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Xavier Institute
Westchester, New York


The afternoon sun was shining brightly and the sound of laughter carried across the expansive courtyard. The students were enjoying their Sunday afternoon. From his vantage point inside the mansion, in his bedroom, Wolverine watched as Storm and Gambit played basketball on the far court. She was pretty good, he noticed, keeping up with the agile Cajun. But it wasn’t her game playing skills that kept his gaze transfixed, it was simply her.
She had her glorious white mane tied back in a high pony tail, the ends still tinted multicolored. Her peach and orange sleeveless top clung enticingly to her body, enhancing her generous curves. Her smooth Egyptian skin was a delightful contrast to her white shorts, drawing his eyes once more to her long, shapely, toned legs.
Instantly, he imagined what it would feel like to have those legs wrapped around his hips as he drove into her. Would she cry out his name, the name only she knew? He growled low in his throat. He wanted her. Wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything.
His gaze became dark as he thought about recent events. In the week and a half since Gumbo’s arrival there had been a change in Storm. She smiled more frequently, laughed often, her eyes were rarely the dark shade of blue they had been on her arrival, now they were sparkling bright-- almost always. There were times he’d catch her gaze turned inward, and her eyes would darken to a deep, deep blue, filled with such infinite sadness that he wanted to immediately soothe whatever sorrow she had. But within moments she would shake herself and be back in the here and now, leaving him to ponder what it was that made her look so sad when she thought no one was watching,
It seemed to him he was always watching her. During training exercises, during meetings and during times like this. “Damn.” he muttered. She was in his system now, and he wasn’t sure how long he could fight it off.
Down below on the basketball court, Nightcrawler and Dazzler had joined Storm and Gambit, halting the game play. Wolverine’s mouth curved slightly at the dark blue t-shirt Kurt was wearing. In bright red letters the word FREAK was printed across the furry mutants chest. The shirt had been a gift from Storm, and many hadn’t understood it, but Kurt had seemed inordinately pleased with the gift.
Dazzler seemed to be delivering a message of some kind, and if the look on Storm’s face was any indication, it wasn’t good news. She tossed the ball to one of the younger students on the sidelines and spoke briefly with Gambit. The tall Cajun wrapped one arm across her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, eliciting another growl from the watching Wolverine.
*Wolverine.*
Wolverine didn’t respond. He hated being buzzed via his skull and the Professor knew it.
*Wolverine. Conference room.*
Grumbling under his breath Wolverine turned from the window, stalking into the corridor, causing several students to jump back and press themselves against the wall. Wolverine just scowled. It was Sunday, weren’t they supposed to have the day off?

Conference Room

Scott, Jean and Wolverine were seated at a small table in the center of the room when Storm and Gambit walked in, followed by Alison and Kurt. The tension between the three occupants was damn near tangible. Jean was glaring at Wolverine, who was wearing his most feral smile and Scott was sitting stone-faced, staring at the blank white wall as if it held some sort of fascination for him.
“Cozy.” Alison said, taking a seat and dragging it away from the table, leaning it against the wall, away from the others. Kurt stood beside her.
“Der you go, chere.” Gambit pulled out a chair for Storm.
“Thanks.” She sat, leaning her elbows on the table, watching Wolverine and Jean warily.
“Any idea what this is about?” Scott asked Storm.
“No.” Storm looked at Alison, who shrugged.
“Don’t look at me, I’m just the messenger.” She rocked back in her chair, winking at Gambit.
“Tease,” He grinned.
“Who’s teasing?” she returned.
The conference room door suddenly opened and Xavier wheeled himself in. “Good afternoon, everyone. Sorry to interrupt your day off, but something has just been brought to my attention.”
They waited expectantly for the Professor to continue. Once he reached the head of the table he opened the manila envelope on his lap. He took out several photographs, passing them down the table. Once everyone had one the Professor spoke.
“The young boy in the picture is named Adam Montgomery. He’s a sixteen year old mutant from a small town in Maine. Adam has the mutant ability to convert organic matter into nuclear-type energy. So far as I know, only on a small scale, but with a power like that the potential for disaster is enormous.”
Another set of pictures distributed. “I received a phone call thirty minutes ago from Adam’s mother, requesting assistance with her son. It seems he is having trouble controlling his powers and she fears for his safety given the recent anti-mutant sentiment and the sentinel attacks.”
“Understandable,“ said Scott.
“His safety is not the primary issue here, Cyclops. We need to get to Adam before someone else does.“ Xavier said, causing Storm‘s eyebrows to draw forward. “I need a small team of you to travel up to Maine for a retrieval.”
The choice of word retrieval as opposed to recruit did not go unnoticed by Scott, who tensed a bit. “When do we leave?” he asked.
Xavier rolled back from the table. “You do not. The X-men Black team is on point for this one. Red team is on standby.”
Scott’s jaw tightened. “If you’ll forgive me sir, I do not believe the Black team is ready for such an assignment.”
“Your opinion is, of course, valued, Scott, but from what I’ve seen in the Danger Room, Storm’s team functions much more like a unit. They work as a team. I can not say the same for your squad. Saying such, I believe a roster change is in order as well. Wolverine, you are now on Black. Warren will be moved over to your team, Cyclops. Perhaps this will improve your team’s performance.”
“Sir.” Cyclops rose stiffly. He knew the truth of Xavier’s words but he had been team leader for over two years, not two months, and it rubbed him raw that Storm was taking point on such an important mission. “I will alert the rest of my team to standby. Excuse me.”
“Charles,” Jean began. “You’re being unreasonable. Cyclops is a fine leader, and if our team is having difficulties,” she glared at Wolverine. “We’ll work them out. It’s stupid to split the teams even more.”
“You will address me as Professor Xavier, Marvel Girl. My decision stands. You have your orders.”
Jean’s mouth dropped a bit, but she rose and strode from the room without another word.
“Any comments from you?” Xavier looked at Wolverine.
“None.”
“Good.” He looked at Storm. “You depart in fifteen minutes, I suggest you get your squad ready to leave immediately.”
“You heard the man,” Storm rose to her feet. “Alison, get Kitty. Kurt, be a dear and tell Warren what happened so he won’t think we traded him, and Wolverine…”
“Yeah.”
“I lead. You follow. We clear?”
“Crystal.”
“Good, let’s move.”
“Gambit loves when you get all forceful, padnat.” He winked at her.
“Flirt.” She smiled, and Wolverine ground his teeth. He didn’t know which was worse, being on a team with One-Eye or having to see Storm all cozy with the Cajun.

Caribou, Maine

“This is the address.” Storm looked at the abandoned looking farmhouse and frowned. They had landed the Black Bird in a potato field a few hundred feet away so as not to startle the Montgomery family, but from the looks of the empty house, the precaution had been unnecessary.
-SNIKT- “Something doesn’t feel right.” Wolverine said, voice low.
“Should we split up?” Nightcrawler asked.
“No, we move as a unit. Gambit, flank us left, Wolverine, flank right. Crawler and Dazzler on my sides up the center, Kitty stay right behind me.” Storm said firmly.
The team made slow progress towards the farm house, cautious of any sudden movements. It wasn’t what was moving that bothered Wolverine, it was what wasn’t. He sniffed the air, but there were too many smells to distinguish which belonged and what didn’t. On the rickety wooden porch he said, “Let me go in first.”
Storm nodded. “Be safe,” she said as he passed her and he smiled on the inside. There had been genuine concern in her voice.
Inside the house Wolverine moved cautiously along the wall, sniffing as he went. He passed through the kitchen, noting that the fridge door was hanging open and the inside light was on. Electricity meant occupancy. He stepped into the living room, crouched low, moving below the windows. At the foot of the stairs he paused, listening. He heard faint scuffling overhead. He placed his foot on the lowest stair and heard a click. Fuck.
The sound of a helicopters, moving low and fast filled the air and his gut clenched. “Storm!” She and the others rushed into the house, and he was waving them back when an explosion rocked the house.
BOOM!! KA-BOOM!!
Mortar and wood exploded from the far wall, showering across the room. Wolverine instinctively covered Ororo, pulling her underneath the protective shelter of his arms.
“Maudit!!” Gambit placed his hands over his ears.
Through the smoldering hole in the wall soldiers dressed in black and gray fatigues stormed the building, weapons drawn, opening fire.
Wolverine unsheathed his claws, shoving Ororo towards Gambit. “Get her outta here.” he growled.
“Wolverine!” Ororo cried out as he took off towards the soldiers.
“I got this, Storm. But you being here puts me in one helluva predicament. Get her out! Keep her safe!” Wolverine ordered Gambit.
Storm stared, amazed as he ran through the smoke, and proceeded to tear through soldier after soldier. He was a killing machine, moving instinctively and unerringly through the debris, his claws finding purchase through the Kevlar vests, shredding tender organs, slicing through bone. She had never seen anything like him. The soldier’s screamed in terrifying agony and Ororo turned her head away.
Another explosion sent her and Gambit tumbling across the floor, flames shooting along the walls and ceiling.
“STORM!!” Kitty’s frantic cries reached Ororo.
“Kitten…” Ororo breathed, trying to peer through the smoke to see her team. She clutched Gambit’s still hand, hollering. “Ali?”
“Alive!” came Alison’s faint reply.
“Remy, are you all right?” She squeezed his fingers.
“Been better,” he replied, groggily shaking his head. “Why can’t we ever just ‘ave a normal day together, henh?”
Ororo smiled despite the circumstances. “Come on, we have got to get the others out. Kurt?”
“Ja?” His slightly accented German voice came through the smoke.
“Do your stuff, fuzzy elf. Get Kitty out!”
“What about you? These soldiers look like their on a mission!”
“Just Go!” She ordered.
After a moment. *BAMF*
Ororo frowned, Kurt’s comment giving her pause. These soldiers did look like they were on a mission. Not some random FoH attack or some anti-mutant militia, this was a well organized attack. She closed her eyes focusing on the sounds around her. Ororo could hear the soldiers making their way around the house, circling them. They were in a hunting pattern, trying to corner them, like one would a dangerous animal. “Wolverine.” Ororo’s eyes snapped open. They were after Wolverine she realized with sudden clarity. This whole thing had been a trap!
Two soldiers approached her and Gambit, their weapons drawn. Gambit’s hand slid across the floor, scooping up shards of broken glass. When the soldiers were almost upon them he flung the broken glass at them, charging the pieces so that the shards exploded into the solders ski-mask covered faces. As the soldiers fell screaming he turned to Storm. “Lead da way, chere.”
Ororo stood, hollering above the chaos. “My guys get down and hold on!” Blue eyes flashed white and with barely a thought a self contained hurricane swirled through the farm house.
Wolverine sunk his claws into the wooden floor, Ali leapt behind the kitchen bar, pressing against the wall, and Gambit clung to Storm’s hand. Within seconds the gales had slammed the soldiers against the walls with enough force to leave body sized dents, and simultaneously clearing the smoke from the room.
“Nice.” Ali said, limping over to them.
“Ali, you’re hurt.” Ororo gasped.
“Hey, shit happens.” Alison muttered. Her leg throbbed but she was otherwise unhurt and that was all that mattered to her.
Gambit swung Alison up into his arms. “No worries, petite, Gambit’s here.”
Ali smiled. “No worries, Yummy.”
“Let’s move!” Wolverine said grabbing Ororo’s hand and running towards the door. Gambit followed.
Once outside on the porch they were confronted by a line of soldiers and two very large tanks.
“Merde.”
“Wraith,” Wolverine snarled.
“Afternoon, Wolverine. You’re a difficult man to track down. What brings you to Maine?”
Wolverine bared his fangs, not responding.
“Would it be this?” Wraith pulled a young, frightened and handcuffed sixteen year old boy in front of him. He pressed a gun to the boy’s head, causing the boy to wet his pants.
“It’s all right, Adam,” Storm said softly, trying to reassure the young man as he sobbed, his eyes wide over the gag in his mouth. She stared into the dark brown depths and her heart broke at the terror she saw there. “It’ll be all right.”
“Storm, isn’t it?” Wraith asked, causing her to look at him in surprise. “You really believe everything will be all right? Don’t be naïve. That man beside you is a killer, a cold blooded killer. Do you know how many boys like Adam he has split open with those claws of his, how many lives he’s taken. Tell her, Wolverine. Tell her what fun you had working for us, what pleasure you took in gutting these kids.”
Storm was taken back by what the General was saying. She looked over at Wolverine, but his focus was entirely on Wraith.
Wolverine growled. “How about I show you how much I enjoy gutting? You let the boy go and I may let you and your men walk out of here, mostly uninjured.”
Wraith laughed. “I don’t have time for this shit,” He said, almost nonchalantly, pulling the trigger, dark red blood and grey matter spilling all over the ground, followed by Adam’s lifeless body.
“NO!” Storm tried to move forward, but Wolverine restrained her.
Wraith signaled his men to open fire, bullets spraying towards the X-Men. Gambit dove back into the house, rolling with Dazzler. Wolverine shielded Storm with his body, taking hit after hit, his life blood spraying across her face.
Wolverine was rapidly losing blood, his consciousness leaving and his adamantium filled body was slowly crushing Storm. She hooked her arms under his shoulders, trying to drag him into the house, but going nowhere. She was ready to collapse under his weight, when he suddenly threw himself off of her, heading back out the front door.
“Wolverine!” Storm screamed.
“Go!” He hollered back, his body once again being riddled with bullets. She knew he was trying to buy them time. He collapsed on the ground, scarlet rivers flowing from his body. Several soldiers ran forward, picking him up and putting his lifeless body into a covered truck, immediately leaving. Wraith waved at her, climbing into a lowering helicopter.
“Stormy.” Gambit called.
“Listen!” Shouted Alison. Over the roar of the winds and chaos outside the sound of a baby crying could be heard.
“Nightcrawler!” Storm said into her wristband, ignoring the fact that she was shaking terribly.
“Here. What’s going on up there?”
“Trouble with a capital T. I need you to bamf your furry butt back here, second floor. I think there’s a baby up there, but the stairs were blown out in the explosion.”
“On my way.”
“Kitty.”
“Yeah, Storm.”
“Think you can fly the Bird?”
“Are you serious.”
Rapid gunfire. The sound of more helicopters and the rumbling of several more tanks. “Very. I need you to fly the Black Bird straight at them, Kitty. Phase out and let her go.”
“You are insane,” Alison said in awe. “That’s a billion dollar plane.”
“Xavier can bill me.”
“I’ve got a different idea,” Kitty said, a bit hesitantly.
“I’m listening.”
“I can use the Black Bird’s on board computer to hack into their weapons systems and turn them against each other.”
“You can do that?” Storm asked.
“With my eyes closed.” said Kitty.
“Then do it.”
*BAMF*
“The baby?”
“I’m so sorry, leibling.” Nightcrawler was cradling a small form in his arms, tears causing dark streaks to appear on his furry face.
“Dead?” Storm’s voice caught.
Nightcrawler hung his head. Storm’s eyes glowed bright white.
“No.” She pulled the bundle from Kurt’s hands. Ignoring the gunfire and blasts still directed at the house Storm sunk to her knees, staring at the lifeless little body. She caressed it’s satiny cheek and leaned forward, covering its little nose and mouth with her own. She breathed and pumped for what felt like hours but was only minutes and her heart ached so much she thought she would die from it, but she kept going, shaking off Gambit’s hand, whispering a soft prayer in her native language. The other’s turned away, unable to look at the still baby in her arms. As Ororo leaned forward again, her throat tight and hope fading, a small hiccup escaped the little form and a pliant wail rent the air.
“Mein Gott,” Nightcrawler breathed. “You did it.”
Storm cradled the child to her, cooing. “It’s okay, shhh. I’m here.” She stood, handing the child back to a weeping Kurt. “Take her somewhere safe.”
Storm looked behind her. “Gambit, get me a vehicle.”
“Chere?”
“I’m getting him back.” Storm strode towards the door, bullets whizzing past her head. “MONSTERS!” she screamed, the winds picked up and dark clouds swirled overhead, funnels forming. The winds lifted the remaining soldiers and the tanks from the ground, hurtling them through the air several hundred feet. Kitty must have executed her plan, Ororo thought as one of the military tanks shot down a helicopter, then turned on the other remaining tank.
The roar of an engine caught her attention and Gambit spun into view, behind the wheel of a green and black jeep. “Move over,” she commanded, taking the wheel and sliding into the drivers seat.
“Wait up!” Alison dove into the open back.
“Kitty, call in X-men Red for retrieval. Stay with Kurt and keep that baby safe!” Storm said as she slammed the jeep into first, spinning dirt and kicking up gravel. “Hold on, Wolverine.” She said with quiet determination.
Gambit glanced at her, one eyebrow raised. He had never seen her look so determined before and realization hit him. His Stormy was in love. “Merde.”





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