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!

"So, in the future, I'm dead?" Raiden asked, stunned.

I sat on my bed, looking up at them, "Yes." I said, putting my head into my hands.

"We had a baby." Connor said, "What...what did I name it?"

Raiden looked confused, then to me.

"I'm not saying." I said.

"So you can tell us I died and we had a baby but you can't say the name?" Raiden asked harshly.

"A lot of things were different." I frowned.

"It was all good, except for Raiden..." Connor said.

I looked up at them, "Have you been dozing off while I talked? The X-Men were killed by Dark Phoenix, I lost Scott, Scott lost himself, and none of us were really fighting." I explained.

Connor and Raiden looked down upon me.

"So, that's why you've been so icy to Scott?" Raiden asked.

"We can't end up like that." I said, "I can't stand in the way for him."

"That explains your total downer speech." Raiden said.

"Look, we can't tell anyone else." I said, "It's gotta be just our secret."

Raiden and Connor looked at each other, then nodded.

"So, you brought her back from Genosha?" Bobby asked.

"Yes, she was enamored with Pane, so we just thought we could give her a good education while letting her meet her idol." Lorna Danes smiled, pushing her long, green hair behind her ear.

"She's...great." Bobby said.

"Then you should go and talk to her." Alex Summers said.

"I think that would be awkward." Bobby said.

"Why is that?" Lorna asked.

"Me." I said, walking into the room, "Believe me, I'm not sweating you anymore."

Bobby looked at me, unsure of what to say.

"I didn't mean any offense, just stating truth." I said, walking away with Raiden and Connor.

"You know, since he's got back, he's been a real joy." Bobby joked.

As we walked, I felt someone grab my arm and twirl me around.

"What is your issue?" Raiden asked, "You've become a total dick since we got here."

"Yeah, it's like you're campaigning for an award for being a dick." Connor said.

"What? You afraid somebody's going to take your title?" I frowned, "I don't interfere with your freaky little Ross and Rachel experience, so how about you stay out of mine." I said, walking away.

"What's his deal?" Connor asked.

"He's angry." Raiden said.

"But we didn't do anything." Connor said.

"I think he's just mad at the whole world." Raiden said, "Imagine if you saw a future with...someone and you love...someone and you were told that you couldn't stand in their way?"

"That was confusing," Connor said, "But someone is you."

Raiden smiled at him, kissing him on the cheek.

Outside, I was leaning on a statue, looking down on all the kids. The world had gone back to some sort of peace, but now there were the protests and boycotts and it was very annoying. The kids still played basketball and tennis and displayed their powers in the open. Ian had been returned along with a whole bunch of others and the world was alright again. For everyone else, as usual.

"Sometimes I wish I just had my powers again." I said.

"How'd ya know I was there?" Logan asked.

"I miss thinking I could die." I frowned, "Dying meant I could actually give my life."

"I know what ya mean." Logan said, lighting a cigar.

"I don't even know what I stand for anymore. I used to fight the fight because it was something that was worth it, but I don't see the use anymore." I said, "I don't feel like the other kids."

"You're not like the other kids." Logan growled.

"I thought my powers made me different, but it's not just my powers. It's...me." I said.

Logan stared at me, taking a puff of his cigar.

"But, hey, who cares, right?" I said

Logan stared.

"What?" I asked.

"Ya wanna know what I think?" Logan asked.

"What? What do you think?" I asked.

"I think you're too wound up. Ya just need to relax." Logan said.

"I'm chill." I said, "Logan..."

"Yah?" Logan asked.

I walked over to Logan and kissed him, "Thanks." I smiled.

Logan looked surprised, "How'd ya know I wouldn't gut ya?" he asked.

I chuckled, "I'm not sure that would do much." I said.

Before another word could be said, a storm popped up. There was lightning and rain and the wind whipped around me.

Professor Xavier <X-Men, You are needed urgently.>

-           

"Storm has lost control." Beast said, "She was on assignment, helping rebuild downtown with a few students when she was apparently buried in rubble. That was the incident that set her off, as she is claustrophobic."

"How're we supposed to stop her, Hank?" Scott asked.

"Subdue her," Beast said quickly, "This will not be an easy feat, but I am equipping you with a neural inhibitor that should help."

"So, O's in deep trouble?" Rogue asked.

"Finally some action!" Raiden said.

"We will be dispatching shortly." Beast said, "Do be careful, Ororo is a force to be reckoned with."

-           

I fight. I live. I breathe. I talk. I see. I love...I love. I love! It's harder, to live. I think that's the reason why it makes my powers, and whoever gave me them, that much more unforgivable. Death is easy. Death...it's not living. It's not friendship. It's not love or loyalty, it's...death. It'd be simpler if death meant love because then you wouldn't have to live after it. You could let it wash over you, like a river. Life. Death. They were both unforgivable. Death is punishable by life, and life by death. Why was I so calm? How could I be so calm? I had lost the one future I actually liked, I had changed it. Made it different, cast it off in favor of life. I had made it harder.

"We're here." Scott said.

"Holy mother of Moses!" Connor said, looking out the window.

I looked also, noticing that there were miniature tornadoes, rain, sleet, a patch of snow, and gale force wind. I looked sideways to Connor and Raiden, who looked at me too. I nodded and so did they as they moved to the front of the jet. I was about to move to where the rest of the team was when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Logan.

"Be careful out there, bub." Logan growled, "Stay close. O's got some power."

"Not a problem, I'm not exactly fragile." I frowned.

Logan put his hands on my shoulders, "I mean it." He said, "If anything happens to ya..."

I stepped off the jet, "Don't worry, Wolverine, it's not like I..." Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I looked down to see a scorch mark on my costume.

"Pane!" Logan said moving forward to catch me in just enough time before I fell.

"Logan, what happened?" Scott asked angrily, "Dammit, what happened?"

"We stepped of the jet an...an..." Logan frowned.

Scott slide his hand across my face, "Why isn't he healing?" he asked.

Suddenly, I closed my eyes...

"Scott..." Bobby said, "What..."

Pane opened his eyes, which were now black, "Hello, world." He said, standing.

"Pane?" Scott asked.

Pane ignored him, looking around.

"Hollow." Logan growled.

Pane looked over to him, his eyes wild, "Something is different." He said.

The group of X-Men stared at him.

"You filthy...you touched me." The Hollow said, "My power..."

"Gone." Scott said, walking towards him, "You're just like Uh..."

The Hollow grabbed him by the neck, "You speak as if you never knew me." He said, "I killed you once."

"Ba-ba-bastard." Scott spat.

The Hollow looked at him with disgust, throwing him aside, "The Witch, she commands nature. As if she were one of us." He said.

"One of you?" Connor asked.

"A God, the first of the firsts, the ruler of the entire nations, they used to bow before me." The Hollow said, "My powers have been bound, but I am more than just power now. I am eternal."

"You're annoying." Raiden said.

"I shall help this Ororo. It is my host's wish." The Hollow said.

"How can you be here?" Scott asked, "We sucked you out with that machine."

"He is residual." Emma said, "He isn't just Pane's power source, he is an entity."

"The frail one tells the truth." I frowned, "I am all that is power."

Suddenly, a billboard came flying out of the sky, crashing a few feet away from them.

"X-Men, try and subdue here, save any people you can." Scott said, "Hollow..."

"I shall make short work of the witch." The Hollow said, walking away.

"Don't hurt her!" Scott yelled after him.

Suddenly, the roof blew off a building and glass shattered all the way around from the wind! Raiden and Connor broke away, running over to the soldiers that had been situated around the site of Ororo's loss of control. They were lying on the ground, not moving. Raiden walked over to one of the soldiers and noticed that there was someone in the alley! She ran to the man, who pulled out a rather large knife.

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." Raiden said slowly.

"You're one of them." He said, "And you're not going to live through this." He said, advancing.

Raiden moved just as the knife came by her neck! Raiden elbowed him in the stomach and knocked the knife away from him. The soldier grabbed her by the neck, twisting her neck. Raiden scrambled to find the knife as the man was about to twist her head off like a pop top! She grabbed the knife but he picked her up and slapped her backwards! He ran after her and tackled her to the ground, but they rolled and she noticed that he had stopped moving. She looked down to see that the knife was sticking out of his gut and cringed. She held the knife, gasping for breath. She heard footsteps and quickly slid the knife into her jacket pocket, then grabbed the man's head.

"Oh God." Connor said, running over to her. At first, he just looked at her, then he spoke, "There's nothing you can do. Whoever did this is sick."

"Ororo..."

"Didn't do this, there's a wound." Connor said, "There's nothing we can do."

A tear formed in Raiden's eye as Connor wrapped his arms around her. She began to sob, trying to stop but he couldn't. She just kept on crying, trying to keep the knife close to her.

A couple of blocks away...

The Hollow stood, looking into the air. Storm had caused a severe imbalance in the air and the Hollow could feel it. It was nothing compared to what he could do, if he had his full powers. He did not understand how Pane could allow his powers to vanish without so much as a fight. He would have put up the battle of the century. The Hollow could have easily taken Storm, even now. They knew it, everybody knew it and they were scared.

"You can't just stand out in the open." Bobby said, sliding over on ice.

The Hollow tilted his head, "I wonder how such things can survive." He said.

"Wha-now?" Bobby said.

"A flame." The Hollow said.

Bobby just stared.

Suddenly, handcuffs slapped onto the Hollow.

"Your friends are really pushing it." Agent Marcus said.

The Hollow pulled his arm up and looked at the cuffs, then at Agent Marcus. The Hollow grabbed Agent Marcus and pushed him to the ground. The wind began to pick up and Bobby was taken off his feet, but he looked over to see the Hollow still standing, looking up at Storm. Storm struck him with lightning and it phased him but only for a split second. The Hollow stood a few feet away, staring at Storm. Storm created a huge tornado that began ripping cars from the ground and Bobby held on for dear life to a pole as he watched the Hollow stand.

"This will not phase me." He shouted up at Storm.

The Hollow put his hand into the air and twisted it counter clockwise, causing Ororo to fly backwards into the arms of Rogue, who snapped the neural inhibitor on her quickly.

"Bring back Pane." Scott said.

The Hollow looked at him, "This is nothing but a shell of my former glory." He looked into Scott's eyes, "He did this for you, no doubt. For you. To love you!" the Hollow advanced toward him, "You are not worthy!"

Scott looked at him, then away.

"I will go, not for you but for him." The Hollow said, "Ask him what the future holds for you." He said, dropping to the ground.

-           

"But I don't understand." Scott said.

Once we had gotten back to the mansion and I had gotten settled, Scott had asked me the question I wish he hadn't asked me. I didn't have the answers to give him. It wasn't the truth, not anymore. The future had surely changed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I frowned.

"What is with you?! Ever since you got back here, you've been treating me like you don't care." Scott said loudly, "What did I do?"

I fought back the tears, "I just can't do this. Not anymore." I said.

"What?"

"I never meant to make you feel...I just can't be him anymore. I can't be your love." I said.

"I don't think you have a choice." Scott said in disbelief.

"You're not even reliable. I mean, look what you did to Jean with Emma." I said, immediately regretting it.

That one must have stung because he was silent for a few minutes and after a sigh, he said, "That wasn't fair." He said.

"But it's true." I said, "I can't ever be with you."

Scott frowned and then left, not saying another word. The tear I tried to stop came down my face and I wiped it away.

"Is anything the matter?" Emma's voice came from behind me.

I turned to see Emma smiling.

"Good to see you learning a lesson." Emma said.

I ignored it.

"You and Scott couldn't have lasted anyways." Emma said, "He loves me."

"You know, first there's Jean, then there's me. No matter what you say, you're his third choice." I said, "And he loves me. You have to trick him to get him to love you. I just have to be me."

Emma looked indescribable.

"Now, Frost bitch...please leave." I frowned.

In the Hall...

Connor had stopped Scott when he saw that Scott was upset.

"I love him, why is he..." Scott said.

"In the future, he watched you die." Connor said, "You were together, with two and a half kids and you left the X-Men...and in the end, you died."

Scott looked at him, "Why didn't he..."

"He is a good guy, through and through." Connor said, "You're not the only one hurting around here."

"I didn't..."

"Look, Scott, I wish that I could say that this is all going to work out, but it's not. You may be his soul mate, but people like us aren't going to find the happy ending." Connor said.

"We had kids?" Scott asked, looking as if he'd been punched, "We...had kids." He smiled.

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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.