“Alright Red, times up.” Kitty smirked at her even as Scott stared at Jean with cold indifference. “Back to your little home away from home.”
“What happened to Warlok?” Jean demanded. “Where is he?”
“Far away from here. Creed Inc. is handling his trial.”
“They aren’t part of the judicial system.” Jean snarled as Scott lifted her to her feet with a hard hand on her arm.
“They are part of ours. Now then I hope y’all are comfortable for the night cause we’ve got some things to do and…”
“I’ll be right back. You sure you can handle them?” Scott paused his gaze on Kitty who smiled warmly up at him.
“I’ll be okay. They aren’t going to hurt me…not with Logan, Tank, Rogue, and Jubilee a scream away.” Kitty whispered standing on tiptoe to kiss him gently.
“Back in three.”
Kitty nodded and left the door ajar as Scott ushered Jean back down the hall.
“She needs medical assistance.” Charles stated.
“She’s had it. Personally, I’d have left her to bleed to death but then that isn’t very nice is it? So uh you’re all worried ‘bout your precious Jean are you? Scared she didn’t get half of what you wanted done?”
“Who said I wanted her to do anything?” Charles asked calmly. Perhaps if he could make Kitty doubt their mission, their stance then he could get to the bottom of the situation.
Kitty smiled coldly. “If you’re trying to make me doubt what we’re doing don’t waste our time. You have nothing I want to hear and I…I have nothing you want anymore.”
“Kitty please. There has to be a way we can work this out.”
“As long as you don’t see what’s right in front of you how can you even think that? You and your precious Jean sold us out. There is no forgive and forget.”
“Honey?” Scott paused in the doorway and stared at her. “Dinner’s ready.”
“Coming.” With a final dark look Kitty turned and walked away closing the door with a solid click.
Staring at her feet Ororo felt the knot of betrayal and anger tightening within her chest. Despite the truth, despite the facts Charles was once again trying to protect Jean. Trying to protect the one person who should have known better, who understood the power and dedication that controlling a mutation involved.
“I’m not.” Charles glanced at ‘Ro. “I’m trying to get all of us home safely.”
“And you think siding with Jean is going to do it?” ‘Ro whispered softly. “Do you understand what happened to those girls? Do you know what they went through for all those weeks, those months? You’ve never had to experience it.”
Charles glanced away uneasily. It had taken him weeks to build strong enough walls to keep the thoughts, the images Rogue had imprinted on his mind from invading his mind the moment he relaxed. There were times though when the images, the phantom pain invaded his mind and body and he couldn’t stop it.
“So what happens now?” Piotr asked glancing between ‘Ro and Hank. “We can’t spend the rest of our lives locked in this cell.”
“I don’t know.” Charles sighed. “I wish I knew how to make this better but I don’t. I can’t reach them.”
“Can’t or won’t.” Hank retorted.
“What would you have me do?” Charles snapped angrily. “Destroy everything we’ve worked hard to build?”
“Yes!” ‘Ro shouted. “Yes if it means that we walk away with out lives intact. Quit protecting a woman who wouldn’t do it for you!”
“I’m not protecting Jean.”
“Yes you are. You may be shocked by what she’s done but you’re ready to forgive and forget about it. It wasn’t you that walked through the blood-soaked hallways of the mansion. It wasn’t you that risked life and limb to save those kids…Rogue did! Katharine Pryde did. Jubilation Lee did! What did you do? What did any of us do? Tell me that Charles. Tell me what does it take for you to face the fact that your precious Jean isn’t what you think?” Hank snarled.
“There’s something wrong with her. I’d think you’d be a bit more forgiving considering…”
“Considering what?” Ororo muttered tonelessly. “I spent time in one of those prisons. I’ve woken up some nights drenched in sweat and fear because I can feel hands all over me. My mind is such a tangle of lies and deceit because of her and you’re saying forgive and forget? Why? Do you agree with her? Is that it Charles. You want what she’s dangling in front of you. The power to control all of life or death?”
Charles shook his head. “Ororo you need to calm yourself. Losing control isn’t going to make things any easier. We need to think of a way to get out without…”
“There is no out!” Storm raged her eyes flashing dangerously. “There is no you’re free so go home! Don’t you get it? They’ve moved on! They’ve built lives, families even and we’re the only thing that stands between them and peace. If they want to rip Jean to shreds I say let them. I have students that depend upon me and I will not allow them to suffer because of the actions of one power hungry telepath!”
“So what do you suggest we do?” Charles demanded angrily. “Just throw away one of uor own?”
“Yes.”
“She’s a damn good doctor, and a powerful teammember.”
“So’s Hank but I don’t see him setting young women up to be raped and mutilated!”
“I see no scars, no…”
Storm shook her head. “Because you choose not to look! I remember what I saw; I remember the scars that disfigured Jubilee. I remember the claws that lay within Rogue’s hands. God only knows what sort of twisted, mangled mess they’ve made of Kitty!”
“Ororo’s right.” Hank said. “They’ve all shown that something bad happened. I don’t think they’re evil at all Charles. I think they’ve done all of this as a survival mechanism. They took back the power that they lost when they were captured…do we punish them for it or do we punish who set them up?”
Shifting uneasily Charles glanced between them. Could he live with Jean’s betrayal? Could he risk the lives of the innocent children to save the life of one who’d grown up under his tutelage? No. The children deserved a chance to have a life free of fear, free of the constant worry of looking over their shoulders. He would have to do something, would have to remove the risk. The only problem was how did he do that without destroying what he’d built, what he’d dreamt of for so very long?
Huddled within the semi-darkness of her ‘cell’ Jean stared at the wall fury racing through her. How dare they treat her like a criminal, like a common mutant? She’d show them all when she ruled with Charles.
Rocking back and forth Jean let a slow, evil little smile cross her face as she pictured what she’d do to Rogue to Logan. The easiest way to destroy the girl was to take what she had, and the one thing she valued above all else. It was be such a pleasure to force Rogue to watch while she fucked Logan over and over again.
And that snotty little Kitty had it coming. She’d make sure she knew what it felt like to bleed because she owed it to her. Kitty would never know what hit her, but she’d feel every little incision, every inch long gash, every drop of blood that oozed over her pale flesh to pool at her feet. Oh yes, she’d enjoy Kitty’s destruction almost as much as she’d enjoy Rogue’s.
So lost in thought she didn’t feel the tickle of a more powerful mind reaching out to hers. Didn’t feel the shock and anger that swelled before being ruthlessly crushed. If she had’ve she might have been a bit more concerned, a bit more cautious. Instead she wallowed in her plans to destroy the only things standing between her and her rightful place in power!
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