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Issue #12 January 2004	Written By Tom Moses

Only hours ago, this goddess of a woman was fooled along with many members of her team of investigators in a suburban area of Japan. Searching for the man known as the Silver Samurai, she and another flew through the skies close to a building thought safe. Without any reason they could see, and without so much as a warning the building was destroyed in a fiery explosion. The two mutants were thrown to the ground below, both survived but this woman is far more severely injured than her ally. The heat of the blast causing severe burns all over her body. Her condition doesn't look well to the friends that crowd around her. Ororo will survive if the willpower to remain alive is within her.

Crowded around the unconscious woman several of her friends - some would even go as far as to call themselves family - stand in a respectful awe at the woman's fate. For all the technology the X-Men were famous for, one of their oldest and dearest friends is at its mercy, everyone fearing she may not live through the night if even the slightest mistake were made in her care.

"You all should leave." Henry McCoy said, his voice struggling to make the words discernable. "As much as she would appreciate you all here right now, I need to ensure she is not disturbed."

"Of course, you are right Henry." Charles Xavier said and motioned for the group to follow him, "I will monitor your situation around the clock."

"If it would make any difference I'd like to stick around," a newcomer spoke up without an ounce of hesitation in her voice. "Just to give Hank a hand is all, I can't just stand around and do nothing."

Henry peers from behind one of the many machines attached to his friend and teammate, "The help would be most welcome indeed miss Clarke, with Cecelia down for a dislocated collar your help would be appreciated."

"Keep us posted Henry," Xavier added at the group shuffled out the door.

The group left their friend to the care of the mutant doctor. One by one they passed the man who wished not to enter, instead looking on the scene from the window. "Alex," Xavier stopped in hope of gaining the leaders' attention. "I know whatever I might say to you right now would probably go ignored, but you mustn't blame yourself for this."

"You weren't there, Charles." Alex said, "I gave the order to the both of them, and they followed it without hesitation. Shiro's power protected him from the blast and that's why he is up and walking around right now. God willing the wind Ororo uses to fly protected her at least somewhat from the heat."

Xavier does not try to even make any kind of physical or mental contact with Alex. "Stay here as long as you like, but please respect Henry's wishes and remain outside."

"Fine Charles."

The light dimmed slightly as Xavier left through the door just out of reach of Alex. Rolling his chair to the elevator that will take him to more comfortable surroundings, he sighed with the thought of the things continuing to plague the young people he calls his friends. The elevator door closed, leaving Alex alone to watch at a distance the teammate he ordered into danger. His first casualty of leadership, unconscious and hanging onto her life only by a thread, only a looking glass away.

The elevator took Charles Xavier to the normal surroundings of the home he's lived the majority of his life. Various people stand around talking to one another, all of these people he has known for years in some sort of relationship: friendship or professional. Though the one man that catches his eye is someone with an on again off again working relationship: Shiro Yashada, a man with no real loyalties to Xavier's ideals or the membership of his team. Though he is an ally, and they all know he could be counted upon when the need called for him, no one actually expected him to set foot upon the hardwood floors of Xavier's mansion again.

"Sunfire, it's good to see you." Xavier said. He wheels his chair beside the Japanese man. "I wish it could be of different circumstances."

Shiro looks down on the man in the wheelchair. "I'm sure you do," he commented, "but shall we cut to the chase as I need to drop out of the picture of my country for the time being."

"Of course," Xavier replied, his eyes sweeping across the room. "I think it best to make this discussion private as soon as I deal with another matter."

Xavier's attention strayed from the unexpected guest for the moment, allowing him a moment to pull several letters from a lock box attached to the side of his wheelchair. "Warren, Jamie, these came for you yesterday. I would have handed them over earlier, but I don't think I need an explanation."

Warren drops his eyes upon his parcel, "This is interesting."

"Interesting?" Jamie's voice comes into focus, more excited than his wealthier teammates'. "Are you insane, this is Avengers letterhead!"

"Calm down Jamie, it's only an invitation for a reservist duty." Warren reads from his letter. "Nothing to get excited about."

"Sure thing, Warren," he retorted, with his eyes still fixed to the envelope. "Take the news however you want."

Xavier sits back, listening as both men argue about their invitations to a prestigious duty. Something like a childish argument that has no right or wrong value, it has Xavier amused nearly as much as the friend left out of the invitation circle. As the disagreement loops around into points already covered twice before; Xavier motioned for the visitor to follow him into the study across the hall.

"Please take a seat, Shiro." Xavier offered as the door closed behind him.

Shiro takes his seat and wait for the older man to stop behind his desk. "I don't intend to stay here long, Professor Xavier. Just long enough that I may be able to clear my name."

"Whatever you need of ours is yours to use, as it always is welcome to you," the house-master informed his ally, "Though there is something I need to ask of you in return."

"For as long as I stay here, I expect to pay my debt as a member of Havok's squad," Shiro placed his offer on the table.

Xavier nodded approvingly as his question is answered before he could ask. "The X-Men have gone through much recently. I appreciate your willingness to help."

"You'd think you two would have given it a rest by now." Frustrated, Bobby Drake tries to point out the feeling to his friends. "You got letters from the Avengers.whoopee.you guys act like your getting your own cartoon."

Warren halted his argument with Jamie. Both turned to face the X-Man left out on the Avengers calling to duty. Silently they stare at the man most often the seeker of attention.

"Disappointed Bobby?" Jamie asked.

A raised eyebrow is the only response given right off. "Passed over for the Avengers disappointing? Do you have any idea how annoying Captain America really is? He's like Scott's mentor."

"Don't feel bad Drake," Warren spoke up. "Besides it's not everyday mutants are offered places in their roster."

"Unless you're father is a mutant bent on the domination of an entire species, or someone willing to turn himself into a blue gorilla, sure." Bobby mused to his friends, interrupted from continuing his monologue by the continuous ringing of the doorbell.

"Get back here Drake!" Warren called to his departing friend; "We've still got a ways to go to drive your self-esteem in the ground."

Bobby hardly gave notice to his friends' words. Opening the door instead, he stands face-to-face with someone he expected to see less than Sunfire returning to the mansion. "You know, if Storm wasn't downstairs, I'd almost expect a lighting bolt or two to strike about now."

"Funny," Kurt Wagner rendered with a tired tone. Standing in the light of the fading sun, his form could hardly be seen save his shinning yellow eyes. "Do you mind if I come in, or must I stand here for another hour?"

Moving to the side, Drake allows the returning mutant to enter the house, "Xavier isn't expecting you.is he?"

"If he is still on top of his game, I'd hope so," the demonic looking mutant returns.

Clasping the door closed, Bobby shifted his attention to his friends down the hall. "Hey Wings!" he called out to Warren, "How many more rooms do we have left in the place to give away?"

Below the levels of the mansion, a pair take seats in the infirmary. Exhausted, but hopeful about the condition of the injured woman sleeping soundly. The night would prove to be a trying time for Storm as she regained her strength.

"Thank you Zelda, you made this evening much easier than it would have been," Hank exhaled loudly as his chair wishes to give way under his weight.

"No problem, I'm glad I could be of some help," she confessed, slumping down in her chair much like her friend. "I guess things are like this a lot aren't they?"

Hank smiled at the innocent observation, "You'd be surprised; things like this don't actually happen everyday."

She sighed, pulling her hair out of a ponytail Zelda sits up to look Hank in the eyes. "I don't mean to be forward or anything. But I have to know, have you always.well you know."

"Looked like this?" he blue-furred doctor takes a guess at what she means, a hand stroking the soft fur decorating an arm. "I assure you this happened years after I met you and Vera."

Her cheeks explode with forcing air, "That didn't happen overnight or anything did it?"

The doctor tugs at the blue hairs of his arm absentmindedly. His voice is calm; "I did this to myself actually," Hank said, giving a weak smile "Youth can do some stupid things to a mind."

"I'm sorry if I was too forward just then."

"Oh no not at all," he does his best to assure her. "I've looked this way a number of years, I've grown quite fond of the look."

"It doesn't sound that way," she said, joining his petting of an arm. "You said you did it to yourself, does that mean you can't undo it?"

He smiles at her and her innocent thinking. "What's done is done my dear. As much as I don't like what happened so long ago, this is me and well I love me dearly," he ended his statement with a quick burst of energy, and lifting the young woman into the air.

"You'd think the two of you were dating the way you carry on," Cecelia Reyes mentions her opinion of their goings on. Groggy from the pain medication given to her for her arm, her speech is slow and direct.

"Just old friends Ms. Reyes," Hank corrects quickly. "Zelda Clarke, may I introduce Cecelia Reyes, on and off again X-Woman extraordinaire and always the on-call doctor to whatever ails the world."

"Where was your vocabulary when I needed it for pre-med?" Cecelia extends her good arm to Zelda trying to ignore the comments of her colleague. "How did you get dragged into this place?"

"I'm not exactly sure, Bobby brought me here, and it turns out Charles was looking for a lawyer for a project he's working on."

Reyes smirks at the blonde woman. "Drake brought you here too? I should have seen that one coming."

The tranquil scene of the upstairs soon became as chaotic as anything that could happen downstairs. Jamie stood back, and watched the venom fly between Charles and the newest comer to the mansion. Kurt Wagner stood without much expression on his face as Charles Xavier continues on for what feels like the third hour.

".and you think by just showing up here everything would just be forgiven and forgotten, would you!" Xavier's voice did not hold back an ounce of emotion as he slammed the handrails of his wheelchair.

"No, Herr Xavier, I though by showing up here things could soon return to normal after you got the screaming out of your system." Wagner's voice is calm and collected, giving Jamie the impression that not only did he expect such a cold reception but also his speech had obviously been rehearsed.

Xavier's hands grip the rails of his chair, his knuckles white with the force he holds them, "Sometimes Kurt, there are things that may be forgiven but not forgotten."

"Charles, I'm not looking for charity. Did Logan, Remy and I do the right thing? Yes, I believe that with all my heart. Perhaps we could have done it another way but you haven't the slightest idea what I was going through when that decision prompted itself. We've both done some things we regret Charles, we've all survived through them and we're all better people for them happening."

Xavier's eyes squinted, closing the vision of the blue man inches away from him. Every point they tried to bring into being shot down by the other arguer brought them into a stalemate and frustrating them further. The screaming could only continue for so long, but both men are stubborn enough to allow the argument to continue for as long as it may.

Jamie retreated to the company of his teammates watching from the safety of the kitchen. The smell of popcorn permeating the air while Drake stands in front of the microwave receiving a cold reception of his own from Shiro. Time and time again, Jamie makes himself aware of the letter almost tugging at him in his hand between staring at the argument occurring across the other room.

"What's on your mind Jamie," Warren whispered grabbing for the bag of popcorn Bobby delivered and tossing it away.

"Nothing really is on my mind Warren. But let's say, with Kurt here, a decision I have to make just became a lot easier.

Hours passed as the situation calmed itself to a quiet lull everywhere in the house minus one. The lower levels house much more than a hangar and infirmary, and something that every X-Man of every era is aware of and very familiar with: The Danger Room. Something of a cringe to Jamie when he remembered hearing about it from the earlier days, but now as he looks down onto Alex amidst the explosions of various weapons and robots, he sees it's purpose more than he had before.

Stopping the program Alex Summers had programmed for a stress relief, Madrox opened the door leading inside and walked to his long-time friend.

"What do you need Jamie?"

Madrox still carries the letter in his hand, taking a deep breath before he uttered a word. "I got this in the mail today Alex," he explained and handed over the letter. "They want me to join full time."

"The Avengers huh? Hitting the big leagues I take it?"

"I'm thinking about it." Madrox lied, to himself mostly. "It wasn't really an option earlier. The team wasn't as crowded as it is now."

"Meaning?"

"Nightcrawler showed up," he said simply. "Xavier and Kurt argued for a while but whatever happened looks to be resolved at least."

Alex handed the letter back to his friend, "You've gone through a lot lately Jamie, are you ready for this?"

"I don't know if I am or I'm not," he laughed, "Either way I think it deserves a decent shot at trying."

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