let you know as soon as we are close enough to earth to make telepathic contact with people on our planet�.

Rogue looked at Bobby. She guessed that the Professor must have noticed Bobby getting choked up and perhaps timed his exit so he would leave quickly in case Bobby did not want the older man to see him crying. She did notice a tear forming in one of his eyes and reached to give Bobby a spontaneous hug. Rogue realized that she couldn’t remember ever seeing Bobby cry. He was certainly more in touch with his emotions than a lot of people she knew, but he tended to have a happy-go-lucky, joking persona at most times.

“I’m okay,� Bobby muttered unconvincingly.

“It’s okay to cry if you wanna,� Rogue said. She continued to embrace him until he slowly pulled away.

Bobby wiped at the moistness in the corner of one of his eyes. “I’m okay,� he repeated, sounding more sure of himself this time. “I’m so relieved that Magneto agreed to it. And I’m so worried about Jean Paul. If something happened to him…Rogue, I don’t know what I’d do. I really don’t�.

Rogue spontaneously hugged Bobby again. She felt something click inside her head; perhaps an emotional wall fell as well. She wasn’t sure if it was the look on Bobby’s face, the quavering of his voice, or the certainty she had that Bobby truly would suffer immensely if harm befell Northstar.

The two sat together for a while after that. They again resumed talking about whatever subjects came to mind. At one point Jubilee knocked on the door and delivered more ice cream to Bobby, which he ate with relish despite his earlier consumption of the dessert.

“Poor guy,� Rogue said, a few hours later as she lay in bed next to Gambit. Gambit reached over and turned the light off. “He’s really hurtin’�.

“’Course he’s hurtin’, chere,� Gambit said gently. “Bad enough when he jus’ missed Northstar. Now he knows dat we don’t know where he is, dat somet’in’ couldda happen to him. It’d drive Gambit crazy if you were in Northstar’s place�.

Rogue turned towards Gambit. “Yes,� she said slowly, her mind at last coming to a realization. “Yes, I can see that! It really would be the same, it would hurt just as much�. She flung her arms around Gambit. “Thank you, Remy. I get it now�.

Gambit returned the embrace, knowing that Rogue truly did understand at last.

***

Our ship met up with Alpha Flight’s. The Maple Leaf was not able to keep up with the warp speed of Victory or the Prevail, so we ended up tugging them in our tractor beam after Cyclops and James talked over subspace and figured out that would be the best way. We sent two of our shuttles to the Maple Leaf so we could meet face to face with Alpha Flight. Alpha Flight’s members used the shuttles to board Victory, and we met inside Victory’s largest conference room.

I sat there with a neutral expression on my face. I was really mad at James, mad at all of them for leaving Northstar and Aurora. But I’d cried and pounded the walls so much the past few days that I was a bit drained inside too, and not up for any confrontation.

Puck went up to where I sat and slapped my back. “I’m sorry, pal,� he said, sounding sincere. “I gotta think that Xavier can find the twins soon. If I could’ve done anything to prevent taking off without them, I would’ve but we honestly had no choice if we didn’t want to get captured ourselves�.

I quietly thanked him, my anger - at him anyway – fading away. Puck then added that he’d be glad to talk with me more, later. I think I nodded and said I’d like that.

Angel and Psylocke were greeted with hearty handshakes and hugs by the X-men. I don’t remember if I said anything to them but I didn’t think that I went up to them or anything like that. During the meeting, I just had to look at their body language and it was clear that they were “an item� again. Man, that Angel, he sure doesn’t waste any time. He obviously had determined that he wanted a woman (I had heard a more crude term used by someone else to describe what he wanted) and did whatever it took to get one, even if it meant leaving his team and hopping on board a creaky old starship for a journey lasting months. He and Psylocke looked happy enough, which filled me with resentment. Puck later told me that during Alpha Flight’s trip to earth, when Aurora was the only female on board the ship, Angel had hit on her. Northstar had told him to stay away from his sister, Puck said, but Aurora might have thought she could make Walter jealous and return to her, so she had slept with Angel a few times. Whatever the case, now Angel was obviously with Psylocke.

We sat down in the conference room with Alpha Flight, and each team filled the other in on what it had missed. Alpha Flight was obviously upset that their mission hadn’t gone too well. They lost the twins, and they learned that three more team members had died while they were away. Their only successes were reuniting with Heather’s parents – who were eager to join their daughter and grandchild on Haven – and Walter’s son. They also said that FOH was “everywhere� and more powerful than before. They had spent all their time on earth on the run, using the cloaked ship to hide.

Once we updated them on our plans for what we wanted to do earth, Storm then asked, “Which of you would like to join us and which of you will be returning to Haven?�

Alpha Flight must have been discussing that very question ever since the Professor had made contact with them. Those who wanted to join us in our fight against FOH – in addition to Angel and Psylocke, of course -- were Puck, Shaman, Flex, and Radius. That was it. All the others wanted to return to Haven.

I tuned back in to hear James say, “Of course the Maple Leaf was damaged by that FOH ship when we left earth. We think we can make it back to Haven but we would really appreciate it if Forge and Beast would take some time to look at our engines. My team is smart but we don’t have anyone quite as good with technology as the two of you. I think if some repairs could be made, we would have no problem making it all the way back to Haven�.

And then Rogue shocked me. She nearly burst out of her seat and said, “No way – we gotta get to earth to rescue the twins and we ain’t got no time to fix your blasted ship! Our first priority’s to get the twins back - Bobby’s gotta be with his partner!�

I was surprised – or really shocked --- to hear her say that, and so passionately too. A few times in the past, I’d had the tiniest feeling that she hadn’t been comfortable with the idea of me being gay ever since I’d had a boyfriend, but wow – I must’ve been totally wrong on that one.

I noticed that her outburst may have raised a few eyebrows, but not that many. I actually saw a few people nodding agreement. That surprised me too.

Puck said, “She’s got a point. Every minute we delay getting back to earth isn’t good in terms of us finding Northstar and Aurora. I don’t think FOH has them, but if they do, we don’t have time to waste�.

The issue was not debated much, as it turned out. After talking through several options, it was decided that Hank and Forge would board the Maple Leaf and assess the engine damage. If they could repair it quickly, then they would do so. If it would require more time, then Victory would tow the Maple Leaf back towards earth in our tractor beam, and those who didn’t want to fight FOH would remain on board the cloaked Maple Leaf while the X-men and Magneto’s team took out FOH. If the battle took a long time, it would obviously delay those on the Maple Leaf who wanted to return home but it might be better for them in the long run anyway given how long the trip to Haven would take with their ship weakened.

The group discussed the matter quickly, which I was glad for. Puck’s words kept rolling around in my head. He didn’t think FOH had Northstar and Aurora…but what if they did? We just had no time to lose.

***

Cyclops rode in one of the shuttles, along with Hank and Forge, to the Maple Leaf.

Part of his reason for accompanying them was pure curiosity. He had never been inside the Maple Leaf – no X-man other than Angel had – and wanted to see how bad it was.

The ship was small, much smaller than Victory. From the inside, it appeared even tinier, as if the insides were folding in on the ship and most of its bulk was comprised of ship equipment. Apparently the inside of the ship was one large cylindrical shape with only one large corridor connecting the different rooms. The bridge was at one end of the cylinder, the engine room at the opposite end. In between were personnel quarters and a few other rooms. As James led the X-men to the engines, they walked right through the mess hall; there was no other way to get from the loading dock to the engines. The mess hall consisted of little more than a large rectangular table, alongside a food replicator and several cabinets. Adjacent to it was Maple Leaf’s version of a rec room, which consisted of nothing more than a sofa and a few chairs around a table. They also passed an infirmary, which contained a large window allowing Scott a glimpse inside. It was no bigger than one of the personnel quarters on Victory and contained only two beds.

Cyclops watched Beast and Forge as they surveyed the engine’s damage. He wanted to learn more about this function himself and struggled to follow their dialog and diagnostics.

“Well?� James asked, after a while.

“There are a few parts we need to replicate from Victory,� Forge said, “Once we have them, we should be able to get this fixed in a matter of hours�.

“I estimate three to five hours,� Hank added.

The two men worked quickly once they had the parts needed.

“Would you like something to eat or drink?� James asked Cyclops. “Feel free to make yourself at home in our mess hall while you wait�.

“Thank you,� Cyclops replied. “I wouldn’t mind some coffee�. He had been drinking more of it than he knew was prudent, but the feeling of his stomach being irritated didn’t bother him as much anymore – not when the rest of him constantly hurt so much.

Cyclops sat opposite James at the table. The seat creaked a bit, and Scott noticed that the mug containing his coffee was slightly chipped. Looking at James’ face, though, he had a sudden insight that James loved this ship, flaws and all. Perhaps he loved it more due to its flaws. James had touched one of the walls in the engine room with what could only be described as affection.

“I know it’s very hard for you,� James said, “being apart from your wife. For what it’s worth, though, I’m glad she’s there to keep Heather company�.

“I am as well,� Scott admitted. “I would have had a very hard time with the idea of leaving Jean alone with the baby on Haven. I think it must be much easier for both women that there is another adult there with them�.

“They seemed to get along well. I know that Jean was a big support to Heather before and after she gave birth to Brianna�.

“They spent a lot of time together before we left as well. Comparing notes, that sort of thing�.

“I take it your son is doing well?� James asked.

“Yes,� Scott replied. “He was very well and healthy when we left. He always woke up at least once during the night though. I wonder if he still does that,� he added, and his heart ached anew.

James got an idea. He stood up and opened a drawer, retrieving pen and paper. “Since it looks like your people will be able to repair our engines, we’ll be heading back towards Haven then. Would you like to write a note for Jean? I will take it to her. Of course I hope the X-men will succeed on their mission – and if all goes well, you might get to Haven only days after we do, given how much faster your ship is. But…�

“But we don’t know what will happen,� Scott finished. “Thank you for the offer. I would love to write a letter to Jean. Thank you,� he said, reaching for the pen and paper.

“I think I have some envelopes in my room. I’ll bring one to you so you can seal your message�.

***

So we were lucky, I guess. Forge and Beast got Alpha Flight’s ship fixed fast. So the Maple Leaf headed for Haven, and the other two ships continued on to earth. Puck, Shaman, Flex, and Radius had gathered their few belongings and actually boarded Magneto’s ship, not ours, for the rest of the trip to earth. We were out of empty personnel quarters on Victory, but I suspect that the real reason they elected to ride with Magneto’s team may have been because word got out about Emma offering freebies. Heck, some people speculated that Flex and Radius’s main reason for choosing to fight FOH instead of return to Haven had to do with Emma. There were also whispers that Cannonball and Forge might not have been too thrilled about getting to see less of Emma. When certain people were not in the room, this topic in general was the subject of some bawdy remarks.

I tried to be happy that things were going about as well as they could be. We had more people with us going off to fight FOH. When I counted everyone on board the two ships, I came up with a total of twenty-seven fighters, plus Moira and Siryn. So we had a small, well-trained army. And we had all agreed to find Northstar and Aurora before doing anything else. The rest of the group took good care of me, checking in on me often. Even Storm, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler made time to talk with me, in addition to the people I was closest to. Rogue had always been a sweetheart to me but she seemed even warmer now.

I still had butterflies in my stomach most of the time, I still had trouble eating much, I didn’t sleep too well either – but maybe things would turn out to be alright. I would repeat that to myself, anyway, each night before I’d fall asleep for a few hours.

***

“How bad’s it on earth?� Wolverine asked.

“It’s bad,� Angel replied. “Worse than when we left. FOH really does run everything. People hate us more than before�. He paused and added, “And FOH crashed every one of my accounts except for the one that I took the most pain to hide, a Swiss bank account. Everything else I owned is gone�.

Storm, Wolverine, Bobby, Angel, and Psylocke were sitting in the dining hall. They had lingered over their dinner; everyone else had dispersed for the evening.

Storm tried to muster some words of sympathy for Angel. She had never known the wealth he had been born into; she knew that she didn’t realize what this loss meant to Angel.

“I am sorry to hear this,� she said. “I imagine it also means that most of the Professor’s accounts are likely compromised. Still, I am certain that we X-men as a team will always find a way to get by – once FOH is defeated�.

“Maybe there are enough of us here that we can defeat them,� Psylocke said. She turned to Bobby. “You didn’t used to be a fighter but I heard that you’re back in the Danger Room. Congratulations. What made you decide to do it?�

“Oh,� Bobby said, and then smiled, “My boyfriend made me�.

Psylocke returned his smile at the comment.

Wolverine then said, “Back to that part about defeating FOH. What do you think, Psylocke, from your time on earth – got any tips?�

Psylocke and Angel had made a full report to the X-men shortly after they boarded the ship. Psylocke had been in hiding for the last several months and had been part of a loose band of mutants who had attempted to fight back against FOH.

“Just that I hope Xavier is about ten times more powerful than I,� she replied. “I tried to use my powers on them but I could never influence more than a few of them at one time. I spent most of my time on the run, trying to figure out what I could find food and weapons. I never had much time to think about how to beat them. I was so glad when I sensed Warren�.

Storm listened to Psylocke’s words. Years ago, during a meeting with the Professor and Cyclops, the Professor had said that he sensed Psylocke had potential to be nearly as powerful as Jean. But Psylocke had never cared much for hard work, or for some of the restrictions life as an X-man could entail.

Storm then took another look at Psylocke and then one at Wolverine. `Does he find her attractive?’ Storm wondered. She had a momentary flash of intuition telling her that he did, and she found the notion alarming. Storm forced herself to calm down. `Why am I so jealous? If he does find her attractive, then so be it. It does not mean that he will be unfaithful to me. Besides, Psylocke does not – as far as I know – comport herself the way Emma does. I don’t think she intends to sleep with anyone other than Angel’. Storm again took a breath and quelled the storm inside of her.

She wished Jean were here. Storm momentarily found the idea of pouring her emotions out to Jean appealing. She could ask Jean how she could stand opening her heart the way she did, knowing that it could be trampled any day. She could ask Jean if she ever faced these insecurities, if she ever disliked the way love made her feel. Jean would say that it is better to be open to the possibility of hurt, no matter how uncomfortable it made you, Storm told herself.

“What’s on your mind?� Logan asked, as they walked towards the personnel quarters. The two had agreed to share a room so that Angel and Psylocke would have a room – otherwise Angel and Psylocke would have no other quarters other than the barracks, which Moonstar and Marrow had already taken over.

“I, um, I was wondering how you would fare now that we have to share a room,� Storm said, as the door to the room slid open. Storm had moved her belongings into what had previously been solely Wolverine’s room. “I know that you value time alone�.

“You do too. But we all gotta make sacrifices�.

Storm looked at his face and detected a playful tone in his voice.

“Sacrifices?� she queried.

“Yep. Like I gotta wake up next to a gorgeous lady every mornin’. That’s gonna be rough,� he said, as he reached for her.

“Oh, Logan, surely you have seen me enough times early in the morning to realize that I am not quite gorgeous then,� Ororo smiled.

“There’ll be other sacrifices too,� Logan went on. “We might haveta shower together sometimes. To save time, if we’re both runnin’ late�.

Ororo had wanted to begin a serious discussion of how they would balance both of their needs for alone time with the fact that they now had to share a room. But she realized that perhaps Logan’s attitude was the better one. There was nothing they could do about it, so why not have a laugh over it? Victory was a large ship; if one of them absolutely had to get away, there were places they could go.

“That is very true,� she said, as Logan nuzzled her neck with his lips. “In fact, I could test the shower right now. I could ensure that it functions as well as the one inside my former room�.

“I could watch you,� he offered, as his hands roamed her body. “Could do some things to you when you get outta it too�.

Storm moaned. Sharing a room would have some upsides, she realized.

***

Hank and I were in the gym. He was making sure I stayed on track with the weight regimen I’d been on.

“Try to focus, Bobby. The aphorism is ‘mind in the muscle’, and I do believe there is truth to it,� he said.

“Okay, okay,� I grumbled. “What, are you Cyclops in the old days, thinking that lecturing me is gonna make me work harder?� I then realized that I likely came off as more harsh than sarcastic. I set the barbell down. “Sorry, Hank. I didn’t mean to sound like a jerk�.

“There is no need to apologize; I did not take offense. I understand that you have been preoccupied as of late�.

“I have. We keep getting closer and closer to earth but Professor Xavier hasn’t been able to make contact with anyone there yet. I know he’ll tell me as soon as he can. But I keep wanting to go up to him every minute and ask him if he’s trying�.

“I understand, Bobby. I am certain that the Professor views your need to know Northstar’s whereabouts as an important priority. He demonstrated that he views it as important by traveling to Magneto’s ship and insisting that we be allowed to find the Northstar and Aurora before we undertake anything else on earth. Thus you can rest assured that he will inform you the minute he has more information�.

“You’re right. I need to chill out a bit�.

We got back to weight lifting. I tried to focus and do all the reps slowly and with the right form. After all, it still wasn’t like there was much else to do so I had plenty of time. But I was still happy when I’d finished the last one.

“What do you want to do now?� I asked Hank once I’d finished stretching. “Neither of us has bridge duty till tomorrow. Hey – you want me to brush you?�

“I thank you for the offer, but I believe that my coat is sufficiently maintained right now. Would you care to join me in the rec room? I would enjoy a game or two before resuming my lab work�.

“Sure,� I said. I think that was the first time Hank turned down an offer of coat-brushing.


***

Cannonball walked down Victory’s corridor towards the shuttle bay. He had some time scheduled with Emma today. He was surprised when he heard footsteps behind him, and he turned to see Jubilee, carrying a tote bag.

“Hi, Sam,� she said. “I’m going to the shuttle bay too. I thought I’d share a ride to the Prevail with you�.

“Really?� he asked, confused. “What are you going over there for?�

“Radius. He and I have been talking over subspace and are going to spend some time together�.

“Oh�.

Sam made a concerted effort to not look at Jubilee. He avoided eye contact with her as they boarded the shuttle. He sat in the pilot’s seat and punched in the familiar coordinates, not taking his eyes from the console.

“You don’t have to treat me like I got the plague,� Jubilee finally said.

Sam looked at his fingers on the control panel and idly began to play with the band on his watch. “So what does Colossus think about all this?� he finally asked.

“I don’t know,� Jubilee said simply. “I didn’t really think about it when he made a visit to see Emma that one time. Peter and I are just friends who sleep together but we don’t own each other�. Her dialog with Sam today was already the longest exchange she had had with him for weeks.

Sam took a breath and tapped his hand against the panel. “Okay, Jubilee. I don’t get it. You’re a sweet, warm, *nice* girl. You’re not like Emma at all, and I mean that as a compliment. I would’ve loved to have still been your boyfriend. What’s with all this…playing the field?�

“I already told you, Sam,� she responded, keeping her tone light. “I thought about it a lot and I’m just not into being in a relationship now. I don’t want to be someone’s girlfriend now, but I don’t want to be celibate either. So this is what works for me. Radius invited me to spend some time with him and I thought I’d give it a try�. She paused, “Maybe later on someday I’ll wanna settle down and be someone’s girlfriend or wife, but I’m just not ready to do that now – and maybe I won’t ever want it, I dunno�.

“It seems like it makes Jean, Rogue, and Storm happy – to settle down with one man�.

“But I’m not Jean, Storm, or Rogue!�

Sam finally looked at her. “It’s your life and you can do what you want with it. But I really care about you, Jubilee. Emma might be…a hottie, or whatever you call it, but shuttling back and forth to have meaningless sex with someone who I don’t got much to talk about with – it ain’t doing it for me. It ain’t doing anything other than relieving a physical need, anyway. Jubilee, if you ever want more than…more than an itch scratched, if you ever get tired of sampling the field and you do want a relationship again – I’d be honored to be your boyfriend�.

“You are such a sweetie, Sam. But like I said, that’s just not where I’m at now�. She paused and then boldly put a hand on his shoulder. “You were really good though…if you ever want to go back to being ‘friends with benefits’…� She let her voice trail off.

Sam shrugged her hand off. “No, thanks. It just doesn’t feel right to me. Guess I’m too old-fashioned to have that sort of relationship with a girl I actually care about�.

“Suit yourself�.

There was silence for several more moments. And then Jubilee asked a question she had been wondering about. She knew how much Sam loved his biological family. “Has the Professor made contact with your parents and sister yet? Do you know how they’re doing?�

At first Jubilee thought that Sam wasn’t going to answer, because he was quiet for a bit. He finally said, “He hasn’t reached anyone on earth yet. He said he’ll tell me as soon as he can reach them. I really hope they’re okay�.

“Me too�.

The shuttle soon began docking procedures as it reached the Prevail. Jubilee didn’t know what Radius would be like in bed and looked forward to finding out.

***

Jubilee found it natural that she went to Bobby to talk about her experiences. He was really the only person she felt comfortable confiding in when it came to this type of thing. Storm and Wolverine were too much like an Aunt and Uncle. Other than Rogue, Jubilee wasn’t close to the other women on the ship, and even she and Rogue had never been the best of friends; Jubilee sensed that the older woman was perhaps even a bit judgmental regarding the way Jubilee conducted her personal life. But Bobby was never judgmental and very curious. Additionally, Jubilee was glad for anything that would distract Bobby from his worry over Northstar.

“So…how did it go?� Bobby asked. The two sat inside his room for privacy.

“It’s was good,� Jubilee said. “Pretty good, I mean. I guess it’s usually awkward when it’s your first time with someone new. He definitely knew what he was doing though�.

“How did he compare with the others? If I may be so bold�.

Jubilee thought. “Ummm…not as good as Sam, but better than Peter. But even if I wanted a boyfriend, I definitely wouldn’t want Radius as my boyfriend. The guy’s kinda arrogant and I think some of that came through when we were together. Even though we didn’t talk that much,� she added.

“Are you gonna go to him again?�

“I’d like to, I guess. Yeah, I guess I would since he’s better at it than Peter – who has improved, by the way. But I kinda want to wait for Radius to invite me rather than asking him. I dunno why�.

“Maybe you don’t want to appear too desperate,� Bobby suggested. “There’s something to that�.

“Plus, it does kinda feel *weird* to be taking a shuttle to go to another ship to go and have sex. I’m not embarrassed about it but it just feels funny when everyone knows what you’re doing�.

“Yeah, I could see that. I bet Sam and Forge feel awkward about all their trips to see Emma. But you know, I guess at some point you can’t care too much about other people’s gossip, you know? I’m sure some people gossip about me and I really don’t care that much�.

Someone knocked on the door to Bobby’s room. “Come in,� Bobby called.

His heart skipped a beat or two when the Professor entered the room. There could be only one reason why the Professor was paying him a visit.

“I have made contact with Northstar,� the Professor went directly to the information Bobby wanted. “He is alive and relatively well�.

“Oh thank god!� Bobby said, practically leaping out of his seat. “What did he say? Where is he?�

“He and his sister are hiding out from FOH. He thought it wise not to divulge their exact location until we X-men were in a position to rescue them, an idea with which I agree�. Xavier paused and added, “They are both tired – being constantly on the run, trying to get enough food and enough rest is difficult. He also said that Aurora has injured her arm and needs medical attention�.

“How far are we from earth?� Jubilee asked.

“Three days and about, oh, seven hours,� Bobby answered. He regularly checked in with the bridge for the latest ETA and had just gotten one before Jubilee entered his room.

“So I guess it’s good news then,� Jubilee said. “They’re alive and okay�.

“What do they think about their chances to stay away from FOH?� Bobby asked. “Like, is he worried that they might get caught?’

“He is always worried,� the Professor responded. “He is always vigilant, which I think is the only reasonable mindset. He hopes they will continue to evade FOH but knows that one can never be too cautious�. He paused and added, “He told me to tell you that he misses you and loves you, and hopes to see you soon�.

***

Rogue entered the equipment room, adjacent to the Danger Room. During her practice session today, she wanted to get familiar once more with firing a gun. The X-men frequently trained in combat skills that didn’t use their powers; Rogue wanted to be even more prepared to use a weapon and fight back in the event that FOH could somehow again nullify her powers.

As she examined the gun to ensure the appropriate safety measure were on, Storm entered the equipment room.

“It appears that you are doing exactly what I had planned as well,� Storm said.

“You said it! Gotta be ready for anythin’,� Rogue commented. “Don’t wanna forget what to do with one of these�.

“I could use a refresher myself�.

As Storm searched through the rack where the guns were stored, Rogue took on a more solemn tone and asked, “You talked to Jubilee lately?�

“I talk to her all the time, Rogue. She seems quite well to me. Is there something you are concerned about?�

Rogue rolled her eyes, “Oh Storm, quit beatin’ ‘round the bush! What’s with Jubilee goin’ over to the other ship so she can sleep with Radius? Bad enough all that business with her droppin’ Sam as her boyfriend but keepin’ him in her bedroom, and then her startin’ up with Colossus this way�.

“Now, Rogue…� Storm began.

“What? I’m just worried ‘bout her. I really don’t get it. I never slept with anyone but Remy and never wanted to�.

“It is not our place to judge her,� Storm said calmly. “And people are all different in what they need and want. What works well for you might not work for someone else�.

“So you really ain’t the least bit worried? You’re not thinkin’ that there is something wrong with her?�

Storm loved Rogue as a sister but she failed to see the point of this line of questioning. Part of her suspected that Rogue herself was not truly concerned with Jubilee but rather wanting to call Jubilee’s motives into question. She also had to bite her tongue to keep from pointing out that Jubilee certainly had not had anywhere near the number of bedroom partners that Gambit had surely had before he met Rogue.

“Jubilee seems well and healthy, in every interaction we have had lately. I would be concerned if that were not the case or if she were not practicing safe sex, but she assures me that she is�. Storm paused. “I know that Jubilee conducts her personal life differently than you conduct yours, but that is alright�.

“I guess so. It just seems real weird to me, especially when Sam’s so nice and he’s so sweet on her still�.

“Jubilee is young. Perhaps with youth there’s a desire to experiment and to not want a sense of being tied down. Truthfully, Rogue, when I was her age I did not want to settle down with one man either�. Storm paused. “Being in a relationship requires some degree of work, and a big degree of emotional investment. You can see how being separated from Jean is hurting Cyclops. I can understand that not everyone would like that type of emotional investment�.

Rogue was silent for a moment or two. “But you got it now. You and Logan�.

“Yes,� Storm said. She was unable to suppress a small smile. She put a hand on Rogue’s shoulder. “Becoming emotionally attached to someone can open one up for heartbreak. And yet I am happier than I ever dreamed possible�.

Rogue’s heart warmed. It was refreshing, and indeed surprising, to hear Storm open up and to see the obvious joy on her face. “That so, girl? I’m happy for you�.

“I am happy for Logan,� Storm said. “Perhaps it is boastful of me to think so, but I believe he is happier than he has been before, and I do hope that our relationship is part of that�.

“You can bet it is,� Rogue said. She thought of Gambit and wrapped her arms around herself. “Nothin’ like cuddlin’ with the man you love, fallin’ asleep in his arms, feelin’ that security. It’s worth every bit of the uncomfortable feelin’ you get from havin’ to open your heart up. That girl Jubilee don’t know what she’s missin’!�


***

The Professor’s communicator sounded. “Professor, it’s Nightcrawler. You have a subspace message from Moira MacTaggert�.

The Professor raced to the bridge. He imaged that Moira had used subspace to reach him because she could not initiate telepathic contact.

“Is the offer to get together still available?� her message read. “If it is, perhaps we could have breakfast together someday�.

Soon, Moira was on board a shuttle heading from the Prevail to Victory. The Professor met her in the shuttle bay and they went to his room together. Moira had said that she would prefer a private meal, and so Xavier had made arrangements.

As the two headed through the corridors to his room, the Professor told Moira about his progress with Dani Moonstar, sensing that she had always liked the young woman. “She has such potential and she is learning well�. He paused and asked, “How is Siryn?�

“The same, mostly. She comes out of her room about once a day. But she is not interested in anything,� Moira answered. “As far as I can tell, she spends all day either sleeping or in the bathtub. I think her skin has turned pink from all the bathing - though I rarely see any of her skin�.

“Do you think she would be interested in talking with me? Or with anyone?�

“I asked her again but she said no. She barely even talks to me. I canna imagine how she isn’t bored out of her mind. But the poor dear’s mind is so destroyed now…�

They reached the Professor’s room. A table and two chairs had already been set up, and Xavier pressed a few buttons on his communicator. Shortly afterwards, Bobby arrived at his door holding a tray full of food.

“How sweet,� Moira smiled thinly. “Room service�.

Xavier looked at her as she spoke. He heard remnants of the old Moira. Her voice still sounded so weak though, so distant. But the smile warned Xavier, even if it had been a small one.

“I moonlight as a waiter; the Professor said he’d give me a tip when we get back to earth,� Bobby grinned. He set the tray down and arranged the breakfast on the table. “Any news, Professor?� he asked.

“No updates. I will contact you immediately after my next check-in with Northstar�.

After Bobby left, the Professor explained, “I telepathically check in with Northstar every two hours. Bobby likes getting a regular update�.

Moira was silent. Xavier again saw the very far-away look in Moira’s eyes. He was unsure what to say and almost wished to probe her mind though he would never do so. “We are just under 48 hours from earth now,� Xavier said.

“Charles. Will you be going into combat? I mean, will you be in danger?�

“I believe that all of us will be in one form of danger or another. Based on our initial discussions with Magneto and with the X-men, I will likely remain on board the ship though. I can use my powers from a distance, and we do need to have people remaining on board the ships�.

Moira was silent. The Professor gently began, “You look as if you have something to say. Please, Moira, I am always listening to you�.

Moira looked at her tea instead of meeting Charles’ gaze. She then said, “But you will be in some danger, Charles. We dona know what might happen�.

“That is true,� he admitted. “There is always some risk. We must –“

Moira stood up. Her voice was calm and steady, almost robotic. “I am sorry, Charles. I should never have come here. I want to be as numb as Siryn. I dona want to care about another living soul – not for the rest of my life�.

With that, Moira turned and left the room, nearly colliding with Cyclops who had been walking down the hall. The Professor followed Moira, asking her to stay and talk or at least stay and finish the breakfast. Moira did not speak again, entered the shuttle bay, and began preparations to depart Victory in the shuttle.

***

TO BE CONTINUED

Thank you for your review.

Chapter Seventeen

Welcome to the penultimate chapter!

***

Gambit undressed for bed, deftly slipping out of his clothing. He missed the warm temperatures on Haven. Although Haven’s evenings tended to be quite cool, the fact was that Victory – being out in space - was always a few temperatures colder than he’d prefer.

Rogue entered their room, straight from the bridge. “We got 36 hours till earth,� she said. Normally the sight of an undressed Gambit under the covers would have stirred her up quite a bit, but they had been intimate earlier in the day and Rogue was ready for sleep as well.

“You nervous?� he asked.

“A little. Mostly I’m ready to kick some FOH butt!� Rogue would never enjoy battle for battle’s sake, but she had always found it satisfying when the X-men defeated a foe – especially one as truly evil as FOH.

“Me too. We better trained den ever�.

“An’ we got more fighters too, and Xavier willin’ to use his powers on their minds. FOH is gonna be toast�.

Rogue then rummaged through her drawer for her nightgown and donned the sage green item. She already wore her bracelet so she could safely nestle next to Gambit on the bed.

“What you t’ink happen after we beat ‘em?� Gambit asked, as Rogue settled in next to him. He wrapped his arms around her.

Rogue tilted her head up to try to look at Gambit’s face in the darkened room. His red-black eyes were always alluring but still mysterious. “You never been one for plannin’ too far ahead, Cajun,� she observed.

“Gotta take each day as it come,� he admitted.

“So why’re you wonderin’ what comes next when we beat FOH?� She guessed that her lover had something on his mind.

Remy hesitated. He hadn’t been planning on telling her the real reason. But then he entertained the idea of just opening up and seeing where it went. It wasn’t like they hadn’t discussed the subject before; just a few months ago they’d had a talk about it on Haven.

“Remy wanna marry you. Been t’inkin’ where we can do it. T’inking ‘bout where I wanna propose to you�.

“Oh, Remy, how romantic! You really think ‘bout all that, and right when we’re about to battle FOH. You’re such a gentleman!�

“I wanna spend the rest of my life wit’ you,� he said simply.

“I feel the same way too!� She paused, “And Remy, I mean what I said back on Haven. I don’t need no big fancy weddin’. I mean, I wouldn’t mind it but I don’t need it, you know?�

“Still wanna make sure you get to experience what you deserve dough. An’ it be hard to plan dat out since we don’t know what gonna happen in the fight agains’ FOH and the weeks and mont’s after dat�.

Rogue placed a few kisses on Gambit’s face. “We don’t know what’s gonna happen, that’s true. But maybe we can find somewhere, somehow to make it happen. We got time. I ain’t worried about it, Remy�.

“Den I won’t worry eit’er. I love you, chere�.

“Love you too, Remy�.

Gambit soon drifted off to sleep. He was feeling good about their future. FOH could be defeated, he thought. He and Rogue were happier together than ever.

***

The Professor sat with Cyclops during Cyclops’s bridge duty shift.

“Do you want to talk about what happened with Moira the other day?� Scott asked gently. He hadn’t been sure whether or not to bring it up, but was feeling that by now Xavier would at least be able to open to the question.

“I do not feel a particular need to discuss it,� Xavier responded. “She has been through so much trauma. Emotional numbness is her way of coping with it. In the short-run it may work well for her, though I believe in the long-run it will not. However, at this stage I do not know how I can help her�. He paused. “For all we know, perhaps something will happen to me during our struggle with FOH. If she were to become closer to me, only to see me perish in battle, that would wound her even more gravely. I do not know what the best course of action is only –“ he hesitated, and then decided to say it “- only that I care deeply for her and feel immense pain at her mental condition�.

Scott nodded and was quiet for a moment or two. “Do you think that, on some level, she does want contact with you though? She and Siryn could have chosen to remain on Haven, but they didn’t�.

“I have not been entirely certain what their reasons were for remaining on board Magneto’s ship,� Xavier admitted. “Perhaps they couldn’t handle the beauty and tranquility of Haven. Or perhaps Moira did or does hope to allow herself to get closer to me some day. She always used to care about current events; maybe she wants to see how our battle will turn out. We can only wait and see�.

Cyclops turned back to his sensor, ensuring he was studying it carefully. Victory and the Prevail were very close to earth now and the X-men had to remember to exercise every precaution.

As the Professor watched Cyclops examine the sensor readings, he noted that it was time for him to telepathically check in with Northstar. He closed his eyes and began the work of drifting through the astral plane until he could find Northstar’s signature. Due to their frequent contact over the past several days, he was usually able to reach Northstar quickly.

Today, however, he could not find Northstar. The Professor opened his mind further, sharpened his focus, and tried again. He did not have any success. Northstar’s mental signature was nowhere to be found. Xavier then began to look for Aurora. He reached out to her far less often but had contacted her in the past. After some searching, he located her.

“What is it, Professor?� Cyclops asked, alarmed at the look on his face.

“The twins! They have been captured by FOH�.

“Oh no,� Cyclops breathed. “Are they alive?�

“Northstar is unconscious. Aurora is barely conscious. As far as I can tell they are alone in a cell somewhere. I do not know the extent of their injuries, and I cannot pinpoint their exact location yet�. He took a breath. “How far are we from earth?�

“Just over 10 hours�.

“Can Victory go any faster?�

“I will check with Hank or Forge. We may be able to push it a bit more, but we can’t expect any miracles either. We’ve been pushing the engines fairly aggressively since we left Haven six weeks ago. That’s a long time for them to have been going at such a speed�.

Xavier thought for a few moments. He then said, “Scott, see if you can covertly approach Forge and find out if we can go any faster. In the meantime, I will summon Storm to the bridge to take your place. I will also see if I can reach the minds of whatever FOH soldiers are near the twins. If I can locate their mental signatures, maybe I can prevent any more torture. I don’t want any more X-men ending up in the mental condition that Moira and Siryn are in�. Xavier paused. “And Scott, keep your talk with Forge quiet. I am of the mindset that we do not tell Bobby yet, about the twins being captured. We are only 10 hours from earth and there is nothing he could do. Telling him would do nothing other than causing a panic�.

“I agree,� he said, standing up and heading for the bridge’s door. “I hope to God everything will be alright�.

***

For me, it seemed like time had slowed to a crawl. I did everything I could to occupy myself. Most of us were using the Danger Room a lot as the hours before we’d reach earth started to dwindle, but Storm also cautioned us against overtraining too. As we got closer and closer to home, there was a general buzz of excitement in the air; you could feel it. Of course I was mostly anxious about getting to find Jean Paul. The other X-men were great about looking for ways to distract me and take my mind off things.

I tried to get to the Professor for an update on Jean Paul and his sister, but Xavier was always on the bridge, discussing strategy with Storm and Cyclops, and sometimes with Magneto over subspace too. So I just stayed away from the bridge – since I didn’t have much to add to strategy discussions – and reminded myself that he’d tell me if there was anything I needed to know.

Finally our leaders called us together. At long last we were close enough to earth to start talking about specific plans. We all assembled in the large conference room. I looked around and guessed that most felt really ready for battle, ready for action. Everyone had their uniform on. Half the group wasn’t even sitting down. The people on board the Prevail were linked in to our discussion via subspace.

“The Professor, Storm, and I have been talking since the Professor’s last check-in with the twins,� Cyclops said. “We think that sending a smaller group down to earth for the rescue would be the best bet�.

“That is right,� Storm said. “After all, we do not want to lose the element of surprise that we have now since FOH is unaware that we are back on earth�.

I didn’t like speaking out at meetings. Especially now that the group was so big, it just felt a bit intimidating. But I had a vested interest in this and something perplexed me.

“But all we’re doing is getting down to the surface and bringing the twins back up, right?� I asked. “Shouldn’t we be able to do that easily, without FOH noticing?�

“Based on our last check-in with Northstar and Aurora, they think that FOH is right on their tails,� Cyclops said.

I gasped.

“Do not worry, Bobby,� Storm said. “We are optimistic that we can get to them b- quickly�. Storm had stumbled a bit with one of the words in that sentence, which was very unlike her I thought.

“Nightcrawler will teleport the team down to the surface,� the Professor said. “The group will consist of three additional fighters – Storm, Wolverine, and Colossus. And Puck will go with the group to help serve as a diversion if necessary�.

“Professor, it is easier for me to teleport if I know where I am going to,� Nightcrawler said. “Better still if I have been there before. Do you know exactly where the twins are?�

“Yes. We’ll discuss this with the away team as we get close enough for you to teleport�.

“Once we have the twins back on board Victory,� Storm said, “we’ll then regroup with Magneto’s team and discuss our next steps�.

I got the idea that the Professor, Storm, and Cyclops were eager to usher us out of the room and discuss their plans in more detail with those who were going on the rescue. I told myself that was a good thing. I felt a sense of urgency in the room; they were really eager to get Jean Paul and Aurora rescued – which was great. And although part of me did want to be on the mission, mostly I was glad to leave it in the hands of those who were more competent. We filtered out of the room and Gambit and Jubilee and others kind of slapped me on the back and told me it wouldn’t be long now and that Storm and the others would do well on their mission.


***

“Alright you filthy mutie freaks! We’ve waited long enough!�

The FOH soldiers stood outside Northstar and Aurora’s cell. It was a good day for FOH and they had to gloat – and share FOH’s plans with these two mutant rebels.

FOH’s leaders had finally decided to begin rounding up mutants into extermination camps. They had been waiting to do that, wanting to first ensure there would be no public outcry and minimal counterattacks from mutants. Enough of their leaders now felt confident that the time was right. Their research and focus groups had shown that the public would even accept the term “Extermination Camp� to describe the places where mutants would be housed until termination. The capture of these two former members of Alpha Flight was also taken as a good sign to kick off the festivities of rounding up mutants.

FOH had extermination camps built in four locations. All they had been waiting for was the green light. FOH now had busses, trains, and jets ready to go on three continents; their leaders had ordered the troops to begin rounding up mutants today.

“We’re going to take you to Extermination Camp 1,� the FOH officer bragged. “Since you two pathetic creatures are former fighters, we’re going to put you two up on a stage and show all the incoming mutie prisoners what’s in store for them. We’ll broadcast it to muties at the other camps, just to show them that it’s useless to fight back since we so easily took down these two former Alpha Flight freaks�.

“You didn’t easily take us down!� Northstar said. “It took you days to track us. We were outnumbered 20 to one and yet still we nearly –“

Northstar’s remarks were cut off when one of the soldiers pressed a button and sent waves of pain through Northstar’s body via the inhibitor collar. Aurora did the best she could to hold her brother in her arms until the torture device was turned off. However, one of her arms was in a crude sling which limited her mobility.

Northstar fought to regain his breath. He also brusquely shrugged off his sister’s touch. He hoped FOH didn’t realize how much the two cared for each other, fearing that fact would be used against them sometime. Aurora sat next to her brother, trembling.

“Shut your mouth, you mistake of nature! Next time you talk, your sister gets it, not you. Now where was I? Oh yes. We’re going to broadcast your torture to all the muties who enter each of our Extermination Camps. First we’re going to chop your misshapen, freakish mutant ears off – they look disgusting. Then we’re going to f--- this bitch here, till her insides fall out. We know deep down you’ll love it and you’ll beg us for more. It’ll be good to show all the incoming bitches what awaits them. We’re not sure what we’ll do with you,� he said, looking at Northstar, “but since you’re a mutant and a faggot, we’ll think of something extra special. Maybe we’ll just tie you to a stake and burn you to death as they used to. We’ll do it real slow so you get to smell your own burning flesh. That will make a nice image for all the incoming muties to experience. They’ll look at the two of you and realize that resistance is hopeless�.

“So what are we waiting for?� one of the other officers asked. “The truck to transport them is ready to go�.

“Yes. First we gotta knock them unconscious though. We can’t take the forcefield down unless the muties inside are unconscious. We have learned from our mistakes in dealing with this filth�. He looked at the twins again. “You wanna beg me to spare your miserable lives now? If you beg really hard we might be nicer�.

“F—you!� Northstar spat.

“I thought so,� he said, raising the collar control device.

The officer suddenly fell over, never realizing what hit him. Wolverine’s claws swiftly sliced through his midsection.

Out of the corner of her eye, Storm saw what Wolverine did. She filed it away, to be dealt with after the battle.

Meanwhile, alarms sounded. Storm shot out bursts of fog in both directions of the corridor to obscure the view. Wolverine, Colossus, Puck, and Nightcrawler easily took out the remaining FOH soldiers who had been outside of the twins’ cell. Storm reached for the collar control device, deftly removed the twins’ collars, and removed the force field at the cell’s entrance.

“Thank you,� Northstar breathed, scrambling to his feet.

“Grab onto me,� Nightcrawler implored. FOH had taken the twins to the same compound in which the X-men had once been held prisoner, which made it easier for Nightcrawler to reach via his teleportation.

Within an instant, the group was teleported back to the Victory.

***

The group wasn’t gone for very long. We all either waited on the bridge or in the rec room – I was on the bridge. I stood there, feeling tension in the room and feeling worried myself, but mostly confident that Jean Paul and his sister would soon be here. After all, how hard could it be for Nightcrawler and the others to teleport down, grab them, and teleport back up? After literally just minutes, a beep from a communicator sounded.

“Mission accomplished. They are back, with Northstar and Aurora,� Cyclops said.

I’d just kind of assumed Nightcrawler would teleport the group back to the bridge, but he didn’t. “Where are they?� I asked, confused.

“Sick bay,� Cyclops said.

“Sick bay? Is anyone hurt?�

“Hank is there to take a look at them right now�.

I raced to the infirmary. Dimly I was aware that most of the others followed me. It was one of those moments when time kind of slowed. The corridors all looked alike, their metallic walls identical. I kept getting closer and closer to sick bay, but no matter how fast I moved my legs it still felt like it was taking forever to get there. During the second I stepped through the doors to the instant I laid eyes on Jean Paul, the notion that I hadn’t been given the whole story entered my mind. The twins – especially Aurora – didn’t look good. Granted, I’d been told that they’d been on the run for a while but from what I could see of Aurora (Hank was tending to her which obstructed my view) she looked to be trembling and traumatized.

I ran up to Jean Paul who sat on a bed next to hers. It was just a wonderful moment, despite the circumstances that slowly made me feel like I had been misled. We wrapped our arms around each other and we clung together forever. I wanted to start tearing up but I didn’t. We just kept hugging each other for a long, long time.

“We should never have parted,� Jean Paul said.

I nodded. My throat closed a bit and I couldn’t quite speak.

“So let us agree. We shall not part again. It was far, far too long for us to be separated�.

I murmured something about being glad that he felt that way and that of course I agreed.

Now that my senses were coming back to me and I could accept that Jean Paul was here, alive and well, I took a closer look. His hair was a mess, he had a few visible bruises including a nasty one on his face. His clothes were torn and frayed. He also smelled like he’d gone without a shower for a few days, which was definitely not like him at all.

“What happened?� I asked, my mouth finally cooperating with my brain.

“We were captured by FOH again. Do not worry. They did not torture us. They were ready to when the X-men rescued us�.

Jean Paul looked around sick bay, and thanked those who had rescued him. I hadn’t really been aware that the infirmary was full of people. I was just trying to process Jean Paul’s words.

“You were captured?� I squeaked out. “When?�

“Exactly when I am not sure as we were unconscious for a while. But we are fine now,� he insisted. “And they did not torture us,� he said again.

I heard Hank say something about Aurora’s arm being fractured and that he needed to tend to it better. Jean Paul added something about them having done the best they could to take care of it. I glanced at Aurora, and saw that she was still trembling and I guessed that her mental state was bad. But physically, other than the arm, I think she was alright.

“We could use some food though. It has been a while since we have eaten. And a bath�.

I heard Puck offer to replicate some food for the twins, and I told Jean Paul that I’d take him to my room for a shower if Hank let him leave sick bay.

“Magneto is on his way here in a shuttle,� Cyclops said.

I turned around and focused. Cyclops, Storm, and the Professor looked ready for action, as if they didn’t want to lose a minute.

“We’ll talk about our next steps with him,� the Professor said. “X-men, be ready. I expect we’ll be going into combat against FOH very soon�. He then looked at the twins and said, “Of course, please tend to whatever you need to tend to as well. We’re very glad you’re safe now�.

“Thank you again for the rescue. Hank, I can leave sick bay now, yes?�

Hank responded in French, which brought a smile to Jean Paul’s face. He reached for my hand and said, “Let’s go, mon ame�.

As we got to the door, Puck said something to Jean Paul - I think he was asking him what he wanted to eat. Gambit was there suddenly, and he asked me quietly, “You know what he call you jus’ now?�

I was always a bit embarrassed that, unlike many X-men, I only spoke one language. My beloved’s native language was still a mystery to me. “It sounded like ‘my friend’?� I guessed.

“Non. He called you ‘my soul’. Very deep, serious term�.

By then, Jean Paul was done with his exchange with Puck. I nodded at Gambit as Jean Paul took my hand and we headed for my room so he could shower.

***

Jean Paul showered quickly. I sat on my bed, still digesting information even as Puck came by to drop off a tray with food. So they had been captured. Surely the Professor had known. As had most of the others, at least those who went on the mission. But what did it matter if they were alive and safe? I kept reminding myself that they had not been tortured. We were so lucky for that. I replayed Jean Paul’s promise for us to never part again. And then I replayed Gambit’s words to me on the way out of sick bay.

Jean Paul emerged from the shower and, towel wrapped around his waist, gave me a quick kiss and then went right to the food. He ate with gusto. I kind of put my arms around his shoulders, rested my head against his damp back as he ate. I wasn’t hungry myself.

“The others probably think we’re in here gettin’ it on,� I joked.

“Oh, mon chou, I would love to,� he said, in between bites. “I would love to kiss you right now but I can only do one thing with my mouth at a time and I am ravenous�. He did always love food. Jean Paul took another swallow and then said, “It sounds like we will soon be going back to earth for the big fight against FOH. Xavier told me about the plans when we communicated. I want to be part of that fight�.

“You do? Are you well enough?�

“Yes. I suppose I should be tired but I have too much adrenaline now. And I am so happy to be with you again. And fighting to defeat FOH is the right thing to do. As soon as I finish eating and get dressed, I want to get to the bridge and see what the X-men plans are�.

“That makes sense,� I agreed.

And it did. It made sense. We were X-men (well, I guess technically Jean Paul wasn’t yet, but he was a mutant and a fighter) and our whole reason for being back at earth was to fight FOH so that mutants could be free. That’s why we were here. For me though, my heart disagreed. I felt that I wanted some time with Jean Paul, wanted to be alone with him and to catch up. I wanted to just talk and hold him in my arms. Shouldn’t we get some sort of free pass given that he’d been captured by FOH?

But I realized it didn’t work that way, and the side of me that had its own wants would have to lose out to duty. Just like Cyclops had had to put the desires of his heart aside and focus on his duty instead. It only made sense. However, another idea popped into my head.

“But wait,� I said. “There is one thing I want to do, real quick. It’ll just take a few minutes,� I said, reaching for his towel and undoing it, as I knelt on the floor in front of him.

His eyes widened at my boldness. “Bobby, my goodness!� He then smiled and chuckled. �It is not usual that the bottom takes the initiative�.

“Let me just do this for you and then we can join the fight. Okay? I don’t want anything in return,� I said. I didn’t really allow him to disagree, and it was fortunate that he’d already eaten most of his food since I gave him something even more pleasurable to concentrate on.

“When we come back from the fight,� he said, a minute or two later and – it appeared – feeling very good, “we do this properly�.

***

The X-men stood on the bridge of their ship, talking over subspace with Magneto and his group.

“I am glad that you were able to rescue the twins,� Magneto said. “And I am more glad that we are ready to get down to business�.

“We talked not long ago about our plans,� Cyclops said. “Are you still in agreement with them?�

“Yes. We send a small group in to infiltrate FOH headquarters and broadcast evidence, while everyone else fends them off outside. We are ready to begin teleporting to earth right away�.

“Our team is ready to go too�.

“What are we waitin’ for then?� Wolverine asked. “Let’s get a move on�.

It was settled. Remaining on board Victory would be the Professor, Aurora (due to both her physical injury and mental condition), and Psylocke (because the group felt it would be wise to have someone in addition to Xavier holding down the fort). On the Prevail, only Moira and Siryn would remain behind, Moira having learned plenty about ship functions over the past several weeks. Everyone else prepared for teleportation at Nightcrawler’s hands, down to earth and ready for battle.

***

It had been a while since Storm had gone into battle. Months had passed now since she had faced any foes other than those created by the Danger Room. Her heart began to pound. She felt confident and strong, surrounded by so many well-trained mutants. But she also knew how high the stakes were in this battle, and she also remembered how handily the X-men had been defeated last time they had faced FOH.

Storm wished her reasons for returning to earth were happier ones; she wished she could someday visit with Mishnari, see her home country again, and return to her garden at the Institute as well. But Storm’s disciplined mind quickly pushed such diversions away. She had Xavier’s word that Mishnari was safe, and she would have to wait for the rest knowing that she might never see Africa or the Xavier Institute again. All of her focus was now on the impending battle.

Storm was teleported to the surface, along with everyone, within the span of an instant. She knew that FOH must be expecting them. After all, moments ago a small group of X-men had rescued Northstar and Aurora; surely FOH didn’t expect them to stop there. Beast’s psionic shield was established and surrounding the team, ready to protect them from the Banshee-like powers FOH had duplicated.

The large team landed on a hilltop overlooking FOH’s headquarters. The main compound was guarded by troops stationed outside, spreading out over a large airfield. As soon as the X-men were teleported down, alarms instantly began to blare – FOH knew immediately that it was under attack. With the psionic shield up, the X-men were protected and they sprang into action.

Storm flew into the air. She used powerful lightning bolts to strike at FOH aircraft before they could get off the ground. She targeted her blasts to push the FOH troops back and away.

The smaller team set off for their mission. The small group consisted of Gambit, Forge, Beast, and Emma and they were charged with sneaking into the compound to complete the real goal of today’s raid. As planned, Storm created a heavily mixture of fog in their area to shield them from the views of FOH troops. Then Storm resumed her work, blasting FOH aircraft before they took off.

Storm continued to swoop around and repel the FOH troops. They clearly looked worried, seeing that their Banshee-like weapon was doing nothing to keep the X-men at bay. Storm saw Rogue swoop down, pick up two FOH tanks, and drop them near a cluster of troops, causing the men to scatter. Cyclops’s blasts were keeping a dozen FOH men on the run. Avalanche caused the ground to shake wildly underneath another group, and as they tried to stagger to their feet, they found themselves being pulverized by Colossus and Marrow. Bobby was doing well – moving through the battleground on his ice slide and coating soldiers and weaponry in blocks of ice. Caliban was using his powers to absorb the soldiers’ fear and use it to cause them to flee. Moonstar apparently had been well-trained by Xavier. She reached into several FOH soldiers’ minds and had an effect not unlike that of Caliban – the men saw something that terrified them, turned, and ran.

A few things were not going well. Pyro had already started several fires, one of which was spreading too close to the main compound. It wouldn’t do them any good if they burned the building down – and especially not with four of their people inside. Storm quickly flew to the area and directed a torrent of rain to wash away the blaze.

Angel at one point was hit with some type of weapon. He began falling to the ground but was fortunately caught by Shaman. Storm flew over, got the signal that Angel would be well, and then resumed blasting FOH’s remaining aircraft.

The X-men were winning, Storm could see. She flew over to where Magneto and Cyclops stood.

“Just talked to the infiltrating team,� Cyclops said. “They need a lot more time to carry out their mission�.

Storm knew that one’s perception of the passage of time during battle was always skewed. It had seemed like they had been in combat for a while but a quick look at her watch showed that less than twenty minutes had passed since the X-men reached the surface.

Storm spoke into her communicator, “How much more time, Beast?� she asked.

“Optimistically – 30 minutes,� his reply came over the communicator.

“Do you need reinforcements?� Cyclops asked.

Gambit then spoke, “Looks like mos’ FOH leave dis buildin’ and fight you. Anyone we run into here, eit’er I blast ‘em or Emma attacks deir minds�.

“Call us if you do need reinforcements�.

Magneto looked up into the sky. “Speaking of reinforcements….�

Planes bearing more FOH troops began to swarm through the sky. This compound, though FOH’s headquarters, was not its only stronghold. Several more troops gunned their vehicles, driving towards the scene of the battle in tanks and trucks. Storm, Cyclops, and Magneto resumed their work. Magneto commanded the metal inside the approaching vehicles, lifted the vehicles high up into the air, and brought them crashing down. Cyclops blasted the tires of many, but still more approached.

Storm fought again to take out the planes approaching from the east. She saw Rogue fly up to one, grab it by its tail, and fling it around. Storm disabled another plane with several well-aimed bolts of lightning.

“Wolverine’s surrounded!� Rogue yelled to Storm, pointing.

Storm swooped back down towards the battle on the ground. Wolverine had been knocked to his feet – having taken hits from several heavy weapons simultaneously - and was indeed surrounded by countless troops, who were closing in on him. Storm was ready to carry the troops away in a whirlwind when suddenly an explosion of pyrotechnics hit the soldiers. Half of them were hit with Jubilee’s blasts. The young woman powerfully repelled the soldiers who had been after Wolverine. Wolverine was back up on his feet in an instant and able to take out the rest of his would-be attackers.

Storm observed Jubilee and Logan hug briefly, once they were in the clear. She was glad to see it and she thought about them for a moment. Whatever had been going on between Logan and Jubilee, Storm noted, it was too small to be termed a rift but too large to be completely ignored either. Jubilee was an adult now, and Logan had thrown himself into working with Marrow. The man needed to be needed, and it had to be hard for him to find someone who needed him, given that he was surrounded by powerful women. Storm hoped that this brief moment on the battlefield might move Wolverine and Jubilee forward.

“Could use your help back up here!� Rogue called.

Still more FOH aircraft approached. FOH was determined to not allow the X-men to win this one, to defeat them at all costs, no matter how many of their own men were killed, no matter how much of their equipment was destroyed. The longer the battle waged, the more apparent FOH’s determination became.

This aircraft was both larger and faster than the previous ones. Rogue tried to grasp the vessel but its tail was too hot even for her powerful hands and she was propelled backwards, away from the aircraft. Storm flew over towards her friend, wanting to ensure that she was safe when she was hit by a powerful blast from the aircraft itself.

This was no mere graze like the one that had nipped at Angel. Storm took the blast full on. As she tumbled out of the sky Northstar, who had been keeping an eye on the planes as he battled ground troops, flew up and gently caught Storm.

Northstar landed on the ground, still holding Storm. Rogue swooped down next to them.

“It looks bad. Real bad,� Rogue said. Already bloodstains appeared on Storm’s uniform. Rogue was shocked at the sound of her own voice; her words had come out with a tremble.

“We need to get Storm back to the ship,� Northstar said. “This is serious�. He called for Nightcrawler to teleport Storm back to Victory.

Enough X-men had witnessed Storm being shot down – and then teleported to Victory – that the battle was disrupted. The powerful aircraft made another swoop, firing indiscriminately at the ground and causing the X-men to scatter. Another truckload of troops drove up and the troops had time to begin firing. Leech and Pyro began running, away from the battle, until Magneto spoke to them over the communicator and commanded them to stay and redouble their efforts.

Wolverine ran up to Nightcrawler as soon as he returned. “Take me back up there!� he barked. “Storm’s hurt, and Hank ain’t there to help her!�

Jubilee was right on Logan’s heels. “No!� she said. “They got more troops after us! We need you here�.

“Yes, my friend,� Nightcrawler agreed. “The battle might be turning - we must stay here and win it before anything else�.

Wolverine stepped back. He knew they were right. He turned his attention to the latest batch of FOH soldiers. Dozens and dozens more approached, heavily armed.

***

Sitting on Victory’s bridge, the Professor concentrated on mentally monitoring the battle. His skills had not been needed at this point. He checked in with Emma and though he did not thoroughly approve of the way she used her telepathy to “shut down� the troops she encountered inside the building, the Professor knew that the smaller team had to succeed. Once the public could see with its own eyes the way mutants were being treated, surely the tide of public opinion would turn.

When Storm was teleported to sick bay, Psylocke notified the Professor that she would do what she could to patch up her wounds. All of the X-men had undergone training on the basics of field medicine. He hoped that Psylocke remembered hers.

Moments later, Psylocke telepathically contacted Xavier. //This is really bad, Xavier. I can’t help her. We have to get Hank up here right away//.

The Professor immediately contacted Hank telepathically. //Storm is seriously injured. Can your team succeed in its mission without you?//

Hank needed a moment or two to contemplate the answer. He finally responded, //I believe that I am needed for the next five or ten minutes. Once the footage is spliced together, we should be ready to go since Forge has already set up the communications equipment.//

Xavier agonized over what to do next. He couldn’t risk the success of what Hank and his team were trying to accomplish. But he couldn’t risk Storm’s life either.

Emma contacted him. //I sense two dozen more FOH troops just entered this building. I’ll mentally blast them. But I worry that I can’t get them all – I might need Beast here if it comes to hand to hand combat.//

Xavier did not waste a moment deliberating. He mentally located the new FOH troops inside the compound. He locked onto their mental signatures and sent them a telepathic blast that knocked them unconscious.

He then instructed Nightcrawler to teleport inside the compound and be ready to teleport Hank to Victory.

***

“We on the air!� Gambit spoke into his communicator.

“Not a moment too soon,� Magneto commented. The battle outside was still hot. The X-men had won back some of the ground they lost after Storm’s injury but the FOH ships and ground troops kept coming.

“We still have to hold FOH off long enough to make sure the whole thing gets aired!� Cyclops noted. He quickly turned and blasted three FOH soldiers who were running and firing in his direction.

“Tape is fifteen minutes long,� Gambit said. “We make it short and to the point�.

Cyclops looked into the sky. Yet another battalion of FOH aircraft approached, at least a dozen this time joining the few that were still in the air and firing on the X-men. And now they had no Storm to blast them with lightning. He looked at Magneto. The older mutant closed his eyes and summoned his powers. One of the FOH ships began to split apart, its metal being manipulated and torn.

But Cyclops continued to watch Magneto – when he didn’t need to take a quick second to fire at more approaching ground troops. He remembered the X-men’s report from Asteroid M, Magneto’s failed project from years ago, when he had created an asteroid sanctuary for mutants. Magneto had weakened, exhausted from using his powers. And now, Cyclops noted, Magneto was no younger than before. The older man was shaking. Clearly the efforts it had taken just to destroy one FOH aircraft had been debilitating, but they had over a dozen FOH planes to contend with. And it had taken several precious seconds for Magneto to destroy just one of them. Cannonball and Northstar, armed with guns, were flying through the air and firing on the aircraft now. FOH still had ever more ground troops closing in. Cyclops began to realize that the X-men would likely lose this battle.

***

On board Victory, the Professor realized it too. Thirteen minutes. That’s all the X-men needed for the tape to finish playing. Thirteen minutes for the world to see – on their televisions and on their computers – the truth about FOH’s treatment of mutants. Thirteen minutes for mindsets to change, for the Extermination Camps to close down before one single mutant was tortured. But the battle had turned and was not going well. And Storm was urgently in need of a doctor.

Xavier made the decision. He closed his eyes and summoned his energy. He focused and directed his powers. Each FOH solider, all of the ground troops and those inside the aircrafts, was hit with a mental blast. Instantly, each man was knocked unconscious.

For those FOH troops in the approaching aircrafts, this was nearly a death sentence. With their pilots unconscious, the planes would crash. Xavier mentally ordered Rogue to attempt to grab the planes and ease them to the ground. He mustered his telekinesis and slowly lowered one of the other aircraft to the ground. But he knew that he and Rogue would not be able to save them all.

Xavier felt Magneto’s happiness and his sense of smugness. He could practically hear the words: You should have done this earlier, Charles.

He wondered about that. After all, did knocking hundreds of FOH troops unconscious do them any more harm than blasting them with Cyclops’s lasers, for example, or freezing them with Bobby’s ice? Couldn’t one argue that it did them less?

But that was not the point, Xavier told himself. In order to knock them unconscious, he had entered the soldiers’ minds. He had violated them. And several of them would perish in plane crashes.

But was it justified when it compared with how mutants had been and would be violated by FOH?

Xavier had no more time to debate himself. Now that the battle had been won, Nightcrawler had immediately teleported Beast and the rest of the infiltration team aboard Victory to tend to Storm. He then stood by, ready to bring the rest to Victory as soon as the remaining twelve minutes were finished and the tape had been aired.

***

My head was still spinning. It was too much for me. I couldn’t believe, couldn’t digest, all that I had experienced in the last several hours. Too many things had happened at once

Northstar was back and unharmed. We had our battle against FOH, and I actually fought well. I was terrified, but I did it and did it well. Storm was wounded and her status was uncertain. But we got the tape on the air! So many ups and downs.

I stood outside of sick bay, Jean Paul next to me with an arm around my shoulder. All we knew at this point was that Hank was there inside, working on Storm. Wolverine was in there too, and I think Psylocke was still inside as she’d been tending to Storm before. Obviously Hank needed space to take care of her and we couldn’t all poke our heads in and bother Hank with questions.

“She’s in good hands now,� Jean Paul said. “There is nothing more we can do. Hank will do everything that he can�.

“I know,� I said.

He reached for one of my hands and held it. “You are trembling,� he observed.

“Just nervous. A lot of excitement for one day I guess�.

“The fight is over. You fought very well. You did not panic once. Your blasts hit their targets. You moved quickly and with confidence. I am very proud of you�.

I couldn’t help but to smile at the praise.

Jean Paul took another look at me, gently pulling up one of the sleeves of my shirt. “Magnificent,� he said. “You are more muscular than before. What a difference!�

“Thanks,� I said. My face was hot for some reason. Actually, I was thrilled. “Hank’s been training me�.

“Someday I must thank the man! Come with me, Bobby. The battle is over. Everyone is waiting to see the reaction to the tape, and we cannot help Storm now. I promised you that we had something we needed to do properly after the battle�. He caressed my arm as he spoke.

“Yes,� I said, breaking into a grin. I could hardly wait! Despite all the emotions going through me at that time, all the experiences I had to process, this was what I really wanted to do. “Let’s go�.

We turned and started walking down the hall, but Aurora came up to us. She said something to Jean Paul in French – whatever it was, I got the gist that she didn’t want us to go off alone, she wanted to be with her brother.

Jean Paul responded to her and, again of course, they spoke in French, so I didn’t understand their conversation. Jean Paul translated it for me much later. He had said:

“I must have some time alone with Bobby. You and I have spent the past three months together, and you know how much I care for you because I always went after you when you ran off. So you must allow me this�.

Her reply, I was told, was along the lines of “f--- you�.

But I didn’t care. Jean Paul and I finally had our time alone together and it was so wonderful that I could easily tell myself that nothing else mattered.

***

Wolverine stood outside of the infirmary, his arms crossed. He looked at the window, watching Hank observe a monitor. Storm remained motionless on the bed. Wolverine knew that various X-men had wandered by and were milling about outside of sick bay. He sensed Jubilee was now standing next to him.

“Hey,� he said to Jubilee.

“Hey yourself,� she said, smiling. She then quickly withdrew the characteristic smile. Happy as she might have been to be with Wolverine, they obviously had a very grave situation on their hands.

“Good job down there. You fought well. Even helped me out once�.

Jubilee rested a hand on Wolverine’s back. “Well, I trained with the best. There was this rough Canadian guy who made sure I knew how to use my powers, kinda even looked after me like I was his niece or daughter�.

“Still does. ‘Cept he can tell you’re growin’ up now�.

“Yeah. He’ll always be like my uncle though�.

“Always,� he agreed, firmly.

Hank stepped through sick bay’s doors.

“Well?� Jubilee asked eagerly. But she wasn’t raising her hopes too high. She could easily read the look on Hank’s face.

“Her condition is now stable,� Hank said. “I believe that had she gone without a doctor’s care for even five more minutes, she would have perished. She is stable now,� he repeated. “Thank goodness the Professor intervened so that I could care for Storm�.

“But…� Jubilee began, knowing that the full story would not contain good news.

“But she is in a deep coma. Very deep. At this point, there is nothing more I can do for her. Perhaps she will come out of the coma on her own, though I am not optimistic�.

“Then we gotta get her to Haven,� Wolverine said. “The place cured the Professor, and it’ll cure her�.

“Deir any harm in leavin’ her in a coma? Like, she gonna get worse as time goes by?�

Wolverine whirled his head around. He had only partially been aware that Gambit, and several others, were outside of the infirmary. Storm was quite well-loved among the team.

“Perhaps not,� Hank responded to the Cajun’s question. “I believe her condition will remain stable, though of course it is impossible to say for certain�.

Wolverine fought to contain his rage, his fear, his sense of loss. “Still gotta get her to Haven. Where’s Xavier?� he asked.

“He’s on the bridge with most of the others,� Forge said. “They’re monitoring earth’s stations, trying to assess the reaction of our tape�. Forge had also been hungry for news of Storm. He would always care about her, even though his rejection of her and preference for Wolverine felt like a slap in the face. No matter. Storm was a wonder, a beauty, an amazing woman – she would never fall in Forge’s estimation.

Wolverine turned and headed for the bridge. Colossus came up to Jubilee and put a consoling arm around her. “Storm get better. We must be patient�.

“I hope so,� Jubilee said, allowing herself to relax into the tall man’s bulk. “I really hope so�.

***

The X-men then entered a period of waiting. They spoke with Magneto and agreed that they needed to monitor the media and assess the impact their tape had on people’s attitudes towards mutants before determining their next move. They would also monitor FOH to ensure that their “Extermination Centers� were not being filled. And they waited and hoped for better news about Storm, though none had high hopes.


***

Nightcrawler could not believe what he had agreed to. As he walked towards Rogue and Gambit’s room, he questioned himself once again. `Am I only lying to myself when I tell myself that this is harmless and easy? What if it is not harmless? Did I agree to this because I hold the sanctity of marriage in high regard? Did I only agree to this because part of me views Rogue as a step-sister, part of me views all the X-men as the only family that I have and sometimes we do things that might not be right, to help family members?’

Nightcrawler was used to a life of contemplation. He knew he would be mulling over these questions for days or even weeks to come.

“Thank you again, sugar,� Rogue said, as Nightcrawler entered their room.

“Please do remember to keep this brief, 60 seconds or less� he reminded them. “Contact me the minute you are ready to return�.

“We promise,� Gambit said. He couldn’t resist smiling on this day.

Gambit and Rogue had made a decision. He wanted to give her a proper proposal, a notion to which she had eagerly agreed. Right now, there was nothing they could do either in terms of Storm’s status or in terms of the mission. Surely Rogue and Gambit now deserved a small break. When pressed by Nightcrawler, they had been forced to admit that they had not sought permission from Cyclops or the Professor, but they were certain that this would take no more than a minute or two. As most X-men, they had adapted to living life in close quarters and without much privacy. But surely they were entitled to do something without permission, something semi-spontaneous? It was bad enough, Gambit had shared with Nightcrawler, that he had had to let Rogue in on his plans; he couldn’t even surprise his fiancée with the proposal itself.

But he did have another surprise in store for her.

Gambit and Rogue agreed that the location for the proposal would be New Orleans. Nightcrawler teleported them instantly, and then disappeared just as quickly, leaving the happy couple in Jackson Square, mid-day. St. Louis Cathedral loomed in front of them, white and glistening in the sun. Trees and bushes in front of the cathedral were lush, many boasting leaves in shades of red and pink. The statue of Andrew Jackson on his horse stood proudly before the cathedral, and horse-drawn carriages lined up on the street, eager for travelers.

Gambit wore sunglasses so that stray passersby would not glance at his eyes and realize that he was a mutant. Although New Orleans was in Remy’s blood, his system still took a few seconds to adjust to the surroundings. Spending weeks in space on a cool starship left one unprepared for the heat and humidity of New Orleans. He briefly touched his fingertips to his forehead and they came away damp. He smiled. He would always love this place and its energy though he doubted that he would ever live there again.

“Let’s go here,� he said, gesturing to a bench.

Rogue held his hand as they walked to it. Remy noticed her uncharacteristic quietness and wondered if she could be feeling nervous.

For Remy, the main thrill would be seeing the look on Rogue’s face, he knew. She had dreamed of this. For years, the concept of having a soulmate had been something she had written off. She had painfully observed Jean and Cyclops’s love and affection – and Gambit had practically felt the heartache it had caused her because she so desperately wanted a love like that for herself. Now she had one, thanks in no small part to her own bravery and Gambit’s persistence.

Gambit went down onto one knee. Rogue couldn’t resist flinging her hands to her cheeks in a gesture of girlish delight. Was this really happening? This dashing man, whom she only loved more with each passing year, was going to propose marriage to her. He reached for one of her hands and held it.

“Rogue, chere, I love you an’ I always will. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?�

Rogue was grinning from ear to ear. “Yes, Remy, yes! I would be happy to!�

“I have a little gift for you, chere,� Gambit said, rising to his feet and rummaging around in his pocket.

Rogue’s eyes grew wide. They hadn’t talked about this. It couldn’t be…

Gambit produced a small ring box. Rogue blinked a few times before reaching for it with trembling hands. She opened it up to find a sparkling diamond nestled atop a gold band. As Rogue stood there incredulously, Gambit gently took the ring and slowly placed it onto Rogue’s finger. Rogue stood silently just looking at the ring.

“I – I’m not even gonna ask, Swamp Rat,� Rogue said, recovering her voice and sounding more like herself. “I’m just gonna be happy. And – and thank you, Remy. I am amazed�.

At that moment, their communicator beeped. Nightcrawler said, “Forgive me, I do not mean to rush. But we did agree that 60 seconds…�

“We ready,� Gambit said. “Come get us�.

Nightcrawler appeared, and Rogue and Gambit quickly left behind the clear skies and thick air of New Orleans.

***

Rogue and Gambit kept the happy news to themselves for the rest of the evening. They stayed in their room, stayed up late and made love many times.

The next day, at lunch, Jubilee took a pointed look at Rogue’s hand and wrinkled her brow. “Um, when didja start wearing a diamond ring?� she asked.

Conversation at the table suddenly ceased. “Remy gave it to me yesterday,� Rogue said simply. “We’re engaged!�

“We’re you gonna ever tell us?� Bobby asked, across the table.

“All in good time,� Gambit said, smiling. The room erupted into cheers. The X-men were eager for some good news. Alcoholic drinks and sweet deserts were replicated, and everyone offered their congratulations to the happy couple. Music was switched on and a bit of spontaneous dancing occurred. Those who hadn’t been having lunch with the group soon streamed into the mess hall to congratulate Rogue and Gambit.

“When will the wedding take place?� the Professor asked.

“We ain’t figured that part out yet. Maybe when life gets less crazy,� Rogue answered.

“We hope t’ings get better for mutants real soon,� Gambit added.

The impromptu party continued, with several people even shuttling over from the Prevail to celebrate with the couple. Many were surprised to see Moira enter the mess hall. She still looked pale and withdrawn. After muttering a cursory greeting to Xavier, she briefly hugged both members of the couple before leaving.

As the party wound down, Rogue and Gambit looked at each other. They were thrilled and delighted, but they were missing one person they both loved: Storm.

“Wouldda loved to have seen the look on her face,� Rogue said.

“We will, chere. She gotta get outta dis. Someday she gonna be able to congrat’late us in person�.

“I hope so, Remy. I really hope so�.


***

Wolverine sat next to Storm’s bed in the infirmary. He watched the blips on the monitor, steady and unchanging for days. He held her hand which was mildly – but not alarmingly – cold. He stroked her hair. It still felt silky and thick as usual. He thought of something he wanted to discuss with her but couldn’t. He dimly heard Beast say something about no change in her condition. He muttered replies to those who checked in on Storm during the day. He picked at the food Jubilee brought him. He heard someone say something about Rogue and Gambit getting engaged. He allowed Hank to lead him to his room and nudge him in the direction of the shower as he spread clean clothing on the bed. He wondered again why he had allowed himself to care for others. Then he remembered. The alternative was worse.

When Hank left, Wolverine yelled, extended his claws, and left gaping gashes in one of his walls.


***

We were all still waiting. We waited for Storm to improve and we waited to see the result of our tape getting on the air. Hearing that Storm’s coma was deep and that Hank couldn’t do anything was, of course, really hard to take. I pretty much only saw Wolverine when I went to sick bay to visit Storm myself. He was always beside her, holding her hand, looking like misery.

On the bright side, we did have Rogue and Gambit’s happiness to share, which was awesome. I really wondered where he got that ring from too. I wondered how they would do married. Years ago, if you’d asked me I would’ve said that Gambit wasn’t the marrying kind but now I actually thought he and Rogue would do quite well with the knot officially tied.

While everyone was waiting, I spent most of my time with Jean Paul. We talked a lot, him telling me what had happened on earth and filling in the gaps of our months apart. It sounded like it had been exhausting. Jean Paul reiterated that he thought it was a mistake for us to have ever separated, which I was again very glad to hear. When he wasn’t with me, he spent time with Aurora or with Puck (Puck sometimes shuttling over from Magneto’s ship). Both ships still maintained orbit around earth, cloaked and apparently quite invisible still to FOH.

Cyclops did seek me out once during a meal. He went up to me, pulled out the empty chair next to me, and sat down. He said, “I’ve been meaning to apologize, Bobby. We did mislead you a bit, about Northstar and Aurora having been captured by FOH. We knew that hearing that would’ve really bothered you, and that there would’ve been nothing you could’ve done. We didn’t find out that they were captured until we were about eight hours from earth�. He paused and said, “And I know the Professor feels the same way�.

I nodded. Is it weird that I wasn’t mad at all? Maybe I was just so happy to be back with Jean Paul. And I did see that Cyclops was right. “You’re right, Cyke. Those eight hours would’ve been an agony for me. So I think you and the Professor made the right call�.

I meant what I said. Though I did have to wonder – do we X-men sometimes coddle our members? Jubilee was kept from going on dangerous missions for years even though she had been well-trained and ready. And now they had kept this news from me. But then again, maybe a bit of coddling was not such a bad thing. Families do need to take care of their less-strong members.

“Good. And thank you for understanding�.

He got up after that and left the mess hall. I almost would’ve liked to have talked to him more. His voice had sounded so warm. Did our mostly-successful battle help put him in a better mood? Was he really that busy or did he just feel that he had nothing else to talk about with me? Was he jealous that I was reunited with the one I loved while he wasn’t? I’d never know since he didn’t hang around to talk.

But then again, despite what I wrote above, the battle *wasn’t* a complete success as we slowly learned during the four days following the fight. Here’s what happened.

The tape had aired very broadly. We estimated that 5-6 million televisions and computer screens had had the broadcast forced on them. Considering the timeframe they were under, the team had put together a very concise and coherent video showing FOH’s treatment of mutants.

But FOH had struck back in the media wars, quickly. They had their own tape ready to go within 24 hours, including one with footage of our “unprovoked attack� on their headquarters. They also had plenty of other footage, showing mutants beating up little old ladies, stealing from families, causing untold violence. Fake footage, we were sure, but it all looked real. FOH’s production was obviously much more slick and professional. And they were able to get theirs aired around the clock. Ours had only been shown once.

So we tapped into their computers – Forge and Hank had picked up enough from their raid on headquarters to learn how to do that. We were able to get our tape aired broadly (though not as widely as before) twice more. FOH again struck back quickly. The second time we tapped their computers to get our tape on the air, we must’ve given something away so that they could make an educated guess as to our location. Angel was on bridge duty when they started firing at our general location in space. They didn’t hit us – obviously space is really big, even the space around earth. We just moved the ship to evade them - that was safer than firing back at them, as we would need to de-cloak in order to return fire. They gave up after a while. We thought they fired on us only to send us a message.

We didn’t try to get the tape aired again. As a few days went by, it became clear that no matter how many times we would get our side broadcast, they would drown out the air waves with their tape. Our tape didn’t seem to be having the reaction we wanted.

And it still looked like FOH planned to go ahead and transport mutants to its Extermination Camps. From what we could tell, all the signs indicated that they would start filling the camps within a few days. Soon Magneto was calling us over subspace, saying that we needed to talk about our next steps.

***

Hank sat watching the propaganda tape made by FOH. A part of him felt guilty, that he should be at Storm’s side. But he was certain that, at this stage, there was nothing more he could do for her. And he told himself that he needed to remain current with FOH’s plans and schemes. So he sat in the main conference room, getting ready to watch the tape.

He wasn’t alone in wanting to do a re-watch either. “You’ve got a strong stomach if you can watch that piece of crap again,� Marrow said to Moonstar as the former got up and turned towards the door.

“We have a lot to learn from them,� Moonstar shrugged. “Every time they do something like this, it sheds some light on them and how they think�.

“What’s there to learn?� Marrow mumbled. “They hate us and want us dead�.

Moonstar looked around the room; the fact that Hank was there finally registered with her. “Oh, and Hank – I wanted to show you something on their tape!� she said.

“Please do so,� Hank responded.

The FOH video began. Moonstar paused the player during one scene, a scene that purportedly showed “violent� mutants attacking innocent bystanders.

“That’s her,� Moonstar pointed, “the girl I was telling you about – Panda. Had no idea they were taping it, but this is from what I told you before – when they came to arrest us and we fought back. I can’t believe what they did with this footage, making it look like she just went up to some FOH guys and started beating up on them. But like I said back on Haven, they shot her. Three times, twice in the head and once in the heart, I saw it myself. How convenient that they left *that* part off the tape. The rest of us ran, and it’s a miracle I got out of there. I wish Panda had made it as well�. Moonstar paused, “Anyway, sorry to talk about this; it’s such a grim subject. She just really reminded me of you, that’s all. I didn’t know her for long but she did seem really smart�.

Hank could not logically explain why, but he suddenly felt very alone.

***

The X-men assembled in the conference room. Magneto, and those on board his ship, were linked in via subspace. The X-men looked at his commanding image on the screen.

“It has been nearly four days since our mission was completed,� he began. “The tape was aired. Unfortunately FOH has redoubled their propaganda efforts and they show every sign of being on the brink of filling their Extermination Camps. You must admit that I have been very patient in waiting and watching – hoping that our Plan A would work. But at this stage, we are forced to admit that it failed, and we must turn to Plan B now�.

The X-men looked around the room at each other. None were surprised by Magneto’s words. The Professor and Cyclops had had a lengthy discussion the previous day. The X-men had tried diplomacy, years ago. They had tried reasoning with people, influencing world leaders. But it came down to the fact that they could not allow thousands and thousands of mutants to end up like Moira and her family. Or like Moonstar’s friend Panda, shot and killed for no reason. Whatever harm Xavier might cause by entering people’s minds, whatever immorality that action entailed, was outweighed by the impending reality of thousands of tortured and killed mutants. Xavier could accept that, on some levels.

“Agreed,� Xavier said. His comment was not a surprise either, but still several X-men exchanged glances. “We fought well and we made a valiant effort. It is time to move to Plan B now�.

“Excellent. Is there anything we can do to assist you, Xavier? I have been compiling lists of world leaders and other influential people�.

“I would appreciate checking your list against mine. I also think that it is critical that we think through our next steps. I do not expect that Plan B will work quickly. It might take days, weeks, or even months before I can influence and change enough minds. I believe that we will need to stay here, in orbit, to ensure that progress is made, ensure that those Extermination Camps do not get filled�.

“I agree. If we cannot prevent the camps from getting filled, I will not rule out an attack then. Would you like Emma to use her telepathic skills to supplement yours as you begin this endeavor?� Magneto asked.

“Initially I would prefer to work alone, though I will let you know if I change my mind�.

Wolverine was at the end of his rope. For four days he had been playing nice. He had been sitting by Storm’s bedside, holding her hand and talking to her. He had been fighting in the Danger Room, more ferociously than ever. He had worked with Marrow, trying to lose himself in her training. He had been staying awake all night, every night, in his empty bed and he had tried to muster a sincere congratulatory sentiment for Rogue and Gambit. He could simply handle no more.

Wolverine sprang from his seat, extended his claws, and cut a huge gash into the wall. Shards of metal spilled to the floor from the ravaged well.

Moonstar shrieked with fear. She had only heard of this side of Wolverine, never seen it. Several more X-men were stunned. Those who had known Wolverine for a long time had seen him gain control over his rages and didn’t expect this.

“What about Storm?!� he lashed out. “She’s layin’ in that bed and ain’t gettin’ any better!�

“Logan, please,� the Professor began. “I am sorry that—“

“Sorry don’t cut it! Now what we’re gonna do is take one of these ships, turn it around, and get back to Haven. It cured you, Professor, and it’ll cure Storm! We gotta get her there! We ain’t all needed for this mission. We don’t need anyone who ain’t a telepath on this mission!�

“There is an element to truth in what you are saying, Logan,� Xavier admitted. “Although I would be open to us performing rescue missions at the camps should I fail – and for that, we certainly do need the talents of each of you. I hope to succeed in my telepathic mission though�.

“Can’t stand around waitin’! We gotta get Storm back to Haven�.

Magneto spoke up, forcefully, “This is war, Wolverine! One of your soldiers was hurt, and that is unfortunate, but we cannot make tactical decisions around that�.

“That is one difference between us, Magnus,� Xavier said. He was glad to be disagreeing with Magneto on something, glad to be differentiating himself from his old friend and enemy. “Storm isn’t just a soldier to us. We love her. The X-men revolve around love�.

“How very touching, Xavier. You have always been a sentimental fool. All the dilithium we have here is mine and you are not gett