Legend: Thoughts = <>

Stray thoughts = ()

Flashback **

Com links []

Ok, guys, all the disclaimers apply, that means all thanks goes to Marvel

For the X-Men, I'm just making the story. And I do read all the other

Stories and they're great, keep up the good work. They inspire me!

"Do you promise to stay here until it kills you and let them mess with your mind?" The preacher said.

"What?" I asked.

"To surrender your freedom, so as long as you shall live?" the preacher asked.

There was a five minute silence and I heard the whispers of the crowd.

"Come on, Pane." Another me said, walking up to me. It was Dark me, "This is what you're choosing. Looks fun, huh?"

"No." I said, my face flushing, "It really isn't."

"You're too young." Dark I said.

"Yeah, but I love Scott. Nothing can come between us. Not even you." I frowned.

"Who said you'd have to? You can leave without..." Dark Me stopped, " I'm gonna miss him."

"Who said I'm leaving?" I asked, "I'm just graduating."

"I'm in your mind." Dark me said, "I know what you're thinking. Too bad that one guy didn't live. He'd have been really cute on our arm."

"I should wake up now." I said.

"You took the words right out of my mouth." Dark Me smiled.

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"Well, there's this dream where I'm in a cage." Jean explained, "I don't have any powers in the cage, just darkness."

"So, are you alright?" Scott asked, "You seem...different."

"I'm fine, Scott." Jean smiled, "Besides, we do have a wedding to prepare ourselves for."

"Not anytime soon." Scott sighed, "He's young and I wouldn't expect him to just be ready to commit himself to me."

"Scott, is he alright?" Jean asked shyly, "It's not my place, I know, but he doesn't seem...himself. Not since we unleashed The Hollow."

Scott sighed, "The truth? I'm not sure." He said, "I'm scared for him. He's facing something that could consume him."

Jean chuckled.

"Something funny?" Scott asked.

"Sorry," Jean said, trying to suppress her laughter, "It's just that, you sure know how to pick `em. Powerful ones. It just seems like you're a power magnet."

"Yeah, I'm starting to see that." Scott said sadly, "Wonder if I'll ever have a normal relationship."

"Nope. You're a mutant." Jean said, "We are all destined for unique, new things."

"Does it scare you? You could lose control and..." Scott asked.

Jean looked at him, "Yes. Every minute, I fear that I can lose control." She said.

Scott watched her for a moment and they stared into each other's eyes. Scott felt something that he rarely felt anymore, an intense attraction and connection for Jean. He loved Pane and would forever, but it just felt right with Jean now. Scott felt torn for his love for Pane or his love for Jean. His and Jean's love was historic and undeniable and...there. They began to move toward each other slowly but stopped, then finally felt each other's lips. They quickly recoiled and found themselves staring at each other. Scott looked up and saw Bobby standing at the door. Bobby shook his head and walked away.

"I...have to go." Scott said, leaving.

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As I stood in the Danger Room, Sam Guthrie stood in front of us, discussing some of his misadventures with the X-Men. I couldn't help but looked around at the new students around. They were all unique and different and my eyes stopped on Julian Keller, his eyes already on me. He smiled and I smiled back. We were on opposite teams and his competitive spirit was one of the things that made him so...so...hot? As Sam stopped talking, Northstar began to tell us about his experiences. Professor Xavier had decided that maybe I needed to be back on the juniors, even though I was days away from graduating. Northstar was hot too. I hadn't really ever had interactions with him, but I knew about him already. Besides from me, he was one of the only gay mutants that have always been out. I was attracted to him and I was definitely aware of my thing for older guys. Julian was different, though. I had initially thought of him as older than me, but he wasn't. Suddenly, all the talking stopped as the Danger Room changed into a street scene. There was talking and I heard my voice and looked over to see me and Tag talking. Suddenly, we were going at it, in front of everyone. Embarrassment hit me quickly as the slurping and kissing continued.

"Danger Room, stop!" Northstar shouted, causing the Danger Room to transform back into a room.

"Oh my God!" Kevin "Wither" Ford said loudly.

"You and...Brian." Julian said slowly.

"It was before the last battle and...it's no one's business." I said quickly, "Who did that?" I asked angrily.

"That was uncalled for." Rahne Sinclair said.

I left without a word. As I rounded the corner, I felt someone grab my shoulder. I turned to see Jean-Paul standing behind me and he hugged me, "I am sorry, it was never my intention to have that happen. We will find whoever did this." He said.

"Thanks." I said quickly.

"We have never actually met, have we, I am Jean-Paul Be..."

"I know." I said, "We've all been busy, what with the dying and coming back to life."

"I see you have heard of me." Jean-Paul smiled.

"Actually, I meant me." I chuckled, "So, I think I'd better get going."

"Yeah, graduation." He said, "So, what does that mean exactly? You're already on the team."

"Yes." I said, leaving.

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As I made my way to my room, thoughts flashed through my head. The whole New X-Men team just saw you scoring with Tag! It was the thought that hadn't left my mind, I just wasn't sure if I was for or against it. Sometimes my mind wandered. My heart almost stopped when I saw Bobby standing at my door.

"Hey." He said, looking as if he was conflicted, but he hid it well as he smiled at me.

"Hi." I said quickly, standing in front of him, "What is it?"

Bobby sighed, "I, umm, can we go into your room? There's something I have to tell you and it's a little embarrassing." He said nervously.

"What's this about, you haven't talked to me in forever and now you show up and want to go in my room to talk about some secret?" I asked, "What am I, your bartender?"

"What? I..." Bobby said, thinking back to the last time we had talked, "Look, I'm really sorry, but we need to talk."

"Why not?" I said, pushing the door open and walking in, "What is so important?"

"I saw Scott and Jean." Bobby said.

"I know, they're here every day." I said.

"Kissing!" Bobby said.

I stopped for a second, "You walked in on them kissing?" I asked.

Bobby nodded.

"And I'm the first person you told?" I asked.

"What does that matter?!" Bobby asked angrily.

"You weren't supposed to see that." I said quickly.

Bobby looked confused, then, slowly, began to think out what I just said, "Duh! But I did." He said.

"Bobby, you have to tell everybody." I said.

Bobby looked at me in shock, "What?!" he asked, realizing something, "Did you do it?"

"Yes." I said slowly.

"Why?" he asked, "You love Scott."

"I do." I said, "And he deserves someone that is going to be here for him."

"You're here." Bobby said, trying to rap his head around it all, "So, you...did what, exactly?"

"Slowly distorting everyone's memory." I said.

"You what?!" Bobby said loudly.

I looked at him with a lack of understanding, "Erasing my relationship with Scott...And all the X-Men."

"What? You can't do that! It's unethical." Bobby said, "It's one of the rules."

"And it's taking a toll on my mind." I said.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" Bobby asked, "You've got to stop!"

"I'm almost done." I said.

"So, then, why do I remember?" Bobby asked.

I took a step back, "You were my first boyfriend, really." I smiled, "I just, I wanted everyone to remember you and me. I wanted you to remember us."

"I do. I will." He said, "But you have to stop."

"I have to finish." I said.

"But you're graduating and getting married and..." Bobby stopped, "You're not."

"Bobby, there is something else out there. I don't belong here." I said quickly, "To everyone here, I graduated already, but I died back at the temple."

"We..." Bobby said, tears falling from his eyes, "Where will you go?"

I shook my head.

"My parents have this Florida thing my grandpa left to us." Bobby said, "How will Scott and the rest remember you?"

"Just as I was, their friend." I said, "But they'll remember what actually happened, they'll just think it was before I died and no one else but them will know."

"Secrets?" Bobby asked, "And Scott..."

"Jean." I answered.

"Me?" Bobby asked.

"That's one spoiler I'm not letting you in on." I said, fighting tears.

"So, this is goodbye? You distorting our memories for you and leaving?! You can't..." Bobby said.

"You won't remember." I said.

"But, I thought..." Bobby said and all of a sudden, he stopped and fell to the floor and I knew it was done.

There was a clap and I turned to see Dark me standing, clapping, "What a way to exit." He said, "It hurts."

"I know. I feel it, too." I said.

"We'd better go." He said, "If they see you, it wears off. It's a brilliant plan, but do you honestly think we succeeded in wiping the whole world's records?"

"What did you do?" I asked.

"You'll see." He said, walking to Bobby and bending over him, "Shame you have to leave, but we both knew this was coming."

"I know." I said, "Everything you know, I know."

"True." The other me said looking up at the pictures of me and my friends, "Scott and Jean are good together."

I nodded.

"We have to bring back those people if you want to undo what was done. Your life for the lives of all those who died for you." He said, "Still time to back out."

"No. I don't belong here." I said, turning to the window and telekinetically pushing the window out and flying away.

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                Well, if you liked it please tell me so I can start work on the next one. I really need feedback, especially if you like it. If you don't, I need advice and suggestions, please.