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Jean had visited her past self only once or twice since she had found out the truth. She simply hadn’t found a need or desire to visit the other beyond the paranoia she felt if she didn’t ensure that her elder was still there to protect her. Her elder hadn’t approached her either, until tonight.
Logan was out for a hunt tonight, which he would do on occasion, leaving Jean to enjoy their large bed by herself. As much as she preferred the other’s presence, she was delighted to be able to pile pillows around her in a nest and overjoyed to not have someone stealing her blankets at night. It might have been the main reason she encouraged him to continue the habit, but she’d never admit it to him unless caught. These were usually the types of nights she would visit her other anyways, but she hadn’t set off to sleep with it as the goal.
“Jean,” her other awoke her in the room she had come to call the white hot room, “I’m sorry, but this is important.” Jean covered her eyes as they adjusted to the intensity of the light in the room. Once she had lowered her arm, her elder extended a hand to help her up off the floor which she gratefully took. Just as the first time she was here, a door appeared out of thin air in front of her before others joined in. She tilted her head in confusion before the other spoke.
“Time is strange here. Actually, let me retract that statement and put it more simply as we are strange. I’ve been exploring, as I’ve told you, and there is far more to our powers than I ever thought possible. I can see so much. I can see what has been, what is, and what will be. That’s where the problem is… Our future… well, it’s easier to show you than it is to explain. It’s the dark grey door just to the right.”
Jean quirked an eyebrow, but knew it was better to have her past self explain things than for her to question it. After all, it’s easy to explain things to yourself than it is to others. She moved towards the door, opening it and stepping through alongside her other. Before she saw anything she could recognize for herself, she knew it was ominous. The dark sky alone gave it away.
“In a world where you were never created, this possibility was fixed,” her elder began as Jean watched a large metal robot arise from some rubble to stab a passerby, “These are the sentinels Psyren was trying to stop. They hunt mutants, and eventually those with the capability to pass down the gene. With you around, Logan sacrificed himself to save you. Without his healing ability, no one is strong enough to make the trip back in time that far with Kitty's powers. Even unlocking more abilities within you without revealing this wouldn't stop it.”
Jean had to turn her head away as she heard people cry out one final time before the sentinels cut them down. Rage bubbled within her, but there was nothing she could do here. She could not participate, and she knew since she couldn't feel the few remaining people's thoughts. Tears pricked at her eyes before she tightened her jaw and turned to her predecessor. “How do we stop it?”
“I'm going to share with you how to create a time warp. You can only go somewhere once. You will only have one chance. Go to 1973, help Charles and Magneto stop Mystique from killing Bolivar Trask. That's how it can be averted. You have to tell Charles of this, he will be able to help you. The time warp will drain you of nearly all your energy for a time. Whatever you do, you must leave Logan behind. Should you fail, he may succeed when Kitty's powers mutate again. Waste no time, the stronger your bond with Logan, the less likely he is to survive. I'm sorry if this hurts,” her predecessor touched Jean's forehead, the physical contact being used to transfer information to her, “but we're out of time. Save them, Jean.”
Jean shot upright, screaming on her way up as she clutched at her head. The plethora of knowledge burned into her mind. Her screams awoke Logan, who must have returned during her slumber. With a growl and sniff, he knew the danger wasn't from an intruder and his arms slipped around Jean's waist. “What is it baby? You have another nightmare?”
Her head only nodded, knowing that she needed to keep him in the dark. She needed him to change their future if she couldn't succeed. With a glance at the clock, she knew it was just early enough in the morning that she could remain out of bed. Her legs swung over as she disconnected from Logan, “I'm going to workout. Get some sleep. I'll be back later. Love you.”
He murmured an affirmation and return of the gesture while he curled up. She dressed for the day, probing gently to find Charles. She knew he had been sleeping until her probe, but she rarely sought him out, and he could infer it was an emergency. They met in his office, Charles still in his pajamas. She sat down in her typical chair, her eyes unable to meet his. “You still want to get into my mind?”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“I believe you, but this is a lot to take in, Jean.” Charles folded his hands together on top of his desk. His lips were pursed in deep thought as he let the information sink in. He had accepted her offer to enter her head, and she couldn’t help herself but to pour the information onto him in a panic. While he normally would be able to stop the flow to a more natural level, she had overwhelmed him and simply kept supplying more and more knowledge. He had to stop his fighting and just accept it, leaving himself to sort it out in the next few minutes. The silence had been agonizing for Jean, but if she needed his help, then she needed it.
“Jean,” the silence suddenly broken, “I’m afraid to ask this of you, but it isn’t just for my sake. It’s for all of us. 1973 was quite a different time. It will not be so easy. It was a time where Erik and I were the furthest apart, and I was… I was a broken man. Jean, you will need to do for me what I did for you. You will have to lead me, guide me. You’ll find me here, as for Erik, well, he was being held in the Pentagon. You’ll have to help break him free. He will be the best bet in finding Raven at the time. I’ll keep everyone off your trail, and I pray that you will succeed. If not, I’ll await Kitty’s mutation and send Logan back as soon as I can.”
“Thank you Charles. We will see each other again, I promise.” Jean stood up and a solemn nod was exchanged between the two. As much as she promised, she wasn’t sure if she would be able to keep it. Charles knew it as well. Even promises made with the best of intentions could be broken from unforeseen consequences. This one was no different.
Jean scurried back to her room, using her powers to open her door and begin packing. She wasn’t sure how long she’d be there, and while she knew where she was going, she had no clue as to what laid before her. She packed lightly, just a few changes of clothes that were considered plain and didn’t seem to date themselves anywhere in particular, and a few other things. She shouldered the pack, using the knowledge given to her by the other Jean to open the warp needed.
It was now or never, which was an oddity considering she was playing with time itself. She had just stepped into the warp when she heard her door open. There was no time to see who it was as she was sucked in. She emerged in her room again, though there wasn’t much about it that was different. It looked eerily similar to her room when she first arrived, but there was a layer of dust covering everything.
Jean had not been lied to when she was told the warp would take almost all of her energy. Her head was light and she felt herself falling. She never made contact with the ground as she expected, but was caught by a pair of arms. Glancing upwards, she noticed Logan’s familiar eyes before her consciousness slipped away from her.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jean didn’t want to get out of bed, the day had been long enough as it was and that was only from her horrid nightmare. She had dreamt of dark skies, metal robots maiming mutants left and right, her other self coming to her when Jean had not sought her out, dumping everything she had onto Charles to let him make decisions for her. It was awful, but the worst part about it, was she dreamt of leaving Logan behind. Just as she had always feared, her love for him was not a salvation, but merely a death sentence. She groaned as someone shook her, and she whined in protest before hearing Logan’s gravely tone begging for her to wake up.
The day’s events came rushing back to her all at once. She sprang up and away from his body, her eyes narrowing at him before one of her fingers prodded him squarely in the chest. “What are you doing here,” she questioned him with a loud whisper, “You aren’t supposed to be here? How did you get here?”
Logan held his hands up in surrender as she felt herself grow more and more frustrated. “Jean, it ain’t what it looks like. It’s tough to explain, so please, just read my mind.”
“I can’t. Getting here took too much. I’m basically powerless for now. If I push… who knows what will happen.”
“You aren’t gonna believe me when I tell you then. I’m from the future, and no, not the future we just came from. I got sent back to when you left for 1973 by Charles. In my future, we all thought you just disappeared one day. There was no trace. Charles told us you left to go find yourself, and that you didn’t make it once the sentinels were deployed. Just before I left, he told me the truth, told me why you’re really here. I haven’t seen you in years, but you look just as good as ever darlin’. Anyways, I’m here to help you.”
“Have I ever told you I fucking hate time travel?” The two exchanged a chuckle before he grabbed her arm, putting his finger up to his lips. She couldn’t feel much of anything right now, not even her partner’s thoughts through their bond. When she was motioned to get behind Logan, she did so, wondering what could possibly be going on. Through the walls she could hear crashing and groaning which turned into screaming. There was a set of heavy footfalls going up the stairs and heading towards the wing that held the Professor’s office.
Once the sounds had stopped, Logan motioned towards the window and Jean understood. She moved first, opening it and slipping out onto the roof over one of the bay windows. She carefully slid down and hopped off, landing onto the ground with some form of grace. She didn’t have her powers to help her right now, so she was just glad she didn’t hurt herself with the event. Logan was right behind her as she strided up to the front door of the school and used the metal knocker for its namesake.
Jean handed her backpack to Logan, quickly paying him a look to say it was his penance for hopping into her time warp. He just silently shouldered the bag, pushing her forward just a bit as he could hear someone make their way to the door. She turned her attention back in front of her as it opened just enough for a young adult to keep their face visible.
“Can I help you?”
“What happened to the school? Actually forget about that, who are you?”
“I’m Hank McCoy. I look after the house now it’s no longer a school.”
“Beast,” Logan questioned with a scoff, “You’re Beast. Late bloomer I guess.”
“I don’t know what you two are talking about, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” Hank made to shut the door before Logan dashed to keep it open.
Jean popped her head underneath Logan’s arm, looking up at the young Hank. “So where’s the Professor?”
“There’s no Professor here.” Hank was struggling to shut the door against Logan’s strength. She could hear Logan try to goad Hank into a fight of sorts, but she took the opportunity to slip into the mansion. Hank let go of the door, his purpose of keeping them out defeated. She was walking with purpose as she got to the stairs she remembered well, her gaze up and looking around as she sought out Charles.
“So where’s the Professor?” Jean asked as she took a step up. Hank repeated himself that the school was closed and they needed to leave. His next move was a horrible idea as Hank reached out and grabbed the back of Jean’s shirt collar, instantly angering Logan.
Logan grasped Hank’s wrist, “Look kid, you and I are gonna be good friends, but don’t you ever touch her again.”
Jean continued up the steps even while she listened to Logan’s fist connect with Hank’s face. Hank groaned as he fell, and Logan’s heavy footsteps were behind her as she rounded the corner at the first landing. She headed towards the wing that held the office Charles would frequent so often in her memories, calling out for him alongside Logan. There was a sudden roar. Jean turned quickly to see Hank’s more familiar form and dropped to the floor immediately. Logan wasn’t as alert at the moment, and Hank went for him first. During the brewing fight, she slipped away again, this time quietly searching for Charles at the other wing.
Their fight was escalating, she could tell by the crashes, groans. What she didn’t expect was the yell that came from Logan before his hefty form landed on top of hers. She hit at his arm, trying to get him off of her. As much as she loved the man, he weighed far more than expected with the adamantium skeleton he bore. She started to choke as Hank’s weight was added. Did they think she was a landing pad?
Hank threw Logan off of her, her boyfriend landing on top of a marble table at the bottom of the stairs. She was surprised it didn’t break under his weight. She made a note to try and find the table when she got home, she wondered if it made it through all these years. She stood up slowly, noticing Hank hanging from a chandelier before she froze at his voice.
“Hank? What’s going on here?” The British lilt only belonged to one man she knew. She turned her head with a smile, but it died on her lips as soon as she took in the sight of him. His hair was long, especially because she never knew him with hair, curly, and unkempt. He was dressed in jeans, a tank top, and a robe. She knew it was the seventies, but he looked like he hadn’t showered for days at a time.
“Professor?” Even Logan didn’t seem to recognize him.
“Please don’t call me that.”
“Do you know this guy,” Hank pointed at Logan before pointing at Jean, “or her?”
“He looks slightly familiar. Get off the bloody chandelier, Hank. As for her? I would hope I’d remember such a beautiful face.”
Jean decided to promptly forget that remark as she breezed past Charles to help Logan get off of the table. Logan decided he was going to point out the obvious while Charles sat upon one of the stairs. “You can walk.”
“You’re a perceptive one.”
“I thought Erik-” Logan was promptly cut off by Charles who wasn’t having any of it.
“Which makes it slightly perplexing that you both managed to miss our sign on the way in. This is private property, my friend. I’m going to have to ask him,” Charles gestured at Hank, “to ask you to leave.”
Jean decided to stop her silence, “We can’t do that. We were sent here for you.”
“Well, tell whoever it was that sent you that I’m busy.”
“Can’t really do that when you’re the one who sent us, about 50 years from now.” Logan added in while Charles simply laughed at the idea. Jean could tell Logan was getting angry, and she knew why. If she had traveled back here after living out the future she had seen, she would be just as livid. She rested a hand on his arm, trying to have the calming effect she typically did. It didn’t quite work out in her favor. “If you had your powers, you’d know I was telling the truth.”
“How did you know I don’t have my… Who are you?” Charles questioned, the absurdity of it all making him question whether it was truth or not. She could see it play out on his face. His staggering mind questioning whether up was now down as Logan knew far too much about his life for someone he could only vaguely recall. As much as she would prefer to do this in a more friendly manner, Logan had a way with words. He could be an absolute asshole, but he was straightforward, and she had only ever known him to be honest.
“I told you.”
“Are you CIA?”
“No.” Logan’s frustration was mounting. His body was tensing, and Jean most definitely didn’t need her powers to tell Logan’s moods.
“Have you been watching me?”
“I know you, Charles,” he began approaching the sitting Charles, leaving Hank and Jean to watch their interaction, “We’ve been friends for years. I know your powers came when you were nine. I know you thought you were going crazy when it started, all the voices in your head, and it wasn’t until you were twelve that you realized all the voices were in everyone else’s head. Do you want me to go on?”
“I never told anyone that.” Charles was shrinking in on himself, withdrawing away from the craziness that Logan offered. Jean carefully approached, making sure to steer clear of Logan so Charles wouldn’t perceive it as them ganging up on him. She simply sat down beside him, resting her hand on top of his slowly.
“Not yet, Charles, but you will.”
Charles glanced at Jean’s hand before withdrawing his own, resting his arms on his thighs and letting his hands dangle between his legs. He glanced between the both of them, “All right, you’ve piqued my interest. What do you want?”
“We have to stop Raven. I… We need your help.” Jean offered softly, quietly. Charles had told her before she left that he had been close to Mystique in their younger years. She knew the burden she was asking of him, but it wasn’t one she could avoid with the task that had been bestowed upon not just her, but Logan as well.
It was too much. Charles stood up, “I think I’d like to wake up now,” and walked past them all. He patted Hank’s shoulder as he walked by and off into another part of the mansion. Jean watched, saddened by the state her mentor was in. What had caused him so much pain that he would let himself get like this?
Hank’s question drew her attention and she watched as his skin slowly shifted back to a pink tone, “What does she have to do with this?”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“So you’re saying that they took Raven’s power, and what? They weaponized it?” Jean watched Charles pour himself a drink, wondering how many he had today, before sitting on a couch. His disheveled look and behavior, not to mention the knowledge she beared, made it known he was not okay. With her powers being so drained, the only thoughts in her head were her own. They were constantly zipping around, as if trying to fill the void of what had become her normal. Questions of what was going on, why things were like this, and general ideas flew through her mind. She had to focus on the present though, as Logan began to discuss the sentinels more, dragging her back into her reality currently.
“In the beginning the sentinels were just targeting mutants. Then they began to identify the genetics in non-mutants who would eventually have mutant children and grandchildren. Many of the humans tried to help us, but it was a slaughter, leaving only the worst of humanity in charge. I’ve been in a lot of wars,” Logan’s depiction of what she had only seen for a few moments brought the images back into her mind, and a familiar burn much like when she first awoke struck her, “I’ve never seen anything like this, and it all starts with her.”
Even if Jean wanted to participate in the conversation, she had limited personal knowledge on it. This Logan had seen all of this first hand, and to even contemplate having to go through it herself made her upset. The information was weighing on Hank heavily, she could see it in his slump, and she could faintly feel his emotions spark around in the back of her head. She rested a hand on his shoulder from her place behind him and Logan. She hoped to bring him some comfort, even if he didn’t know her now.
“Let’s just say for the sake of…” Charles rolled his hand around, at a loss for words, “the sake, that I choose to believe you, that I choose to help you. Raven won’t listen to me. No, her heart and soul belong to someone else now.”
“I know,” Logan stood up, briefly glancing at Jean before walking to a place Charles could see him from where he now sat, “That’s why we’re gonna need Magneto too.”
At the mention of Magneto, emotions sparked brighter behind her own. She could feel the rising tension and latent anger at the mention of his moniker. She could understand why, as well. As much as she knew she would have to convince Charles and Hank to work with him, her only experience with Magneto was during the fight with Psyren. A man who let that woman gain so much power with a device was someone she would remain cautious around.
“Erik,” Hank questioned while Charles simply laughed at the absurdity of working with someone he considered as a traitor, “You do know where he is?”
Charles’ laughter continued to echo off of the walls. Each guffaw just sent more frustration Jean’s way as Logan assured Hank he knew where Magneto was located. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as Charles stood up, his laughter growing in intensity before he huffed, “He’s where he belongs.”
“That’s it,” Logan raised his arms, “you’re just gonna walk out?”
“Ooh, top marks. Like I said, you are perceptive.”
“The Professor I know would never turn his back on someone who’d lost their path, especially someone he loved.”
Charles stopped his movements towards the stairs, backtracking and turning around on Logan. “You know, I think I do remember you now. Yeah, we came to you a long time ago seeking your help and I’m going to say to you what you said to us then,” he was nearly in Logan’s face now and the faint grasps Jean could make at his emotions were of pure hostility, “Fuck off.”
“Listen to me you little shit,” Logan grabbed at the man’s robe, pulling him closer to him as he growled out, “I’ve come a long way, and I’ve watched a lot of people die, good people, friends. If you’re gonna wallow in self-pity and do nothing, then you’re gonna watch the same thing, you understand?”
Jean was trying to carefully approach the two, Hank tensed as if he was ready to intervene and begin another fight. Before she did anything, Logan let go of him. Charles backed away, just as Jean rested her hand on Logan’s arm, “We all have to die some time.”
With that, Charles left the room, finishing his drink with a loud slurp on his way out. Logan watched after Charles, his hand grabbing for Jean’s blindly. He intertwined their fingers, and a thankfully familiar sight happened. He relaxed, visibly so. The rage was gone temporarily as he squeezed her hand.
“Told you there was no Professor here.” Hank conceded as Charles went up the stairs. Jean wanted to follow after him, to try and comfort him as well. She knew it would only fall on deaf ears though. This Charles didn’t know her. Without his knowledge of her, without the events of their relationship, she would have no ground to stand on with him. Instead, she faithfully remained at Logan’s side as he turned to face Hank.
“What the hell happened to him?” Jean turned around as well, slinking into the chair Logan had been in only a few minutes before. She dragged his hand along with, leaving it to rest on her shoulder. If she could ground him, then he could ground her as well. She was surprised to see Hank pour himself a drink as well, she didn’t expect him to drink any alcohol. However, if she lived with this day in and day out, she would be driven to drink as well.
“He lost everything. Erik, Raven, even his legs. We built the school, the labs, this whole place. Then, just after the first semester, the war in Vietnam got worse. Many of the teachers and older students were drafted. It broke him. He retreated into himself. I wanted to do something so I designed a serum to treat his spine, derived from the same formula that helps me control my mutation. I take just enough to keep myself balanced, but he takes too much. I tried easing him back, but he just couldn’t bear the pain, the voices. The treatment gives him his legs but it’s not enough. He’s… He’s just lost too much.”
There was deep seated guilt in Hank. She could see it from his mannerisms, from the drink he poured when he began to talk about it. Perhaps he felt he created the shell of the man upstairs, or perhaps he just felt responsible about being the dealer to said addict. Either way, she could empathize. She didn’t envy any of their places.
As awkward as it was, she felt compelled to give someone other than herself or Logan some solace in this. Charles may be wearing his pain quite outwardly, but Hank had his own and she could see it. She stood up, crossing the small space between them to give him a quick hug. Her hand lingered on his arm, willing some of her heat to sink in, to warm him as she hoped her words would as well. “He won’t always be like this. Things won’t always be like this. It gets better, I promise you.”
Hank’s cheeks had flushed lightly as he solemnly nodded his head. He simply slipped out of her reach, taking his drink with him to stand by the small bar in the room. The moment was awkward, as she expected it to be, but she desperately wanted to ease all their hearts of their burdens. She wanted them to have some joy, she wanted them all to live. She knew that they all had their fair share of bad times, hers being quite benign to theirs, but she wished it all away. She wanted her friends, her
family
to know only happiness. If they succeeded, perhaps they will in the future. She couldn’t be certain though, and it pained her.
He knew better than all others, so when Logan’s arm snaked around his midsection to pull her into a side hug, Jean was not surprised. She gratefully took the opportunity to rest her head against his firm midsection with a sigh. With her gaze turned upwards, she met his eyes. As always, they had their own conversation in just looks and body language. He was telling her to stay strong, that they’ll make it out of this no matter what it takes. She was telling him how sorry she was, that she left with no words, and that her failure led to him being here now. Before much more could be exchanged between the two, or Hank left to ruminate in his own thoughts further, Charles came back downstairs.
“I’ll help you get her,” his lilt caused them all to break away and give him their attention, “Not for any of your future shite, but for her.”
“Fair enough.” Logan let go of Jean, squaring his shoulders as he faced Charles head on.
“But I’ll tell you this: you don’t know Erik. That man is a monster, a murderer,” Jean wanted to crawl into herself as she knew all those words could describe herself, “You think you can convince Raven to change? To come home? That’s splendid, but what makes you think you can change
him
?”
“Because you and Erik sent me back here together.” Logan’s words affected more than just Charles. Jean had been mostly unaware of Magneto’s role in the future of her family. Her elder had not shown it to her, though she had stressed that they would need his help. She was almost as taken aback by the revelation as Charles was, and she tilted her head at Logan. She wondered what else of his future she did not know.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Hope. Her friends needed hope more than anything right now. With Logan's revelation, it put motivation into their actions, and for a brief moment she could witness the Professor she knew in the shadow of the man before her. Charles and Hank were off to sift through the files to find a blueprint they had of the Pentagon. She was confused as to why they had it, but the convenience was too welcome to pay it much mind.
As the two went deeper into the house, it left Jean and Logan alone with each other in the office they had been in. She took refuge in the couch Charles had previously been in while laughing at the absurdity of needing Magneto to help rescue Raven. She watched curiously as Logan paced, knowing her love had never truly been one for patience. “Come,” Jean moved a pillow aside to make a place for him, “Sit down, before you make either of us dizzy.”
Logan raised his head, almost as if surprised to hear her speak. He hesitated before nodding his head and moving towards her. He lowered himself and took a few awkward moments to make sure he was both comfortable and not touching her. She wondered why he was being so unlike himself. Her Logan would have taken the opportunity to wrap himself around her, breathe in her scent, and relax. Now, he was making sure she had her distance. Had their time apart caused him to worry over her? Or was it more akin to when they first danced around each other?
“Logan,” Jean bit the bullet and rested her head on his shoulder, “how bad was it, without me? What… What happened after I left?”
“Jeannie, I don’t even know what to say. You just disappeared. One morning you wake up from another nightmare, tell me you’re going to workout and you’ll see me later. Then you never returned. That night, I was worried out of my mind before Charles told me that you had come to him earlier that day, and that you felt you still weren’t yourself, that you wanted to leave. I couldn’t believe him. I couldn’t believe that you wanted to just leave, leave
us
behind. Then the days turned into months, and the months turned into years. Just before the sentinels were deployed, I begun to believe him.
Logan wasn’t looking at her. His gaze was far off, away from her now, she figured it was in his recent past, her future. “When they came onto the scene, nothing was the same. Up until then I was sad, broken, specifically brokenhearted. All my emotions had to be pushed aside, we were at war. It’s something that came far too easily to me. You can imagine my surprise when Charles told us the truth of where you were, in front of what was left of us. I immediately volunteered, even if I was the only one who could have done it anyways. I’m just glad I found you to join you and didn’t have to have Kitty put me all the way back here.”
“I’m sorry Logan, it’s just that if I were to fail, you were the only one who could try again after Kitty developed the power. I had to leave you behind. I didn’t want to, and I’m glad you’re here though. You make everything better for me, especially in a time I don’t know, with people who don’t know me, just like when I first came onto the scene. It just pains me that I failed, and I don’t know where I went wrong.” Jean sighed and closed her eyes, leaning back into the sofa. Her powers were slowly starting to fade back in, a murmur of other people’s thoughts began to settle into her head. A small hint of emotions lingered in the back as well, but it was something she was more used to than the empty silence her thoughts alone provided.
Logan’s arm moved from his side to wrapping around her shoulders, pulling her closer again. His nose buried itself in her hair atop her head, and her eyes closed. This was familiar, this was what home felt like, even in stress. “Jeannie,” he whispered and it felt like it was more to himself than anything, “I missed you so much.”
Their time wrapped within each other seemed too short for her liking. His arm removed itself from her as footsteps, he more than likely had already begun to hear, hit her ears as well. A quick disentanglement occurred as they resumed their original positions. He renewed his pacing, and she waited patiently on the sofa for the men to set up shop. It wasn’t long either, Hank had thrown down the blueprint and Charles had announced they found it. She carried herself over to the table, situated beside Charles and opposite Logan.
“The room they’re holding him in was built during the second World War when there was a shortage of steel. So the foundation is pure concrete and sand, no metal.” Hank explained as he pointed to where Erik was situated on the blueprint. Of course, it wasn’t actually laid out on the blueprint, but it was a general approximation, which was the best they were going to get.
“He’s being held a hundred floors beneath the most heavily guarded building on the planet.” Charles added with an exasperated shake of his head as he studied the paper before him.
“Why is he in there?”
Logan couldn’t seem to win much today as Hank and Charles shared what Jean would considered a confused yet bemused look. Charles piped in first, “What, he forgot to mention?”
Jean and Logan both shook their head. She had no idea why, and wasn’t sent by the man. Logan however, had been and yet he was unaware as well. Charles simply laughed at the two’s ignorance while Hank was particularly pleased to deliver the news himself. “Uh, JFK.”
“He killed--” Logan couldn’t even finish the question on his mind while Charles continued to laugh. Jean was so glad their ignorance was pleasing him, so much so she was ready to slap the grin off of his face.
“What else explains a bullet miraculously curving through the air? Erik’s always had a way with guns. Are you sure you two want to carry on with this?”
Logan gestured at the blueprint, “This is your plan, not ours.”
“We don’t have any resources to get us in,” Hank lamented.
“Or out. It’s just me and Hank.”
Logan nodded his head at the two, something on his mind as his eyes almost glazed over. “I knew a guy. Yeah, he’d be a young man now, grew up outside of D.C.,” he chuckled, “He could get into anywhere. I just don’t know how the hell we’re gonna find him.”
Hank leaned over to Charles, trying his best to be polite about his next question, “Is Cerebro out of the question?”
Charles responded with a dangerous glare that Jean never wanted to be on the receiving end. After Hank’s explanation earlier, she thought the smart man would just assume it was completely out of the question. The person beside her wanted to numb everything, and his powers did not factor into that. When everyone’s eyes fell onto her, being the other telepath in the room, she shook her head. “I’m out of commission for some time. It’s slowly coming back, but traveling here took up pretty much everything.”
With their other options exhausted, Hank shrugged and turned his attention back to Logan, “We have a phone book.”
After scouring a multitude of phone books in the general area Logan knew about, they finally found an address for the young man they were going to visit. After that, Jean, Logan, and Hank had to get several maps to plan out their trip, all for the different states they were going to pass through. Eventually, they settled on a stretch of highway that would take them the bulk of the way there and held onto a New York state map and a Maryland state map. While they did so, Charles went to pick up a rental car to make the trip.
Jean had always thought the idea of a road trip with her friends, and lover, would be exciting. She had never been more wrong before. While she did not get forced to be sandwiched between anyone, she would have made the sacrifice to make it a less tense trip. Charles had decided to drive, which Logan didn’t appreciate. The man hated being a passenger, while Jean preferred it most days. Hank had taken shotgun as the self-appointed navigator, which Logan also didn’t appreciate. All of that, mixed with constantly changing radio stations to suit the two’s desires, led to a fuming Logan.
Jean could normally deal with him and his emotions, but as her powers started to ebb back, so did the thoughts and emotions of the others. Trapped in such a small place with their thoughts, with packs of random thoughts passing at a speed she couldn’t handle when cars passed, resulted in a large headache for the telepath. In the end, she settled for attempting to lay down and rest. She laid her head on Logan’s lap, hoping he would focus on her more than his anger. His fingers running through her hair helped her to doze as well.
Her small reprieve was cut off when he had to move up to sit in between the other two brunettes. They were in the correct neighborhood, and now Logan wanted to take over as navigator. It didn’t go over so well as his directions confused Charles and they circled the block a number of times before Logan began pointing at the house. “Here, here, here.”
“Where?”
“Just stop here.”
“All right, all right.”
“Next time I’m driving. Don’t get used to it.”
With that terrible car ride over with, they all piled out of the vehicle. Jean took the opportunity to stretch while the men ran up to the door. Logan took the lead, likely wanting to just get the whole thing over with. He was not the only one. Jean sidled up behind the group as a woman answered the door.
“What’s he done now? I’ll just write you a check for whatever he took.” Jean assumed it was the young man’s mother. She must have a number of people approach her door to have such an automatic response. She wondered what kind of troublemaker they were after. Hank thought so too, as she and him exchanged a look and traded quirked eyebrows.
“We just need to talk to him.” Logan offered, to which the mother nodded and turned around to shout after her son.
“Peter! The cops are here. Again. He’s down in the basement.”
As they descended down the stairs, Jean could hear the distinct sound of people playing ping pong with each other. She was only slightly surprised to see a teenager with grey hair. Perhaps the hair color was a part of his mutation, but she had no idea what that mutation even was until she noticed the people playing were both Peter. Then she picked up on the various things around in the basement, all very likely stolen. Peter was an energetic man as well, evident in his speedy voice, “What do you guys want? I didn’t do anything. I’ve been here all day.”
A small breeze and he was no longer playing ping pong but laying on the couch. Jean was going to have a tough time keeping up if he kept moving around like that. She smiled gently at him, “Just relax, Peter, we’re not cops.”
“Of course you’re not cops. If you were, you wouldn’t be driving a rental car.”
“How did you know we’ve got a rental car?” Charles was put off about how the man knew they had a rental car. They hadn’t seen him when they pulled up, or when they circled his block six times.
“I checked your registration when you were walking to the door. I also had some time to kill so I went through your rental agreement, saw you were from out of town. Are you FBI?,” Peter moved from the couch to behind the group, taking Charles’ wallet and going through it, all in a blink of the eye, “No, you’re not cops. Hey, what’s with this gifted youngsters place?”
Peter dropped the card and wallet, disappearing out of their sight again. Charles scrambled to grab his wallet, putting the card back in and double checking that nothing else was missing, “That’s an old card.”
Hank was in awe as he scanned the room, trying to find Peter again, “He’s fascinating.”
“He’s a pain in the arse.”
Jean smacked Charles on the arm, the man letting out a noise of pain while he glanced at Jean. Her immediate response was a scolding look, warning him to play nice. Hank, meanwhile, ignored the two and sought out Logan, “What, a teleporter?”
“No, he’s just fast, and when I knew him, he wasn’t so
young
.”
Peter reappeared on the couch, which was now behind the group. A popsicle was in his hand before he spoke up, letting them know he returned, “Young? You’re just old.”
“So you’re not afraid to show your powers?” Hank turned around just a bit faster than the others, his excitement palpable in the air. He was almost as curious as Jean could be, which made her smile in amusement.
“Powers? What powers? What are you talking about? Do you see something strange here? Nothing anybody would believe if you told them,” Peter went from the couch to in front of an arcade machine of Pong before they could say anything edgewise, “So who are you? What do you want?”
“We need your help Peter.” Logan was trying to steer the conversation back to what they had came for. They were still going to have to drive to D.C. and he wanted to get there sooner than later. Jean thought any more time in the car with the group was too much time.
“For what?”
“To break into a highly secured facility and to get someone out.”
“Prison break? That’s illegal you know.”
“Um…” Logan glanced around, finally catching the sight of stolen electronics and food that Jean had noticed right away, “Well, only if you get caught.”
“So what’s in it for me?”
“You,” Charles seemed like he was ready to explode, “you kleptomaniac, get to break into the Pentagon.”
The gravity of the situation must have finally dawned on Peter. He stopped his game of Pong, turning around in the chair to finally pay attention to the group. His voice grew just a little softer, just a little quieter as he eyed them all. “How do I know I can trust you?”
“Because we’re just like you.” Jean responded without a second thought. He may have been showing his powers to them without a care, as no one would have believed them. However, they concealed theirs. They had all grown to conceal their powers due to how other people could act if they were found out. It was second nature for them now, and she could admit she was a little envious of how brazen he was. Perhaps it was Hank’s envy that was supplementing her own.
Charles glanced towards Jean and Logan, “Show him.”
Slowly, Logan let his claws come out. The sight of metal between his fingers was not new for Jean, so she paid no mind. Instead, she moved a hand out as she lifted a few of the magazines strewn about into the air. Clearly, it had an impact on Peter, “That’s cool, but it’s disgusting. As for her, I like her.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jean knew the speedster had been an energetic fellow, but the car ride to D.C. more than highlighted it. She was now forced to sit between between him and Charles, Peter's energy prickling at her mind. His chatter was a mile a minute, Hank and Logan mostly spared by blasting the radio. Logan was itching to explode however, his fingers tapping against the door handle growing in pace with his temper. He had far more patience than she ever recalled. The man she knew would have threatened Peter at least twice by now, but here Logan was, trying to remain calm. How much more had changed about the unaging man? The more she looked at him, the more she noticed small wrinkles forming around his eyes. Maybe he did age, just slowly. His temperament was different. The gentleness she always saw, always got to experience, was more pronounced. Although his anger could still be provoked as she saw with Charles, it seemed more like he was frustrated with the man, as she was too. Whatever happened to him, it had changed him. Maybe not much to the untrained eye, but for someone who knew how to read him, it threw her for a loop. When the radio was turned down, her attention was called to the front of the car. Even Peter had quieted. Hank turned his gaze in their direction before shifting in his seat to face them. “Logan, Peter, and Charles are going to get Erik. We're going to have to use every opportunity we get to head down there. Jean, you and I will continue to be a part of the tour. I brought a device to help disable their communications. If you can, I'll need you to keep a telepathic eye out for suspicion.” “But first,” Charles began, pointedly looking between Logan and Jean, “we're getting you new clothes. We can't have you bringing attention onto us.” Logan grumbled, but Jean nodded. She didn't want to stick out like a sore thumb, and if she had to, she could pick Logan's clothes out herself. She knew his sizing and often shopped for him anyways. She hoped she had a sense for the fashion of this era though, as she barely had a fashion sense at all. Even though she had seen him in robes earlier today, Charles did look dashing in his suit, perhaps he could assist with her selections. An hour later, Jean had suffered through Logan's constant complaints, Charles and his scrutinizing eye, an awkward change of clothes in the car in the parking lot, just to finally be deemed acceptable. Logan was lucky, his typical look was practically timeless. He had his leather jacket and jeans, and a paisley shirt taking place of his usual flannel. He had been easy to shop for and he was quick to get changed, uncaring about the others potentially glancing at him. If they dared and said something, he would give them hell. However, when it came to Jean, no one could decide between dresses, skirts, or pants for nearly twenty minutes. In the end, she picked everything out herself while Charles was no where to be found. She settled with a bold white wide legged pant, and an emerald green turtleneck. When it was passed by the judges, she went to the car to change, noticing Logan keep a wide perimeter to bar any wandering eyes. Once she was done she settled into the passenger seat with a huff and honked the horn to signal she was ready. She was not going to listen to any complaints about her seat switch. It felt strange to be the one without patience as Logan cooly slid into the driver's seat. Where she felt he was timeless, immortal even, she felt wildly dated and out of place. She was going to have to keep quiet on the tour if she wanted to blend in. She felt like one wrong answer or word would give her away as a fish out of water. It was not long before they arrived at the Pentagon, parking in a designated area. The short car ride there had been mostly peaceful for Jean. She was spared of listening to Peter by the radio. His racing thoughts still buzzed at the base of her skull, but she realized his unusual energy could be useful. He would be far easier to locate should she need to. Although it wasn't necessarily needed, she and Hank decided it would be easier for the both of them if they were to pretend to be a couple. She just made sure the discussion, as it was her idea, was out of Logan's hearing. He could be territorial, even with something as small as this. With their decision in mind, Jean looped her arm with Hank’s. She stayed close to his side, pointing out something that could be considered interesting to whisper a small update in his ear. “Peter made it to the elevator. It's too far down for me to keep track of him.” Hank faked a small laugh, and she was surprised at how real it seemed. At least the smile he plastered upon his lips, while normal to a casual observer, did not meet his eyes as Jean saw for herself. He was far more skilled at acting than she was, that much was certain. He leaned down slightly, “I've got the communications jammed. We should be safe.” Her lips pursed as she hummed, feigning a deep thought for any voyeurs. With a shake of her head, as if to deny an idea he may have suggested, they continued their meandering with the rest of the tour group. Every thought around her was muffled. This was how it was when she actively tried to block out other's thoughts. It was a mass of mumbled voices dangerously mimicking white noise. Traveling here must have drained her to an alarming amount as she was purposely trying to eavesdrop on everyone. Yet, not a single clear thought came through to her as the tour was winding back slowly to where they had began. That was until Logan's familiar mental presence brushed at the forefront of her mind. Instead of the usual comfort he would project to her, she was met with a brief spike of panic. As quickly as it began, it subsided. Her grip had unconsciously tightened around Hank's arm causing him to raise an eyebrow at her. She squeezed her eyes shut as she reached out for Logan. She was too strained to make a real connection. There was only the most minute link made, and an image of several guards unconscious. “It's time to go.” The group only just made it to the car before a wave of determination hit Jean. Enough of the employees were looking for the culprits, them, that she could feel it. As they got to the car, they realized they had one too many people to fit comfortably. Peter, likely emboldened by the adrenaline undoubtedly coursing through his veins, suggested Jean sit on his lap with a wag of his eyebrows. It prompted a growl from Logan as Jean rolled her eyes and reclaimed the passenger seat for herself. Logan returned to the driver seat as the rest of the men squished themselves into the back seat, grumbling at each other for more space. Once they were settled, an uneasy silence settled over them all. Charles and Hank may have been staying silent, but their combined anger directed at Erik began to bubble and boil within her head. Foggy memories idled by as she shut her eyes, leaning her forehead against the window. She thought unclear thoughts would be easier to drown out, but her curious mind practically sought it out, trying to piece together a coherent picture. Just as a storm of a headache began to brew, a beacon of light broke through the dark sky of her mind. She knew that mental presence anywhere. Logan. Of course he could see the struggle on her face, and as always, he sent her comfort. There was no clear notion, unlike usual, just the emotion. She wished she could feel his familiar mental nuzzle of affection, but she would have to suffice with what she had. Until her energy came back she would have to suffer through the gradual volume and clarity increase of the thoughts of those around her. His comfort lasted her through the remainder of the car ride until they pulled up beside a plane. There was a small hesitance to her opening the car door. She knew how Logan detested flying. While he had become accustomed to it, she typically had to remain at his side during the flight. Sometimes he would squeeze her hand so tightly that it would be sore for days. She hoped this Logan, one who had spent time without her in his life, could handle the trip. She needed rest if she were to aid in their mission as she wanted to. “Peter,” Charles had turned to Peter, “thank you very, very much. Take care.” Ah, it was time for goodbyes. Jean couldn't help but to wonder if it was wise to leave him behind. Someone with his speed could prove himself to be the tip of the scale for them. “Hey, I saw your flight plan in the cockpit,” Peter tilted his head slightly, “Why are you going to Paris?” Charles glanced over his shoulder to Hank who only raised an eyebrow. It was not going to be his choice on whether or not they told Peter everything. While the two decided between that, Jean came up beside Peter and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You did great Peter. I'm really proud of you. But please, try to stay out of trouble?” The two chuckled as she entered the plane, only to nearly bump into Erik. He had changed, and it made her curious as to whether that was where Charles had went during their shopping trip. He shot Jean a small smile, “Excuse me miss.” He was oddly polite, but she assumed it was a part of his charm. He had to act like a decent human in order to manipulate his pawns. She refused to be a part of his game, opting to ignore him. If he was shocked, he didn't act so as he made his way further into the plane. On his way past Logan, he attempted to grab the newspaper. Logan, in a simply territory marking, extended his claws to pin the paper to the table. “What an unique metal in there. I can feel your whole skeleton too. Quite odd.” “Keep it to yourself, and don't get any funny ideas.” Jean wasn't one for threats, but as she pointed to her head, he took heed. He ended up settling as far away from her and Logan as possible while she occupied the seat across the table from her other half. “Where did they manage to find a pair like you?” Erik wasn't looking at them, but one glance at Logan and she could see his attention was squarely on him. “You're gonna find this hard to believe but,” Logan leaned forward in his seat just a little, “you sent me. You and Charles. From the future.” Just as before, a look of utter disbelief was sent their way. Jean didn't want to go over the details again. She didn't want to try and convince a man she already despised. Hoping to get some privacy, but mostly desiring rest, Jean sauntered to the cockpit. Rest was hard found. Hank remained quiet in the cockpit, but tension grew and continued to reach new peaks as the distance between Charles and Erik shrank. She did not need her powers to feel it. It was palpable in the air itself. Her telepathy only served to reflect it and fold itself unto her. Her curiosity bade her to turn to watch what may unfold, but her mind traveled elsewhere. She wished for nothing more than to nap beside her Logan, to curl up against his side with her head on his chest and his arm around her shoulder while his other hand held whatever he was reading that day. She imagined that had she not ventured here today, he would be reading a magazine to inspire ideas of work he could do upon one of his vehicles. His truck had been undergone work this past fall, and with the warmer weather that was coming their way with the beginnings of spring, she was sure his bike was next. Yet these simples desires could not be made true as it was now. Her yearning for rest, for comfort, reached upon Logan. He was Logan, but he was not entirely her Logan. He had experienced a world she never truly knew, a world they were trying to prevent. Still, her Logan was in there, only covered by years of turmoil and unrest. She knew it by his stare. His unending stare of those hazel eyes as whatever Charles and Erik said never truly reached her ears only matched by the nearly omnipresent comfort he pushed onto her in waves. That was her Logan. A man who worried and fussed over her well being while never taking as much care about his own. The idea alone was intoxicating when Jean would dwell upon it, how tempting it was to lose herself in it, but it just wasn't her way. She worked equally as hard on her being as well as his. It wouldn't be fair to him if she didn't. Their relationship was not one of codependence, but of love and support. They sought out their own dreams and goals while uplifting and supporting one another. She wanted it no other way. Her thoughts were torn away from her as anger seeped into her veins, stemming from Charles and Erik. Her ears now honed into their conversation as they both stood up. Charles, his voice raising with every word, shouted, “If you want to fight Erik, I will give you a fight!” She could hear Logan try to interfere but his words were drowned out between Charles and Erik, who raised his arm to show no one should get between this. Charles grabbed Erik's shirt, the blue fabric peeking out from between his fingers, brushing at his quickly paling knuckles. “You abandoned me! You took her away and you abandoned me!” The raw emotion in her young mentor's voice nearly brought a tear to Jean's eye as Hank shuffled in his seat to see what was happening as well. “Angel. Azazel.” The plane began to rock back and forth, letting out an unnatural sound as Erik continued his list. “Emma. Banshee. Mutant brothers and sisters - all dead!” The plane began to shift before it started descending at an angle. Charles and Logan had to find purchase to stabilize themselves. Hank’s newfound panic zipped through Jean's head before being drowned in more anger. “Countless others experimented on, butchered!” Erik's voice continued to grow louder. Jean could both hear and feel the pain hidden behind the anger. Hank called out his name to try and get him to release the plane from his wrath. “Where were you Charles?! We were supposed to protect them! Where were you when your own people needed you?! Hiding! You and Hank, pretending to be something you're not!” Plates and other various objects began to fall and slide towards her and Hank. She did what she could to stop them just before the cockpit with a small wall. Hank called out to him again, desperation starting to seep into his voice. He was doing all he could to ensure they did not crash, but he couldn't do much against Erik's powers. Luckily, it looked like it had worked as the plane leveled out once again. The creaks and groans of metal softened and dissipated as Erik's volume lowered and his tone evened out. “You abandoned us all.” Charles, like a dog with his tail tucked between his legs, retreated to the cockpit. Without a word, Jean gave up her seat, allowing him to sit copilot. She stood in the aisle, Erik's icey blue eyes gazing past her, watching and searching for Charles. His anger still bubbled beneath his skin, and she could feel an onslaught of emotions from Charles. The two had far too many issues, but it had been stressed to her to have them work together to stop Raven. She desired it not to be so. “So,” Logan chimed in, “you were always an asshole.” She was worried now as Logan chuckled. His mouth and temper always brought them trouble. He had a cigar in his hand and a lighter in the other when Erik turned around to face him. Jean took a couple steps closer, ready to intervene at a moment's notice. Logan still had the adamantium in his body, which meant he was still vulnerable to Erik. She had seen what the man could do to her beloved from both her experiences and his memories alike. “I take it we're best buddies in the future.” “I spent a lot of years trying to bring you down, bub.” “How does that work out for you?” “You're like me. You're a survivor,” Logan took a puff of his now lit cigar, “You wanna pick all that shit up?” There was a small moment of tension before Erik turned around. Jean could only let out a small laugh. Logan had a way with words, his own way. He also had the most reckless courage and bravery she had ever laid witness to. The smile on her face was wide and happy, unlike the rest of the others, and it shocked Erik when he took stock of it. She brushed past him, briefly considering sitting across from Logan before settling herself upon his lap. His unoccupied hand rested upon her hip as she leaned her head against his shoulder. She didn't care for his smoking, but she never minded it either. He was a creature of habit, as every person was. His habits were just harder to break than most. “You two,” Erik pointed between both of them as he grabbed some plates, “are together?” “Yes. We have been for a few years now.” Jean decided to answer for them, finally speaking up since she entered the plane. “Wow. I didn't…” “Didn't what, Erik? You didn't think an asshole like him could charm a sweet young woman like me? We're a lot more alike than you think.” Erik grumbled in response, leading Jean to her affirmation that she had guessed at Erik's train of thought without delving into them. She was too weak to pick up on clear surface thoughts yet, and she never invaded minds unless she had to. He could thank the man in the copilot seat for that. Still, it might not hurt to let him believe her powers were stronger than they were at the moment. Instead, she fortunately and finally found the rest she was in search of. Unsurprisingly, it was in Logan's arms as her eyelids closed themselves. This was her sanctuary, and hopefully, it was his too.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
There was nothing she could be more grateful for than a few hours of dreamless sleep. There was beauty in the nothingness her mind settled into. A switch had been flipped somewhere and allowed her to just be utterly shut down. Every once in a while she would wake as Logan shifted her around. Each time he would move slowly, trying not to wake her and failing. She simply smiled up at him, her eyes still closed, before curling into him just a little more as sleep claimed her again.
She roused from her sleep as daylight poured in through the windows, a shift from the nighttime sky she saw during her last bout of semi-consciousness. She glanced up at Logan's face, seeing the peacefully blank countenance that she had witnessed the last time she had woken up in his arms. Only that was back in her time, in their room at the mansion, and it was only the other day. She wondered exactly how long it had been since this Logan stopped remembering what it was like to wake up entangled in her limbs. After all, in his life, she never returned from this excursion.
With a quick peek around, she noticed Erik and Charles catching some sleep in chairs facing each other. A chess board was between them, in the middle of a game. She surmised they had dozed off while playing against each other. At least it meant they were talking, and hopefully willing to work together. Knowing her plans ended up not working, she was curious as to where she failed. This was her first go at it, but it was altered now with Logan's presence. She imagined she elected not to retrieve Erik after learning of his whereabouts, against the wishes of her original self. Either that, or the dislike she already harbored for him. She was empathetic to a point, and he was a flight risk. She didn't anticipate treating him nicely.
With a gentle grip, she unbound herself from Logan's grasp. It was not surprising he woke up from it. There were times he was a heavy sleeper, but when he was on edge all of his heightened senses caused him to rouse rather speedily. It was a boon and a curse, depending on their situation. As they stirred, Jean finally standing up and stretching out, she saw out the window. Drawn in by the view of the city below, she stepped closer to it. From their altitude it seemed miniature in size, even though she knew it was far from it.
Logan came to a stop behind her, his large hands starting a trail on her lower back before wrapping themselves around her waist as she leaned over to continue to stare in small wonder. His face pressed against her, his cheek warming the spot between her shoulders, as she listened to him breathe in her scent. He was more affectionate in the mornings as sleep slowly left his brain. He operated on a more primal level, simply taking in the comforts of his chosen partner. This Logan had been deprived of her for years. She would not fault him or scold him for this display of intimacy while others were present. They were never big on public displays, not wanting to draw attention, but they had their moments. Most of them stemmed from hard won victories that could have cost them more than they would like.
He heard the two grown children stir before she did, straightening himself before digging through cupboards with a rumbling groan about coffee. She left him to his own devices and made her way past Erik and Charles to get to the cockpit. She doubted Hank had slept a wink and she hoped it didn't have too large of an effect on him. He had been known to pull a few all nighters when engrossed in tests and experiments. While he was younger than the Hank she knew, there was little doubt that he didn't do the same now.
Her fingers clutched his shoulder as she stood beside him. A smile graced her lips as well and he returned it halfheartedly. She slipped into the copilot's seat, her body turned towards him. “How long before we land?”
It was nice to know she was capable of still reading people without the crutch of her powers. To her it was obvious he was swimming in an ocean of feelings. They played across his features and danced just beneath her skin. Her small rest did bring back more of her powers though, a little victory. The emotion behind the thoughts he held were less of an inkling and more pronounced. Still, it would be a considerable effort to read him fully.
“A little under an hour.”
He was tense and his response clipped. All of these men knew and were attached to Mystique, or Raven as Charles and Hank called her. There was a history she didn't know. Her Charles had been vague, only telling her he grew up with her and she had left him to go with Erik. She only knew that much from him opening up to her in an effort for the two of them to get to know each other. Her sessions had begun to shift because of how his knowledge of her original self still caused her some anxiety. Even during his vague recollection he had been emotional. Emotional was an understatement for the man just a few yards away. His feelings were overtaking him, consuming him raw. There were only a few glimpses of the Charles she had come to know inside of him.
She prayed to a higher power that she wasn't sure she believed in, that her alterations of the timeline would still bring the man she knew out of the man that raged and roared and drank. She had not gotten along with Charles at her beginning, but she attributed it to left over emotions stemming from the other part of herself. The monster was largely aided by his mistakes, but they were well intended.
Now that the two of them had begun to understand each other on another level, she had forgiven him a while ago, finally let him into her head where he merely visited and never intruded. He offered help when she needed it but never interfered. She could understand why so many loved and cherished him, because she did too. It was why seeing the broken person claiming to be Charles hurt. This Charles still had a lot of growing to become the one she knew. Perhaps this is how Charles felt at her beginning too. She aimed to give him the hope he had given her.
It took some time for there to be any talk behind her. She could hear the loud sipping of coffee, likely from Logan as he was notorious for his bad table manners. Just as they began to lose altitude as they were landing did she hear any chatter. Surprisingly, it was from Logan and neither of the tense men. "So, work things out? You guys must have some sort of chess fetish or something. Always play it instead of talking about what you need to."
"Perhaps instead of using a dull tongue, we use our keen wits to say what we need to without speaking," Erik easily retorted at Logan.
"Even if your partner is a telepath, you still need to communicate how you feel. It ain't a joke that communication is key." Logan pointed out, earning silence from the men for a long beat.
Jean chuckled at the conversation before her attention returned to Hank. He was watching her, and her reaction to Logan. No doubt they were an odd and intriguing couple. Enough so that Hank had questions.
"Is he your husband?"
Jean only laughed more, shaking her head. "While I know that'll change one day, currently we are not. But yes, he is mine. We are very much in love, if it's not obvious."
"How did you end up with him?"
"It's a very complicated story, but I'll tell you one day. I promise."
"Most time travel stories warn of telling too much to someone and affecting the timeline. Guess I shouldn't ask so much." Hank was so much younger right now, but his own personal charm was still there. It was endearing to Jean, enough to give him a smile. One because of him, for him.
"I like that you ask. I just can't tell you for a while, but you'll know it when I can. One day, when you least expect it, when this conversation is just a memory, I will come to you. I'll ask if you still want to know, and if you do, I'll share. Sound like a deal?"
"Yeah. I'd like that."
"Then it's a deal, Hank. Now," Jean motioned towards the rest of the plane, "I better go and check on the children. If you need anything, let me know."
Jean stood up, leaving Hank back to his thoughts. She hoped easing his anxiety about some of his questions now would give him the clarity of mind to focus on landing the plane. When they landed, the plan was to rent another car to get to a hotel where Raven would be. Anxiety, and everyone's emotions, were bound to be unchecked and mounting as the clock ticked on them.
Once she was by the rest of the group, even with the tension in the air and their looming destinies, someone had to take care of them. Doing so was only natural for her. "We can't run on just coffee. Let's raid this plane and see if we can't drum up some breakfast, shall we?"
Paris. She had always wanted to go to Paris, once she started learning geography again. It had turned out to be one of the subjects she didn't need to learn from scratch. It had been like riding a bike and just picking it back up after setting it down for a couple of years. Paris was supposed to be the city of love. Nothing felt romantic about her current situation as she cried herself in the back of the car. It was now or never as they pulled into the parking garage.
She wasn't operating on a field ready level. She felt weak enough that she wouldn't risk it on a mission. Now she had no choice. Maybe Logan was here now because she died originally but those thoughts would lead nowhere. He was here now so the future could still be changed. There was still hope and she would always fight for hope.
As they strode through the hotel room, panic and fear flooded into Jean's mind. With their mission in mind, it could only be one thing. "It's happening. Move it."
They passed the fleeing crowd to get to the room that Raven had to be in. Charles called out her name as they entered the room. She was already on the table, gun aimed at whom she assumed to be Trask. Right as Jean crossed the threshold, a man in a military uniform who was prone on his back shot a taser at Raven. The blue skinned mutant writhed on the table as the current went through her system. Erik removed the prongs, latching them onto the shooter. Charles called Raven’s name out over and over as he tried to help her.
She was surprised to see him, "Charles?"
"We've come for you, Erik and I." Charles wasn't sure where to put his hands as Jean zeroed in on Trask's location. Her aim was to mess with his mind to stop sentinels from being created at all. Just a little rewiring should be simple, if she was at a normal level.
She wasn't. It was something she would come to regret later, not giving herself time to recover. She felt something take hold of Logan. It wasn't unlike his truly bad nightmares, but it couldn't have happened at a worse time. Trask had slipped out of her sights and she felt a terrible mental war happening to Logan, enough to risk a lot of damage if the Wolverine was let loose. Logan backed into the wall, dazed, as Jean approached him.
"Erik?" Raven questioned in the middle of Charles' loving reunion with her. It split her attention to see Erik holding a gun. Erik could hold Logan down while she got him back, which meant Jean had to take care of Erik.
"Erik, what are you doing?" Charles questioned his counterpart while Jean tried to quickly come up with something to stop him. Maybe she had enough in her to stop a bullet but she wouldn't win an actual fight against him right now.
"Securing our future," Erik replied blankly, "Forgive me, Mystique. As long as you're out there, we'll never be safe."
Hank tried to intercede but he wasn't getting through to him. Raven tried to hide behind Charles, "Use your power, Charles. Stop him."
"He can't." Erik replied for them all. Everyone came to a realization at once. Raven began to run. Hank tackled Erik, and Jean closed her eyes to focus on the bullet that was shot. She fought Erik's curvature of the bullet. She was fighting him at full strength while she was basically on the ropes with her powers already. She was pouring all her will into making the bullet stop, an unfamiliar trickle escaping her nose, as she fruitlessly attempted to stop the bullet.
Her eyes opened after she felt the bullet connect to Raven’s leg. She was out of juice entirely, which meant she couldn't stop Erik even if she wanted to. The blood making its way past her lip to touch her tongue told her so. She had pushed too hard. She turned to Logan, feeling something was wrong with him still. He was lost in a memory, possibly, triggered by something here. Her first step caused her to collapse, her legs giving out from beneath her. She called out to him, but he was unresponsive.
Charles and Hank were brawling with Erik, Raven was the on loose along with Trask, Logan was losing his mind, she couldn't keep herself up, and she had no powers to rely on. Today was not her day. One thing at a time. She crawled over to Logan, who was sitting against the wall and panting. He was fighting as hard as he could, she could see it. When the metal claws came out, she worried about everyone else around her. The Wolverine could not be let loose right now.
"Logan," she called out again to no avail. She laid defeated on the floor next to him, losing the energy to keep her eyes open as she put a hand on his closest leg. Typically her scent could calm him, and when it was bad, her mental presence. This seemed worse than most.
Logan was still panting and his eyes were wild, looking around to try and piece everything together. "Where am I?"
"Logan." Jean at least got his name out, which caused him to jump and scramble. His metal claws were still out. He started wiping her nose for her before cradling her close like she was the most fragile thing in the world. His nose was in her hair, and that was when it hit her. He felt different, mentally. He felt normal. This new Logan wasn't in there, this was her boyfriend. Her lost, confused, accidental time traveling boyfriend.
When Jean saw a bright shock of blue, she nodded to Hank. "Go. I can't help you, and he won't be able to either."
"Jean, what's going on? Where are we? Was that Hank?" Logan, her Logan, questioned the redhead who only shushed him in return. He did so without question, they had a process for him when he was in a state like that. She stroked his arms and hands, dragging her fingertips along his exposed. It always helped to ground him. He was still able to slip between either state and while her place in his heart made it safe for her, it wasn't for Charles.
"Charles, you need to stay away from us until I give the okay." The man who has the tasers put into him by Erik rose up and fled the room, running past Jean and Logan. She caught him eyeing Logan's claws for a moment before he left for good. She managed to pull herself up enough to a sitting position beside Logan. She reached over and began to softly draw lines along his face, to which he closed his eyes and breathed deeply.
As quick as the shift began, it was over again. Those years of turmoil weighed back down on overburdened shoulders. The racing heart calmed and the claws disappeared. His gaze told her scores once she finally peered up to see if it was him. One of his hands clasped hers, resting it over his heart. He wasn't quite her Logan, but he was Logan after all. A blush appeared on her cheeks before she cleared her throat.
"It's okay now Charles. Logan, will you please carry me? We need to get out of here fast. Let's go."