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Crystal woke up to find Hawk's sleeping bag cold. "Hawk!" she called out. "Hawk!"

Isis and Sky came over at Crystal's call for Hawk. She turned to the animals. "Have you guys seen Hawk?"

Isis looked like she knew, but her loyalty to Hawk was great. Sky on the other hand could break easily. She told us not to tell you, Isis said. However, she did say to tell you that she would be back in a day or so.

"Then where did she go?" Crystal demanded. Then she realized that someone else wasn't there. She eyed the animals questioningly. Isis started to groom herself; as if not noticing that someone else was gone. Sky started to fidget. After a few more minutes, Sky broke.

Okay, Okay! She saw Sabretooth carrying Storm, and saddled up Midnight Storm to go follow them. She said not to say anything, but to tell you when she would be back.

Nice going, bird-brain! Isis snapped.

"What is she thinkin'?" Crystal exclaimed. "Oh, that's right, she isn't. Do either of you know where she went?"

I do, Sky said.

Hawk said not to follow, Isis growled angrily at Sky.

"Where is she?" Crystal asked, ignoring Isis' comments.

I don't know! Sky exclaimed. I'm not a GPS! But I can take you there.

"Then do it."

Follow me!

XXXXX

"What does the brotherhood want with her?" Logan demanded to no one impaerticular.

"Who knows?" Rogue replied. "There could be hundreds of reasons. She did defeat Sabretooth and Toad with one blow."

"She was also Pyro's teacher," Bobby added. "He didn't like the fact that she confiscated his lighter a couple of times."

"He set her desk on fire," Kitty pointed out. "I'm betting revenge."

The phone rang in Storm's office, cutting off their conversation. Logan went to get it. "Hello?"

"Hello," a female voice said at the other end. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but I need to speak to Ms. Munroe."

"She's not available at this time," Logan replied looking out the office door.

"Oh, then could I speak to her assistant?"

Hank came in and offered to take the phone. Logan gladly handed it over and went back to the kitchen. The children decided to vacate and leave him alone while he thought about the incident over in his head. If only I'd stayed there, he thought bitterly. She'd probably still be here. He could still see her terrified face as Sabretooth forced her out of the room.

Hank walked in a minute later. A hopeful, yet, grave look on his face. "Get everyone in here."

XXXXX

Crystal swooped down and morphed into her human form after seeing her sister kneeling by a barred window. "There you are!"

Hawk whipped her head around and put a finger to her lips. "Ssssssshhhhh!"

"What are you doing here?" Crystal asked, lowering her voice.

"I saw Sabretooth carrying Storm close to camp, and head this direction, thought I'd follow. Besides, you can always track me through our telepathic bond. Or did someone else tell you?" She looked pointedly at Isis and Sky. While Crystal went airborne, Isis followed on paw. She was used to hour long journeys, though, so it didn't bother her.

Sky did it, Isis said.

Hawk rolled her eyes. "So what's the plan?" Crystal asked.

"Nothing, yet. But I don't like the way Sabretooth looks at Storm."

"How do you mean?"

"Remember that episode on Miami when Calliegh got kidnapped?"

"Yeah, the one where she said 'I'd rather die than let you touch me'?

"Yup. Remember that guy with the cigar?"

"That still-oh," Crystal said as it finally struck her.

"Uh-huh," Hawk said as she turned back to face the window.

XXXXX

Storm woke up on a nice bed in, what looked like, a basement in a mansion. She rubbed her temples as a huge headache came pounding in, then gasped when she saw Sabretooth in the far corner. He sat five feet away tops from her, much to her disliking. Especially since the room was so small. Her claustrophobia started to come in on her, but she kept calm. Panicking wasn't going to help anything.

XXXXX

"Okay," Crystal said puzzled, as she turned to Hawk. "Why is she so tense?"

"Guess she just woke up," Hawk said to herself before answering Crystal. "Notice how small the room is?"

"Yeah."

"Well, apart from Sabretooth watching her- which is creepy enough- there's also one other thing that can make her tense like this."

"Which is?"

"She's claustrophobic."

"And how do you know that? I don't think they put 'Hey! This person's claustrophobic' on the internet."

"You're right. I think Shadowcat mentioned somethin' about it."

"You've never been anywhere near Shadowcat!"

"Actually, I sort of eavesdropped while in line for a strawberry frap."

A door opened from below, cutting off their conversation. A familiar blue figure walked in. "Oh, shed," Hawk said.

XXXXX

The team walked into the hospital room, where a young female doctor and a man in his late thirties, early forties sat up in his bed. "Hello, Logan," he said. "I see you and Storm have managed to build up the team. Speaking of which, where is she?"

Logan froze. Who was this man? How did he know about Storm and who they were? And why did he sound an awful lot like Charles?

Yes, Logan, a voice whispered inside his head. It's me.

Logan turned back to the doctor, whom he found out earlier was Moira MacTaggert, in utter shock. Moira shrugged. "I don't know how he did it, but he did."

"Now if you are finished with your amazement on how I survived, Dark Phoenix's attack," Charles said. "I'd like to know where the headmistress is."

"That's the problem," Logan said. "We don't know. She's been kidnapped."

XXXXX

Crystal looked at her admonishingly. "What?" Hawk demanded. "I said shed. Not the other one."

"Talking mushrooms either way."

Hawk formed a double-u with her forefingers and thumbs. "Whatever."

"So what made you say that?"

"That blue person over there," Hawk said pointing to the female humanoid. "That's Mystique."

"Raven Darkholme? The one who gave up Magneto's plans? Didn't she get shot with the 'cure'?

"Yeah. They said it was permanent, but I guess not. Wait a minute," she said as something struck her. "Did you... I could've sworn I saw Magneto's queen move when he stretched out his hand."

"Yeah," Crystal said thoughtfully. "I saw it too." The sisters looked at each other. "Oh, shed."

"Talking mushrooms."

XXXXX

Charles listened to his students as they explained the incident and situation. He closed his eyes and reached out his mind to look for Storm's. He couldn't reach her, but he did find Sabretooth's. However, before he could take control of him, he found two other minds that he didn't know. He looked up to see a girl kneeling at the window. She wasn't very visible, unless you looked closely.

"I saw Sabretooth carrying Storm close to camp, and head this direction, thought I'd follow. Besides, you can always track me through our telepathic bond. Or did someone else tell you?" She shifted over to reveal a hawk, a white wolf, and a black horse. Another voice started talking; the girl shifted again slightly and seemed to be talking to a mirror image of herself. Charles realized that the two girls were mutants. He looked around their location and opened his eyes. "She's at a mansion," he said. "An abandoned one. It's not too far from the school. There are also two mutant girls and three animals there also. A hawk; a white wolf, and a black horse."

The X-men looked at each other. "Did the girls look exactly alike?" Rogue asked.

"Yes."

"That's not possible," Logan said. "One of them left a note for Storm in her leg wrap. The one who wrote it called herself 'Crystal Hawk', and she said that she was human."

"It's possible that she doesn't know about her abilities," Kitty said.

"I think it's time we suit up and go rescue Storm," Hank spoke up. Everyone nodded and started to leave.

XXXXX

"I think we've been had," Crystal said after a few minutes. She'd felt someone telepathically reach out to Storm, find Sabretooth, and locate them.

"I think so too," Hawk replied, not really listening. "Txt tlk?"

Crystal looked through the window and saw what she was talking about, then nodded. "Wat r we going 2 do?"

Hawk shrugged. "IDK."

"Ur going 2 find some place 2 hide n, and w8 4 me."

"Ngh, Crystal. we fite 2gether or not all."

"Fine," Crystal conceded.

"Uh, o. Ttg."

"Right. Wat about Storm?"

Hawk thought about it for a moment. "Use ur healing abilities."

"U no I can't use them that well."

"Do u or do u not want 2 help Storm? Just do ur best. I'll take care of the rest."

"Fine, going n. Just start a song, ok?"

Sittin' up on the roof, sneakin' a smoke by the chimney; checkin' out the moon in the city of lights. He takes off his flannel shirt and he drapes it around her shoulder; slides up behind her and holds on tight. And she says: "I don't want this night to end. Why does it have to end?" Hawk knew the best songs to fall asleep with; better than Crystal did. Hawk sang it to Crystal telepathically, and Crystal projected it into Storm's head. Crystal turned into a fly, flew in through the bars, and then turned into a hawk as she flew into a dark corner. Sabretooth, Mystique, and Toad left instantly to go deal with Hawk. Crystal flew down, shifted into her human form again and went over to Storm, who was out. She placed her hand on Storm's shoulder and leg and concentrated on her injuries. The leg was easy to heal, so she went to Storm's side and began to work on that.

XXXXX

"Nice going, Crystal," Hawk muttered. Sabretooth, Mystique and Toad came charging out of the mansion. Hawk jumped onto Midnight Storm and went to meet them. When Sabretooth saw her, he immediately took her on. Isis wouldn't let it happen, so she pounced on him and they had at it. Hawk laughed and turned to Toad. When he saw that he was her likely victim, he turned tail and ran off into the trees; probably to hide. She turned to see Mystique was dealing with Sky. Suddenly a flame ball came out of nowhere. Storm reared and lunged to the side. Pyro was somewhere nearby. She looked to the right and saw Pyro standing there. Bring it on, Pyro, she thought. She urged Storm into a gallop; galloping toward Pyro. As Pyro shot the fireballs at her, Hawk weaved, made tight circles and performed figure eight's. The flames never touching them.

Then she saw Toad burst out of the trees and went inside the mansion. Kriff! Hawk thought, dodging another fireball. This one brushing the horse's side and causing a slight burn. She'd take care of it later. Crystal, get out of there!

XXXXX

Rogue was in the pilot's seat, getting ready for take off. This would be her second time flying the x-jet. The first time she did, she crashed or nearly crashed it, the first time. Rogue was so freaked out about it, Storm had to coax her to let go of the wheel. After Jean died and things had gotten back to normal, Storm gave her a crash course on flying. At least in the simulation.

"Hey, kid," Logan said, taking the co-pilot's seat. "Ready for take-off?"

"I don't know, Logan," Rogue said. "Storm has always been next to me, helping me and guiding me through my mistakes."

"Hey, don't sweat it, you'll do fine. Imagine how impressed she'll be when she sees you flying this thing with ease."

"We're ready!" Hank called from the back.

XXXXX

Crystal, get out of there! Hawk's telepathic call rang through Crystal's ears. Crystal stopped healing the last of Storm's injuries. She'd healed them the best she could, but she still wasn't sure if the healing had worked at all. She sometimes had trouble with her healing powers. It was just gonna have to do.

She transformed back into a fly and flew out, transforming back into a hawk. She saw Pyro messing around with her sister on Storm and landed behind him, transforming back into her normal self. "Hey!" She called out, holding up both hands. "Pyro!"

He turned around and she zapped him with lightning bolts, then caused rain and snow to come down to put out the fires. "Stay away from my sister."

"Nice going, Crystal," Hawk said upon Storm behind her. "But I can take care of myself."

Crystal was about to make a retort,when something in her mind shifted; like another telepath was in the area. She realized it was the X-men in their jet, heading their direction. Good, she thought. They're on their way.

XXXXX

Sabretooth gave up on trying to get to the girl on the horse. The wolf had gotten him good, but his healing ability allowed him to become rejuvenated. He decided to change tactics. Apparently the mutant knew when the other was in danger, or when anyone else was in danger for that matter. He rushed past Mystique, who was dealing with the wolf now, and went to the prisoners cell.

XXXXX

Crystal and Hawk raced off behind a hill to keep hidden. "Stay here," Crystal ordered. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You always steal the fun," Hawk grumbled.

"I'm older."

"By five minutes."

Suddenly, both girls had a throbbing pain in the back of their heads.

XXXXX

Storm woke up to Sabretooth barging in to her cell. "You wanna play?" he demanded. Her fear spiked as he unsheathed his claws. She knew someone out there was fighting though, so she smothered it. His claws glinted in the sunlight. "Let's play." He grabbed her neck and started to slash her face.

XXXXX

Hawk's pain wasn't excruciating, but it hurt nonetheless. She could tell that Crystal was getting the blunt of it though. Hawk knew that the only reason why she could even feel it was because she and Crystal had identical brainwaves. When one felt pain, the other felt it also. "It's Storm, isn't it?"

Crystal nodded and blocked their telepathic connection. Hawk did likewise and the pain receded. "Stay here," Crystal said. "I'm going back."

"No need," Hawk said pointing up at the sky. "Look!"

"Crystal looked up and saw what she was talking about. "I'm still going back!" She called back getting up and racing off to a tree. Hawk growled as she leaned back. A light snow had started to fall.

XXXXX

Charles sat in the back with Peter, Kitty, and Bobby. He grabbed his head as pain shot through it. "Professor?" Kitty, who was sitting next to him asked worriedly.

"It's, Storm," Charles said. "She's in terrible agony."

The pain suddenly left him as a new mind appeared in his field of reach. A very determined mind. Hey! it said. Follow me if you want to see your friend.

Charles got up and walked into the cockpit. He saw a hawk flying toward them. Then the hawk disappeared the starboard wing, circled, and flew out the side view port. "Follow that hawk."

"Why?" Logan asked curiously. He obviously thought that it was just a stupid bird that just got lucky by not flying into the engines.

"You'll understand soon enough. Call it a hunch."

Rogue looked at Logan. He nodded and she followed the Hawk's course.


Chapter End Notes:
Here are a couple of the text translations in case you can't figure them out.

TTG= Time to go

Ngh= Not gonna happen

n= in



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