~*~
Scott Summers double and triple checked the Blackbird's coordinates against the intel Professor Xavier had supplied as he flawless brought the specially designed and equipped plane down for a landing. The carefully secluded house didn't look at all like he'd expected and it was apparent from the looks the rest of the group was sending his way that they were surprised as well.
Exiting the jet as a team, the mutant superheroes headed cautiously up the front walk, checking all directions for any signs of trouble. While the mission was mostly information retrieval, according to the professor, he'd made it sound like there was a good deal of potential for problems. That was the main reason Logan had agreed to go along but it wasn't really looking like it had been necessary.
By the time they made it half way down the front walk, the door opened and a tall but unassuming woman stepped out, carefully regarding each person in turn.
"Good afternoon," the woman greeted, addressing herself to the team in general before focusing on Scott. "I actually wasn't expecting you for another hour or so."
Cyclops quickly exchanged a glance with Jean before sweeping his gaze past Rogue to Logan then Ororo. "You were expecting us?"
Laughing, Chris nodded. "Of course. If you'd like to come inside I'd be more than happy to explain."
Wolverine's eyes narrowed and he sniffed the air like a wild animal searching for a threat. After a moment's deliberation, his gaze shifted to meet Cyke's. With an almost imperceptible nod, the animalistic man cleared the way for the group to proceed at Scott's command.
The all clear from Logan was all Cyclops needed to make his call. Charles Xavier had sent the team there for some important reason and he was ready to find out what that was. Starting forward, his team falling in behind, he swept a hand out in front of himself and the woman he'd paused beside. "Lead the way," he instructed, taking charge as was his strong suit.
With a smile, the woman turned and headed for the door, knowing without having to look that they were all behind her. She entered the front door and moved slowly down the hallway, gesturing the group into a room at the far end. "Please, everyone, come in and make yourselves comfortable," Christina said softly by way of encouragement.
The X-Men lead, as always, by their fearless leader, Cyclops, filed into the spacious living room and filled the variety of chairs and couches arranged around the room in a rectangular fashion. Storm settled first, into a comfortable looking overstuffed chair at the far end of the room that was covered by a throw depicting a gorgeous scene from a lightning storm. Jean, moving to follow Ororo, lowered herself to one end of a practical couch that proved to me far more comfortable than it looked. Across a large wooden coffee table, at the end of a far more comfortable looking couch, Rogue seated herself next to the weather goddess's chair. Logan then followed Marie and settled uncomfortably onto the couch next to her while Scott took a seat beside Jean. Chris waited until they were all settled before curling herself into the chair stationed opposite Storm and between the couches where Logan and Scott sat.
"It's always a little bit different," Chris stated reminiscently as she swept her gaze over the group and released a lightly sigh.
"What's always a little different?" Cyclops wanted to know. This mission had made no sense from the beginning and he, for one, was ready for answers.
Chris shifted in her chair to face him, tilting her head slightly as she peered at him with intelligent, wise eyes. "Charles didn't tell you?"
"Chuck didn't tell us shit," Logan scoffed loudly, his own irritation over the phantom mission quite clear.
A fond smile lightened Chris' features as she turned to Logan, a brow lifted slightly in amusement. "Ah, Logan, it's amazing how likeable you can be even when you are a complete ass."
Scott sniggered loudly but it was Marie's sharp cough that drew Logan's attention away from the woman beside him.
Trying to keep from being caught out laughing, Rogue turned her head toward Storm and continued to cough, one gloved hand coming up to the side her face to further block Logan's view, while the other covered the smile on her lips.
Shifting a quick glare at Chris, Logan raised a hand to Marie's back and patted it firmly to dislodge whatever it was she was choking on.
Finally able to get herself back under control, Rogue redistributed her weight on the couch so she was looking right at Chris. Lightly hitting her chest, she gave a couple of half-coughs and cleared her throat a few of times. "Sorry."
"You okay, kid?' Logan asked her, carefully studying her face.
"Ah'm fine," she returned, clearing her throat again at the tight sound of her voice.
"Okay," Logan nodded, "good." Turning back to the woman to his right, his brows furrowed together and the muscles in his jaw clenched tightly. "Then you can tell me what the *hell* you meant by that."
Chris just smiled taking careful notice of the fact that Logan's hand was still unconsciously rubbing the young woman's back. "It really is amazing how much you're all alike in each time."
"Look, lady," Logan began sharply rising to his feet, "either you start talkin' or we're walkin'."
"Quite right," she returned levelly. "My apologies, Logan."
He turned on her again, looming over her menacingly. "And just where the hell do you come off calling me Logan? I don't even know you."
"Ah, but I know you," Chris retorted meeting his gaze briefly before sweeping hers over the others, "I know all of you."
The team exchanged confused looks but no one said anything as the mysterious woman Professor Xavier sent them to started to speak again.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to spook any of you. I'm just so familiar with all of you that I forget that you don't know me."
Logan started to say something but a raised hand from Chris miraculously silenced him.
"My name is Christina Sibyl and I, like all of you, am a mutant," she announced without pause. "Charles Xavier is an old and dear friend of mine and he asked me to sit down with all of you and show you why you are here, why your group is so important, why you all belong together."
"What do you mean?" Jean Grey asked, intrigued.
"As most, maybe all of you are unaware, time and space are not the constants that they are believed to be. The universe does not exist on one simple level but rather on a infinite number of varying stratums throughout time and space," Chris explained slowly.
"Meaning?" Storm questioned, seeing her bewilderment mirror on the faces of her peers.
Slowly Chris rose from her seat, striding in a slow circle around the outside of the chairs upon which the team was sitting. "Meaning that the life you are living here is only but one of the millions of lives that other Logan's and Ororo's and Marie's are living. My gift allows me to see and travel to those other layers of existence."
"Parallel universes," Jean announced suddenly, turning in her seat to look at Chris who had stopped behind her.
"That's right. What Charles wanted me to show you was how much you all belong together," Chris stated, her gaze shifting momentarily between Logan, who'd grudgingly returned to his seat, and Scott. "Of all the universes that I've visited, there are constants - the sun always rises in the east and sets in the west, the phrase of the moon, the changing of the seasons. There are other things as well that transcend time and space. Friendships that are deeper than the deepest oceans," she said looking to Jean and Ororo with an appreciative smile. Then her gaze shifted on, settling momentarily on Rogue and Logan. "Lovers that are truly destined to be together forever and are, no matter what." Pausing, Chris shifted her gaze quickly to Scott before she continued. "And of course there are the five of you and the other X-Men, current and future."
"So the professor wants you to show us these ... parallel universes?" Cyclops asked, not understanding what possible purpose it could serve.
Chris nodded as she returned to her chair and resumed her seat. "He felt tensions were starting to run a little high in a number of different areas and he felt that perhaps seeing how you all interact in another existence would help you here."
A snorting laugh from Logan was the only noise in the room as the rest of the group considered the possibilities.
"You doubt my ability, Logan," Chris stated outright.
Cocking an eyebrow, he shrugged his powerful shoulders. "Just don't see what difference it'll make what did or didn't happen somewhere else. We can't change anything."
"I beg to differ," she retorted. "Seeing that something is possible somewhere else that you didn't think was possible at all can effect change quickly." Due strictly to the nature of her ability, Chris knew things about each of her present visitors that gave her insight that they couldn't possibly know she had. "Of course one has to be willing to set aside their fear to make that change possible."
That comment got Logan's attention - and quick. His gruff exterior and devil may care attitude were as much a shield against his fear as anything. He was in no way a coward, but he kept himself at arm's length from the people that meant the most and refused to let others close at all. After everything he'd been through it was no wonder and no one blamed him but they all wished they could somehow reassure him.
"So tell me," Logan demanded harshly. "What do you and Chuck hope to accomplish with this little sideshow of yours, eh? You think it's gonna miraculously make us all one big happy family? Well I got news for you, lady, it ain't gonna be that easy."
Chris was nodding as he finished his loud tirade. "I never said it was going to be easy. Some of you are certainly better off as you are here then you are in some of the times I've seen you. What Charles hopes this will accomplish is simply for you all the recognize that what you have together is special and genuine and that despite differences in views and styles and temperaments, you all belong together, for better or worse."
"Why didn't the professor just tell us all this before we came?" Scott wanted to know. "Why turn it into a mission?"
"Perhaps this was the only way he felt he could get you all here," Chris suggested. "I've explained the situation, now the choice is yours. I'll give you a few minutes to discuss this privately then I'll be back," she told them before exiting through the only visible door, closing it behind her.
"What do you think, Scott?" Jean asked her fiancé softly, meeting his gaze briefly before sweeping it across the others.
"I think she's right, the professor probably didn't think we'd all agree to come if he'd told us what it was about," he announced after a momentary consideration. Slowly he looked at each member of his team through the ever-present ruby haze. "He obviously thought this was important or he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of getting us here but I think I have to agree with Logan - what's the point?"
Logan, looking none to pleased by Cyke's endorsement, scowled menacingly. "Well he's gonna hear 'bout this when we get back."
Jean lifted an eyebrow, looking to Ororo and Rogue for support. "I have to say that I'm intrigued. I think it'd be interesting to see into what our lives could have been."
"I must agree with Jean," Storm informed the team with a thoughtful expression. "This is an opportunity to see what we are capable of doing that we are not."
"'Member wha' she said though," Rogue interrupted, speaking softly, "some a us may be worse off than we are now."
Scott nodded, "True but we don't have to live it if they are. I'll admit that I'm curious too but I think this should be a unanimous decision. Either we all agree to do it or we all leave. Agreed?" Looking to each of the members of his team in turn, Scott collected the affirmative nods that they were all in agreement. "Okay, I think we should stay and see what the professor wanted her to show us. Jean?"
"I agree," she nodded enthusiastically.
"Storm?" Cyke asked.
"Yes," the weather goddess assured him quickly.
"Rogue?"
Marie's eyes darted to each of her companions in turn as she considered her decision. She knew that she was really the deciding factor since Logan would no doubt conform to her view as had been his way since returning from Canada knowing nothing more about himself than he had when he left. Rogue was curious. She'd always been interested in science fiction and here she had a chance to witness it up close and personal but she didn't want to force Logan to do something that he didn't want to do. And yet she didn't want to disappoint the others either.
Scott gave her a few more seconds to respond before he skipped over her and looked to Logan. "What do you say, Logan?"
Sensing Marie's indecision on his behalf and wanting to ease her burden more than actually wanting to see what that crazy woman had to show them, he made his call. "Why not, oughta be good for a couple of laughs."
"Rogue?" Cyke went back to her.
"Okay," she nodded slightly having been relieved of the pressure to make the call.
"Okay then," Scott said just as the door opened across the room.
"Are you ready to start now?" Chris asked as she moved back into the room, making her way back to her chair.
Logan could smell the confidence on her like a heavy perfume. "You knew we were gonna agree," he stated without pause.
Chris just smiled knowingly. "This may be all new to you but..." she let than hang in the air as she took her seat again. Closing her eyes, she took a series of long, deep breaths, centering herself as she prepared to begin. After a few moments she opened her eyes again and offered a hand to the man on either side of her. "We need to join hands," she informed them waiting until the circle was completed before continuing. "Close your eyes," she ordered, pausing again until everyone had complied. "Before we begin I want to assure each of you that anything of a truly personal nature will not be viewed by the group in general. There are some situations in this line that only those directly involved will be able to see."
Rogue swallowed a gasp as the pressure from Logan's hand tightened to painful proportions at that piece of information. If it hadn't been for her superior strength, he would have broken her hand in several places already. Biting down on her bottom lip, she returned the grip until his fingers loosened slightly. The sound of Chris' melodic voice drew her attention once again as a mysterious vapor began to dance in front of her eyes, eyes that were still shut and shouldn't have been able to see.
Startled by the revelation, Rogue's eyes snapped open and she found herself, along with the rest of the team, still sitting in a circle holding hands. Her forehead wrinkled in confusion as she looked at her surroundings however. She was no longer in the same room in Chris' house but rather in a different location all together. On top of that, the group was mysteriously suspended above the room, floating up near the ceiling. Glancing around she recognized looks of confusion and bewilderment on the faces of her companions too, and Logan looked downright frantic as she met and held his gaze. Rogue gave him an empathetic smile by way of encouragement until a familiar voice from below captured her attention...
~*~