Overcoming Obstacles


	Overcoming Obstacles ©2000 Michelle and Amy Genre: Romance/Adventure Sex Content: PG-13 Violence Content: PG-17 Language Content: PG Characters: Original Females, X-MEN characters Chapter 1 It had been three years since the disappearance of the love of Scott’s life. Scott Summers, or Cyclops, was engaged to Dr. Jean Grey until that fateful day when they were out and she was taken from him by Magneto and his brotherhood. Scott couldn’t save her using his optic blasts of light without endangering Jean herself. So he had watched her get taken away. He never forgave himself for it either. Everyday he blamed himself for not trying harder. For not thinking of another way to get her back. And now she was gone. His hope of her returning never faded for those three years. Every speck of him wished that she would walk through the doors of the school and wrap her arms around him like she had all those times before. For many nights, that was what occupied his mind. That was what kept him going through his daily life. The hope that she would someday return to him. He knew what everyone else thought about this. They all knew that she wouldn’t be returning. They were all very worried about him because he hadn’t been the same. When they lost Jean Grey, they had lost their leader as well. Cyclops was in no stable state to command the X-Men yet he did not want to admit it. * With the slowly weakening X-Men, the Mutant Project was becoming more and more important. The Mutant Project was a group that worked and strived to help protect the mutants from people who wanted them dead. They promoted the goodness of mutants and explained to people what they did not know, since that was why they feared the mutants. The fear of the unknown. The Mutant Project was founded by Michele Leigh. She had started this group when she saw all the discrimination going on around her. Although she was not a mutant herself, she had been segregated and isolated as a child which left a mental scar in her. Besides working in the group she was also a small-time actress. For now, she hoped. She had moved out on her own to pursue her dream when she was 17, and now that she was 19, she had finally settled in to her new life. She had broken up with her boyfriend when she decided to live on her own. They didn’t think that a long distance relationship would work and just went on their own ways. She was busy with trying to handle being an actress and working on the Mutant Project but she always found time for both, even if it meant sacrificing parties and sleep. Chapter 2 Aeryn Kelly leaned back in her chair, a satisfied smile plastered on her face. Everywhere she looked, it seemed like everyone, mutants and humans alike, were having fun. She closed her eyes and listened to the great music coming from the main stage. The music was loud, full of guitars, and ran through her entire body. That was the way she liked it. As she felt herself being drawn into the rock song that was playing, she felt someone watching her. She opened her green eyes to see one of her best friends, Michele Leigh, standing over her. She offered the small brunette the seat across from her. Michele sat down and smiled. "Well, it looks like you’re enjoying yourself." "Oh, I am. This is working better than I would have ever thought possible," Aeryn commented as she turned back to the music. Michele laughed. "It is, indeed. Who would have ever thought that the daughter of the most prejudiced senator would have organized a peace concert for The Mutant Project?" Aeryn understood that her friend was kidding and chuckled as well. "It is ironic, isn’t it? Well, it’s a good thing I took after my mother instead of my father." She once again turned her attention to the music and closed her eyes. It was ironic that Aeryn Kelly, Senator Robert Kelly’s youngest daughter, had been the driving force behind The Mutant Project’s "Party in the Park." After so many years of hearing about all of the prejudice that her father promoted, Aeryn had decided that she needed to do something about it. When news of her father’s death had reached her family after the Mutant Registration Act failed, she decided that it was time to take action. She had heard about this new group that was forming and knew that she had to become a part of it. Unfortunately, it hadn’t been very easy. She had never realized how much hate her last name carried with it. The only person who would let her prove herself was Michele, and prove herself she did. She went to different political conventions and other places giving speech after speech and constantly representing The Mutant Project. Gradually, the other members of the Project began to accept her, but several people were still very distrustful. She didn’t let that stop her, though. Together, she and Michele organized the "Party in the Park", a large outdoor concert that was meant to last an entire Saturday, feature several different musicians, and promote peace. As of now, it seemed to be quite a success. Aeryn heard Michele stand up from her seat, and she opened her eyes. "Where are you going?" "I’m going to go mingle and promote. Ah, the director of a non-profit organization’s work is never done." Aeryn chortled. "Okay. Have fun." The two women hugged, and Michele disappeared into the crowd. Aeryn closed her eyes and focused on the music once more. She became so wrapped up in it that she was oblivious to everything around her, including the strange man watching her from across the park. * Logan couldn’t stand it any longer. Every day, he would walk by the big window in the hallway and see Scott Summers sitting on the same bench, staring off into space. Sure, he didn’t like the guy, but he didn’t like this new Scott even more. While a part of him told him to ignore it, the other part told him that he had to do something. With a low growl, he marched out to the bench. "Seen any good birds lately?" he asked as he sat down next to the oblivious leader of the X-Men. Scott didn’t answer. Logan waited for a few minutes, then tried again. "You’re not the only one who misses her, man." Still nothing. Finally, Logan grabbed Scott by the collar and forced him to look him in the eyes. "Okay, Bub. This whole not answering thing is really beginning to piss me off. You’d better say something and you’d better say it fast." "Why should I say something when there is nothing to say?" Scott mumbled. Even though Logan couldn’t see Scott’s eyes behind his ruby quartzes, he knew the man was distraught. He knew that Scott blamed himself for Jean’s disappearance, and nothing that anyone could say would make him think otherwise. Logan released Scott’s collar and sat back on the bench. He took out a cigar and lit it. After taking a drag, he turned to the other man. "I know we’re not exactly friends. Hell, I don’t even like ya, but you’ve got to snap out of this. If not for us, then for Jean. You can’t just give up like this." Scott looked down at the ground. "Why not? If I couldn’t save her, then who could. How am I suppose to protect others if I can’t even protect the woman I love?" Logan sighed and took another drag. Obviously, talking wasn’t helping much. He had to think of something else and fast. He let his dark eyes wander over the courtyard until they landed on a flier posted to a tree. "Party in the Park; this Saturday," it read. He scanned over the rest of the information and a smile spread across his face. He threw his cigar to the ground, stomped on it, and stood up. He grabbed Scott by the collar and dragged him to his feet. "Come on, we’re goin’ out," Logan announced. Before Scott could answer, he found himself being hauled across the courtyard. A few of the students snickered as they walked by, but that didn’t stop them. The next thing Scott knew, he was shoved into a truck. His door closed, then Logan climbed in on the other side. "Logan, what are you doing?" he asked. "Just keep your eye peeled for women, that’s all I’m sayin’." With that, Logan started up the truck. Chapter 3 Logan stopped the truck with an abrupt halt as they arrived at where the flier had said the party would be. And sure enough, there was definitely a crowd. "Logan… I don’t know about this…" Scott said hesitantly. "What’s the harm? C’mon! Let’s see what this is all about!" Logan said with more enthusiasm than Scott had ever heard before. He looked at Logan with an are-you-ok? look and followed the Canuck reluctantly. He had to admit, once he stepped inside the area of the main event, he was impressed by the extravagance of the party. "Dammmnnnn…" he heard Logan mutter. They looked around the immense space and saw that the party was outdoors and indoors. "Wow…" Scott admitted as they walked towards the dance floor area. "Hm. Good music," Logan commented and Scott nodded. He suddenly noticed Logan had tensed up. "What is it?" he asked, worried that something would break loose and ruin this wonderful party. "That girl…" was all Logan responded. Scott followed his gaze to an early 20s woman sitting by herself. Her eyes were closed and she had a very peaceful and serene look. Her red hair fell casually on her bare shoulders, but that wasn’t all Logan had become aware of. "Logan, do you have girls on the mind 24/7??" Scott said with a smirk and he was hushed by Logan as he held up his index finger. "There’s something wrong…" said Logan, standing in the middle of a group of people who were dancing all around them. * Michele left her best friend sitting there on the chair and walked out to other people to mingle with them. She tried to get the humans and the mutants to become friendlier and less hostile to one another and this party was doing the task quite well. She scanned the large group in front of her to see if she saw anyone familiar when her eyes met that of a handsome young man with dark red sunglasses. She realized that he had seen her as well and she started walking towards him, pushing her way through the massive crowds. "Oh! Michele dear, please come meet Mr. Brown…" came a voice beside Michele, interrupting her thoughts. She turned to see Mrs. Simpson, a wealthy elderly woman whom she has known through her work in the Project. Michele smiled politely and complied, reluctantly letting herself be pulled along by the woman. She glanced back once at where the man was but he was gone. * Logan’s words snapped Scott’s attention back on him. Scott had been mesmerized by this brunette who had also taken notice on him. She had been walking towards him until she got pulled away by other matters and Logan had managed to get his focus back on what he was saying. "Did you hear anything I just said Scott?" Logan asked impatiently. "Yeah, sure," Scott answered, not very convincingly. "Huh. Thought so," Logan smirked. "Anyway, I was just saying that I think there’s something wr-" and before he could finish his sentence, what the two men saw in front of them proved what Logan was saying was true. Right before their very eyes, somehow nobody else noticed it, Mystique appeared but shape-shifted into the brunette that Scott had seen earlier. She then went up to the girl with the red hair and told her something very urgently. The redhead bolted up and the two women ran out one of the side doors. "Should we do something about it?" Scott asked naively. He was hesitant about causing a scene at the party. "No. WE aren’t going to do anything about it. You stay here and keep an eye on everything. Make sure nothing else goes awry. I’ll go after the girl," Logan directed, feeling that the usual X-leader had been incompetent to give orders for a while. Scott thought about this briefly before nodding, "Okay." to be continued...