It was barging through his mind, not dressed to scrubs anymore. It had chosen much more heinous appearance. Logan winced. It looked like him. Just after he had escaped from the lab. Hands and naked, tormented body covered with blood, claws flashing, and maniacal gleam in its dark eyes. And Jean just stood on her ground, head slightly tilted to the side, hands spread out like wings. There was a red halo around her. Dark red halo, spreading slowly outside. Nightmare was approaching fast, but not fast enough. Jean nodded, fixing her gaze to the creature. Fiery red shot out from her, engulfing the creature completely and throwing it backwards, stunning it temporarily.
“Fuck!” It felt like she had just slapped him hard. Hard enough to shatter every bone from his face.
“I could use some help in here…”
“Oh, really?”
“It’s down, but I don’t know how long. You have to build the prison again. Hurry. You can’t take another hit from me.”
It took him virtually forever to erect the walls of the prison again. It took even longer to imagine the door and the complex locking mechanism that kept it closed. He could feel Jean; see her, hovering closer when the last lock slammed shut.
“Get out, Jeannie. Enough is enough. It’s too crowded in here…” He wanted to curl in to the furthest corner, alone. Enough was really enough. Too much. Jean leaned closer and ruffled his hair when he opened his eyes.
“We did good, Wol… Logan. We did good. But you have to let me stay for a while. I have to go and see if Marie needs my help.”
“Fuck… Can’t you go straight to her?” He had gotten enough from these mind games.
“I can’t. Magneto must have made his machine from the same material he made his helmet. I can’t get through it on my own. I need to use your bond with her.”
“It’s not like it’s some fucking mental highway…”
“I know. Believe me, I know. It’s the most personal thing two people can share. And right now it’s the only way to reach Marie.”
“Fine. And you remember this when I get caught from staring…”
Somebody was coming. It wasn’t Logan. It wasn’t his nightmare either. She could feel Jean approaching. Magneto in her head was cackling and muttering, trying to force her to start the machine.
“Jean! We’re here. What ever you’re doing it has to wait!” Scott shouted from the cockpit. Jean flinched and came out of the trance-like state she had fallen.
“How was she?” Logan asked. As soon as Magneto had taken over Marie it was too dangerous for him to try to contact her.
“Just fine. I have to go and talk to Scott…” Jean said avoiding his gaze, stood up and brushed past him half running.
“Scott! You have to fly us to the torch! Magneto’s already starting the machine!”
As soon as he felt the first telltale signs of the pull he concentrated to his shields. He wanted nothing more than to tear them down and go to Marie, but if he did that, they would loose. That goddamned machine would draw him in as well, and then there would be nobody left to pick up the pieces and repair the damage.
“Jean?” He called the telepath. She returned to him.
“Scott’s flying us directly to the torch. Ororo will take over from there. I’ll distract Magneto with Scott. You need to get to Marie as fast as you can. Try to get her out of the machine.”
“I’ll get her out of it. Just… Shit. Just take care of her for me, okay?”
“You don’t have to ask. You know that.”
“I know. Thanks… And Jeannie?”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry. I know I have been an asshole.”
“Don’t fret over it. You wouldn’t be you if you weren’t the pain in the ass 24-7.”
Magneto was reaching for the control pads of the machine with her hands, forcing her to place her palms over cool and smooth metal. Machine started humming and vibrating. Suddenly walls from around her exploded, and she could see her surroundings. Sickeningly beautiful night sky, laden with stars. They seemed to shine more brightly than ever before, burning through her retinas and tickling the back of her skull. She could feel Magneto’s joy over his success, and slight pang of remorse from the way he had been forced to use her as a substitute. She could see something bulky and black hovering in the air, next to her. It took her a while to realize what it was. The Blackbird. Logan was really here. For a moment she had doubted her sanity. She could see Magneto standing under the machine, guarding it. Then blue light, even brighter than the stars covered her field of vision, cocooning her to a painful, suffocating embrace.
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