This is a filler issue. Sorry if anyone is disappointed with the quality. Next one will be better. Promise.

All of these characters belong to Marvel and are borrowed without permission with no profit made.
September 1998
VC presents X-Men in:

 
"Desperate Decisions"
Writer & Editor: Tom
"I think I'm dumb. Maybe just happy."

The sun entered his eyes through the shades. He blinked few times before realizing what had happened. His
heart began to beat faster as he realized that his ever present ruby glasses were not on his eyes. Cold sweat
began to run down his face before he realized just why they weren't on. ^Jean blocked my power
telepathically, last night. She hasn't done that since, well since long ago.^

He slowly raised his head to find out just where he was. They somehow, after the rampage managed to get
into the bed again. They were lying there, across the length, Jean at his side, both covered with barely one
sheet.

Scott began to think about what had just happened last night. Jean came in and had yet another argument
with him. But this time, the difference was that she told him everything straight away. She didn't make any
fuss about it, she just told him straight away. She hated being what she was, being the big mother to
everyone, caring for everyone but herself. She hated when he never had time for her. As much as he hated
to admit it, she was right, in a way. He got so caught up in the business of X-Men, he never had time for his
wife anymore. It was true. But what could he do ? With Storm powerless, and Professor in a comma, he
was the only one that could lead the team. He loved Jean over anything in his life, but there was something in
him, the call of duty maybe that made him want to go through everything just to make sure that X-Men
survived and moved on. And sometimes in this task he forgot about Jean, his wife. ^She's my wife damn it.
And she's right. I have to take care more of her. X-Men are important, but not so important.^

He felt Jean move, and he looked at her smiling. She opened her eyes, blinking and looking at him smiled.
"Hi honey."

"Hi." he said kissing her on the forehead. Before he could let go she kissed him on the neck. "More ?" he
mumbled shocked.

"Maybe." she said laughing devilishly. Then she sprung up from the bed and sat on his chest. "Or maybe I
just want to wrestle you."

"Wrestle me ? You gotta be out of your mind lady." Scott said mocking her.

"We'll see about that." Jean said pining Scott to the bed. "Ten... nine... eight...." she counted smiling in his
face. He brought his hands up and with one move threw Jean across the other side of the bed. While she still
lay there, shocked he jumped over to her and began struggling to pin her down. She was not giving in easily
and she fought hard, kicking and struggling. Finally when it seemed that he had her pined his arm got caught
in a sheet and he fell face first on to her chest.

Jean burst out laughing as he mumbled "Well that was embarrassing." quietly. He pulled himself off her and
they both laid down beside each other. Jean had a smile on her face, Scott noticed that he hadn't seen a
smile like that for a long time. She embraced him and put her head on his chest. "I love you." she said.

"I love you too Jean. And I promise that I'll spend more time with you now. The X-Men can slow down for
a while. But you have to understand, I can't leave them totally alone. At least not now, when Storm doesn't
have any power, and Professor is in a coma."

"I know Scott, I understand, but I just don't want you to get caught up in the endless circle again."

"I won't. I promise." he said kissing her on the head.

"Thank you."

Kitchen

Betsy stared into the cup of coffee in front of her. She hated drinking coffee, she came from England and
their main drink was tea, but she was really tired and coffee was the only thing that would keep her awake.
^Maybe I should go for a swim in the lake. That always helped before." She didn't sleep at all after the
ambush of the Undercloaks. She was too afraid of them. Not as much afraid of them attacking her and killing
her but she was afraid of the strange warm and fuzzy feeling she got inside when she was near them. It was
almost as if she was attracted to them. It was the same feeling she had when she almost got sucked in by
that shadow portal, few weeks ago. They were connected, she knew about that much.

^Yeah and that really helps me. I stayed up all night watching out for them. They didn't come. It was almost
as if they came just to scare me. Or to tell me something. But what ? They said that they've come to make
me pay for using the Crimson Dawn. But I never knew there was any price involved. What kind of price was
it anyway ? My life ? They give it back to me and now they want to take it away ? What is going on here ?
And why do I have the feeling that there's more to it than just the Crimson Dawn. I hate unanswered
questions.^

As she sipped on her coffee she heard someone walk into the room. A sudden shiver passed down her back
and she spun around, a pink butterfly glowing around her head. She had this feeling again. There was a
Undercloak in the kitchen. She was on her feet and only then did she notice it was Rogue, who barely
walked into the kitchen. "What's wrong sugah ?" she asked looking at the ready to fight Betsy in front of her.

"Oh...Rogue..... it's... it's only you. I thought it was someone else." Betsy mumbled shocked.

"Ah guess it ain't any of my business but who did you think Ah was ?"

"Doesn't matter." Betsy said sitting down. As Rogue walked past Betsy looked at her. Her shadow began
twitching and swirling behind her and it grinned at Betsy, who almost lost her breath. Before she could react,
it all returned to normal.

"None of mah business. Ah thought so." Rogue said opening the fridge.

^I must be going mad.^ Betsy thought burying her face in her hands. Suddenly her head began filling with
strange noise, like a rush. It came out of nowhere and began building up and growing and soon her head was
filled with it. She didn't feel any pain, just this weird buzz. Somewhere in the background she heard Rogue
leaving the kitchen and saying something but she couldn't work out what it was. And as suddenly as it came,
the rush began disappearing and now she began hearing voices. One voice in fact. It kept repeating itself
over and over, until her ears began ringing.

"Got You."

***

Rogue walked through the corridor as she sipped on a coke. ^There ain't no food in this house anymore. I
guess I could do the shopping as well as anyone anyway. Not that anyone is willing to do it. You need a
woman for the job, and Jean is out of the question, she's probably growling at Scott right now. Betsy seems
to be tipping on the wrong side too. I won't even mention Storm, I haven't seen her for a week. Does she
even go out of her room ? I guess I'm the only woman that has her head together, in some way. Heh that is a
good joke.^ she smiled to herself. ^I've just dumped Remy. I'm taking it well anyway. Yep, keep telling
yourself everything is okay. But isn't it ? I feel happy and that's all that should matter. Before I was worried
every day about Remy lying to me, about what exactly he's done, and about whether I should choose
between him or Joseph. It took me long to realize, but finally now I understand that I don't want any of them.
I can live as happily without any of them. And even since I told this to Remy, I don't have these problems
anymore. I'm not worried every day. Suppose that means something. ^

In that time she had walked out of the underground complex and was now standing outside, looking at the
bright sunshine outside. She inhaled the spring air and smiled. "About time it got a bit warm." The mansion
was beginning to come into place, slowly. The foundations were all ready, and the frame for the left wing
was done. They worked on it every day, but this being so early there was no one here yet. Which meant she
had time to go to Salem and buy some food. Without thinking much more she took off the ground and flew
towards the sky. Within few seconds she was flying across the grounds, and towards Salem.

***

Remy laid on the ground looking at her leave. He was lying next to the lake, under the trees looking at the
sky above him. He came out here to smoke and think. He lost Rogue from eye sight within few seconds, but
her memory didn't fade this fast. She had stuck him deep. Never before has he felt so denied, with another
woman that is. As far as he could remember, his relationship with Rogue was full of denial. Maybe it was
good that it was over. Maybe it would be better for both of them to just be friends. Maybe...

Later, at the construction area

"That's right Rogue, a bit more to the left, no that's too far... yeah that's it."

"Go for it Joseph." Hank called out from behind Forge. A dozen of iron nails nailed a vertical pole Rogue
was holding up. The roof on the left wing was coming along pretty good, they were almost finished with the
frame and they had began building the walls around it already.

Forge moved back to where Beast was standing and took a look at the construction going on in front of
them. "I must say we are going pretty good."

"Totally agreed on my friend. At this rate we should be finished in a month. That's if nothing goes wrong."
Beast answered. "Bobby, stop slacking there, and keep that board straight, otherwise we're going to have
crocked walls in the house." then he turned back to Forge. "If you know what I mean." he said smiling.

Forge laughed. "Yeah."

***

Joseph floated around the construction site doing what he was told to do, using his powers to lift steel poles,
nail them and all sorts of other things he had no idea about. But he was far away from those things in his
mind. He was able to work at the construction site and think of something totally else at the same time. So
many things had happened, he couldn't get himself together after it all. First of all his memory was flashing
back to him more and more often. He wasn't quite sure if this meant anything, or if this just happened all the
time to people with amnesia. He was supposed to ask Hank about it, but couldn't find a proper moment to
do so, Beast was too busy with rebuilding of the mansion anyway. And worst of all, the memory flashes have
been mostly of bad things he's done, all the crimes he's committed. They had told him he's done much bad in
the past, but has he done nothing good ? And did this mean that he would revert to his former, heartless self
once his memories returned ? He couldn't, could he ? ^I'll have control of myself, I'll know what's good and
bad this time, I won't try to make myself a god. I would after all be after all this time with the X-Men, I mean
it had to change something in me, something at least.^

"Hey Joseph, stop daydreaming and keep that pole moving !" someone shouted from the ground to him. He
apologized and kept on with his work, still deep in his thoughts, but paying attention to what was happening
as well. This was a skill he's had ever since he could remember. Which wasn't really that far anyway. By
now, someone else than himself had crossed his mind. Rogue. He still had a major crush on her. He
wondered if Magneto had been so touchy feely with women too. Probably not. There was just this
something he had for Rogue that he couldn't turn of. She had clearly told him, she had no interest in either
him or Remy, but yet still he couldn't learn to cope with it. Remy could, or so it seemed. Then again how
many times has Remy tried to get close to her before she dumped him officially. Joseph guessed that she had
this hold over everyone that fell in love with her, and that it couldn't be stopped. But... she had clearly told
him no, and he had to respect that. He decided it would be the best to hide these feelings, at least for now
when Rogue was still confused. Maybe he should try later, when everything settled down and she got the
hang of herself again. Later... later was the word.

Somewhere in New York

The man known as Warren Woringhton III opened the door with a certain degree of curiosity. He has not
been to this place for years. When has it last been that he'd run this company ? He couldn't even remember.
He stepped through the door step and looked around the empty office. There was dust and spider webs
everywhere. It's just like he remembered it. His office straight ahead on the end of the lane, places where
desks used to stand before they were taken away. The east side had the toilets and kitchen and the west
side had and room which used to be Cameron's office. At the memory of Cameron, Warren's stomach
twisted but he tried forgetting that feeling. Cameron was dead, he died long ago and even though he took so
many things Warren loved so much with him, he had learned to forget about his so called friend. Besides he
was here to celebrate not to mourn.

He walked around the office as the hired cleaners began filling the room. He was going to get this place
going again. He was going to make sure the world knows the Woringhton name again. He had been put in
charge of his family's business and he failed the last time, he wasn't going to this time. He saw bright future
ahead of him. Finally, he was free to do what he wanted and how he wanted. No more X-Men interfering.
No more Betsy, no more commitments. The old Warren was back. At that thought, he grinned to himself.
He had never realized how Betsy changed him. Well maybe he had but he was sure it was a positive change.
Now he wasn't so sure anymore. He realized that he liked living like this, with people of high class, going to
grand parties, running large business and so on. He liked charming women all around him, and getting all of
them into bed for one night. Maybe it was something new in him, maybe it had been there all the time, but he
found it hard to commit to one person. Only Betsy and Candy had ever managed to grab a powerful enough
hold on him so he would commit himself. Candy was dead and he had just broken up with Betsy. He had
figured that maybe it was enough commitments for now...

He had a company to run after all.

Morlock Tunnels

The girl couldn't be older than fifteen. Yet her face didn't resemble her age at all. She looked at least five
years older. Her eyes were black from a obvious lack of sleep. Her slouched figure sat in a old chair that
had remembered it's better days. Her arms were muscular, and she was obviously fit and strong for her age,
probably too strong for fifteen. The clothes she wore obviously said that she was not a normal every day
teenager, for a teenager wouldn't wear spandex. She was no normal teenager either. She was Marrow, the
Morlock warrior. The Morlock wild card. One of few Morlocks that still lived. She sat beside the bed of her
beloved mentor, who wasn't doing any better either. Sarah knew this was not good. If Calisto had been only
scratched she would have been able to get up now. She would be fine by now. But she wasn't. Could it
really be something more than just injury in the fight ? But what ? Calisto had a bad fever, and she was totally
weak. What was wrong with her ? And most of all how could Sarah help her ? Could she ?

^I've tried everything that I know about healing, everything I've seen the Morlock healer do. Still it doesn't
make much difference. What can I do to save Calisto ?^ Anger send shivers down her spine as she
remembered who had caused this all. ^I promise you windrider if Calisto doesn't make it, you'll be the first
one to pay.^ Calisto's moan brought her back to reality. She picked up a wet cloth and placed it on Calisto's
forehead to ease the fever. Thoughts of despair came back to her. ^What if I can't save her ? Will I have to
ask for help ?^

Other Half of Issue #17