Disclaimer: Marvel doesn't own it all, but they own most of it! Warning: Must I REALLY countinue to write these? Notes: Thanx, as always, to Soar, for being my editor; The Good Lord knows I need one! Okay the last part was REALLY confusing, I know that. But trust me, EVENTUALLY it will all make sense!

What the Future Holds
Part Four
By Crimson

As Bobby and Joseph disappeared down the hall, the rest of the X-Men stood there looking at Cyclops, expecting him to tell them what to do. He knew what they were feeling, what he himself was feeling, but didn't know how to deal with it. The confusion was mind boggling, but he had to cope; as team leader he couldn't give in. They had to just rely on the fact that Wolverine, Ice Man and Joseph were their friends, and trust them as such. Taking a deep breath, he ran after the others, and into the heart of a battle they knew nothing about. As expected his friends followed.

Coming down the stairs, they found themselves even more shocked at what they saw. A large hole lay where the main door had been. But this hole was by no means ordinary. It was more of a swirling semi-transparent disk that seemed to be radiating energy from every corner. It wasn't the portal, however, that was so strange. Outside, int he mansion grounds, they could see that, along with Joseph, Bobby, and the one called Portal, mutants and military alike, were going full force against each other, on the lawn. All this may have been excused, even ignored had it not been for the sky above the battle. It was a dark crimson colour, and not the kind that was brought on by a brilliant sunset. The entire sky was indeed glowing with the colour of blood, emanating a glow that was almost beautiful, but mostly terrifing, to look at.

Cyclops, who had seemed to ignore the colour of the sky, moved next to Wolverine who was staring intensly at the man in front of the portal, claws unleashed, and feral look in his eyes. SabreTooth moved into a crouch but didn't move. At the moment, he had the upper hand. In front of SabreTooth, mere intches away from SabreTooth's dangerous claws, slumped a red haired man, in a long red cape, who, though wounded held his composure with grave determination and admirable courage. His cape, though still attached to his neck, was partially draped over a fourth figure. A dark skinned woman who appeared to be unconscious, and bleeding badly. The gesture of chivalry seemed almost as much to protect her from further harm. A few metres behind them stood a strong looking man in a suit, who appeared as agitated as Wolverine, but too afraid to do anything about it.

Slowly, SabreTooth inched towards the man in the cape, and, as he did, Wolverine started to move cautiously towards him.

"STOP! " Yelled a dark figure, who had come down an opposite set of stairs." SabreTooth, stand down, before he kills you." He commanded coming into the light. In his arms, he held a small struggling girl, who couldn't be any more than four, with his hand clamped tightly over her mouth.

The man in front of SabreTooth twitched, ever so slightly, at the sound of the voice, and SabreTooth chuckled." This pup ain't doin' nothin'."

"Where is the child?" He asked in a grating voice.

Now it was Creed's turn to flinch." He . . . Got away . . . " He replied quietly.

"Isn't that . . . ?" Scott wispered to Logan.

"Sinister! " spat Logan.

There was an even more feral look in his eyes than before, as his focus was split between the two vile men. Through his preferal vision, he saw the red flash in Scott's visor that told when he was about to blow. Forcing himself to calm down he turned slightly and put a restraining hand on Cyclops's shoulder. The two looked at each other, with a gaze akin to friendship, and for the first time it appeared as if they were each seeing the other as an equal.

"Wait for it," He whispered, knowingly, then turned his attention back to SabreTooth and the man, who was now looking as if he was trying to rise, but not having much luck.

The man in the suit started inching back until Logan stepped protectively in front of him. The other X- Men moved strategically behind Wolverine and Cyclops. Together, they were more then enough to take Sinister and Creed, but Sinister and Creed had taken hostages, and until they were out of the way . . .

SabreTooth was so content at watching Sinister that he wasn't paying any attention to the returning X-Men, teleporting in behind him, in front of the portal. Sinister however did notice and fired a warning at Creed, who reacted by jumping forward at the man in front of him.

As Creed hit, he felt himself being slightly lifted, and then turned in the air. He landed about a foot away from his target, and stood to look at him . . . in the eyes, his painful injuries obviously exagerated.

"Surprise," he taunted, a wry smile playing on his lips.

Logan chuckled quietly to himself. He hadn't seen that smile in a while.

For the first time the X- Men got a good look at the man in the red cape." Gambit?! ?" A few of them asked in surprise, and his smile disappeared. There were cuts down his face, probably from SabreTooth, and Logan growled at the sight of them.

SabreTooth was effectively trapped between the proverbial rock and a hard place. On his one side was Wolverine and the others, and the other was Gambit and the three men. Bobby dropped down to the side of the unconscious woman, and Joseph just looked completely distant, which left only a wounded Gambit and a trifling youth to stand in the way of his freedom.

To Scott it seemed the logical course to take his chances with Gambit and the boy, but Creed had a different idea of logical. Remy's eyes seemed to be glowing thick blood red, and SabreTooth cowered back away from him. With every step he took backwards, Gambit steped forwards, until the two of them were directly in the centre of the room.

Sinister started moving slyly to the portal, and though Wolverine saw him, no move was made in advance of him, for fear of endangering the struggling girl even more. Gambit paid no attention to Sinister as he slowly moved past him, but simply stood in a stare down with Creed.

At that moment Sinister took his hand off the little girl's mouth, and she screamed bloody murder. Wolverine, anticipating what was about to happen, popped his claws and ran towards the centre of the room, Scott hot on his tail.

As soon as the little girl opened her mouth, Gambit's attention snapped immediately and his head whipped around towards the sound.

"Don'vin . . . " He whispered.

Creed didn't let the opportunity go to waste. He jumped at Gambit with everything he had, digging the sharp claws of one hand into Gambit's stomach, and curling them around his lower rib and lifted upward. At the same time he ripped his other claws into hiGambits shoulder and pushed down. Gambit made no noise, but simply winced at the pain, as Creed pushed him back. The two tumbled to the ground together, SabreTooth landing on top and baring his teeth into Gambit's throat.

His body convulsed with the anguish, and his mouth opened in a silent scream. As the little girl watched, her eyes filled with terrified tears." DADDY! ! ! " She screamed at the top of her little lungs.

Wolverine lunged at Creed claws first, an angry scream, like that of a wild animal, escaping his lungs, as he tore the two apart. As the three of them came apart, Creed got up and ran to the portal jumping through it, without pursuit. Wolverine had gone back to Gambit, and was checking him out.

"Daddy . . . " Donovan whimpered, as Sinister, she and the portal vanished.

Everyone crowded around them, Bobby bringing the strange woman next to him. Logan was cradling Gambit in his arms, using his cape to try to stop the bleeding." Come on Remy . . . you bastard . . . Don't you die on us . . . Don't you DIE on us! "

Remy looked as if he was trying to look at him but didn't know quite where to look." Y'- y' SON ov'a BI'CH! " He slurred." Lien' son ova . . . +cough+ How?" He whimpered, "Why?" His eyes were rolling back and it didn't look too good for him.

Joseph's face paled suddenly and he looked around the room as if seeing what was going on for the first time. He caught Portal's eyes and held the stare. He too was very pale." Go get the others. He needs Hank, maybe Jean too." he stated simply as he walked in the direction of the gaping hole on the side of the White House.

"But sir? What about -- "

"If he dies it's not going to matter much now is it?"

"Yes sir," He replied, opening a portal.

Wolverine looked into the battered face of his best friend. For the first time since Jubilee died, a tear fell down his cheek." Oh God, Remy . . . I'm sorry . . . "