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Austria

“STORM!!” Gambit bellowed, terror stricken as piles of stone fell upon his sister, dust clouding the air. Without delay he began sifting through the rubble, pulling stones away and tossing them over his shoulder. “Stormy! Answer me, padnat!”
“Gambit what happened?” Jean came over the comm-link.
“A fuckin’ building’ jus’ fell on Stormy’s ‘ead! I need Colossus!” He clawed at the huge pile in front of him. “Please, God, not Stormy,” he prayed aloud.
“Die Mutie!” A man rushed Gambit, gun in hand.
Gambit whirled, eyes blazing, throwing a glowing handful of debris in his attackers face. The man fell back screaming as the charged rocks exploded, embedding small fragments into his skin and eyes. “I’m blind!” the man screamed.
“Gambit!” Jean again a sharp reprimand in her voice.
“’E’s lucky I don’ kill ‘im,” he snapped. “Where’s da tin man?”
“Behind you.” Colossus stepped forward, heaving some of the larger debris out of the way. “Storm is under here?”
“Oui.”
Both men were silent, pulling at the remains of the collapsed building, knowing the odds of finding her unharmed were slim. Gambit didn’t care, so long as he found her alive. A picture of him pulling a lifeless Storm from the debris flashed in his mind and he nearly stopped breathing. No. That wasn’t going to happen. Thunder rumbled overhead. Good. That meant she was alive. Scared, but alive.

Xavier Institute
Danger Room

Wolverine roared, metal claws slicing through his opponents, spilling virtual blood all over the Danger Room floor. He paused, lifting his head and sniffing the air. Something didn’t feel right. He rotated his shoulders, a growl forming in his throat. Suddenly everything felt wrong, like the world had shifted and he couldn’t find his bearings. “End Program,” he growled. The lights flickered on and the room changed from the Canadian wilderness back into the stark gray and silver circle meant to train and improve the X-Men.
Even as the room returned to normal Wolverine’s feeling of unease increased until he broke out into a cold sweat. He pulled off his torn top, making his way towards the exit. He needed a shower and a beer. Maybe then he’d feel better, but somehow he doubted it.

Loft

Alison unlocked her’s and Gambit’s bedroom door, stretching her arms over her head. She was beat, Rem had kept her up all night, pleasantly so, but she was still tired. She kicked off her unlaced commando boots and pulled off her green fatigues, crawling along the large bed in her tank and black thongs. She yawned, blinking heavy eyes. She pulled Gambit’s pillow to her, breathing in his spicy, male scent. She loved him. Loved him more than she cared to admit. His name brought a smile to her face, his essence sang in her heart. She fell asleep humming a Cajun lullaby that Gambit had taught her.

Austria

Flames shot up around the two men digging through the debris left by the collapsed buildings, desperate to reach their leader. Another bottle full of kerosene and stuffed with a flaming rag arced overhead. Colossus swatted it away, fire dancing along his arms for a brief instant.
“Stormy! If you can ‘ear me, we could use some rain, chere.” Gambit hollered. The echo of thunder overhead was the only response, and as much as he wanted to believe it was Storm, Gambit was beginning to think that the storm brewing overhead may be nature’s concoction and not his padnat’s.
“I’m on my way!” Iceman skated through the area, blanketing them and the flames with ice and slush. The slide behind him was demolished by a grenade explosion.
“Bobby, get down!” Kitty cried over the link.
“Hey, relax, Kitty! I got this all und--” Bobby went soaring through the air as another grenade exploded.
*BAMF*
Kurt caught Iceman around the waist taking the brunt of a hard impact to the unforgiving ground. “Got him.”
“That save was dead brilliant, Nightcrawler!” Kitty exclaimed.
“Danke, Shadowcat.” Kurt glanced over his shoulder at the approaching crowd. They were carrying sticks and torches, a sight unfortunately all too familiar for Kurt. He curled his lip, revealing stark white fangs against deep midnight blue fur to the approaching mob, hoping for once his demon appearance would be terrifying enough to buy the others some time.
“Gotchya.” Kitty’s hands closed over his and Bobby’s shoulders, “Hold your breath,” she warned phazing them through the ground.
Gambit was becoming despondent. They’d been digging for what felt like forever and no sign of Storm. “C’mon, Stormy! I know you, chere. Der no way a pile of rocks gonna take you out, non?”
Underneath the tons of rubble, trapped in a small hole Storm stirred. She spit out a mouthful of dirt, struggling to focus. Her head throbbed. She blinked her eyes trying to sit up, only to realize she couldn’t. She could barely move at all. She was trapped. Her breathing became instantly erratic, her eyes glowing white in the dark. Nononononononononononononononononono….
Lightening flashed, singeing the ground only inches from where Colossus and Gambit were crouched. “She’s alive,” Gambit heaved a sigh of relief. His relief was short lived as the winds picked up speed, hurtling rocks and debris through the air. He winced as a few boards struck him in the side.
“Gambit, what’s going on?”
“It’s Stormy.”
Darkness. No air. Can’t move. Trapped. Trapped. Mama? Mama where are you?
Within moments everyone and everything was soaked in a torrential downpour, the rain coming in fat and fast, the drops hitting with such force they left welts on skin. Colossus tried to shelter Gambit with his larger frame, but as the winds increased he found it difficult to even maintain his footing.
“Get back!” Gambit felt Storm’s panic, felt her fear, felt her desperation to be free at all costs. He sensed her drawing power into herself and he knew he didn’t want to be close by when she released it.
Dark. Lost. Alone. Dark. Dead. Everyone she loved was dead. Mama? Did I do this? Did I kill you and Daddy? Yes. Oh, no. Alone. Trapped. Darkness. Can’t breathe.
White-hot streaks of lightening chased each other across the sky, slamming into the ground, the thunder shaking the earth itself. “Jean, get the Blackbird outta da sky!”
So dark. Can’t breathe, need to breathe. Crushing me. Crushing Mama. Oh Goddess, Mama. I’m sorry. So sorry. don’t leave me! Nonononono!! Come back! Please.
The roar of the wind was deafening, the remains of the fallen building trembling and rising from the ground, swirling and flinging through the air. Gambit and Colossus ran for cover. In the center of the tons of whirling brick and board Storm was curled on the ground, eyes closed, her motionlessness in the midst of such chaos unnerving.
“Storm!!” Gambit hollered but his voice was snatched by the raging winds. He attempted to move towards her only to be blown off his feet, his hands grasping for purchase. He caught a lead pipe sticking out of the ground. “We’ve gotta stop ‘er, Jean. She’ll never forgive ‘erself if she ‘urts someone.”
There was static on the line, then Jean’s voice. “I can’t reach her. She’s a mass of emotions, Gambit.”
“Merde.” Gambit pulled himself forward, reaching for Colossus’s outstretched armored hand. A brick caught him in the shoulder, sending him rolling across the dirt. He hit a parked car, the back of his head cracking against the door.
“Look out!” Kitty screamed from the building that she had phazed through for shelter. A small truck was tumbling along the street heading straight at Gambit.
Pounding foot beats could be heard seconds before Colossus threw himself in front of the hurtling truck, the steel and frame bending around his massive body.
“T’anks, homme.” Gambit rolled to his feet. “STORMY!!” He leapt over a bicycle flinging across the street. Several tons of rubble shook, lifting into the air and whirling in a tight ring as if they weighed no more than scattered leaves.
“Nightcrawler, can you get to her?” Jean asked wishing Scott were with them. They could use his leadership right now. Hell, she’d settle for a few more members of their team. Betsy and Warren had stayed behind and Wolverine and Alison were benched. Thinking of Wolverine gave Jean an idea.
“I… can try.” Kurt sounded uncertain and for good reason. The swirling debris made it damn near impossible to ‘port close enough to Storm to get her out.
“No, never mind.” Jean said. “Give me a minute.”
An explosion as pieces of building slammed into a propane tank. “We may not ‘ave a minute, chere,” Gambit hollered. The winds roared like a monster, the sound terrifying and black funnels began to spin overhead.
“Holy shit.”
Gambit looked at Colossus. “Couldn’ve said it better myself.”
“Get back to the plane.” Jean ordered.
“I ain’t leavin’ Stormy.”
“Colossus.” Jean said quietly, giving a mental nudge.
Gambit felt cool steel under his chin, then all went black.
Kurt, can you manage both Kitty and Iceman?”
“It’ll take a couple of jumps, but Ja.” *BAMF* *BAMF* BAMF* BAMF*
On board the Blackbird the X-Men watched the ground shake and ice shards rain from the sky. “What do we do now?” Kitty whispered.
“We wait for a miracle,” Jean replied. She flipped on the video recorder and crossed her fingers.
Darkness. Loneliness. Fear. I’m so sorry. Wait for me, Mama. I’m coming too.

Xavier Institute

*Wolverine.*
Logan’s head jerked up, splashing water. He growled. *In the shower, Chuck.*
*I am aware. I need you in the War Room.*
Logan tensed. *Storm?*
*War Room.*
Three minutes later Wolverine walked into the War Room, his hair dripping down his back, a dark look on his face. “What’s goin’ on?”
Xavier brought up the visual Jean was recording from the Blackbird.
“Christ.” Wolverine felt his stomach drop. Clouds rolled and boiled on screen, lightening flashing so bright the screen went white several times. “Where is she?”
“In the center of that,” Xavier pointed to the wall of debris swirling on screen.
“What happened?” Wolverine snarled.
“A building collapsed, Storm became trapped.”
Jesus. Wolverine clenched his jaw. “When do I leave?”
“You’ll never get to her before she burns herself out, and that’s exactly what she’s doing. She’s trying to burn herself out.”
Wolverine growled. “She wouldn’t.”
“She’s not herself right now, she’s still mentally trapped under a ton of guilt.” Xavier said.
“I ain’t just sit here and watch her kill herself,” Wolverine slammed his fist into the table.
“Nor do I expect you to.” Charles opened the sliding table top, pulling out a headset. “It’s set to their frequency. There’s no guarantee, but there’s a good chance Storm still has her comm on. Talk to her.”
Wolverine snatched the headset from the table. “Storm, can you hear me?”
Nothing.
“Storm, answer me.”
No response.
“Okay, darlin’. I know yer trapped in a dark place right now, but I need ya ta listen ta me. What happened ta yer parents wasn’t yer fault. It was an accident. A tragic accident.”
Silence.
“Storm?” Wolverine held the link to his ear. “Come back.”

Austria

“Storm? Come back.”
“…”
Thunder boomed overhead, the funnels touching down.
“Listen ta me. I need ya ta come back, darlin’. I need ya ta keep me sane.”
“…” Ororo closed her eyes tighter.
“’Ro.”
White eyes opened. Logan?
“If ya die, Storm, I’ll follow. Ya can’t leave me, I won’t let ya. I love ya too damn much ta let ya go.”
No. Logan couldn’t die. No.
“Damn it, Storm! Answer me! I swear ta God if you don’t answer me--”
“Logan. Shut up.” Ororo felt the storm raging around her. Calming it down was going to take just as much energy as keeping it going. “I need to think.” She floated into the air, going higher into the atmosphere, pulling the storm with her.

Xavier Institute

“Logan. Shut up.”
Wolverine smiled. That was his girl. He watched on the screen as she rose from the swirling mass of rubble, taking off for the upper atmosphere, where the air was too thin to maintain the squall. Smart. He felt a flare of pride in his chest.
“Hurry up and get home.” He yanked the headset off and breathed a sigh of relief. He gave Xavier a hard look. “I’m back on active.”
Xavier nodded, knowing when not to argue.

Austria

Ororo felt the last of the storm dissipate, her body numb with exhaustion. The winds holding her aloft were dying down and she was freefalling to the ground.
*BAMF*
“Hey, Crawler.”
“Hello, Storm.”
*BAMF*

Xavier Institute
Loft

Ali rolled, yawning. She had slept longer than she’d planned, but she felt refreshed. She scratched the back of her head, stifling another yawn. She moved to get up but stopped when she noticed a silver disc atop the pillow beside her. Confused she picked it up. It was unmarked, without so much as a fingerprint on the surface. Ali tugged on her pants, making her way to the small desk in the corner that housed her laptop. She inserted the disc and waited. It was an Institute disc because immediately it loaded and began to play.
Ali leaned forward, her eyes glued to the monitor. Gambit was onscreen, twirling his adamantium bo staff, looking every inch the Yummy he was. Ali smiled. God, he was so damn fine. He was flipping along the walls, and Ali realized this was a Danger Room tape. Huh. She stretched her arms, still watching her Yummy flip through the air, charged cards taking down his opponents. He was good.
Suddenly he stopped, cocking his head to one side, apparently talking to someone. He shrugged and one side of his mouth curved in a sensual smile. Ali’s gut tightened. A lithe figure came into camera range and Ali recognized Betsy immediately. Gambit nodded to something she said and swung his staff. Ali realized she had no volume and quickly turned it up.
The two X-Men circled each other warily, Betsy launching the first attack, her foot arcing towards Gambit’s head as she spun in he air. He easily deflected her, tossing her into the wall. Betsy laughed, a sleek and silky sound.
Unconsciously Ali’s hands closed into tight fists. Sparring, they’re just sparring, she told herself. Storm and Remy did it all the time. No biggie. Still Ali found herself leaning forward, watching as they continued to fight for several minutes. It was grueling and borderline hostile. Betsy connected a solid kick and leg sweep knocking Gambit onto his back. Betsy straddled him her psi-blade raised. Gambit grinned his devil may care grin and Betsy’s blade faded out. She leaned forward…
Ali bit her lip.
Gambit wrapped one gloved hand in Betsy’s hair, returning her kiss with great ardor. Ali felt a bead of blood form on her lower lip where her teeth were gouging but she didn’t care. Turn it off, her brain cried, but she couldn’t. It was like watching a car wreck, horrible and terrible, yet drawing attention, unable to look away. The two X-Men rolled, Betsy tearing Gambits shirt over his head. Ali heard Gambit’s low moan as Betsy tongued his nipples and she hurriedly hit the mute on her laptop. She could feel tears coursing along her cheeks and that really pissed her off. She’d only cried twice since she was eight years old. Once when she found out about Shinobi’s attack on Storm, and right now. Within minutes both of the onscreen lovers were naked, Gambit pounding into Betsy, and from the look of it, really enjoying himself. Ali flung herself from the chair, retching into the small trash can beside the desk. Her Yummy…
She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, a wave of anguish like nothing she’d ever felt before causing her to double over in pain. Oh, God. Etienne. How could you? She reached up blindly, knocking the laptop onto the floor. She needed to get away from here, from this room. She stumbled to the door, her heart shattering into a million pieces as the volume was once again returned in the crash to the floor and she heard Gambit’s grunts and deep groan as he found release with another woman.

Blackbird

“You sure you’re feelin’ alright, chere?” Gambit brushed a lock of snow hair from Storm’s face.
“I’m fine.” She took a drink from the cup of water he offered her. “Just a bit shaken.” She gave him a concerned look. “You have been acting strange lately, bro. Care to talk about it? We’ve a while before we reach home.”
Gambit looked away from her piercing blues. “Non. Gambit be fine.”
“Remy?’ Ororo touched his arm.
“”I said I was fine.” He jerked his arm away. Immediately he was sorry. “Stormy, I didn’--”
“Hush.” she hugged him. “We’re family, Remy. Family is forever.” She laughed. “You, me, Wolverine and Alison, and now I think we can add Jubilee to the roster.”
Gambit looked past her out into the darkening night sky. “Ali.” he whispered.

Xavier Institute

Ali hugged herself, rocking back and forth atop the highest roof of the Institute, trying her damndest not to cry. Fucker. She clenched her eyes shut, her chin trembling.
“Hiya, kid.”
Ali buried her head in her arms. “Go away, Wolverine.”
Logan flicked a match, lighting his cigar. He puffed twice making his way along the ridge of the roof with animal like agility. He crouched beside Ali, silent, watching the kids below. The air was cool and the night air smelled fresh, and of Alison’s tears.
“Wanna talk about it?” He asked after a long silence.
“No.”
Wolverine sighed. “Want me to gut him?”
Ali snorted. “Yes.”
“What’d he do?’
Ali’s voice shook from the hollow space between her crossed arms. “Not a what, Wolves, a who.”
Wolverine was once again silent. Damn. He was no good at comforting. Hell, he was the one usually inflicting the pain. He placed one hand on Ali’s shoulder. “You wanna come stay at the boathouse?”
Ali lifted her head. “I don’t want to crowd you and Storm. Y’know three’s a--”
“I’ll be expectin’ ya fer dinner,” he said in his gruff no nonsense tone. He got to his feet and walked back across the roof, leaving Ali to her grief. He knew she needed to have some space, but he wanted her to know she wasn’t alone.
Ali watched him go with burning eyes. Beneath that tough exterior beat the heart of a loyal friend. She turned back to the deepening night and let her head fall back.
She wanted to scream, to rant, to rage, but she sat silent. The pain was too intense, it was unbearable. She wiped her eyes angrily. She was Alison Blaire, kick-ass rocker, lead singer of Dazzler, a bitch with a powerhouse of attitude. She cried for no man. Fuck him. Ha. No, that was Betsy’s thing now.
“Ugggnnh.” Ali bit back a cry of sorrow. Her chest tightened painfully and her breathing was shallow. “Damn.” she muttered. She took a deep breath and got to her feet. She took a misstep and a scream caught in her throat as she fell into the air.
“Careful.” Warren’s arms caught her beneath her arms and knees. He swooped from the heaven’s like the angel he was named for, his white wings spread against the purple velvet of the sky.
Once they were safely landed he released her slowly and took a step back. “Ali? Have you been crying?” He wiped his thumb across her cheek.
Alison swatted his hand away. “Thanks for the save, Winger, but mind your own damn business.”
Warren took a step back, his light eyes reflecting a momentary pain.
Ali cocked her head. “You knew, didn’t you?’ she asked quietly.
Warren took a step back. “I don’t know what-”
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“A few weeks.”
Ali recoiled thinking of Gambit’s sudden attentive behavior, the sense that something wasn’t right. “How’d you find out?”
“Alison, I don’t thi-”
She grabbed his shirt by the collar. “How?”
“I walked in on them in the pool house.”
Ali clutched her stomach. So the Danger Room hadn’t been the only time. That fact hit her the hardest. A momentary lapse in sanity, a brief one time fling, maybe she could have worked past that, but a repeated betrayal. She felt her eyes burning.
“Alison,” Warren reached for her as she swayed.
“Did you do it?” she whispered, her voice raw. “Did you leave the disc?”
Warren blinked, genuine confusion in his eyes. “What?”
“Nothing.” Ali shook his hand off. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Warren looked away. “Would you have believed me? I like you, Ali. I didn’t want to risk you hating me.”
“I want to be alone, War.” He legs felt like jello.
“I understand.”
Ali turned, her knees buckling.
“Ali.” Warren scooped her into his arms, flapping his wings and soaring into the air. “Where to?”
“To Storm’s house.”

Loft

“Ali!” Gambit ran up the stairs, eager to see his petite bella. She was everything to him, he loved her beyond reason. He needed her to know that. The bedroom door was ajar when he reached the top of the stairs and he pushed it open with a smile. “Ali?” The room was quiet and dark, except for a faint blue-white glow on the floor beside the desk, he could hear faint sounds coming from the laptop, grunts and groans. His mouth quirked. Was Ali watching dirty movies?
Gambit walked over to the facedown laptop, turning it in his hands as he picked it up. “No.” It fell from numb fingers. “ALI!” he raced from the room.





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