Discaimer: Most within belong to Marvel.
Jean stormed into the War Room a seething anger slowly growing over her was clear with every step she took. After all Gambit had done for the X-Men they looked at him as if he were something worse than Sinister himself.
He had said it himself during his trial. Betsy had told her. He didn't know what Sinister had in mind. He didn't know the slaughter and pain that the day would hold. He just didn't know. If he had known... She didn't know what he would have done... but he didn't, so that didn't matter now. Even if he had not been involved, Sinister would have found someone else. It was not his fault that Sinister was- still is- a mad man with no respect for human life.
Why couldn't the others see that? Betsy, Logan, Ororo, and Jubilee... they could all see it. They could understand. Maybe not forgive, but at least they did not condem him to death. Why couldn't the others be of the same mind?
They worked so hard to rehabilitate SabreTooth. They accepted Magneto and Rogue, both of which had commited their crimes wittingly with a full understanding of the consiquences of their actions. Why couldn't the team do the same thing for Gambit? What was so different about his crimes that they would cast him out so horribly.
Looking up she sighed. Cyclops was gazing at her with worried eyes. He was so compassionate and loving towards her and the X-Men; well most of the X-Men.
They had called the Mansion to tell the X-Men that they had made it safely to Alaska. When no one picked up they patched into Cebero's systems to find out what was going on. In order to link up they had to take Cerebro down for a bit, but if the others were under attack it would be worth it to know.
We need to get the systems back up, Jean thought absently to herself.
Upon finding that Gambit was on the grounds, Scott had automatically assumed the worst. He figured that Gambit was attacking the X-Men and although Jean found it unlikely they both got back to New York as fast as they could.
Looking around the room she noticed that Betsy wasn't there either. Scott, Maggott, Storm, Sam, Rogue who had just returned to the mansion herself and Hank who had come in on her tail. She could sense his thoughts and his worry. She didn't feel like talking about it and so quickly brought up a change in subject.
"Any sign of Bishop since we left?" She asked in honest interest.
Storm looked up from what she had been reading on a screen, frowned and shook her head. "We've had no such good fortune."
"Try checking the status of the scaners. Scott and I may have knocked them out when we tried to get the interface."
The silence was maddening as Ororo checked the scaners. Tension was mounting as differences of oppions were thrown out in the air in words only a telepath could hear. Jean didn't mind though, at least she wasn't the only one in such a bad mood. It was comforting in a way.
"You did," Storm stated breaking Jeans thoughts. "I shall try to repair the damage--"
Warning. Intruders in the mansion. Level 1 has been compromised. Internal dammage to the hangar and sick bays...
Everyone jumped to their feet and moved as one unit to the door of the room. No one had a chance to hear the rest of the report as both it and their progression were cut rudely off by loud noises, guns firing, explosions, bright lights, and yelling.
All haulted as one in a state of oddly fascinated confusion. Even with such destruction going on all around them, none of it touched them. A bright blue forcefield surounded all the people in the War Room. In the centre stood two young blond boys, twins probably, as well as oddly different versions of Iceman, Wolverine, and Joseph.
One of the blonds held his hands to his head, and suddenly Jean lost all contact with the astral plain. Bobby walked over to Beast and started forming ice on some burns he had. Joseph nodded to the other blond and a portal opened behnd him, Wolverine walking calmly through. He reappeared instants later a little singed but that was quickly taken care of by Bobby. In Logan's arms he held a slightly charred version of... Himself?!?
"Alright kid, let's out!" The concious Wolverine yelled to the blond who had oppened the portal.
Instantly the blue portal he had just come through warped. It became purple and then white before arching to line the inside of Joseph's shield and shrinking and falling down to enclose them.
Everything went white, and Jean found herself looking at the inside of the Oval Office inside the Whitehouse.
"What the Hell--?" Scott asked looking to Wolverine. After a closer inspection, the Wolverine he spoke to appeared slightly older than version of their comrade he held in his arms.
"What happened to Guardian, Doc and the Pres?" One of the blond kids said to Wolverine, ignoring Scott.
"Good question," Wolverine answered him.
There was a loud explosion that caught their ears and in unison they turned to look in it's direction. Wolverine turned his attention to the other twin, thrusting himself into his arms. "Blind Side, Jean, you stay here with him," he gesture to the younger version of himself. "The rest of you come with me! We may need your help."
With that he ran out the door. Without an instant's hesitation he was followed closely by Joseph, and the blond that had opened the portal. Bobby turned to look at the others.
"Don't worry, we'll explain it all later; Right now you just gotta listen to what we tell you." He looked reflectively out the door after Wolverine, then added quietly, "It's the only way you'll stay alive."
Bobby turned out the door and ran to catch up with the others. Wolverine was in the lead, flanked by Joseph and one of the twins. They were running straight down the hall, towards the main staircase.
When the were about twenty metres away from the last turn, a small boy of about nine years of age, turned the hall. He had blood caked on his clothes, skin and long black hair making him look as if he were running from a war zone. When he saw them running towards him his eyes went wide and his speed picked up as did Wolverine's.
"Logan!" He yelled, sounding exhausted and elated at the same time. Just as he yelled, any small child's reason for terror followed directly on his tail.
The X-Men drew in a sharp breath as Sabretooth sliced down at the boy. He caught him on the back but did not do enough damage to stop him. When Creed looked up and saw them all running in his direction, he back tracked and went the other way.
As he disappeared out of view the boy flung himself into Logan's arms, terrified and wide eyed but oddly not crying. Logan patted his head as the others came to stop around him.
"Where's your father Toren?" The twin asked.
He looked up at him with wide eyes, jade retinas glistening with tears unshead in the dim hall light, but he didn't respond.
Wolverine sighed. The kid was raised hard. He knew the value of keeping a focused mind in war situations. Something REALLY bad must have happened to scare him like this. "Okay kid," Logan said pulling him out to look at him. "What happened? Where's Remy?"
He blinked at the sound of his father's name. He hadn't heard it in so long that it shook him. "Downstairs," he whispered in a voice barely vocal.
"Who else is there?"
He seemed to be gathering himself. "Mr. President, Donovan, Mommy, Carley..." He trailed off a minute, before countinuing.
"Toren?"
He took a deep breath and gestured as if trying to explain the whole situation to him without words. "Doc," he said simply in a voice that showed his exasperation.
Logan nodded and cupped the young boy's cheek. "Who else?" He asked in a gentle voice.
Torin's eyes narrowed in an almost hawk like and somehow predatorial nature. "Creed and Essex," he hissed, as if the two simple names pained him to say.
"Okay kid," Logan stated, flatening his hair. "Here, go with Portal." He gestured to the twin that had come with them. "He'll take you some place safe."
He only nodded sadly as he took the other's hand. The twin looked at Logan as if to say 'Where?'
Logan seemed to understand and said, "Your brother."
"Ah," He stated as he nodded and the two disapeared through a portal. As soon as they were gone, Logan turned to the X-Men and said, "Welcome to your future," before taking off in a dead run the way the boy had come.
Then Bobby added, with a solemn look on his face, "Welcome to Hell."
TBC...
First write edited by Kirsty. Thanks gal!