He slowly raised his head to find out just where he was. They somehow, after the rampage managed to get into the bed again. They were lying there, across the length, Jean at his side, both covered with barely one sheet.

Scott began to think about what had just happened last night. Jean came in and had yet another argument with him. But this time, the difference was that she told him everything straight away. She didn't make any fuss about it, she just told him straight away. She hated being what she was, being the big mother to everyone, caring for everyone but herself. She hated when he never had time for her. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right, in a way. He got so caught up in the business of X-Men, he never had time for his wife anymore. It was true. But what could he do ? With Storm powerless, and Professor in a comma, he was the only one that could lead the team. He loved Jean over anything in his life, but there was something in him, the call of duty maybe that made him want to go through everything just to make sure that X-Men survived and moved on. And sometimes in this task he forgot about Jean, his wife. ^She's my wife damn it. And she's right. I have to take care more of her. X-Men are important, but not so important.^

He felt Jean move, and he looked at her smiling. She opened her eyes, blinking and looking at him smiled. "Hi honey."

"Hi." he said kissing her on the forehead. Before he could let go she kissed him on the neck. "More ?" he mumbled shocked.

"Maybe." she said laughing devilishly. Then she sprung up from the bed and sat on his chest. "Or maybe I just want to wrestle you."

"Wrestle me ? You gotta be out of your mind lady." Scott said mocking her.

"We'll see about that." Jean said pining Scott to the bed. "Ten... nine... eight...." she counted smiling in his face. He brought his hands up and with one move threw Jean across the other side of the bed. While she still lay there, shocked he jumped over to her and began struggling to pin her down. She was not giving in easily and she fought hard, kicking and struggling. Finally when it seemed that he had her pined his arm got caught in a sheet and he fell face first on to her chest.

Jean burst out laughing as he mumbled "Well that was embarrassing." quietly. He pulled himself off her and they both laid down beside each other. Jean had a smile on her face, Scott noticed that he hadn't seen a smile like that for a long time. She embraced him and put her head on his chest. "I love you." she said.

"I love you too Jean. And I promise that I'll spend more time with you now. The X-Men can slow down for a while. But you have to understand, I can't leave them totally alone. At least not now, when Storm doesn't have any power, and Professor is in a coma."

"I know Scott, I understand, but I just don't want you to get caught up in the endless circle again."

"I won't. I promise." he said kissing her on the head.

"Thank you."

Kitchen

Betsy stared into the cup of coffee in front of her. She hated drinking coffee, she came from England and their main drink was tea, but she was really tired and coffee was the only thing that would keep her awake. ^Maybe I should go for a swim in the lake. That always helped before." She didn't sleep at all after the ambush of the Undercloaks. She was too afraid of them. Not as much afraid of them attacking her and killing her but she was afraid of the strange warm and fuzzy feeling she got inside when she was near them. It was almost as if she was attracted to them. It was the same feeling she had when she almost got sucked in by that shadow portal, few weeks ago. They were connected, she knew about that much.

^Yeah and that really helps me. I stayed up all night watching out for them. They didn't come. It was almost as if they came just to scare me. Or to tell me something. But what ? They said that they've come to make me pay for using the Crimson Dawn. But I never knew there was any price involved. What kind of price was it anyway ? My life ? They give it back to me and now they want to take it away ? What is going on here ? And why do I have the feeling that there's more to it than just the Crimson Dawn. I hate unanswered questions.^

As she sipped on her coffee she heard someone walk into the room. A sudden shiver passed down her back and she spun around, a pink butterfly glowing around her head. She had this feeling again. There was a Undercloak in the kitchen. She was on her feet and only then did she notice it was Rogue, who barely walked into the kitchen. "What's wrong sugah ?" she asked looking at the ready to fight Betsy in front of her.

"Oh...Rogue..... it's... it's only you. I thought it was someone else." Betsy mumbled shocked.

"Ah guess it ain't any of my business but who did you think Ah was ?"

"Doesn't matter." Betsy said sitting down. As Rogue walked past Betsy looked at her. Her shadow began twitching and swirling behind her and it grinned at Betsy, who almost lost her breath. Before she could react, it all returned to normal.

"None of mah business. Ah thought so." Rogue said opening the fridge.

^I must be going mad.^ Betsy thought burying her face in her hands. Suddenly her head began filling with strange noise, like a rush. It came out of nowhere and began building up and growing and soon her head was filled with it. She didn't feel any pain, just this weird buzz. Somewhere in the background she heard Rogue leaving the kitchen and saying something but she couldn't work out what it was. And as suddenly as it came, the rush began disappearing and now she began hearing voices. One voice in fact. It kept repeating itself over and over, until her ears began ringing.

"Got You."

***

Rogue walked through the corridor as she sipped on a coke. ^There ain't no food in this house anymore. I guess I could do the shopping as well as anyone anyway. Not that anyone is willing to do it. You need a woman for the job, and Jean is out of the question, she's probably growling at Scott right now. Betsy seems to be tipping on the wrong side too. I won't even mention Storm, I haven't seen her for a week. Does she even go out of her room ? I guess I'm the only woman that has her head together, in some way. Heh that is a good joke.^ she smiled to herself. ^I've just dumped Remy. I'm taking it well anyway. Yep, keep telling yourself everything is okay. But isn't it ? I feel happy and that's all that should matter. Before I was worried every day about Remy lying to me, about what exactly he's done, and about whether I should choose between him or Joseph. It took me long to realize, but finally now I understand that I don't want any of them. I can live as happily without any of them. And even since I told this to Remy, I don't have these problems anymore. I'm not worried every day. Suppose that means something. ^

In that time she had walked out of the underground complex and was now standing outside, looking at the bright sunshine outside. She inhaled the spring air and smiled. "About time it got a bit warm." The mansion was beginning to come into place, slowly. The foundations were all ready, and the frame for the left wing was done. They worked on it every day, but this being so early there was no one here yet. Which meant she had time to go to Salem and buy some food. Without thinking much more she took off the ground and flew towards the sky. Within few seconds she was flying across the grounds, and towards Salem.

***

Remy laid on the ground looking at her leave. He was lying next to the lake, under the trees looking at the sky above him. He came out here to smoke and think. He lost Rogue from eye sight within few seconds, but her memory didn't fade this fast. She had stuck him deep. Never before has he felt so denied, with another woman that is. As far as he could remember, his relationship with Rogue was full of denial. Maybe it was good that it was over. Maybe it would be better for both of them to just be friends. Maybe...

Later, at the construction area

"That's right Rogue, a bit more to the left, no that's too far... yeah that's it."

"Go for it Joseph." Hank called out from behind Forge. A dozen of iron nails nailed a vertical pole Rogue was holding up. The roof on the left wing was coming along pretty good, they were almost finished with the frame and they had began building the walls around it already.

Forge moved back to where Beast was standing and took a look at the construction going on in front of them. "I must say we are going pretty good."

"Totally agreed on my friend. At this rate we should be finished in a month. That's if nothing goes wrong." Beast answered. "Bobby, stop slacking there, and keep that board straight, otherwise we're going to have crocked walls in the house." then he turned back to Forge. "If you know what I mean." he said smiling.

Forge laughed. "Yeah."

***

Joseph floated around the construction site doing what he was told to do, using his powers to lift steel poles, nail them and all sorts of other things he had no idea about. But he was far away from those things in his mind. He was able to work at the construction site and think of something totally else at the same time. So many things had happened, he couldn't get himself together after it all. First of all his memory was flashing back to him more and more often. He wasn't quite sure if this meant anything, or if this just happened all the time to people with amnesia. He was supposed to ask Hank about it, but couldn't find a proper moment to do so, Beast was too busy with rebuilding of the mansion anyway. And worst of all, the memory flashes have been mostly of bad things he's done, all the crimes he's committed. They had told him he's done much bad in the past, but has he done nothing good ? And did this mean that he would revert to his former, heartless self once his memories returned ? He couldn't, could he ? ^I'll have control of myself, I'll know what's good and bad this time, I won't try to make myself a god. I would after all be after all this time with the X-Men, I mean it had to change something in me, something at least.^

"Hey Joseph, stop daydreaming and keep that pole moving !" someone shouted from the ground to him. He apologized and kept on with his work, still deep in his thoughts, but paying attention to what was happening as well. This was a skill he's had ever since he could remember. Which wasn't really that far anyway. By now, someone else than himself had crossed his mind. Rogue. He still had a major crush on her. He wondered if Magneto had been so touchy feely with women too. Probably not. There was just this something he had for Rogue that he couldn't turn of. She had clearly told him, she had no interest in either him or Remy, but yet still he couldn't learn to cope with it. Remy could, or so it seemed. Then again how many times has Remy tried to get close to her before she dumped him officially. Joseph guessed that she had this hold over everyone that fell in love with her, and that it couldn't be stopped. But... she had clearly told him no, and he had to respect that. He decided it would be the best to hide these feelings, at least for now when Rogue was still confused. Maybe he should try later, when everything settled down and she got the hang of herself again. Later... later was the word.

Somewhere in New York

The man known as Warren Woringhton III opened the door with a certain degree of curiosity. He has not been to this place for years. When has it last been that he'd run this company ? He couldn't even remember. He stepped through the door step and looked around the empty office. There was dust and spider webs everywhere. It's just like he remembered it. His office straight ahead on the end of the lane, places where desks used to stand before they were taken away. The east side had the toilets and kitchen and the west side had and room which used to be Cameron's office. At the memory of Cameron, Warren's stomach twisted but he tried forgetting that feeling. Cameron was dead, he died long ago and even though he took so many things Warren loved so much with him, he had learned to forget about his so called friend. Besides he was here to celebrate not to mourn.

He walked around the office as the hired cleaners began filling the room. He was going to get this place going again. He was going to make sure the world knows the Woringhton name again. He had been put in charge of his family's business and he failed the last time, he wasn't going to this time. He saw bright future ahead of him. Finally, he was free to do what he wanted and how he wanted. No more X-Men interfering. No more Betsy, no more commitments. The old Warren was back. At that thought, he grinned to himself. He had never realized how Betsy changed him. Well maybe he had but he was sure it was a positive change. Now he wasn't so sure anymore. He realized that he liked living like this, with people of high class, going to grand parties, running large business and so on. He liked charming women all around him, and getting all of them into bed for one night. Maybe it was something new in him, maybe it had been there all the time, but he found it hard to commit to one person. Only Betsy and Candy had ever managed to grab a powerful enough hold on him so he would commit himself. Candy was dead and he had just broken up with Betsy. He had figured that maybe it was enough commitments for now...

He had a company to run after all.

Morlock Tunnels

The girl couldn't be older than fifteen. Yet her face didn't resemble her age at all. She looked at least five years older. Her eyes were black from a obvious lack of sleep. Her slouched figure sat in a old chair that had remembered it's better days. Her arms were muscular, and she was obviously fit and strong for her age, probably too strong for fifteen. The clothes she wore obviously said that she was not a normal every day teenager, for a teenager wouldn't wear spandex. She was no normal teenager either. She was Marrow, the Morlock warrior. The Morlock wild card. One of few Morlocks that still lived. She sat beside the bed of her beloved mentor, who wasn't doing any better either. Sarah knew this was not good. If Calisto had been only scratched she would have been able to get up now. She would be fine by now. But she wasn't. Could it really be something more than just injury in the fight ? But what ? Calisto had a bad fever, and she was totally weak. What was wrong with her ? And most of all how could Sarah help her ? Could she ?

^I've tried everything that I know about healing, everything I've seen the Morlock healer do. Still it doesn't make much difference. What can I do to save Calisto ?^ Anger send shivers down her spine as she remembered who had caused this all. ^I promise you windrider if Calisto doesn't make it, you'll be the first one to pay.^ Calisto's moan brought her back to reality. She picked up a wet cloth and placed it on Calisto's forehead to ease the fever. Thoughts of despair came back to her. ^What if I can't save her ? Will I have to ask for help ?^

Mansion, evening.

Meanwhile the woman who Sarah felt was responsible for all this sat on a chair looking at her fallen teacher before her. Ororo Munroe had been through a lot in her life. She had been striped of her powers, died few times, she had been returned to the age of twelve and more things she didn't even want to remember. But never had she been lied to by someone she trusted. And certainly not by someone who she trusted as much as she trusted Charles Xavier. She had put her fate in the hands of this man since she was barely a young woman, and for a moment never doubted him. He had brought her up, and thought her everything she knew about the world, mutants and humans. He had made her the leader she always dreamed of being. She knew he was just a man and that he had weaknesses just like the rest of them, but she never would have thought those weaknesses would be the inability to control his own power. She would have never thought he would be consumed and twisted by his own might. She would have never thought he would betray and try to kill the X-Men. This has happened over a month ago, but seeing him like this, lying on the bed motionless in a coma brought back reactions, and feelings she never had time to let out. Professor was taken away few days after the Onslaught mess finished and they hadn't seen him up until those few brief moments when he fought Bastion and fell into a coma. Now all they could do was wait for Charles to wake up and that could be tomorrow, or it could be in six months.

"We had been through a lot haven't we Charles ?" Storm spoke out loud subconsciously. Receiving no answer she kept talking to herself.

"I certainly have. My powers are gone again and goddess, no one knows why. Not even Forge. Not even me. I feel like a unimportant human right now. I can't help my teammates in building, or if there comes a need in a fight. I am useless to the X-Men."

She took a deep breath, and looked away staring at the wall. She received no answer from Xavier but she could feel his presence, him just being there, gave her enough encouragement to speak. Just like it always did. "X-Men don't need me."

"Someone else needs me. I have sent the Morlocks to my village in Africa, left them leaderless and unprotected. Goddess knows what happened to them, if they even got there. They might be dying right now, and I might not know it. I need to go and see them again. I am their leader after all, and they really need one right now. And on top of that I haven't seen my family for years either. My mother Aniet must be worried about me, all these years I haven't visited. I am powerless after all."

She heard the door squeak and someone come in. She turned around and saw Forge. "I thought I'd find you here." he said smiling and sitting down beside her. "How's the Professor ?"

"No change." Storm answered. "Forge, I've been thinking." she then said. "With my powers gone, I am useless to X-Men. I mean I have led them powerless once before but that was long ago, things have changed since then, I've grown older and more mature and I doubt I could become that savage again. I was just thinking. My life is so much unfinished business. Like look at the Morlocks for instance. I've sent them to Africa to my village, but I don't even know if they made it there."

"Ororo are you trying to say... ?"

"I'm going back home Forge. It's been too long since I had some time off. I am powerless now Forge, I'm in no condition to lead the X-Men. I need to go back home, for few months, a year or so and settle down in my village, see my family again. My life has become too much of a unfinished business."

"Speaking of unfinished business..." Forge began. "There's still us."

"I was going to ask you to come with me but..."

"But you know that I can't." Forge said looking away.

"Forge I want you to come with me. It will be our little heaven just like we had before..." Storm stopped. "But I know about your responsibilities as a leader to X-Factor. I'm a leader too, but I have the comfort of leaving the job to Cyclops."

"You're right Ororo. I can't leave X-Factor. I haven't seen them since Operation Zero Tolerance started. I should be with them but I'm still here building the mansion. I have to go back as much as I hate to."

"Forge... that time, you asked me to marry you."

"Yeah ?"

"I was going to say yes. Why did you leave ?"

"I... I was sure you were going to say no, I... I couldn't take a rejection from you."

"But how could you think I would say no ? Haven't I loved you enough ?"

"You never had time for me Ororo, you were too busy with the X-Men. I was sure you were going to say no."

"Oh Forge, if you only had stayed then. Can you imagine what would have happened ?"

"We would be married."

"Exactly."

"But we both know it's all passed now." Forge said looking Ororo in the eyes.

"Yes I'm afraid it is." Ororo said looking down at her feet. "Whatever we had for each other is gone now, we were separated for too long."

"I know. But that doesn't mean we can't try again." Forge said squeezing her hand. She squeezed it back and looked him in the eyes.

"Agreed. But I'm not ready. I'm not ready to commit myself yet. I need a rest, from X-Men, from this life from America, from everything. I'm going back home Forge, but when I come back I want to see you, I want to try again. But for now I can't feel more for you than a friend."

Forge embraced her. "It's enough Ororo, it's enough."

"Thank you for understanding Forge. Thank you."

Hangar Bay

Psylocke opened the door to the Hangar Bay with great effort. She was tired. Weak more like it. All day she was being haunted by the Undercloaks, and she couldn't even look at a shadow without being scared of it, feeling it's alive. It was terrible. But the worst bit was the message she received  when she was in the kitchen. It definitely said Got you and after few times she saw a face with that message too. A face she hated, and hoped to never see. The face of Matuso. What was his part in this ? What did he have to do with the Undercloaks ? If he wanted to capture or kill her he would have sent his Hand to attack her. But yet she was attacked by a group of shadow warriors who didn't even try to capture her, as if they were there just to scare her. Well if they were then they succeeded. But what part did Matuso play in all this ? She had no idea.

That's why she decided to check it out. Weak as she was she decided to go to Hong Kong, Matuso's house and ask him personally. It took all of her telepathy to keep her sane, to block out the voices inside her head, to stop the rush. But it wasn't only her usage of power. There was something certainly wrong with her, she was getting weaker and weaker. Her energy, her life force, it felt like it was disappearing. Like someone was draining it from her. Was it connected somehow to Matuso, the Undercloaks and the Crimson Dawn ? This was a endless circle. She hated unanswered questions.

She knew she might have been too weak to confront Matuso on her own, but didn't ask anyone for help. This was a personal matter. But as her vision began to blur in front of her and she could feel she was beginning to sway she realized that it might have been a bad idea. ^Too late now.^ she thought as she walked up the stairs to the Blackbird.

"Where you goin' chere ?" called out a voice behind her.

She almost jumped out of her skin when she heard that. She turned away and looked at the grinning Gambit standing behind her. "None of your business Remy." she mumbled turning away.

Remy put his hand on her shoulder. "Stealing the Blackbird is my business." he said coldly.

"I'm not stealing it, I need to use it, to get.... somewhere." she said. The world began spinning around her. She swayed for a brief second but controlled herself. It was enough for Remy to notice.

"Betsy you don't look too good. You're in no condition for a fight."

"How do you know I'm even going to fight."

"You've got your costume on, and your two katanas with you. It's quite obvious."

Betsy was puzzled for a moment. She was in no clear state of mind to argue with Remy. "I can decide when I can fight for myself Remy, I'm a big girl now."

"You're a big and weak girl Elizabeth. I'm not letting you go where ever you want to go."

"Oh c'mon Remy, what are you my mother ?" she said trying to get free from Remy's grip.

"If you're not going to be convinced then at least let me come with you."

"No."

"Why not Elizabeth ?"

"Because it's none of your business."

"What if you die, and I will feel responsible ?"

Betsy had to admit he had the point. No problem she thought, she had gotten out of harder situations than this. Then suddenly the rush in her head returned. She clenched her teeth and focused all her telepathy on making it go away. She was still dazzled. "Okay then, get on." she said walking up the stairs wondering if she was going ti regret this.

"Where we goin' ?"

"I'll tell you once we get there."

"Why are we goin' ?"

"One more question and I will leave you behind."

They both walked into the plane and soon the engines roamed as the began taking off. Before anyone could stop them they were a small spot on the black sky.

INTERLUDE:

Somewhere in this world. The sky was pitch black. Not a single star on the sky. The place, was sand. Just sand. Nothing more. And the in the pitch darkness a light flashed. Everything in the radius of ten meters went white and for a moment nothing could be seen. Then the light disappeared and a figure could be seen in the darkness. The skinny build all ready said it was a woman, even through she was wearing a coat of some kind, with a hood. She wasn't tall about five foot eight, maybe nine but with the coat she wore she looked much taller. As she began walking slowly more and more details of her could be worked out. The coat she was wearing turned out to be a purple reddish cloak. Even though her face was hid behind a hood one could see her small nose, slightly pointing upwards, and her small lips and her small eyes and her generally small face. She had long hair, but in the dark the color could not be seen. From the first look at her face people would fall in love with this woman. She was no super gorgeous, but there was just something about her face that attracted a man. It was hard to guess what.

From under her cloak one could see she was wearing a body suit, of a reddish color. One would see her breasts, not oversized, not even big but medium pointing out under the body suit.

After standing in one place for few moments she began moving in the easterly direction. Soon her figure disappeared in the dark, and the marks of her arrival were soon swept away by wind.

END INTERLUDE

To Be Continued...

NEXT ISSUE:
"Drain You."
Immortality Part 1
The fate of Psylocke. All the connections resolved. All plans come out of the dark.  Who are they ? What do they want ? Why do they want it ? And will Betsy live through it ? It's the end of Psylocke as we know it. Be there to see it, or you won't believe it. See ya in 30.