Part Twelve

Angel's wings went out in reflex, protectively covering Pix and Gambit behind them. He glanced towards Reyes and saw her already moving to get them out. The two kids that had left when he and Marrow first arrived moved to flank him, and the third came up behind him to the left. Marrow was crouched to his right, ready to pounce in a moment's notice. Donald's form shifted from the scrawny teenager that he had been to begin with, into a smooth looking jet black person, similar to Penance, but even less friendly looking.

The one Blaze had called Hope hadn't moved from her position, but merely turned her head a little to acknowledge their presence. Crossing her arms, she turned her head away from their attackers, and towards her friends. Seeing that Brian had already taken off after their retreating comrade, she turned her attention to Donald and Celeste.

"Go with them Donald, show them the way out. Angel, if you would, they need your protection. Allegra, go. Try to keep him stable as best you can. You too Star'. You're too spent to be much help to us now anyway." Her voice was quiet, and after she finished speaking, she turned away and looked back to her opponents. She was so confident that the others found themselves inclined to listen, and took off after their friends.

"Three on three," Massacre muttered. "You're out numbered."

"Suicide mission Hope?" Syphon leered.

Hope seemed almost interested, "What makes you think we'll kill you? Maim and beat, no problems there, but I deplore death."

Sinister smirked at her arrogance. He knew very well that it was merely a false front, and that Hope really did recognize the danger they were in. He also knew that she didn't care. She would sacrifice herself in a moment for Gambit and the others, as would Marrow and Bull. Nobility and honor were some of the first things he had noticed about his little group of mutants. It ran highest amongst Hope.

"You would have made a fine leader Hope. I wish you would have listened to me in the beginning. I would still accept your crossover." Sinister proclaimed.

Bull was incredulous. Was Sinister actually still trying to turn her? Even in the middle of all this?

"I saw what you had done to our leaders old man, and thank you, but no. I like my genealogy the way it is."

"Are you gonna fight or are you just gonna stand there looking pretty?" Syphon spat at Hope, wanting to spark her to action.

Hope however just stood there, not even turning to face them fully. "More then I can say for you," she remarked casually turning away.

Syphon chose this moment to strike. She leapt in the air, claws extending as she jumped and went straight for her throat.

Marrow, not knowing what else to do, jumped to intercept. The two hit the med slab that Gambit had been laying on, and rolled off to the other side. At that moment Hope whirled and fired. An almost liquid blue light flowed through her body, surrounding and playing along her limbs as if she was some sort of conductor, to finally allow itself to escape her body, down her arms, off her finger tips, and across the room towards Sinister.

Sinister, anticipating this attack, weaved out of the way. As Bull jumped for Midnight Massacre, Sinister and Hope locked themselves in combat; dodging and firing, each trying to catch the other before they had time to adjust to the last strike.

Midnight Massacre had pulled out a blade, and was using it to defend himself against Bull. He managed to get free, and addressed him honorably, "I have not been sanctioned to destroy you, but if you do not relent and surrender, you shall force my hand against you."

"Oh just shut up with your friggin' fake honor ya' friggin' brown noser!" Bull muttered, loud enough for Massacre to hear.

Midnight Massacre was annoyed. He saw himself as an honorable person, and hated to have someone speak that way to him, "I have done nothing to cause my honor to dissipate."

"Do tell: Massacre"

"I do only what is necessary, in the eyes of my master." Massacre articulated, anger colouring his tone.

"God Damned brain washed little boot licker," Bull muttered, lunging for his adversary's waist, catching him and throwing them both through a wall.

Marrow and Syphon were still wrestling on the ground. Syphon had realized that her powers were useless against Marrow, and was doing everything she could to keep Marrow from being able to gain any distance. Marrow's daggers could rip her to shreds if she let her get too much distance. Syphon herself was used to brawling, thanks to what Gambit had called 'Collar Fights' in various altercations with various cell mates.

Thanks to her own time spent scraping with all of her assorted foes, Marrow was quite content to let the battle go on like this. So they continued to go at it, punch for punch in complete silence.

Hope and Sinister had come to a stand off. Somewhere in the back of Hope's mind, she registered that if she lost, then they would all lose. Marrow and Syphon were evenly matched, and would continue to duke it out until one knocked the other unconscious. Bull, however, was completely out of his league. Massacre wasn't using his powers, and for that reason Bull still had a chance, but as soon as he did it would be lights out for Bull.

Afraid of what would happen if Bull did lose to Midnight Massacre, Hope turned it up a notch. She flung everything she had at Sinister, hoping that it would connect. It did, and he was sent flying backwards.

He sat for a moment, but then got back up. He addressed Hope with more then a hint of irony in his voice, "If I weren't me, I'd be very worried about your skills." He then disappeared, and reappeared behind Hope, placing her into a choke hold and lifting her off the ground. "But I am me."

With the loss of breath, the liquid blue energy appeared to drain from her body. Her limbs went limp and her head fell forward. At the drop of her head, Sinister dropped her unceremoniously on the floor. "You could have been special girl," he sighed aiming at her with his palm.

Just as he fired, Hope rolled out of the way, and stumbled to her feet. "Oh I am special. And don't you forget it!"

Sinister's eyes flashed in anger. He fired again, this time connecting, and Hope was sent flying back into the wires and mess that Celeste had ripped up earlier.

Sinister turned away from Hope, and walked to where Syphon was fighting Marrow behind the table. At that moment, six sharp objects dug into his lower back, emerging out the front, and were drug upwards. He bellowed in pain, and fell to his knees.

The objects were removed, and he fell forward, using his left hand to hold himself up, and the right to cover his wounds, which were already healing. Looking around, he noticed that Marrow and Bull were standing in front of him, with their arms folded, and members of the X- Men, and Generation- X spotted the room, with Allegra and Donald off to the side.

Knowing that he was defeated, Sinister disappeared without a trace.

Bull turned to Hope's limp form. "You okay?" He asked, offering a hand.

Bull pulled back his hand, not wanting to feel the shock that follows contact with Hope when she was that charged. "Hope! Snap out of it." He pleaded, eyebrows raised, as Hope's eyes glazed over.

Seeing the situation, Joseph stood forward and reached out to Hope.

"Hey man don't--" Bull exclaimed, in an attempt to warn him. Before he could get the sentence out however, Joseph picked Hope up. A blue light swirled around the two, a mix of Hope's lightning and Joseph's magnetic shield. "--Uh. Yeah, okay. That'll work too."

Suddenly Hope started flailing in Joseph's arms, and he was struggling harshly to keep her still. Bolts of energy started to fly around the room.

"Then again..." Bull muttered, ducking a blow.

Wolverine jumped for Allegra as a flash nearly caught her in the shoulder. "What's wrong with her?!?" He growled, ducking a blow. When she didn't answer, he took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. looking in her eyes, he noticed an eerie violet light escaping them.

She blinked and the light disappeared, and answering his question simply, she took a step towards Hope. "She's afraid."

"Of what?" Wolverine exclaimed, catching her arm.

Shrugging off his question, she pushed him aside and stepped towards Joseph. "Put her down," she told him, "And back away slowly."

Joseph, having no clue what else to do, was inclined to listen. He set Hope on the floor, and stepped back. As he did, Hope ceased her struggle, and once again became still.

Allegra came forward, knelt next to her friend and waited. She examined Hope for serious injuries and saw that, apart from a few broken ribs, she was fine. "Hope?" She whispered tentatively.

Hope's eyelids flittered open. "Al'?"

Allegra smiled at the sound of her friend's voice. Bull came down and knelt on her other side. He looked to the cuts on her face and then to Allegra, who shrugged.

Hope groaned. "M' side hurts," she whispered.

Bull frowned, "Allegra can't help you until you get the juice in check."

She closed her eyes, swallowed and clamped down tight on her powers. "Okay."

Allegra took a deep breath and put her hands to Hope's abdomen. A fluorescent light surrounded the two of them, and the others watched in awe, as Hope injuries were healed.

Hope sat up, and looked around. Seeing a lot of unfamiliar, and expectant faces, she swallowed. "Um... Hello?"

Allegra, who also took a look at all the people in the room, blushed at the attention and put her head down to hide her face in her long blond hair. "She's going to be fine," She said in almost a whisper.

"I don't suppose one of you would mind explaining all of this." Wolverine asked.

Hope stood up and helped Allegra to her feet. "We will." She said, recognizing him as the one in charge. "But not here," She added forcefully.

Logan knew there would be no arguing and nodded to Betsy to open a portal.

Hope stepped through the portal, and did a close observation of her surroundings. The room was apparently the Main foyer of a large building. A large winding staircase led up on the left of the room and a beautiful, crystal chandelier hung in the centre. Under the stairs there was a regular sized oak door, probably to a storage room and on the wall beside that, there was another one. To the left and right, were large doors, that looked as if they belonged to a study in a library from a mansion. Behind her were two high doors, which she supposed led outside.

"Wow," Bull muttered, coming up beside her.

Allegra smiled. "That's what I said."

Hope shrugged. "I've been in bigger."

"Yeah, but I question the legality of your presence," Quipped Bull.

Hope just smiled at him, as Pix came to the top of the staircase. Her eyes were large, and she looked as if she had been crying. "You guys might want to come up here."

The three started up the stairs followed by Logan, Betsy and Emma. The others dispersed through out the building. When they reached the top, they were led silently down a hall to the end.

Pix pushed a button and a pair of metallic doors opened with a loud swish. Behind the doors was a small circular elevator. The six of them entered, and the doors closed behind them, disappearing from sight as they did. Bull cocked an eyebrow at it, but Allegra and Hope had seen enough in their lives not to be shaken by it. Pix reached to a panel and pushed the button labelled 'M'.

Bull, Hope and Allegra exchanged a glance. Doesn't 'M' usually stand for main?

Hope thought back to Allegra, Last time I checked.

Weren't we just on the main floor? Bull asked.

Hope shrugged, Would have been my guess.

Allegra was silent a moment. Why are we going back to the main floor when we were just on it?

Bull looked at Allegra. Pix is odd that way.

Hope smiled. That she is.

Allegra concurred. Yep.

Why's it takin so long? Hope wondered over the link.

Slow 'vator Bull offered.

'M' must not stand for main. Thought Allegra sadly, more to herself then the others.

What do you think it stands for?

Pix was crying right... Allegra offered looking vaguely in her dirrection. Pix crossed her arms and looked down.

She knew they were talking about her, but they were keeping her out of the conversation for now and that was just fine by her, because she hated talking when she felt like this.

Bull and Hope exchanged glances, and turned back to Allegra. And Remy was in pretty bad shape, She countinued.

Bull's eyes went large. Morgue?!?

The elevator stopped and everyone stepped out a door which had appeared to the opposite side from where it had opened in the beginning.

Hope looked terrified. I can't sense him!

Betsy put a hand to Hope's shoulder. He's not dead. But he is in a lot of pain. I had to block your link to him so that you wouldn't feel it. "Welcome to the medical ward," She said out loud.

Hope exchanged a glance with Allegra and Bull, half embarassed by their premature assumption. "how is Remy?" She asked, not entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.

"He is very ill." The three turned to see a skinny, bald man in an odd sort of hovering wheelchair. "He is in a coma at the moment."

Pix folded her arms, and looked down at her boot, as she toed the ground. "Reyes doesn't think he'll come out of it," she divulged, giving a little kick, to something that wasn't there.

Hope went very pale, and her form wavered a bit. Her hand reflexively went up to the chain which she had refastened around her neck. Beside her, Allegra sucked in a sharp intake of air. Bull, though hurt himself, decided to put aside his own feelings, and console Allegra. He put his arm around her, and she turned into his breast, and cried, as he rubbed her back.

Hope looked up and made eye contact with Pix. Pix came forward, to embrace her best friend. The gesture ment a lot to Hope, because she knew how little Pix liked attention when she was upset, espcailly hugs, she however, was too out of control of her powers to make any sort of lasting contact with anybody. She shook her head slightly to her, knowing that she would understand.

The motion made her head spin. Don' y' dare pass out on me Hope She heard quietly over their link.

"I want to see him..." She whispered to Xavier, ignoring Pix.

"I don't think that's such a good--"

As he started to tell her no, Hope drew a lot of the electricty out of his chair so that it wavered a bit, nearly hitting the floor. "It was not a request." She walked past him and went to where Gambit was laying on a gurney.

Hope dear, maybe you should rest a bit before you start this. Betsy gave Allegra a sideways glance. She wasn't trying to evesdrop, but it was difficult for her to ignore their link after having such a profound expirence with the Crimson Dawn.

Let me be Al, she replied, closing their link as best she could. Allegra knew there wouldn't be any arguing.

Betsy was still looking at her, with question in her eyes. Allegra frowned. When ever one of us is hurt bad, Hope'll stand vigil over us. She doesn't leave until we're either better or... well... not. I'm worried about her because she's packing a lot of energy, she's tired, she's messed up emotionally, and she's wasted and if I know her as well as I think I do, she won't leave his side, until something happens. Not to eat, sleep, blow of a bit of energy, etc. etc.