Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men; however, these new X-Men are my creations. Copy them, and I'll lay claim to your first-born.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: The X-Men must stop a new brand of enemy—and time is anything but on their side.

Author's Note: This is the fourth in my New X-Men Chronicles, following "The More Things Change…," "Clinging to Falling Angels," and "Only a Shadow of Innocence." It's probably a good idea to at least skim over those first—otherwise you'll have no idea what's going on.

Feedback and Archiving: Please. I spend a lot of time on these stories, and I like to know people are reading them. Send all feedback and archiving requests to addie_logan@yahoo.com or IM me through AIM at ChereRogueMarie.

Shameless Website Plug: Go to my page. It's shiny… (Not really, but that works on some people.) https://www.angelfire.com/scifi/addielogan

 

New X-Men Chronicles Part IV:

Until the End of Eternity

By: Addie Logan

Team Roster:
Adanya Logan—Wildcat
Richard LeBeau—Renegade
Marie LeBeau—Charger
Kacie Drake—Ice Queen
William Starsmore—Sparks
Victoria Creed—Slayer
Warren Worthington IV—Shadow Stalker
Rachel Summers—Phoenix
Kristof Rasputin—Phaze
Illyana Rasputin—Mystik
Craig Marshall—Canis
Briana Braddock—Captain Britain
Dr. Angela Worthington

*** *** ***

The night's blackness blinded him. But he didn't need to see. He'd grown up in these swamps. He could make his way through them by memory.

Not that he had much of a choice. When you had an assassin bent on your demise on your tail, you didn't have a lot of time to dawdle. No, he had to get away—far away. Preferably out of Louisiana all together. But where?

He thought of a place and smiled to himself. He could lose his adversary. Running was what he did best, after all. And then, well, he'd hop on the first plane to New York.

It was about time he paid a visit to his favorite cousin anyway.

*** *** ***

As soon as Victoria Creed opened the door she wished she hadn't. The man on the other side was tall and scrawny, with dirty, light brown hair pulled in a long ponytail. His facial features were obscured by several days' worth of stubble, and he smelled like a swamp. Vicky wrinkled her nose. "Can I help you?"

"I need t'speak to my cousin…Marie."

Vicky raised an eyebrow. "You're LeBeau's cousin, huh? Well, that explains a lot." She went as far as the end of the stairs and hollered up, "MARIE!"

Marie came bouncing down a few moments later. "Emil!" She squealed as soon as she saw the visitor. She ran into his arms, giggling. Vicky wondered how she managed not to die from the stench.

"Miss me, petite?" Emil asked.

Marie laughed. "Of course!" She pulled away. "Emil, why are you here?"

"Would you believe to visit?"

"With you? No."

"Marius Boudreaux wants t'kill me."

"Marius! What did you do?"

"Not a t'ing!"

"Sure."

"Marius jus' have it in for me, Marie! I'm innocent, I swear!"

Marie held up her hands. "Fine, fine. Whatever. I'll let you keep your silence—for now. Come with me upstairs and I'll see if maybe we can find someplace to put you."

"T'anks." Emil followed Marie, stopping beside Vicky. "You're hot," he whispered to her.

Vicky jumped about three feet back. "Get away from me, swamp boy!"

Emil laughed as he went up the stairs, and Vicky decided she found the sound quite annoying.

*** *** ***

"Where are you headed?" Ric asked Logan as he saw her going for the front door.

"Out."

"Now? It's midnight on a Tuesday, Addie."

Logan shrugged. "Do you think I care? I'm bored around here. I want to go somewhere."

"Alone?"

Logan rolled her eyes. "For your information, I have a date."

"Same guy you saw last week?"

She snorted. "No. Look, Ric, I'm in a hurry. Go keep your girlfriend warm or something."

Ric cringed at the mention of Illyana, and Logan smiled to herself. Knowing that Ric had spent the past six months in a miserable relationship with the Russian girl thrilled Logan for some reason. "I'm worried about you, Logan."

"Why?"

"Because ever since Tristan left you've been acting, well, not like yourself. You're never around at night, half your closet is leather, and you spend a lot more time out alone or with strangers than you do with your friends."

"Friends? Like you, Ric?"

"Dammit, Addie, why do you have to make everything a fight?"

"Because you always go around acting like my father! Hell, Ric, I can't even walk out the door without getting the third degree from you! Why don't you just take a hint and leave me alone?!"

"You're throwing your life away."

"My life."

"Adanya…"

Logan rolled her eyes and walked away before she had to listen to him anymore. She slammed the door hard enough to rattle the walls. Ric sighed.

"Still love her?"

Ric jumped, then turned around. "Vicky! Damn, I didn't even hear you come in."

"Yeah, I'm real quiet like." She grinned, showing her fangs.

"I've noticed. What are you doing?"

"Hiding from your cousin."

"Emil? He hasn't even been here a day…"

"Yeah, well, it's been long enough. He keeps asking me if I want to touch his gator."

"His what?"

"I decided it was safer not to ask. What's up with him anyway?"

"He's the first son of my dad's cousin—Emil Lapin, Sr. Emil, Jr.'s one of thirteen."

Vicky's eyes grew huge. "Thirteen? As in there are twelve more of him?"

"Worse. Little redheaded swamplings, the whole brood. Emil's the only one to have his mother's coloring."

"Oy. And that's your family?"

"Marie's more likely to claim them than I am. Emil and I have never gotten along."

"I can see why. Does he ever bathe?"

Ric snorted. "Yeah. With swamp water."

Vicky wrinkled her nose. "At least it gives me a head start in running."

Ric chuckled. "Yeah."

"RIC!"

Vicky jumped a little at the screech from upstairs. Ric just sighed. "I'm needed, apparently."

"RIC!"

"Coming, Yana!" Ric yelled. "Sorry, Vicky. Catch you later, all right?"

"Yeah, sure. Better get up to your girlfriend until she banishes you to Siberia or something."

"Very funny."

"RIC!"

"I'm coming!" Ric bounded up the stairs, muttering the whole way.

Kacie Drake came down shortly after him. "Vicky! Are you busy?"

"No. I was talking to Ric, but then the little woman called."

"Well, in Mother Country, men always come when yelled at," Kacie said in a perfect imitation of Illyana's accent.

"You do that well."

"Thanks. You up for a game of pool?"

"Where's Billy?"

Kacie pouted. "Watching mud wrestling with Warren. I've been abandoned."

Vicky laughed. "Makes me glad I'm single."

Kacie grinned from ear to ear. "Billy has his perks."

"I'm sure."

"So, you up for a good ass-whoopin'?"

"As if, Drake. I could take you out in pool blindfolded."

"You wish."

The challenge was laid down, and Vicky Creed was more than willing to take it up.

*** *** ***

It was the perfect shot. If she could make it, she would have beaten Kacie, hands down. All Vicky had to do was concentrate.

She made the mistake of looking up, just in time to see Emil Lapin standing in the doorway of the rec room, he mouthed something that looked suspiciously like, "Wanna touch my gator?" Vicky missed the shot.

"Emil!" she yelled, putting down the pool cue and going after him. Kacie got out of the way, deciding between Creed and her prey was not a good place to be. "I'm going to kill you, swamp boy!"

"Go 'head and try, chère. Like t'have ya dat close."

"Okay, that's it."

Emil just laughed, standing there. "You smell good," he said when she was close.

"Can't say the same for you." Vicky raised her hand, and Emil moved quickly, easily evading her. "Dammit!"

Emil chuckled, and walked away down the hall. "See ya later, chère!"

"Not if I'm lucky!" Vicky called after him, deciding that following would mean more swamp smell, and that was a bad thing.

Kacie was standing beside the pool table, looking smug. "I think you guys would make a cute couple."

"Bite me."

Kacie laughed as she prepared to make her next shot.

*** *** ***

"Thanks for coming on such short notice."

Logan shrugged. "I'm your sister. What else could I do?"

"Most little sisters wouldn't run out in the middle of the night because their big brothers told them to," Craig replied.

"I would've been here earlier if I'd had my damn cell phone on. But I don't mind coming this late. Even gave me a chance to mess with Ric's head a little."

"You still giving that boy a hard time?"

"Well, yeah. I have a tendency to stay bitter."

"Must be genetic," Craig mumbled. "Briana called the other day and I hung up on her."

Logan chuckled. "Good. She's a bitch, and you can do better."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Anytime. So where is this thing you wanted to show me?"

"Over here."

Craig led Logan to a small wooded area behind a tennis court on his mother's estate. "I was visiting Mom, and my cousin made me play tennis with him the way he does every time I see him. Anyway, I lost a ball, and I went back here to get it, and well, see for yourself."

Logan stared ahead of them. It was a light, floating in midair. Logan walked around it. "It looks almost like some sort of…rip."

"It's gotten bigger since I was here earlier."

"That probably isn't good."

"Have you ever seen anything like it?"

"Nope."

"I thought maybe Cerebro would have some information that we could use, but I wasn't sure. And I wanted to talk to you before any of the other X-Men. Some of them have a habit of freaking out to an annoying degree," Craig said.

"Try living with them. I'm about to kill Illyana Rasputin," Logan muttered.

"Sure none of that's jealousy?"

Logan glared at her brother, then turned her attention back to the light. She tentatively reached a hand in, and noticed that it didn't come out the other side. She pulled it out. "Okay, that's freaky."

Suddenly, the light grew brighter, causing both Craig and Logan to shield their eyes. It flared up like a pulse, and something fell out, hitting the ground. The light went back to the size it had been when Craig had first seen it.

"What the…" Craig stopped, looking down at his feet. It was a young woman, with thick red hair. He looked at Logan, and then they both crouched down beside her. Craig rolled the woman over, and her green eyes opened for a moment.

"1407 Greymalkin Lane," she said softly before going limp against Craig.

Craig and Logan looked at each other. They both knew that address well.

The Mansion.

*** *** ***

Craig and Logan managed to get the redhead back to the mansion safely. She still hadn't woken up. "I think she needs a doctor," Logan said as Craig carried the woman into the mansion.

"Won't Angela be asleep?"

Logan frowned. She hated to wake up Angie as sick as she was, but she knew she would have to. "Bring her down to the medlab. Angela would want me to wake her up in this situation."

"All right."

The woman started to mumble. She opened her eyes. "Craig…" she said softly. "Did it not work?"

Craig looked at her in shock. "How do you know who I am?"

The woman frowned for a second, then smiled. "It did work." Her eyes closed again.

"Okay, take the creepy girl down to the medlab. I'm getting Angie," Logan said.

Craig nodded his assent and carried the redhead off. Logan rushed upstairs to Angela's room. She knocked on the door and Cable answered. He looked tired and cranky. "What?"

"Craig and I found a girl. She fell through some sort of light thingy, said the address of the mansion, and passed out. Then, when we got here, she knew Craig, but he didn't know her. He took her down to the medlab."

"Is she conscious now?" Angela peeked out from behind Cable, straightening her glasses on her nose.

"She wasn't when Craig took her down."

"All right." Angela telekinetically floated a robe over to her, slipping her wings through the holes she'd had tailored in the back. "You coming, Nate?"

"Yeah."

Craig already had the woman lying on a table when Angela got down there. "Logan said she fell out of a big light?" Angie asked as she taking her patient's vitals.

"Yeah," Craig replied. "It was the strangest thing…"

The woman opened her eyes again. She looked up at Angela and smiled. "I'm not sick," she said softly. "Just…very tired."

"Why are you tired? What happened to you?" Angela asked.

The woman's eyes started to close again. "I had a…long trip. Talk in the morning."

"Think one of us should scan her?" Nathan asked. "She doesn't look like she's going to answer any questions tonight."

"Maybe you should. I don't think I'm up to it," Angela said. "Just a surface scan. Make sure she's all right."

Nathan closed his eyes, touching the front of his mind. He hit a block almost immediately, and he could tell from the type that she was a telepath. But then the block fell, as if she was letting him in. And then he knew who she was.

"Nate? Honey, are you all right?" Angela put her hand on Cable's shoulder.

Nathan shook his head, pulling himself back into reality. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Could you get anything? You looked a little…pale," Angie said.

"No," Nathan said, hoping Angie couldn't sense he wasn't being completely truthful. "I think she's telepathic. She has some sort of block."

Angie frowned. "You want me to try?"

"No! I mean, I don't think you should, baby. You've been so weak recently. She'll be fine. I think she was telling the truth when she said all she needed was rest."

"Should we just leave her down here then?" Angie asked.

"No. I'll stay with her."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Nathan, I…"

"Get some sleep, Angie." Cable kissed her lightly on the forehead.

"Let me know if anything happens down here."

"I will."

Angie left the medlab with Craig and Logan following behind her.

Nathan sat beside the sleeping woman and wondered exactly what he was going to do about her. He frowned. Whoever said karma was a bitch had been absolutely right.

*** *** ***

"Hey." Emil Lapin came into the living room and sat beside Vicky on the couch.

Vicky groaned. "What do you want? And if you say anything about your gator, I swear, you're going to die."

"Can I smell your hair?"

"Excuse me?"

Emil grinned. "Can I smell your hair?"

Vicky stood up. "No! Marie! Your creepy cousin is bothering me again!" She ran out of the room.

Emil started to chase after her, but stopped when he heard the doorbell ring. He shrugged and walked over to get it. "May I help you?" he asked, opening the door.

The blonde on the other side of the door gave him a funny look. "Who are you?"

"Emil Lapin. Who are you?"

"Do you live here?"

"No. Do you?"

The blonde looked highly annoyed. "Where is Angela Worthington?"

"I don't know her. Who are you?"

The woman sighed. "I'm Briana Braddock. Angela's cousin. What are you doing here, Emil was it?"

"I'm visiting my cousin, too."

"Oh." Briana pushed her way through. "That's nice." She turned back around. "Peter, follow me with my bags."

Briana walked past Emil and up the stairs. A thin man with black hair came in a few minutes later, dragging a few heavy suitcases. "Let me help you with those," Emil said, taking a couple of the bags.

The black-haired man looked up. "Thanks, mate. Apparently, the woman's too bloody important to carry her own bags."

Emil chuckled. "I know the type. I'm Emil, by the way. I'd shake your hand if these things didn't weigh a ton."

"Peter. And same to you."

Briana hung over the railing. "Are you coming, Peter?"

"Hold your bloody horses, woman!" he called up the stairs. "I'm your bodyguard, not your valet."

Briana huffed and walked back down the hall. "I can see why she'd need a bodyguard," Emil said. "I've known her five seconds, and I want to kill her."

"Briana inspires people that way."

Peter started dragging the bags up the stairs with Emil close behind.

*** *** ***

"Angie!"

Angela jumped up. "Geez Warren, what? And be quiet! I have a patient sleeping over there."

Warren glanced over to where Cable was still sitting with the woman Craig and Logan had brought in the night before. "Right. The mysterious redhead or whatever. Look, I was just upstairs, and, um, we have a visitor."

"Visitor? What sort of visitor?"

"Family from overseas visitor."

Angela turned a little pale and sat down. "Oh no."

"Oh yes."

"Can't you just make her go away?"

"I wish."

Cable looked up. "You two aren't talking about who I think you are, are you?"

"Yeah," Warren said. "Briana's here?"

Cable groaned.

"Why is she here?" Angela asked. "I figured she'd be gone forever. Didn't she just get married less than a year ago?"

"Yeah," Warren replied. "And it's all ready over. She's here to get away from all the stress of the divorce. And she brought a British Intelligence agent hired to watch after her. He's about as friendly as a rabid dog."

"I would be, too, if I had to spend all my time with Briana," Cable muttered. Angela looked over at him and he shrugged.

"She wants to talk to you," Warren told his sister. "I think she wants to discuss how to survive a divorce."

"Oh dear lord," Angela said. "That is the last thing I want to think about. As far as I'm concerned, Kerrigan never happened, and I really don't feel like discussing him with Briana."

"Well, maybe she'll find Craig, and he can distract her for a while," Warren said.

Angela gave him a dirty look. "Don't wish that on the poor guy. Craig's decent."

Warren laughed. "I'm going out for a while. Taking Rachel to some boring chick-flick she wants to see. Just wanted to warn you."

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

Warren went back upstairs, and Cable walked over to Angela. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Angie said. "I just really don't want to deal with my cousin."

"Want me to make her go away? Because I can, you know."

Angela smiled slightly. "Thanks for the offer, love, but I think I'll be okay. I'll just have to spend a lot of time 'working.'"

Cable chuckled. "Let me know if you change your mind."

"Is anyone in here?"

Nathan and Angela both turned sharply at the voice. The redhead was sitting up in her bed, looking around. Cable swallowed hard, not sure if he was ready to face the consequences her being awake would cause.

Angela walked over to the woman. "Hello, I'm Dr. Angela Worthington, and you're at the Xavier Institute. Can you tell me who you are?"

The redhead nodded. "My name is Elizabeth Summers, and the world only has one week left."

*** *** ***

Craig stopped short in the middle of the hallway. He didn't believe what he was seeing. He really wished he'd just gone back into the city like he'd wanted to instead of Logan talking him into staying because of the late hour. "Briana?"

Briana looked up, her eyes growing wide when she say Craig. "I…I didn't expect you to be here," she said.

Craig frowned. "Well hello to you, too."

"I didn't mean that! I just…hi."

"Hi."

Briana reached out tentatively and hugged Craig. He returned the gesture stiffly. "So, how's Howard?" he asked.

"I wouldn't know. We're…separated."

"That was quick."

Craig's words obviously stung. "I…I know."

"Look, I need to get going. I want to get home," Craig said.

Briana looked down. "I was hoping…maybe we could talk some."

"I've said all I ever want to say to you."

"Craig…"

"You hurt me, Briana. Badly. I'm not the kind of guy who opens myself up for that sort of heartache twice. I don't want anything to do with you."

"Craig!"

"No. I'm leaving."

Tears shone in Briana's eyes. "But…I made a mistake leaving you. I love you! More than I ever did Howard."

"Too fucking bad." Craig walked passed her, refusing to look back.

*** *** ***

"What did you say?" Angela asked the redhead.

"I said the world only has one week left," the woman repeated. "Look, I need to get out of here. I'm fine, really."

"I can't let you do that," Angela replied. "You just woke up after being out for fourteen hours. I need…"

Elizabeth pulled herself off the bed. "I'm fine. Ask Nate."

Angela looked up at Cable, puzzled. "What is she talking about?"

"She is fine," Cable said. "Trust me. She was just…dazed. Time traveling takes it out of you."

"What?"

"Nathan read my mind right after I got here," Elizabeth explained. "He knows."

Angela frowned, remembering how Nathan has said the woman had been blocking his attempts to probe her mind. "Knows what?"

"Who I am."

"Who are you?"

Elizabeth met Angela's eyes. "Your daughter."

*** *** ***

Peter stopped short when he entered the kitchen. The woman standing beside the sink looked familiar, but not from any experience of his own. She reminded him of someone he'd seen in old photographs, ones his father had always hated to look at. The woman he was looking at now was too young to be her, Peter knew, but the resemblance was uncanny. He wanted to talk to her. "Hello," he said, making his presence known.

The woman jumped, then turned around. "Hello," she replied in a softly-accented voice. Peter placed it as Russian, probably from around St. Petersburg. "Who are you?"

"The name's Peter," he replied. "Who are you?"

"Illyana Rasputin," the woman replied. "Are you…supposed to be here?"

Illyana Rasputin. The name was fuzzily familiar to Peter. The memory clicked, and he knew exactly why she looked so much like the woman in the photographs. She was her daughter. "I'm with British Intelligence," Peter told her. "I'm here babysitting Captain Britain."

Illyana gave him a wry smile. "I do not envy you that job."

"I don't think anyone does," Peter said with a smirk. "You're Kitty Pryde's daughter, aren't you?" he asked.

Illyana looked a little surprised. "How did you know that?"

"Our parents used to work together. On Excalibur. My dad and your mum."

"Oh? Who's your father?"

"Peter Wisdom."

Illyana was definitely surprised by that. "Peter Wisdom? But I thought…"

"He died?" Peter supplied. "No, he's very much alive. He's back in London with me mum."

"Who's your mother?"

"No one you'd know."

Illyana looked away. "My mother talked about your father from time to time. I don't think she ever stopped loving him."

Peter shrugged. "He's a lovable guy. You look a lot like your mum. From the pictures I've seen of her, at least."

"You look like your father."

"So I've been told."

Illyana suddenly felt inexplicably nervous. Peter's eyes were such an intense shade of blue. "I…I have to go," she stammered. "I'm going out later…with my boyfriend. I have to…get ready."

"All right. Nice talking to you. Maybe we could do it again sometime—compare notes on our parents." Peter winked.

Illyana steadied herself on the counter. "That would be…nice. I have to go. My, um, boyfriend. I have to…bye…"

Peter chuckled as she ran out of the kitchen. Apparently his knack with women extended to those of the Russian variety as well.

*** *** ***

"You're my what?"

"Your daughter," Elisabeth repeated. "Look, I don't really have the time to get into this. I was sent here from the future to save the universe. Discussing the logistics of it is only going to mess with the schedule and damn everyone and everything."

Angela raised an eyebrow. "And exactly what is endangering the universe?"

Elisabeth sighed. "The Ultramites."

"The Ultrawhat?"

"The Ultramites. They're these small creatures who are feeding off time itself. I'm not sure exactly where they came from, but they're nasty little bastards. If we don't stop them, everything will cease to exist."

It was a little more than Angela could handle. She took a couple steps back. "Nate, could you field this one?"

Cable nodded, and approached Elisabeth. "How do you expect us to stop them?"

"Their leader has set up a base here—in this time—for now at least. The X-Men and I, well, the X-Men from my time, we located him. I was elected to go through the time portal since my family had…experience with this sort of thing. I'm supposed to get the team from this time together and send them after the Ultramites."

Angela took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Let me get this straight—you're the daughter I haven't had yet, and you've come here to have the X-Men stop some midgets from 'eating' time?"

Elisabeth nodded. "Yes. That's exactly it."

Angela sat down. "I really need to get a more normal life."

Cable put a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder before turning back to Elisabeth. "What do you want us to do?"

"Can you assemble the team? Who's leading it at the moment?"

"It was Rebecca Munroe," Nathan replied, "But she's taking a hiatus at the moment. The team was recently divided into Blue and Gold teams again on a permanent basis, and as it stands, Adanya Logan has been made leader of Blue team, while Rachel Summers is temporary leader of Gold team."

Angela reached up and took hold of Nathan's hand. "Nate, hon, could I talk to you in the hallway for a minute?"

Nathan looked up at Elisabeth, who shrugged. He nodded, and walked out in the hallway with Angela. "You don't actually believe this craziness, do you?" Angie hissed as soon as they were alone.

"Angela, I read the woman's mind when she first got here. She isn't lying," Cable replied.

"You said she's a telepath. Maybe she's blocking you from the truth."

Nathan shook his head. "She's the genuine article, Angie. Why are you being so difficult about it?"

"Because if she is my daughter, then what right does she have to come back here and try to mess with everything? I don't like the idea that my future is already laid out for me!"

Cable bristled. "The future changes, Angela. She's trying to make it better. Do you want to cease to exist?"

"Well she shouldn't exist," Angela snapped. "I don't have any children."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Nathan replied, every inch of his body tense, "But she's here whether you like it or not. I'm going to round up the X-Men. You better deal with your issues."

"Nathan…"

Cable pushed past her to go upstairs and find the others. Angela's wings drooped.

*** *** ***

The X-Men all stared blankly at Elisabeth Summers. Kacie Drake was the first to speak up. "So these little people eating time, exactly how small are they? Like Logan short, or more like leprechauns?"

"More on the leprechaun side," Elisabeth replied, knowing it wouldn't be the right time to laugh at the absolutely murderous look Addie was giving Kacie. She was grateful to see some things were just about the same in this time as in her own. Addie Logan looked the same as she'd always remembered her. As did Craig Marshall… "They'd probably come up to your kneecaps. When they're in their full size, that is."

"And these people are supposed to be a threat?" Kacie asked. "Sounds like we could just kick 'em, or something."

"They're vicious," Elisabeth replied. "Besides, they aren't exactly your normal everyday sort of people. They're eating time for Christ's sake."

"How exactly are they doing that?" Billy asked. "I mean, time's not exactly something you can just go and make a sandwich out of."

"I'm not sure exactly how," Elisabeth replied, "Although I believe they've found some way to access the temporal plane. I'm still not sure why they're doing it either, unless it's something that they've always done, and they've just now reached a point where someone actually noticed it. Time does stretch it infinity after all."

"So what do you want us to do?" Rachel asked. She had a hard time looking at Elisabeth. They looked enough alike for it to be unnerving.

"I need to find where the leader of the Ultramites is stationed, and stop him before he orders his people to eat anymore. If we can cut them off at the source, maybe the universe can be saved," Elisabeth replied.

"And if we can't?" Logan asked.

"Then we're screwed. So are you guys in?"

Logan looked over at Rachel, who replied with a shrug. "Sure. Living a Twilight Zone episode beats just sitting around the mansion."

Elisabeth smiled. "Good. I need to be able to access Cerebro and see if I can get a reading on the little guy. He showed up on Cerebro in my time, and I'm hoping he will now."

"Is he a mutant?" Briana asked.

"I honestly don't know," Elisabeth replied. "I didn't really have a chance to find out a lot before I was shoved through the portal."

"I'll work Cerebro with you," Rachel offered, not wanting to let this virtual stranger work one of their most crucial instruments alone. "When do you want to get started?"

"Now would be good," Elisabeth said.

Rachel stood up. "Let's go, then."

The two redhead Summerses walked out, leaving the rest of the X-Men in a semi-stupor. Logan shook her head. "So, I guess we're supposed to sit around and wait for them to turn something up."

"Looks like it," Vicky replied. "I for one am going to find something interesting to do." She stood up. "Up for a game of pool, Drake?"

Kacie grinned. "Oh yeah. I am so gonna kick your ass again, Creed."

"Not unless swamp boy breaks my concentration again."

Vicky and Kacie left the War Room, with the rest of the X-Men soon following their lead.

*** *** ***

Kris Rasputin figured answering the door would be the best way to get the person on the other side to stop pounding on it. Truth be told, all he really wanted to do was get upstairs where Marie had said she'd be waiting for him, but apparently a really impatient person had come to visit.

He threw open the door, not even bothering to feign politeness. "Who are you, and what do you want?" he asked the blonde man on the other side.

Marius Boudreaux decided immediately he didn't like this guy, whoever he was. He was glad he was wearing shoes with big soles. It gave him a height advantage over the other man, who would probably normally be about even with him. Maybe even an inch or so taller. "I'm looking f'Marie LeBeau. She live here?"

Kris picked up on the other man's Cajun accent. "Maybe. Are you one of her relatives?"

"Non. I'm an…old acquaintance."

"You got a name?" Kris asked. He wished this guy would go away. He didn't want Marie to have company when he wanted her to himself.

"Marius Boudreaux. Marie an' I grew up toget'er, back in Louisiana."

"She never mentioned you."

"I just need t'talk to her. I know she's here. Unless dere's some ot'er Xavier's School for de Gifted."

"Maybe she's not here right now."

Marius was about to continue arguing with Kris, when, from the corner of his eye, he caught someone walking by. He pushed Kris out of the way and bellowed, "LAPIN!"

Emil stopped, his expression that of a deer in headlights. "Uh, hi Marius."

Marius started towards Emil, and Kris made a break for the stairs. Maybe calling Marie downstairs wasn't such a bad idea after all…

*** *** ***

Marie could tell as soon as Kris came into her room that all wasn't right. "What is it?" she asked.

"Marius Boudreaux is here. And he's already found Emil."

"Merde!" Marie exclaimed, running towards the stairs. She came to an abrupt stop when she saw Marius holding Emil against the wall by his neck. "Marius!" Marie yelled. "Let him go!"

"He's gone too far dis time, Marie," Marius replied.

Marie ran to Marius, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Please, for me, let him go. We can talk it out. Everything will be okay. Don't hurt him."

Marius turned to Marie, her eyes the one thing in the world that had ever been able to quell his anger. He let go of Emil, letting him drop to the floor, gasping for air. "He stole my fiancée," Marius said.

"I didn't steal her," Emil replied, trying to get back up. "Only borrowed her. You can have her back now."

"You little bastard," Marius growled, trying to go after Emil again. Marie held him back.

"Now Marius, y'know my parents were good an' married by de time I came along," Emil replied. "Well, if dat really is my papa. Maman didn't find Jesus 'till I was t'ree."

Marius narrowed his violet eyes at Emil. "I'm still gonna kill you, Lapin. Jus' gonna have t'wait until de femme ain't here t'protect ya."

"In dat case, Marie, you t'ink mebbe you could never let me outta your sight?" Emil asked his cousin.

Marie sighed. "This is crazy. Marius, you can't just kill people because they piss you off, no matter what that mother of yours tells you. And Emil, I told you your habit of trying to seduce every woman who comes within a five-mile radius of you was going to get you in trouble."

Emil looked almost chagrined for a moment, before he looked back up at Marius and said. "Y'know, I probably saved you. She wasn't dat great."

Marius slipped out of Marie's grasp that time. Emil screamed and ran with the blonde Cajun close on his heels. Emil smacked into Vicky Creed, then got behind her, ducking. "Save me! De crazy man wants t'kill me!"

Vicky jumped back. "Get off me, swamp thing! And if he wants to kill you, I doubt he's all that crazy. Sounds like a pretty rational thought to me."

Emil gave her his best puppy dog eyes. "But I'm too handsome t'die!"

"That's debatable," Vicky muttered.

Marius came charging into the room. "Hiding behind a woman, Lapin? Dat's jus' like you."

"But look at her!" Emil said, getting back behind Vicky. "She's all tall an' she's got little claw t'ingies."

Vicky rolled her eyes. "Oh fer the love a… What's wrong with you people? Did you drink swamp water?"

Marie and Kris came in then, and Marie grabbed Marius's arm, trying to pull him back. "Please, Marius. I'm begging you. Don't hurt Emil. He's my cousin. If something happened to him, I'd be devastated."

"He ruined Claire's honor!"

"Uh, Marius, Claire's honor was pretty much ruined long 'fore I got dere."

Marie shot her cousin a dirty look. "You're not helping, Emil." She turned back to Marius. "Look, if Claire was so quick to jump in bed with him, then you're probably better off without her anyway."

Emil frowned. "I t'ink I was jus' insulted."

"You were, gator boy," Vicky replied. Emil pouted.

"Marius, can't you just give up on wanting to hurt Emil?" Marie asked. "It won't really bring anything except more fighting between the Guilds."

Marie could tell that hit a nerve with Marius. He'd always seen the tension between the Guilds as nothing but counterproductive, believing that together, they would be able to accomplish much more than they ever could at odds with each other. "Fine, I'll let him go. As long as he promises t'stop tormentin' me every chance he gets."

Emil shook his head. "Sorry, can't do dat. I never make a promise I know I can't keep."

Marius started after Emil again. "You little…"

Marie jumped in front of him. "Stop it! And Emil, really. Just apologize or something, and the two of you can go home."

"I'm not goin' anywhere," Emil said. "De second I step back on Louisiana soil, he's gonna come after me again."

Marius crossed his arms over his chest. "An' I'm not goin' anywhere 'till he stops bein' so damn pigheaded."

Marie threw her arms up in the air. "I give up!" She grabbed Kris's arm. "Come on. I want to get out of the mansion."

"But, earlier, you said…" Kris whined.

Marie narrowed her eyes. "Take me out."

Kris decided this might be one time that he should do what she said. "Let's go, dushka."

"Marie, don't leave me!" Vicky called after Kris and Marie, but it was too late. She sighed, glancing from Marius to Emil. "Great," she muttered. "Two swamp boys."

Marius turned and stomped out of the room. Emil looked at Vicky with a huge grin on his face. "So you wanna touch my gator?"

Vicky slapped him then left the room in disgust. Emil rubbed his sore cheek and smiled. He loved a woman who could pack a mean punch.

*** *** ***

Rachel had to give Elisabeth credit—she knew her stuff when it came to Cerebro. It pushed any doubt from Rachel's mind that this woman was anything but what she said—how else could she know Cerebro so well? "Elisabeth?" Rachel asked.

"Lizzie."

"Huh?"

Elisabeth didn't turn away from Cerebro's control panel. "People call me Lizzie. Now what did you want to ask?"

"Am I, um, alive in your reality?"

"Yeah. Your kids were X-Men with me. Twins. Jean and Scott."

Rachel's eyes grew wide. "I have kids? With Warren?"

Lizzie frowned. "I don't think I should answer that question."

"Why not?"

"Always in motion is the future."

"What?"

"Yoda," Lizzie replied. "Haven't you ever seen Star Wars? Anyway, the future's always changing—and me coming back here surely didn't make it any more static."

"Is that your way of circumventing a negative answer?" Rachel asked.

"Let me put it this way. One of these days, you're going to learn the different between comfortable love and knock-your-socks-off love. Now where's that weird looking hat thing. I think I have everything set right finally."

"There," Rachel said pointing.

Lizzie smiled. "Then let's fire this baby up and see if we can find ourselves a time eating midget."

*** *** ***

"Hey, Ric."

Ric LeBeau looked up, startled. "Marius! What are you doing here?"

"Well, I wanted to kill your cousin, but your little sister wouldn't let me."

Ric smirked. "Marie's like that. Have a seat."

Marius sat in a chair across from Ric. "So how's life been treatin' ya, LeBeau?" he asked.

Ric looked around to make sure they were alone. "All right, I guess. I have a girlfriend I can't get rid of."

"I know de type."

"This one's especially bad. I think she's crazy. Literally. I'm scared to break up with her."

"Can't be dat bad."

"You should see her mad. Although she's usually only really bad when she's drunk."

"Is that often?"

"Is the Pope Catholic?"

Marius chuckled. "Sounds like you do have yourself a bit of trouble den, Richard. Why'd you get wit' her in de first place?"

Ric shrugged. "Seemed like a good idea at the time. And Tristan was here then."

"Tristan?"

"Logan's ex. She's who I really want to be with, but she won't have anything to do with me."

"An' I t'ought de LeBeaus were supposed to be able t'get any woman dey wanted."

"Apparently the Family Charm doesn't work on cranky little Canadians. So how long you stayin', Boudreaux?"

"Until Emil admits he was wrong in sleepin' wit' my woman."

"Your gonna be here a while then."

"Dat's the idea." Marius smiled. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Shoot."

"I wanna marry your sister."

Ric sat straight up. "Now wait just a minute. For starters, she's not even sixteen yet. She's got years before she's old enough to get married. And you're what—twenty two?"

"Twenty one. Just."

"Close enough. She's too young, and you're too damn old. Well, for her anyway."

"I didn't say I was gonna marry her tomorrow," Marius replied. "I just wanna make a start—see if I can get her to warm up to me. An' it looks like I have to get rid of some big Russian guy, too."

"That's Kris Rasputin," Ric said. "He's actually my girlfriend's brother."

"How cute."

"I didn't plan it that way. In all honesty, if I weren't stuck dating Illyana, I'd probably be pounding Kris's face into the pavement. He's gotten way too close to my sister."

Marius bristled. "In dat case, if ya ever need help wit' dat face poundin', let me know."

"Will do. So before I kill you for bringing it up, why exactly do you want to marry my sister?"

"De Guilds. We marry, dey have t'stop fightin'."

"Um, Marius, in case you've forgotten, that's already been tried," Ric said. "My dad and your mom. Didn't work."

Marius grinned. "Yeah, well, I ain't gonna kill you on de weddin' night."

"Nice to know," Ric muttered.

"Remy an' Bella Donna, dey never stood a chance. Dey cared about each ot'er yeah, but it was forced. If I can get Marie to really fall in love wit' me, when she's old enough, we can marry an' stay toget'er. And if we have a child…"

Ric held his hand up. "Stop right there. I don't want to hear anything about my baby sister having your kid. Besides, I heard you were engaged to Claire Brasseaux."

"Claire was a whore. Never really wanted t'marry her. Dat was Bella's idea. She wanted to make a union wit' Claire's family. But Claire sleepin' wit' Emil got me outta dat."

"So Lapin did you a favor?"

Marius's grin spread across his entire face. "A huge one. Not dat I'd tell him dat. Never t'ought dat boy would come in handy. But now dat Claire's outta de picture, I'm free to go after Marie."

"I don't know if I'd say that," Ric said with a frown. "It's admirable that you want to stop the Guilds from fighting, but I'd rather you didn't do it with my sister. She deserves someone who loves her for who she is—not for what she can do with her position as next leader of the Thieves Guild."

"I'd be a good husband to her, LeBeau."

"I don't want her used."

"Since when did you care about your family, anyway?" Marius asked. "You won't even become the next Patriarch of the T'ieves Guild."

"I care about my family," Ric said defensively. "I'd just rather not run around stealing things. It's not my style."

"I always t'ought you'd make a better assassin," Marius replied.

"I don't kill people either."

"Suit yourself," Marius said with a shrug. He got up. "I'm goin' t'find your sister."

"Marius…"

Marius winked before walking out of the room. Ric frowned. He was going to have to figure out some way to keep Marie far away from Marius Boudreaux.

*** *** ***

"So I guess your probably going to fight the Ultramites or whatever they're called too, aren't you?" Peter Wisdom asked Briana.

"Of course," Briana replied flippantly, going through dresses in her closet. "Captain Britain never walks away from a fight."

Peter rolled his eyes. "Don't get yourself killed, woman. I'll lose my job."

"Your status of employment is not my concern," Briana replied. "Besides, you're supposed to keep Howard from killing me—not some sort of supervillain."

Peter mumbled something about not being the slightest bit surprised Briana had driven her husband to homicide. "Are you sure you're not just here because you want that Craig bloke to jump back in bed with you?" he asked.

"I'm doing my duty as Captain Britain!" Briana exclaimed. She held up two dresses. "You're male—I think. Which one of these would make you want to shag me the most?"

"Neither," Peter replied. "The only way I'd want to shag you is if you got me too pissed to see straight and then put a bag over your head."

Briana glared at him. "I don't know why I got stuck with you. I could handle myself just fine without some bloody wanker following me everywhere. Now get out of my room so I can change."

"Gladly. Wouldn't want to be blinded." Peter walked out into the hall, slamming the door behind him. He saw Craig Marshall coming up the stairs and went over to him. "Watch your back, mate. Briana's on the prowl again."

Craig smiled. "Thanks for the heads up." He turned around and went back down the stairs in search of a place to avoid Captain Britain.

"Any time." Peter went back to lean against Briana's door hoping he'd just helped make her a little more miserable.

*** *** ***

Craig thought outside the mansion would probably be the best place to get away from Briana. She didn't spend extended periods of time exposed to natural light. He saw Elisabeth Summers standing beside a tall tree, her eyes closed, and her head tilted towards the sun. Craig stopped short. There was something about her he couldn't quite figure out. He was drawn to her. "Hey, Lizzie."

Lizzie turned sharply. "Craig! You surprised me. Wait. How did you…how did you know to call me Lizzie?"

Craig frowned. "I don't know. It just said it. Is that what you go by?"

"Yes."

"Must just fit you then. So what are you doing out here. I thought you and Rachel were inside with Cerebro."

"I needed a break," Lizzie explained. "Telepathy is draining."

"I can imagine."

"You know, it's so weird being here," Lizzie said. "I've spent my whole life at this mansion, and yet everything seems foreign to me. People I've known forever are strangers. Like you, Craig."

"So you did know me in your time."

Lizzie nodded. "I was your staunchest supporter."

"Supporter?"

"It's a long story. Basically, you formed your own splinter team of X-Men. Most of the other people didn't agree with it. They thought it was just because you were all old and bitter. But I knew you were doing what you thought you had to."

Craig wasn't sure he much cared for that version of the future. "Bitter?"

Lizzie took his hand. "I promised myself when I came here that I wouldn't try to really change anything…just stop the Ultramites. But I can't help it. Don't let her get to you, Craig. Don't let her ruin your life."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Briana."

"Briana? I could care less about her."

Lizzie shook her head. "You say that, but you know it isn't true. You're not hiding from her because you don't want to be around her—you're hiding from her because you know that if you spend more than a couple of minutes with her, she'll be back in your arms and in your heart. Don't let her do it, Craig. That woman's poison. She'll ruin your life." Lizzie pulled away. "I should get back inside."

"Yeah," Craig replied.

Lizzie started to walk away, but suddenly stopped. There'd been one thing she wanted to do for as long as she could remember, but had never had the guts to. But seeing as this wasn't really the Craig Marshall she knew, and that as soon as the Ultramites were gone she'd be back in her own time anyway, she decided to do it. She grabbed Craig and kissed him hard on the mouth before running off.

Craig stood there for a minute, wide-eyed. He started to ask Lizzie what the hell that had been all about, but by the time he shook off the shock, she was already gone. He walked back towards the mansion, deciding that Elisabeth Summers had to be the weirdest woman he'd ever known.

*** *** ***

Emil Lapin sat alone in the dark room, his eyes closed. Everything was falling into place. Marius was here. It was just the way he'd known it would be.

But there was one thing he hadn't counted on.  Emil opened his eyes, a heavy sigh of defeat escaping him.

Victoria Creed. He'd known who she was the moment he'd seen her, and he felt more helpless than he ever had before. Even with the visions, he'd considered himself in charge of his own destiny.

He'd seen her since he was a child. A face, long blonde hair—something always just out of reach. He hadn't thought she could be real. But she was. And from the moment he'd seen her, he'd loved her. Hell, he'd loved her even before then.

Emil shook his head. It didn't have to be fate. He wouldn't let the unavoidable happen. Nothing was written in stone. Even if things played out just as he saw them for everyone else, they wouldn't for him.

He pulled his good luck gator key chain out of pocket and smiled. He was in control.

*** *** ***

Rachel pushed her chair a little bit away from Cerebro, rubbing the back of her neck. "You know, if I wasn't so damn optimistic, I'd be declaring this a futile effort."

Lizzie chuckled. "Must be a Summers family trait, because I'm not quite ready to throw in the towel either."

Rachel stood up. "I'm going to get some coffee before I pass out. Want some?"

"You can go to bed if you want, Rae. Isn't Warren waiting up for you?"

"He's not home. Though I doubt he would be waiting if he were. We haven't been going to bed at the same time a lot recently."

Lizzie raised an eyebrow. "Anything you need to get off your chest?"

"Coffee or not?"

Lizzie could take a hint. "Two sugars, please."

Rachel nodded, walking out. She was gone for only a moment, before she heard Lizzie calling her. She ran back into the room. "What?"

Lizzie pointed to the screen. "I've found something."

*** *** ***

Marius was glad he was known for giving off one of those creepy vibes. That way he could sit in the rec room and appear brooding without being questioned. In all honesty, he was watching Marie and Kris. He didn't like the way Kris was with her. Every gesture he made towards her had blatant sexual overtones, and Marius felt himself growing suddenly territorial. He was going to claim Marie for his own someday, and he didn't like the idea of her being touched by anyone else.

He narrowed his violet eyes, wanting to rip off Kris's hand as it strayed to Marie's back. Marie laughed at something he said, and Marius had to fight to keep himself sane.

Marie was meant to be his. Sure, he had to wait, but they were made for each other. Together, they could turn the Guilds into something really formidable. All he had to do was bide his time, and make sure when she was old enough, Marie LeBeau knew whose arm she should be on.

And that meant it was time to get rid of a certain oversized Russian...

*** *** ***

They had it narrowed down to an area. Granted, they still needed to search a little more before they could alert the team, but knowing were to look was a big leap forward. Beat having to scan the whole world.

Rachel found herself actually grateful for the fact that the team was facing some sort of peril, although that thought made her feel guilty. Still, focusing on the X-Men meant she didn't have to feel so much. She could just be a part of the team for a while, and forget what real life was like.

Still, being with Lizzie made her wonder... She contemplated her question for an hour before asking. "You said I have children, but what am I like in the future?"

Lizzie looked over. "I'm not supposed to tell you that."

"Am I alive?"

"As far as I've seen. Things change, though."

"Am I still an X-Man?"

"It's complicated."

Lizzie looked away, and Rachel frowned. She knew what curiosity could do, but she wanted to know anyway. "You're not going to tell me anything, are you?"

"I've already messed up the future enough," Lizzie said, thinking back to her conversation with Craig earlier that evening.

"If you assume the future is linear. What if it's not? What if you were meant to come back here, and by doing so you've created the future that was supposed to exist?"

"Reminds me of some of the debates my father used to get in with people when I was a child," Lizzie said. She laughed. "Always sort of gave me a headache."

"I can see where it would. Just watching episodes of The Outer Limits about time travel gives me a headache."

Lizzie grinned, then turned back to Cerebro, working silently for a few moments. She stopped. "Rachel?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think it's wrong to want to change something about the future when you're faced with the opportunity?"

"I think everything happens for a reason. There's no one to say that that change wasn't supposed to occur. But I wouldn't recommend going around, changing things recklessly."

Lizzie gave a little nod, pondering that as she searched for the Ultramites. One question kept going through her head—would it be reckless to try to save Craig by trying to make him fall in love with her?

*** *** ***

Logan had to admit, there were some times when nothing could make her feel better save hitting something. She wished that Rachel and Elisabeth would hurry up and find those Ultra-thingies so she could beat up on something other than holographic Illyana Rasputins in the Danger Room.

Logan was pretty sure pounding on representations of a teammate was a taboo, but she figured it had worked for her father. Besides, it raised her spirits. Especially after having just had to watch Illyana shove her tongue halfway down Ric's throat. Kacie had told her weeks earlier that Billy had told her that Ric didn't even love Illyana—hell, that he didn't even really like her. He'd apparently said then that he'd dump her any day then. But he hadn't. He'd kept right on putting up with her shit. Logan's claws shot from her hand as she shredded one of the many Illyanas. She guessed there wasn't much a guy wouldn't do for easy sex.

The program ended, and Logan remained in a defensive pose for a moment before slumping. She wasn't sure if she really loved Ric anymore, but she knew for certain that she was jealous. Every time she saw Illyana touch him, it just reminded her of what she could never do.

Logan pulled her claws back in, the pain fading away with the cuts. She thought for a moment about how her powers had seemed to bleed over into her personality. Her body healed so easily that she was certain the rest of her did, too. She could try to tell herself that she was long over Ric. And after Tristan, well, any brooding could be attributed to the way he'd hurt her.

Logan walked slowly from the Danger Room, admitting to herself for the first time that her brief affair with Tristan had been only a symptom of the pain she was feeling...not the cause.

*** *** ***

"So there you are!"

Craig jumped a little at Briana's voice, cursing himself for not staying on alert. Now he was faced with her again. He looked up, and almost stopped breathing. Why did she have to be still beautiful? "Um, hi Briana."

Briana sat down on the couch beside him, moving just close enough to make his mouth dry, but not enough to make him lose control. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you've been avoiding me, Marshall."

"I have been, Braddock."

She moved closer, almost touching him. "And why would you do that? Don't you remember what it was like between us?"

Craig did remember—all too vividly. That was the main part of the problem. "It can't happen again."

"Why not?"

Craig cursed her for still having this effect on him. "It's over. I can't trust you now."

"You don't have to trust me to sleep with me, Craig. And you know you want to."

"It isn't worth it."

Briana pouted. "No?" She pressed herself against him. "Are you sure about that?" She got in his lap, her knees resting on either side of his legs. "I think it would be more than worth it."

It was more than Craig could take. He grabbed her, kissing hard enough to bruise. Briana kissed back, passion for passion, pain for pain.

They stopped a moment later at the sound of someone clearing her throat. Craig looked a little sheepish when he looked up and saw it was Logan. "Rachel and Elisabeth found something," Logan said, glaring at Briana. "They want us all in the War Room."

Briana smiled at Logan as she got off Craig's lap and straightened her dress. "Then I guess we best go see what they need." She winked at Craig before sauntering out of the room.

Logan looked back over at Craig as Briana left, crossing her arms over her chest and raising an eyebrow.

Craig wiped Briana's lipstick off his face. "What?"

"Don't do this to yourself."

"What's it to you?" Craig asked.

"I'm your little sister. I care."

Craig stood up. "It isn't your place, Adanya, so just back off, all right?"

Logan decided not to comment on the fact that his defensiveness was probably a sign that he knew he was wrong. "Fine. Just don't say I didn't warn you when she goes back to being a bitch from hell. Remember who it was you cried to when she left the last time. I know what she did to you, and frankly, I don't want to see it happen again."

"It's not going to."

"She hasn't changed."

"I know."

Silence hung in the air for a long moment. "We should get to the War Room," Craig said.

Logan nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

*** *** ***

The moment Rachel Summers announced where the Ultramites had been located the entire team looked as if they'd rather her say just about anywhere else. Well, everyone except Kacie, who didn't seem to understand why everyone else started complaining. Sounded like the perfect vacation spot to her.

"I don't think I can go there," Marie LeBeau said. "My family doesn't have good luck with that place."

"Well, that's where the Ultramites are," Rachel replied. "Not like we can call them and ask them to move someplace tropical."

"But Antarctica?" Marie said. "Can't you check and make sure it's where they really are? I mean, what if we go there, there are no Ultramites, and we get mauled by wild penguins?"

"Marie, I really don't think penguins are quite as vicious as Dad always says," Ric said. Marie just gave him a dirty look.

"We checked and double checked," Lizzie said. "It's where their base is located. If we're going to stop them, we're just going to have to brave the cold."

"Can't we just send Kacie?" Marie asked. "I mean, she'd be happy as a little frozen clam down there."

"Do you really want the fate of the universe resting in Drake's hands?" Logan asked.

"Really," Kacie replied. "I would sooo mess it up."

Marie crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair with a pout. "Fine. But none of you better try leaving me there."

"So we better start planning this thing then," Lizzie said. "Rachel and Logan, seeing as the two of you are the field leaders, I need to speak to the both of you. Everyone else, well, just consider yourselves on alert."

The majority of the X-Men filed out of the room, leaving Rachel, Addie, and Elisabeth alone with the task of determining how they were going to go about saving time.

*** *** ***

Briana smiled as she noticed Craig alone. He was staring out a window, and she hoped she could take him by surprise. She walked slowly to him, but stopped when she was almost close enough to touch him, and he said, "Don't."

"How did you know I was here?" she asked.

"I caught your scent the moment you walked in the room, Briana."

She reached out, running her hands down his back. "Did you now?"

"Yeah. Look, I want to be alone."

Briana leaned forward, whispering in his ear. "We're probably going to be sent out to fight the forces of evil again soon. Wouldn't you rather spend that time in my arms than standing around sulking?"

Craig spun around so quickly that Briana stumbled, and he grabbed her tightly by the arms. "I said don't, and I meant it," he said in a tone that made him sound eerily like his father. "I'm not like the rest of you. I've spent my whole life living things the normal way. I'm a stockbroker, for fuck's sake! You, you don't get that. You think you can just come in here and play with my heart as if I'm as invincible as you are. Well guess what, Captain, I'm not. If it weren't for Addie, I probably wouldn't even be here. So let's get one thing straight—I'm not fucking around with some heartless superhero who doesn't know one thing about the real world when all I really want is a woman I can build a life with."

"And you don't think I could do that with you?"

Craig let go of her. "No. Everything's a game to you. Nothing matters but getting what you want, and once you have it, you don't care."

"But I love you, Craig!" Briana said, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry about Howard—that was a mistake. I left him because I couldn't stop thinking about you!"

Craig sneered. "Save your tears for someone who cares. I'm not playing along anymore." He pushed passed her, and Briana slumped. She sat down on the couch, burying her face in her hands and crying.

"I told you this was going to happen."

Briana looked up suddenly. "Peter! What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

Peter shrugged. "My job. I am supposed to keep an eye on Captain Britain after all."

"You…you heard that?"

"Every last word. And you know, I told you back in college that if you kept playing with men like that, one of them was going to burn you."

"Fuck you, Wisdom," Briana snapped.

Peter smirked. "If I remember correctly, you already have, luv."

Briana glared. "You and your sister have been nothing but thorns in my side since the day I met you. You've always wanted to make me miserable, and now I am? Happy?"

"Quite," Peter replied. "And if Gretchen were alive today, I'm sure she would be, too. But I haven't always wanted to make you miserable, and neither did she. She looked up to you like a big sister until you stole Andrew from her just because you could. And I...well, you know what I felt for you—until I came home and found you in bed with my best friend. Craig's a smart bloke not to walk back into your web. And as soon as this assignment is over I'll be sure as hell to never cross your path again."

"You won't have to worry about that, Peter, because I certainly won't be anywhere near you."

Peter smiled. "Why Briana, I do believe that is the sweetest thing you have ever said to me." He ignored whatever it was she responded with as he walked out of the room, chuckling.

*** *** ***

"So how exactly are we going to pull this off?" Logan asked once she, Rachel, and Lizzie were alone in the War Room. "I mean, we can't really just fly in without a plan and expect to have everything fall into place."

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Why not, Addie? It's always worked before. Don't tell me you've finally decided that rash, unplanned attacks aren't the best way to go at it."

"Yeah, well, at least I know homicidal maniacs with lasers are a threat."

"Well at least I don't jump into bed with the guys that pride themselves on being brooding loners and then wonder why I end up alone."

"Cut it out," Lizzie said, stopping any retort Logan may have had. "No need to fight with what we have to face. We need to be acting like big, grown-up people and discussing what we're going to do to the threat that's facing the universe."

Rachel and Logan both grumbled something that sounded like a positive response, and Lizzie smiled. "Great. So we need to get into the Ultramites base in Antarctica and stop them from destroying time itself. From what I've seen, there are a few hundred of them, so fighting them all one on one is out of the question. Now, I believe they power their bases using a large central power unit—one that I'm pretty sure would set off a chain reaction that would destroy the whole base—and the Ultramites in it—were we to blow it up."

"So that's it?" Rachel asked. "We fly down to Antarctica, blow up their base, and the universe is safe again?"

"Not quite," Lizzie replied. "They're not just going to let us waltz in there. I figured there are going to be some guards, and most of the team is going to have to work on getting rid of them. They may be small, but they're tough fighters, and they don't go down easily."

"I've heard that small people do have a habit of not knowing when to quit. Must be their way of making up for the fact they lack in other areas," Rachel said.

"Yeah, and mouthy redheads have a problem knowing when to quit, too," Logan snapped.

Lizzie raised an eyebrow, wondering what exactly she was missing between the two of them. "Anyway, as I was saying...about the important subject of saving all that exists...we're going to have to assemble a small team, maybe of two or three people, to go in and actually blow up the base. There's a chance that the people that go in may not come out, so it's going to have to be people who would know the risks and still be willing to take them, and we can't really appoint anyone for that. Something like this, it's going to have to be a personal decision."

Logan nodded. "We should probably call the team back in then," she said.

"I agree," Lizzie replied. "Rachel, would you mind getting them?"

Rachel stood up. "Not at all."

"Okay, what's up with the two of you?" Lizzie asked when Rachel was gone. "That type of bickering in the team isn't good."

"I know," Logan replied, "And I have no idea what's up. Granted, we've never been best buds, but Rachel's never gone around trying to provoke me or anything."

"There's nothing that's happened that you can think of?"

"No. I don't know, maybe she's just tired or something."

Lizzie nodded. "Yeah, that's probably it." She didn't say what she was thinking—that the waves of aggression that were rolling off of Rachel every time she had as much as glanced up at Logan had been so strong that Lizzie had barely been able to block them out. She just hoped it didn't effect the situation they were about to face...

*** *** ***

Rachel had managed to round up the entire team and get them headed towards the War Room except for Warren. She sighed, going up to their room, hoping she'd find him there. Sure enough, he was lying back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She stood at the edge of the bed. "War, Lizzie wants us to come back. We need to discuss some things as a team."

Warren got off the bed. "Thanks for coming to get me, babe." He kissed her on the cheek and walked out of the room.

Rachel sighed, then hurried to catch up with him. "Are you all right?" she asked.

Warren sighed. "Rachel, we're facing a crisis of epic proportions. Now is not the time to nag."

"I'm...I'm not. You just...I mean, I'm worried about you."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I guess you just haven't seemed yourself lately. I feel like you're not happy with me."

"Rachel, I love you, and we have a comfortable relationship. What more could I want?" He started walking a little faster. "Come on, don't want to keep anyone waiting."

Rachel stopped, wondering if Warren would even notice she wasn't beside him anymore. She forced herself not to cry as she said softly, "You could want Logan."

*** *** ***

The phrase "possible suicide mission" did not sit well with the X-Men. Even after all they'd been through, death seemed like something elusive, something they wouldn't ever have to really face. Now, it was a reality.

Craig broke the silence. "I'll go."

Lizzie cringed. She'd been afraid of that. The Craig in her reality certainly had never turned down a chance at death. She started to protest, the idea of anything ever happening to Craig Marshall too much for her, but she didn't. What if his misery in her reality had been a reflection of the fact he wasn't really supposed to live? She wouldn't interfere with the time line anymore than she had, letting the changes play out on their own.

"I'll go, too," Logan said. "With my healing factor and Adamantium bones, I might have a better chance at getting out alive, should something go wrong."

"Count me in," Vicky said. "Might as well make it the three with the healing factors. We can take the most and still come out ticking."

The others didn't argue. It was logical that the members of the team best equipped for living through things that could kill most people try something like this...

Lizzie nodded. "Then I say we leave tomorrow morning—give us a little longer to get things together and rest up some. Anyone disagree?" No one did. "Good. Back here at six tomorrow?"

The team nodded, then got up to leave. Emil Lapin stopped Vicky as soon as she got out in the hallway. "Don' do it, Victoria."

Vicky frowned. "Do what?"

"Go on de suicide mission. Logan an' Craig, dey can take care of it."

Vicky stared at him. Emil hadn't been in that meeting. "How did...how did you know?"

"I know a lot of t'ings, chère. Jus' listen t'me, Vicky. You don't need t'be dere."

"I make my own decisions in life, swamp rat."

"I'm not makin' it for ya. I'm just...givin' you advice."

"I don't need it."

"Please," Emil begged. "Don' do it, Vicky."

Vicky was too creeped out to keep having that conversation. "I need to go."

"Please."

Vicky walked always quickly, not looking back.

*** *** ***

"An' I t'ought de T'ieves were supposed to be always aware of dere surroundin's."

Marie jumped. "Marius Boudreaux! How the hell did you get in here?"

Marius grinned, and the look in his violet eyes made Marie shiver. "You t'ink you're de only one dat knows how to pick a lock, petite?"

"Seeing as I taught you how, no.  But you need to get out of here."

"You really want dat?"

"Yes!"

Marius reached out and stroked her face. "You look like a scared lil doe, Marie, but I t'ink you like it, non?"

"No! Get out, Marius. I have too much on my mind to deal with you."

Marius kissed her forehead. "Bon nuit, ma fleur."

As soon as he was gone, Marie's knees trembled as she reached out, clutching the side of her dresser for support.

*** *** ***

"You know, those things'll kill you."

Illyana started, then turned around. "Peter?"

Peter nodded, then pointed towards her cigarette. "How long have you been smoking?"

"About five years."

"I'd hate to see what your lungs look like."

"Me, too. But, well...I'm stressed."

"And facing a slow death at the hands of all the chemicals you're putting into your body right now isn't stressful."

Illyana gave him a dirty look. "Doesn't your father smoke?"

"I got this speech from my mum."

"Are you going with us there tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Gotta keep my eye on Captain Britain an' all."

Illyana smirked. "You seem like you'd rather just let her die."

Peter shrugged. "I don't like the woman, but I take my job seriously. As long as she's in my care, I'd give my own life for her."

"That's very noble of you."

If Katherine Pryde had been even half as beautiful as Illyana was when she'd known his father, Peter could see why he'd fallen so hard. He wanted to kiss her, but knew better than to make a move on a seventeen-year-old girl. Especially when her father was a dead ringer for the Terminator. "I'll watch out for you, too," he said, the words coming out of his mouth as if under their own power.

"Thank you," Illyana stood on her toes to kiss his cheek, and Peter took a deep breath. He wasn't going to rob any cradles, even if he was sure he wouldn't be the first.

"Don't stay out too late," he said, stepping back. "You've got a big day ahead of you, young lady."

Illyana laughed. "Don't worry. I'm just going to finish this cigarette and go back in. Ric is waiting for me anyway."

Peter ignored the flash of jealous at the mention of her boyfriend's name. "Good. Well, um, I'll be going in now, good night."

Illyana smiled like a woman who knew too much. "Good night."

*** *** ***

"Craig?"

Craig turned around. "Dammit, Briana, don't you know when to quit?"

"Please. You're going on a suicide mission tomorrow! Let me just have this one night with you."

"No."

"Craig!"

"No!"

"But don't you still love me?!"

"Of course I do!" Craig yelled before he could even think. He took a deep breath. "But that doesn't mean I don't hate you, too."

"I said I was sorry."

"Women like you always say they're sorry. They never mean it."

Briana went to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing herself slowly up against him. "Let me show you how sorry I am. I can make you feel so good Craig..."

The feel of her so close made him moan. "I know..."

"Then take me to your bed, Craig. I won't make you regret it this time."

Craig steeled himself and pushed her away. As much as he wanted her right then, he wasn't going to let it happen. He couldn't let her get him again. "Good night, Briana."

Briana let him walk away, but she vowed that they all lived through this, she'd have him again.

*** *** ***

"Da...er, Nathan?"

Cable gave Lizzie a nod. "Yes, Elisabeth?"

Lizzie started to speak, but instead she fell over on him, crying. Cable didn't know what to do, but hold her for a moment, comforting her as she got the tears out. After a moment, Lizzie looked up. "I'm sorry," she said, sniffling.

"It's all right," Cable replied.

"It's just...well, you're dead in my reality. And I...I really miss you."

Cable felt his heart tighten in his chest. He knew exactly what she was feeling. "Maybe you've changed that now," he said, trying to comfort her as best he could.

"I don't really want to go back," Lizzie said. "I wasn't happy there. But here, all the bad things, they haven't happened yet."

"Things may change for you when you get back. We of all people understand the ever-changing nature of the future, Elisabeth."

"I know."

"Nate?"

Nathan looked over towards Angela, who was standing in the doorway. "Yes?"

"It's getting late."

Nathan looked back over at Lizzie who nodded, and he knew she understood. "Good night," he said as he got up.

"Good night."

*** *** ***

Craig had a hard time sleeping that night. Every moment he'd ever spent with Briana played through his mind, and closing his eyes just made it worse. He got out of bed, deciding to go down to the kitchen to see if there was anything down there that could help him sleep.

He discovered he wasn't the only person in the mansion still awake. Lizzie Summers sat at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of tea. "Rough night for you, too?"

Lizzie jumped a little. "Craig! I...I didn't notice you come in."

"What was on your mind?"

Lizzie sighed. "Lots of things. This whole experience hasn't been easy for me."

"I can imagine." Craig walked over and crouched down in front of her, taking her hands. "It's all going to work out, Lizzie. You didn't come here for no reason. I promise."

"Thank you," Lizzie said, her voice almost a whisper.

Craig could hear her heart speed up, could smell her reaction to his closeness. Her face flushed, and her eyes grew a little wider. He leaned in and kissed her, letting his senses be flooded by the feel of a woman. She obviously wanted him, and he didn't want to be alone. Was it so wrong? He moved from her mouth to her ear and whispered. "Come to bed with me."

Lizzie just nodded as he pulled her to her feet and walked with her out of the kitchen.

*** *** ***

Lizzie woke up as the first rays of sunlight began to push away the night sky. She rolled over and looked at Craig, a sense of regret flooding her. She shouldn't have given in to temptation, shouldn't have let her desire for that man get the better of her. She'd promised herself she wouldn't do anything to change the future anymore than those things that couldn't be helped; yet, she'd done just that. And for what, a man who would never love her? She started out of bed, but Craig's arm reached out, taking hold of her wrist.

"Where are you going?"

Looking at his face broke Lizzie's heart. "We need to get ready. Remember?"

Craig gave her a little smile, and her heart melted. "Yeah, I remember. We still have time until we have to fight, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then come back to bed. It's cold."

"Craig, I don't think..."

Craig put a finger to her lips. "Don't, Elisabeth. I'm not sure what to think about last night either, but I know I liked it. Stay a little while longer—I want to hold you as long as I can."

Lizzie ignored that voice of reason that was telling her to run. "I'm not Briana, you know."

"I know. I don't want you to be."

Lizzie moved back into his arms. What place did rationality have in her life anymore anyway?

*** *** ***

"Vicky!"

Vicky stopped, cursing under her breath. It was way too early for her to have to deal with him. She turned around, already glaring. "This better be good, Cajun. I haven't had my coffee yet." She gave him a look that managed to be a smile and a glare at the same time.

"You can't go wit' Craig an' Logan."

"We already had this conversation. I do what I please, go it?"

"Non! Vicky, you're not understandin'! You can't! We'll lose too much!"

"We? What the hell could we lose?"

"Everyt'ing!" Emil's voice got so soft Vicky wondered if she could've heard it without her enhanced hearing. "Wolf..."

"What? What wolf?"

Emil sighed. "I can't explain, dat, Victoria. Jus' trust me. I'm not what you t'ink."

"What, you're not a crazy, bad-smelling swamp freak?"

"Non." He gave her a slight smile. "An' I bathed."

Victoria sniffed the air. He had. Still, clean or not, he wasn't going to try to tell her what she could and couldn't do. "Look, I appreciate the concern, or whatever, but I'm going in there with Logan and Craig. I'm going to be fine. Even if something were to happen, my healing factor could take care of it."

"Not if you're blown t'tiny bits."

"Gee, thanks for that happy image."

Emil knew exactly what kind of image it was. He reached out and grabbed her hand. "Take me seriously, Vicky. Please..."

"I need to go get some breakfast," Vicky said, pulling away.

"Vicky..."

"I need to go, Emil." She walked past him, ignoring the continued pleas he shouted after her.

*** *** ***

For once, the team was quiet. They stood around the Blackbird in silence, ready for Sparks and Renegade to complete the final checks so they could leave. Emil Lapin knew it would be easier to go undetected if they were a little more distracted, but he wasn't a master thief for nothing. He could get on that plane and hitch a ride to Antarctica. So much depended on it...

He worked his way into one of the main cargo holds and settled in. It was going to be a long trip.

*** *** ***

The Blackbird was packed. The X-Men sat cramped up against each other, the tension level almost to a breaking point. In just a short amount of time, they'd be facing danger again, risking their lives to save the universe.

Billy Starsmore piloted it slowly out of the docking bay and into the sunlit sky, and the X-Men stared forward, their fates uncertain. Even before, with The Dark One, when Earth had been the price should they fail, the circumstances had not seemed so dire. Should they not succeed, they'd never have a chance to try again. Failure meant the extinction of time.

Billy guided the plane to cruising altitude and leaned back. The X-Men relaxed a little, although not much.

Vicky Creed froze, and sniffed the air. She looked over at Logan. "You smell something, runt?"

Logan gave Vicky a dirty look before pausing and sniffing the air herself. "I smell a stowaway."

"Either that or someone packed a swamp," Vicky replied, getting out of her seat and opening one of the cargo holds. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Emil looked up at her and sighed. "I tol' you not t'go."

"And it doesn't look like I'm going to listen. Billy, can we take him back to the mansion?"

"There's no time," Lizzie said before anyone else had a chance to respond. "Taking Emil back to the mansion would just slow us down, and every second counts right now. The longer we wait, the less time the universe may have left."

Vicky sighed, pushed Emil back in the cargo hold, and shut the door. "Stay in there then!" She went back to her seat in a huff.

No one said anything for a while.

*** *** ***

Emil sat alone in the cargo hold, playing with his keychain.  Suddenly, he slammed his fist on the ground in frustration.  Why wouldn't she just listen to him?  He hated himself for trying so hard to push her away.  He learned early that fate wasn't something you fought.

"Emil?"

Emil didn't even look up at Marie.  "Quoi?"

Marie sat in front of him.  "Why did you sneak on the Blackbird?"

Emil shrugged.  "I was afraid of what would happen if I was stuck alone in that mansion with Marius Boudreaux."

Marie frowned, knowing that wasn't the case.  "You had another vision, didn't you."

"I tol' you, Marie, I don' have visions."

"Don't lie to me, Emil."

"I don' know what dey mean, Marie.  Dey jus' come, and usually, dey tell de trut'.  In dis one, I see…I see somet'ing bad happen to Vicky.  She can't go in dere.  She won' come out."

For years, Emil had always seemed to have a sixth sense.  When they were children, it had been little things, like always knowing where to catch the best crawfish.  Later, it had been bigger things, like knowing when accidents would happen, or being able to predict natural disasters before they happened.

He'd said it was nothing.  Marie would wager it was a mutation.

"I'll talk to her," Marie said, putting her hand over Emil's.  "I know what those visions of yours mean, Emil, and I know if you say Vicky shouldn't go, then she shouldn't."

"She won' listen."

"She might."

Emil just nodded, already knowing that Marie was going to be wasting her breath. Vicky would be stubborn.

"Don' let dem lock me up in here when we get dere, all right, Marie?  Victoria's life may depend on it."

"I'll do what I can."

"Don' let her die."

"Why is she so important to you?" Marie asked with a frown.  "I mean she's Sabretooth's daughter."

"She just is," Emil replied softly.  His mind filled with images of Victoria Creed holding their newborn son.  "She just is."

*** *** ***

Tensions rose even higher on the Blackbird as it landed on Antarctica's frozen soil.  The team filed off the plane, one after the other.

Marie noticed the door to the cargo bay was locked and frowned, remembering Emil's words.  Victoria's life may depend on it.

"You guys head on towards the base," she said.  "I, um, left my cards on the plane."

Ric shot his sister a look.  "That's a bit irresponsible of you."

Marie laughed nervously.  "Yeah, silly me.  I'll catch up with y'all, okay?"

Lizzie nodded, and the X-Men headed off.  Marie ran onto the plane, unlocking the cargo door.  Emil looked up at her.  "Merci beaucoup, petite."

"De Rien," Marie replied with a wink.  "Be careful out there, cousin."

"I will," Emil said, rising to his feet.  "Now go join de ot'ers.  Dey gonna need everyone if dere gonna beat dese guys."

"What do you see for us this time, Emil?" Marie asked.

"I still see a future, but dat could change.  Bonne chance."

Marie gave Emil a quick hug before running off to catch up with the rest of the X-Men.

*** *** ***

The X-Men crouched down in front of the base of the Ultramites.  The snow whipped around them, offering them cover from their enemies, but also cutting down on their ability to fight. 

Lizzie tried to appear unaffected.  She was in control of this mission.  The X-Men of her time had trusted her with the responsibility of stopping these villains, and she wouldn't let them down.  Everything she'd ever known depended on it.

"Okay, first we need a distraction," Lizzie said.  "Someone needs to draw the Ultramites out here so Canis, Wildcat, and Slayer can go in and plant the bombs.  The sooner we disable these guys, the sooner we can all go home and warm up."  She tried to smile.

Kacie Drake raised her hand.  "I'll distract them," she said cheerily.  "I make a really good decoy."

"She does," Billy said, his voice holding something that may have been pride.

"Any objects to Kacie being a decoy?" Lizzie asked.  When the team was silent, she turned to Kacie and said "All right, Ice Queen, get them out here."

Kacie saluted her before taking off for the base.

The other X-Men stayed, waiting for the action to begin.

*** *** ***

Kacie Drake pounded loudly on the walls of the Ultramite base.  "Hellooooo!" she hollered.  "Anyone iiiiiin here?"  She sighed when there wasn't any answer.  She closed her eyes, building up her concentration.  She used her telekinesis to push against the building as hard as she could, shaking most of the base.  It wasn't long until the first couple Ultramites poked their heads out, curious as to what was going on.  Kacie raised an eyebrow.  They were even shorter than she expected.

"Well hello there, lil' ankle biter!" she exclaimed perkily.  "Like, anybody seen my lost polar bear.  It's white."

The Ultramites chattered in a language Kacie didn't understand.  She stood there nervously, hoping it would work.  Suddenly, one of the Ultramites looked at her and snarled, showing off a rows and rows of pointed fangs.  "Holy shit!" Kacie exclaimed as it jumped at her, aiming for her jugular vein.

She threw up a TK shield knocking the Ultramite to the ground.  It lay in the snow for a minute in shock before getting to its feet and coming for Kacie again.

Kacie used her powers to form an ice spear, and this time when the creature came at her, she struck back.  The Ultramite screeched as the spear came down on it, then surprised Kacie by fading away completely.

As soon as they heard the dying yelp of their comrade, however, hundreds of other Ultramites began to swarm out of the base.  Kacie took off in a run, leading them back to the X-Men.

The battle was on.

*** *** ***

Slayer, Canis, and Wildcat stood on the outskirts on the compound as the other X-Men drew out the Ultramites. Wildcat waited a few minutes before making the call that they should infiltrate the base.

Emil Lapin followed them silently, staying upwind in order to keep Vicky from sniffing him out. As spastic as he may have appeared to the X-Men, he was a thief—and he was damn good at it. He could get into any place undetected.

Even if it meant being undetected by three mutants with the ability to smell him before they could see him.

The three mutants stood in front of the Ultramite's base. "There's no door," Canis said. "How are we going to get in here?"

Wildcat rolled her eyes, unsheathed her claws, and made a "door." "Like that, brother dear."

"So those things are useful for something other than opening cans," Slayer said with a smirk.

Wildcat ignored her, stepping into the base.

It was quiet, the Ultramites outside fighting the rest of the X-Men. Slayer stopped, holding up her hand. "Something's following us," she said.

Canis and Wildcat's claws came out at the same time. Slayer looked around, unable to see anyone. She tried to catch a scent, but the place was so foreign to her that everything was bombarding her senses at once. She frowned. "I don't know what it is."

"Let's keep going," Wildcat said, her claws still ready. "Just keep alert."

The other two nodded as they made their way towards the reactor core.

*** *** ***

"How many of these damn things are there?" Sparks shouted over the din of the battle as he sent another Ultramite back into nothingness.

"I have no fucking clue," Renegade said, ripping a metal pole off the building and hitting three of them as hard as he could. "But the bastards keep coming."

"They remind anyone else of the rabbit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail?" Charger asked, sending one charged card after another at the pint-sized attackers.

"Focus on the battle, team!" Phoenix snapped. "We don't need distractions."

"She takes all the fun out of this," Charger muttered. Suddenly, she heard a high-pitched scream behind her. She turned to see an Ultramite break apart, blood flying. She jumped back. "Ew!"

"Sorry," Renegade said. "It was coming for you, and all I could think to do was grab for the iron."

Charger's eyes grew wide. "You can do that? Like Magneto?"

Renegade shrugged. "Apparently."

"Damn, bro. Remind me never to steal your CD's again."

Renegade smirked and took down another one.

*** *** ***

"So do we know where we're going, or are you just making this up as you go along?" Slayer asked Wildcat as they wandered through the maze of the Ultramites' base

"I'm using the knowledge I have of similar structures to try to figure out where the reactor core would be," Wildcat said her in her best leader voice.

"So in other words, you have no fucking clue."

Wildcat gave her a "shut up" look. Slayer smirked.

They turned the next corner to find themselves looking at the reactor core. Wildcat gave a self-satisfied look to Slayer, who in turn rolled her eyes.

"So now what, we just blow it up?" Canis asked.

"That's why we're here," Wildcat said. "Creed, you got the explosives?"

Slayer nodded. "Yeah. Let's get this over with so I can get home and watch reruns of Springer."

"Why bother when you can stand out in the hallway of the mansion?" Canis asked.

Slayer chuckled. "Good point."

"Would you two be quiet?" Wildcat snapped. "This is a serious mission here."

"Geez, bossy much" Slayer asked. "You sure you're actually Jubilee's and not the lovechild of Wolverine and Jean or something?"

"Just shut up and start placing bombs."

Canis, Wildcat, and Slayer worked in silence, setting up the detonators on the reactor. They had placed most of them when they were stopped by a snarl. They turned around slowly to see a small group of Ultramites, shiny fangs bared.

"You two take care of them," Slayer said. "I'll make sure this sucker goes up like the Fourth of July."

"You sure?" Wildcat asked. "What if something goes wrong…"

"Just make sure you're clear before it blows, all right?"

Wildcat and Canis charged after the Ultramites, chasing them away from Slayer. She went back to work, putting out the last of the charges before setting the timer.

She stopped, sniffing the air. Her lip curled in an almost-feral snarl. They weren't all gone…

Her talons grew, ready for the kill. But before she could strike, she heard the sound of metal ripping off the wall, and something large and heavy hit her, knocking her to the ground and crushing her legs. She tried to move, but she couldn't. Whatever had just hit her had pinned her down. The Ultramite stood in front of her, licking its lips. Slayer suddenly wished she'd listened to Emil. Her legs were smashed, and she couldn't even get out from under the huge block of metal that had her pinned to get out and let them heal. She glanced over at the rapidly-decreasing number on the detonator, and realized that if the Ultramite didn't get her, the bomb would.

She called for Wildcat and Canis, although she knew they were too far gone to hear her.

*** *** ***

Wildcat and Canis rejoined the others, as the X-Men attempted to deplete the number of Ultramites.

"Where's Slayer?" Renegade asked Wildcat.

"Still inside. We got attacked, and she stayed behind to set off the bomb while we got rid of them."

Renegade frowned, hitting an Ultramite as it went for Wildcat. "How much longer until this place blows?"

"Not much time. We need to get away from the base. Help me try to get the team to move back."

"Right," Renegade said, glancing back at the base. He didn't like the idea of Vicky being still in there, but he knew she was a capable woman. She could take care of herself. Besides, he was sure she'd be coming out at any moment.

It was when she didn't that he started to worry.

*** *** ***

Then Ultramite watched Slayer, the look in its eyes enough to make her shudder. She couldn't believe it was going to end like this, that she was going to die in such a pointless way. She thought about her father, what he'd say if he could see her right then. He'd probably chastise her for getting into the situation by joining up with the X-Men in the first place.

Then she thought about how she'd never see him again, and she wanted to cry.

But she didn't. If she was going to die, she was going to die strong.

Suddenly, the Ultramite let out a shriek, falling to the ground. Slayer saw a knife sticking out of its back right before the Ultramite disappeared.

Emil Lapin stepped from the shadows, slipping the knife back into the holder on his boot. "I tol' you dis was gonna happen, ma chère."

"Yeah, well, you were right," Slayer snapped, hiding her relief with sarcasm. She was so happy to see Emil right then she could've kissed him, but she certainly wasn't going to let him know that. "Get me outta here, would you, Cajun? I'm not ready to die quite yet."

Emil nodded, freeing Slayer with relative ease. She raised an eyebrow, surprised at how much strength he hid in his wiry body. Emil tried to help her up, but Slayer winced in pain. She could feel her legs starting to knit back together, but it was going to take time before she could walk again. Emil hoisted her up, cradling her in his arms. He glanced over at the timer. "We better get outta here, chère, lest you wanna be minced like de meat in my momma's gumbo."

"I think I'll pass on that option," Slayer said.

Emil carried Slayer as quickly as he could, trying to get them both to safety. He could see the door just ahead, knew they'd almost made it.

The blast was deafening, almost throwing Emil forward. He could feel the heat as the fire began to sweep throw the corridors, but he didn't stop. He kept running, until he got to the snow outside. He threw Slayer to the ground, covering her body with his as the shrapnel blasted from the building.

He smelled the sweet scent of her hair as he faded from consciousness.

*** *** ***

As the building blew, the Ultramites suddenly all froze. They let out a collective screech as they faded away.

Ice Queen looked at where her opponent had been only a few seconds before. "That was the weirdest fucking thing I have ever done in my entire life."

The other X-Men gave nods of agreement.

Renegade stared back at the building, his expression blank. "Vicky…she didn't come out."

Silence fell over the team.

"She was right behind us," Wildcat said softly. "She should've…she should've been okay." She was surprised by the sudden wave of sadness that washed over her at the thought of someone she'd considered only one step above an enemy being dead.

Ice Queen began to cry. She knew what most of the other X-Men thought of Vicky, but she'd never agreed. She'd been a friend to her since the first day she'd shown up at the mansion, and now she was gone. Sparks put a comforting arm around her, not knowing what to say.

*** *** ***

On the other side of what had been the Ultramites' base, Victoria Creed felt the feeling coming back to her legs. She sniffed, her nostrils filled with the scent of burning flesh. It didn't take her long to realize it was coming from Emil.

"Shit!" she exclaimed, rolling him off of her. His back was badly burnt, having taken the brunt of the blast. She shook him, desperate to see him open his eyes. "Dammit, you stupid Cajun," she cursed, ripping off part of her jacket to fill it with snow and use it as an ice pack on his back. "Why didn't you let me be the one to catch on fire, huh? I could've healed!"

She could hear his breathing, shallow, but there. "Please, Emil, don't die on my account, okay? I don't really like you, but…" She stopped. "Just don't die." She tried to stand, but her legs were still weak. She fell back in the snow. "Help!" she screamed. "Someone, please! Help!"

Logan's ears perked. "I hear something," she said. She listened for a moment, then smiled, running off.

"Where are you going, Addie?" Marie asked, following after her.

Logan found Vicky and Emil. "Creed! You're alive!"

"Always the observant one, runt," Vicky said, not wanting to admit that she was just about as happy to see Logan as she had been to see Emil earlier. "We need to get him to the Blackbird. He's hurt."

Logan frowned, looking down at Emil. "I thought he was going to stay there in the first place."

"Well he didn't. Saved my life, the crazy bastard."

Marie stopped in her tracks, her hand going to her mouth as she saw her cousin. "Mon Dieu…" she whispered softly.

"He's alive," Vicky said, trying to reassure Marie.

Ric came a moment later, his face lightening up as he saw Vicky. "You made it out!"

"Yeah, we can throw a party later," Vicky replied, uncomfortable with the sentiment Ric was obviously feeling. "Can you carry him?"

"Fuck, is that Emil?" Ric asked.

"Yes, it's Emil," Vicky said. "Dammit, LeBeau, just help me. And be careful with him. He's a little scorched."

Ric picked Emil up, carrying him back towards the Blackbird. Vicky tried to stand, cursing as she fell again. "What happened to you?" Logan asked.

"My legs got crushed. They haven't healed all the way yet."

Logan and Marie were immediately at her sides, helping her stand. "Come on, we'll get you back to the plane," Marie said.

"I thought you guys hated me," Vicky said as she walked with the aid of the other two women.

"Yeah well, you're an X-Man, and we help each other," Logan said.

Vicky was silent.

*** *** ***

Elisabeth Summers sat silently in the co-pilot's seat of the Blackbird as it flew away from where the Ultramites' base had once been. Nothing remained, the burning mass it had been disappearing as the Ultramites themselves has done. Hopefully, they were gone for good.

But where did that leave her? She'd gone back to the past in order to save time itself, and now that she had, where did that leave her?

She glanced behind her at Craig. Was she selfish to want to stay behind, to be with him? She thought about what Rachel had said. What if time wasn't linear? What if she had been meant to go back in time and fall in love with Craig? Could she have always been so miserable in her own time because it wasn't where she was supposed to be?

She watched as Briana tried to talk to him, and Craig turned away. Lizzie smiled to herself. At least she'd prevented that…

But Lizzie felt herself torn between what she needed to do and what she wanted most in the world. Her love for Craig was something that had always gone unrequited, but now, in this time, things could be different. She could make him happy, give him what he'd never had in the future she knew, and in turn, find her own happiness as well.

Lizzie sighed. The vision of it seemed wonderful to her, but at what cost? She closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair, wishing an easy answer would come to her, but knowing it wouldn't.

*** *** ***

Vicky looked down at Emil as he lay unconscious on the bed in the medlab. Thanks to Shi'ar technology, the scarring would be minimal, but he was still recovering.

With one act, he'd completely shattered everything she'd thought about him. Vicky had always thought she was good at judging people, but Emil Lapin…

There was more to him than met the eye, that was for sure. The question was, was he the more himself when he was risking his life for her, or was that just a fluke, and his true personality was closer to the smelly gator boy she'd come to know?

Emil's deep blue eyes flittered open, and he managed a small smile at Vicky. "Hey, chère."

Vicky jumped a little, startled. "Hey."

"You been sittin' by my bed playin' Florence Nightin'gale?"

Vicky snorted. "Hardly."

"De X-Men save de day?"

"Yeah, we did."

"Good. Guess I'm done here for now, den."

"Are you going back to Louisiana?"

"Yeah. Lots of women be disappointed if I don'."

"I think maybe that blow made you delusional."  

"Dat's what you t'ink. I'm de bad boy of de bayou, chère."

Vicky smirked, but then her expression grew serious. "Emil?"

"Yeah?"

"How'd you know?"

"Know what?"

Vicky sighed. "What was going to happen in that base."

"I didn't. I said you were gonna die, and you didn't."

"But I would have if you hadn't saved me."

"Can't prove dat."

"You can see things, can't you Emil—things that haven't happened yet."

"Non!" Emil snapped, making Vicky jump. "I don' see not'in'!" He rolled over. "I'm tired. I want to rest."

Vicky stood up. "Yeah." She got as far as the door before stopping and looking back over at Emil. "Thank you though—for saving my life."

Emil looked at her, a bright smile on his face. "My pleasure, chère."

*** *** ***

"I'm about to go to the airport."

Craig didn't look up from the copy of the Wall Street Journal he was reading. "That's nice, Briana."

"I'm going back to England, and I probably won't ever come back."

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

"Craig…"

Craig threw down the paper, the look in his eyes startling Briana. "What? Do you want me to beg you not to go? Do you want me to go with you? What is it, Briana…what is it you want?"

"I…I don't know!" Briana exclaimed with a sob. "I just want you!"

"Well you're not going to get me."

"Why? Why won't you love me anymore? I told you I was sorry for hurting you—I won't do it again."

"There's someone else."

Briana was silent for a moment before asking, "Do you love her?"

"Not yet, but I think I could."

"Oh. So…that's it for us then."

"Yeah."

"I hope she makes you happy."

"I hope you find someone who makes you happy."

Briana didn't tell him that she thought she already had. She walked out to the taxi where Peter was waiting for her.

*** *** ***

Elisabeth leaned against the wall. Craig had told Briana there was someone else! Could she dare hope that he was speaking honestly, and he meant her?

Elisabeth shook her head. It didn't matter. She was going back to her time, back to a Craig Marshall too far gone to be capable of love.

"Lizzie?"

She froze, then slowly turned around. "Craig?"

"You been there long?"

"I…um…" Elisabeth stammered, not wanting to admit that she'd overheard his conversation with Briana.

Craig reached out, touching her face. "Would it be incredibly selfish of me to ask you to stay here?"

Elisabeth felt her heart sink. This was what she wanted to hear most in the world, but at the same time it hurt her to no end. She'd only wanted to help Craig, and now she was causing him more pain. "I can't…"

"Why?"

"It isn't right."

Craig took both her hands in his. "Don't make me wait, Lizzie."

"Wait for what?"

"For you. You leave now, and I'm going to have to wait a lifetime for you to be born and grow-up so I can love you."

"Craig…"

"I know you weren't happy there, that you felt like you didn't belong. Maybe it only means you belong here."

"You don't even know me," Elisabeth said softly.

"No, but I want to. Something about you calls to me. I can't help it."

Elisabeth was going to be strong, was going to tell she had to go whether she wanted to or not. But then Craig kissed her, and she knew she couldn't leave. Consequences be damned, this was her time now.

After all, how important was time anyway?

*** *** ***

Not the best in the series, I know, but it was meant to be sort of a transition between the earlier books and the ones I have planned out now. I have one short sort of "interlude" planned before things start to get more serious for the X-Men. Drop me a line and let me know what you thought!