The X-Men Chronicles - 6. Out of Loss comes Victory

Disclaimer: “The X-Men” names, titles, characters and all other registered trademarks are the property of Marvel Inc. I solemnly swear that there is no monetary gain on my part by writing this FICTIONAL alternate universe to “The X-Men.” All original characters and plotlines are my sole property and I release them to GayAuthors.org for web-publishing.

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The professor had come in right after Torah had dashed out, tears flowing freely from her hazelnut colored eyes. I was shell-shocked; it was more than what I'd thought to hear. Keith was alive and with Magneto, Danielle and Esperanza had been killed, and now war between the X-Men and The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, seemed eminent.

I sat alone in my bedroom, waiting for the professor to call me and take me to Esperanza's and Danielle's funeral, I still couldn't believe that 2 of my best friends were dead, and it wasn't just that, it was the way they'd died, in a drive-by shooting. It seemed so stupid that 2 mutants as powerful and healthy as Esperanza and Danielle had found such a "human" way to die. It was incomprehensible why they hadn’t simply stopped the bullets or jumped away, it seemed almost hopeless.

I broke the telepathic connection and walked to the closet. I knew precisely what coat to wear; the one Danielle had always loved. I tied my hair back in a ponytail, with the hair tie Esperanza had given me. I would honor them in my own way, they'd always be alive.

"Chris....Can I come in?"

"Sure Jean."

I was startled when I'd heard Jean's voice drift into my room from the other side of the door, I wiped away my tears and telekinetically opened the door, what happened next was beyond all of my recognition. Instead of gently opening the door I’d somehow blown it up, and that had sent Jean flying backwards into the wall, hitting it with a nauseating 'crack' sound.

"JEAN!!!! Are you all right? Jean answer me...MOM!"

I didn't know why I'd had the impulse to call Jean Mom, she had adopted me but we'd agreed it was too phony for me to call her mom. But now I had an overwhelming feeling that maybe I had found what I had been denied, all in the love Jean gave me.

"Wha...what did you call me?"

"Mom, that's what you are to me Jean, my mom."

My tears were flowing freely from my eyes and I noticed that Jean's eyes were full of tears as well. I held her as hard as I could and let all the love and affection I'd been holding in flow gently, but powerfully through my body, and tapped into my healing power, I began to heal Jean, my mother.

*******

Robert Drake, sat quietly in his dorm room, his mind mulled over the information that the professor had first shared with them, then with Chris, then with the whole institute.

*Keith's alive...and he's waiting to strike Chris down, I just know it, I can fell it in my every bone.*

Bobby had not yet been able to shake the sense of impending doom that hung restlessly atop his head. He desperately wanted to run away with Chris to a place where Magneto and his Followers couldn't find them but he knew if they did that they might just plunge head-first into a trap. Keith was a part of Chris, he would know what Chris was up to, he could figure out what Chris would do next.

*The Bond! I need to ask Chris about our bond.*

He remembered how they had forgotten to sever the telepathic bond which had only been intended as a communication line, and how it had grown so strong that now it connected them beyond their minds, and into each other's feelings. Chris was trained in how it worked, but when Bobby had first tapped into it unwillingly he had been drained. He simply couldn't tell

Chris that he'd tapped into it when he’d...

A loud explosion shook him from his train of thought.

*Keith!*

He dashed out of his room and hitched his power to full force, he knew that Keith would be immune to elemental attacks, but he was going to make whatever window of opportunity he could so that the fully trained X-Men could take care of him.

Bobby calmed his powers and began to walk rather than slide on his ice-sleds, slowly he returned to his normal self, except for the stupid grin on his face, and his far-away look. He knew it wouldn't look too good for him to arrive downstairs so happy, knowing that the Institute's general mood was loss and grief. But Chris had just told him he loved him, now he really saw no reason to tell Chris about the time he...

"Hey Bobby, Wait UP!!"

"Oh. Hey Dee, sorry I was just absorbed into my own thoughts."

"Well, unless you want people to think you're a cold-hearted-son-of-a-whore you better wipe that smile off your face. They might think you're smiling about Danielle and Esperanza's deaths."

“I'm trying, but...Well...Never mind."

"OOh, that's so cold!"

"Sorry lil' man private stuff."

"Yea...Whatever!"

Bobby spotted Chris and their eyes met, he saw the glint of apprehension on Chris's face and knew that today wasn't the right time for PDA's. He bit his lip, and walked over to where Jean and Chris were standing, he firmly shook Chris's hand and held it a second more than he should, then he hugged Jean. He had promised Chris that it would all be done on his terms, and that was a promise he was more than willing to keep.

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Chris felt absolutely drained, after he'd healed Jean they'd agreed that the professor had to know about this turn of events, so they'd marched into his office. He was openly weeping, and it dawned on Bobby that this was the first time he had ever seen such an emotional display from the man they all knew and loved, it also dawned on him that, by the look on her face, it was the first time Jean had ever seen the professor cry.

"I am sorry for this shameful display. I didn't realize how deeply these past events had affected me. Now... what brings you two here?"

“Well Chris...Are you sure you're ok professor?"

"Yes, now tell me, what happened to Chris?"

"Chris, well...he blew up his door."

"I didn't mean to, I just tried to open it with telekinesis, and then it all just kinda...blew up."

"Blew up? It combusted?"

"Yes. It seemed to implode first then it exploded."

"Well, Chris. This new power of yours is called Molecular Combustion, it umm...accelerates the molecules within an object, and then it explodes to release the pent-up energy of its implosion."

"Whoa! How can I control it?"

"We'll learn that with time. I do however ask that you maintain your composure, we don't yet know what triggers it, and if it's like your other powers, then it will most likely be an emotion."

"I'll do my best to keep my emotions on a short leash, especially if not doing so means I could hurt someone."

"All right, now shouldn't we head out for the funeral professor?"

"Yes, indeed we should."

The professor led Jean, Bobby and Chris downstairs, to head to the joint funeral for two of the most beloved members of the student body. There, at the bottom of the master staircase, were all of the Institute's students, teachers, and staff. They had gathered here to await the professor, so that he'd guide them to the Blackbird, and finally to the funeral.

*I wish I could simply melt into your arms, Bobby. I wish I could just give into my desires, into my needs, but I have to control myself. I need to be strong.*

"I'll go pay my condolences to Danielle and Esperanza's parents."

"We'll see you in the car."

“The car?"

"Yes, Scott's driving us there in his car."

Chris and Bobby blurted out "Driving?" at the same time.

"You thought we were..."

"Flying there of course! I heard you had given orders to fly us all there in The Blackbird."

"Perhaps 10 of you, yes. But now the whole of the institute's coming. We cannot fit 800 people inside The Blackbird."

"Ohhhh....ok"

"D'UH! Sorry about the outburst. Well I have to go offer my shoulder and support to their families. Bobby...are you coming?"

"Gladly."

The double entendre didn’t slip past Jean whose face showed the slightest hint of a hidden smile. Chris felt himself flush under Bobby's scrutiny, and he knew he had to create some distance between them.

"JEAN!!!!"

"CHRIS!!! You have to calm down sweetie! Control your impulses..."

"I can't!!!"

Chris felt his body tingle with recognizable warmth, and he knew that although he could only feel a tickle of heat his body had erupted into flames that even now danced, and licked at everything and everyone around him. He couldn't figure out why he couldn't just stop the power, just un-tap this strength. It was frustrating to feel such lack of self-control, he could feel the tingle of power, boiling beneath the surface, but somehow he just couldn't reach it, and un-tap it. He felt nauseated and dizzy, and as the world began to slip away he grabbed control, and the fire ceased.

"Are you ok Chris?"

"Yea...just...fuzzy. I don't understand why my powers just burst out like that. I couldn't control them; it was like they were acting out on their own."

"You're still very weak, and vulnerable from your splitting with Keith, not to mention your emotional estate is in absolute shock. We must be prepared to control your powers. I want Jean, Ororo, and Piotr in a perimeter around you at all times, and I want Rogue to stand-by, her powers may come in handy."

"Professor, do you think it’s necessary? I mean, a little too much don't you think?"

"Jean....it's ok, I get what the professor means. I think it would be wise to have that extra security around. I don't know when I could lose control of my powers again. Let's just get going already, we don't wanna be late."

The professor ordered all of them to board one of the eighty limos and cars which had been rented to transport the institute's student body and staff to the funeral. Chris's mind reeled as he sat in Scott's white hummer, he remembered how he and Bobby had sat in the front seats and how looking into Bobby's eyes had sent him spiraling into a world of endless possibilities.

The icy blue eyes seemed to be etched into Chris's mind, he could remember every shine in the iris, and it made him feel like shit that he'd have the nerve to cheat on him with Scott. What made all of this worse was that Bobby was sitting right next to Chris, and Scott had done nothing but look at him through the rear view mirror, it kept on tearing at his heart that he'd risked his chances with Bobby for a simple fuck with Scott. It was so annoying to have to look at Scott's handsome face, and to top it off Scott looked fucking hot in his damn suit, he filled out every inch of the Armani suit, it made Chris's dick pulsate with lust.

3 Hours later, they arrived at The Blessed Mary's Funeral Home and Cemetery, Chris's heart suddenly felt heavy and torn, he knew it wasn't his fault, but he also knew he could've stopped it, had he not been in a comma.

Esperanza's mother looked exactly like Esperanza, the blond hair, hazel eyes and tight frame stood proud against the April wind. Chris knew Esperanza's father had died 5 years ago, he'd been one of Magneto's many innocent victims, a simple by-stander, protecting his daughter, nothing more.

The most astonishing thing was how Danielle's parents looked nothing like their daughter, her mother had auburn hair, a few shades lighter than Jean's, olive colored skin, and bright gray eyes. Her father was an ebony prince, his dark chocolate colored skin, his astounding hazel eyes and his body-builder frame were an homage to Black men everywhere. Danielle on the other hand was of fair skin, chestnut hair, dark green eyes, and a slouchy frame that seemed to only straighten during confrontations, it began to dawn on Chris that they were Danielle's adoptive parents, and that unlike his own adoptive parents, they had loved their child, even though she was a mutant.

"Genebeve, Joseph; didn't think I'd see you here."

"Well seems like you just can't see past your nose anymore Xavier. I gave you Danielle with the total confidence that I’d get her back after you were done training her, and now I am left without my son, and without my niece; that seems a real pattern with you Xavier, first you cost me my sister, then my father, then my son, now my niece, and I bet you expect me to bring you my daughter. Tell me Charles, where will you stop? Would you like me to hand you my husband as well?"

Chris had been standing close by along with Bobby, Jean and Jubilee; he didn't understand what was going on, why was Danielle's aunt, as he now understood it, talking about all these deaths? Was the professor really responsible for the deaths of all her family members? Or was this just a way for her to grief, just blame it all on Xavier?

Before Chris could say anything Jean was turning towards Genebeve, he could almost sense her powers about to explode, he knew she thought of Xavier as her father, and any offense to him was like a personal offense to her.

"Genebeve, who the fuck do you think you are huh? the professor didn't kill any of those people, they gave their lives to a cause, one that you yourself are still incapable of comprehending. You hide under all your money, and your 'power' in the social world, but underneath you're nothing but a hollow shell full of hatred and fear, you're even afraid of your own power! I would gladly give an arm and a leg to have your power, to have no limits, no rules, no loss of control, but no, you simply squander it away in human economics. If it was up to me I never would've let you give up the immense opportunity destiny placed at your hands, I would use my power to rid the world of those who threaten both humans, and mutants alike! You are a spot in Charles' quest, so frozen by your fears that even your daughter prefers to hide in a room than talk to you!"

"Oh Jean, please! You are just a suppressed bitch who doesn't even have the... balls to tell her son, you’re his REAL mother!!”

“You selfish, self-centered, pretentious whore!! I have spent countless hours trying to figure out why you are the way you are, and now I see that you only care about what others will say!!!"

Chris slowly began to process the new information which Genebeve had so unwittingly, or perhaps willingly, let slip. She had said that Jean was scared to tell her son, i.e. him, that she was his REAL mother, but Chris was only an adoptive son, so either that meant Jean was his birth mother, or that Jean had a son which Chris knew nothing about.

Just as Chris was about to interfere and ask Jean what Genebeve was talking about a loud bang shook the ground, Chris's heart skipped a beat, he could sense Keith somewhere close, and he knew that this couldn't be an empty feeling. He knew that this pull, this call, this...sixth sense about Keith couldn't be wrong, he knew that he could sense Keith, more than that he could smell him, feel him, he knew what Keith was thinking: ambush.

< I think he's counting on us trying to protect all the untrained, or sedate powered mutants>

< We have an imminent threat, everyone who has no mutant powers follow Jean {Jean rose out of the crowd at her name, and everyone who fit the criteria began to follow her} all mutants with telepathic powers follow Rogue{Rogue took her cue just like Jean, all those who fit the criteria began to follow Rogue}anyone who's had more than 10 training sessions with Wolverine, Cyclops, or Storm, go to your instructor, Junior X's and all other X-Men report to the Professor's side, battle plan Alpha Beta Zigma is in full effect, I'm the decoy, Iceman, Magma, Hope....I mean Copycat and Sunspot are my cover. Psyche...I mean Havok, and Torch are the deploys, Multiple Man, Jubilee, Puck, Shadowcat, Longshot, and Beatsmaster, create a perimeter around the professor, all X-Men: Full on power!!!>

Everyone was astounded at the way Chris had taken charge, but no one doubted any of his directions, even the X-Men who were old enough to be his father, or in Logan case, his grandfather, simply listened and did, Professor Xavier simply sat back and observed how easily and readily Chris had taken charge, he knew that one day, when Jean, Ororo, and Scott were gone, Chris would be their successor, and that made him feel secure for the first time in a long time.