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LOGAN
The steady beeping of the stabilizer echoed through the infirmary, filling the room with an oppressive tension. Logan stood over Jean, his eyes fixed on the rise and fall of her breathing. A device on her head monitored the activity in her brain, its lights blinking in rhythm with the neurons firing beneath the surface. His hand traced down her shoulder, a hesitant gesture, until suddenly the machine beeped sharply, and Jean's hand shot out, gripping Logan's arm with an incredible force.
Her eyes flickered open, scanning the room before locking onto Logan. "Jean," he whispered, relief and apprehension mixing in his voice.
"Hey, Logan," she replied, turning to face him fully, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"Welcome back," he said, though the words felt heavy with the weight of uncertainty.
Jean slowly removed her hand from his wrist, a trace of amusement in her eyes. "Back where we first met. Only I was in your place, and you were in mine."
"Are you okay?" Logan asked, his voice thick with concern.
"Yeah," she murmured, her gaze drifting up to the fluorescent lights above. "More than okay."
With a swift movement, she began pulling away the attachments from her chest, her fingers trembling slightly. When she turned back to Logan, there was a teasing glint in her eyes. "Logan, you're making me blush."
"Are you reading my thoughts?" he asked, half-joking, half-serious.
"I don't have to," she said softly, a knowing smile on her lips. She reached out, straddling his waist, her voice dropping to a whisper. "It's okay. It's okay."
Without warning, she leaned in, capturing his lips in a fierce, passionate kiss. Logan responded, his hands roaming down her sides as he deepened the kiss, his need palpable. She tugged at his sweater, her nails grazing his skin, leaving temporary imprints that sent shivers down his spine. Logan groaned, lost in the moment, his hands caressing her thighs as her eyes flickered, turning from black to a dangerous gold.
"Wait," he breathed out, pulling back slightly.
"No," Jean insisted, her voice filled with urgency.
With a sudden force, her powers yanked his belt off, sending it flying across the room. Startled, Logan jumped off the bed, hastily readjusting his top. "Jean, this isn't you," he said, his voice tight with worry.
She closed the distance between them in an instant, her gaze piercing. "Yes. Yes, it is me."
Logan grasped her shoulders firmly, trying to ground her. "No. Maybe you ought to take it easy, huh? The professor said you might be... different."
A bitter laugh escaped her. "He would know, wouldn't he?" she spat, her eyes narrowing. "What? You think he's not in your head too? Look at you, Logan. He's tamed you."
Logan's expression hardened. "What did you try to do to Scott at the lake?"
Jean's face darkened as she turned away, avoiding his gaze.
"Jean?" he pressed.
"Where am I?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"You're in the mansion. You need to tell me what you tried to do to Scott."
Her breathing quickened, panic setting in. "Jean, tell me what you tried to do." Logan's voice grew firmer as he pulled out Scott's glasses from his pocket. Jean's eyes widened at the sight.
"Oh god," she whispered, her face contorting with pain. The glasses disintegrated into ashes, and the room around them began to unravel in chaos.
Logan cupped her face, forcing her to look at him. "Jean, stay with me! Talk to me. Look at me!"
"No," she whimpered, her resolve crumbling.
"Focus! Focus, Jean!" Logan urged, desperation creeping into his voice.
"Kill me," she pleaded, her voice breaking.
"What?" Logan asked, shocked.
"Kill me before I end up killing someone else," she cried, tears streaming down her face.
"Don't say that," Logan begged.
"Please," she sobbed.
"Stop it."
"Kill me!" she screamed, her powers spiraling out of control, shattering glass and tearing the room apart.
"Stop it. Look at me, Jean," Logan pleaded, his voice shaking. "It'll be all right. We can help you. Okay? The professor can help. He can fix it."
"I don't want to fix it!" Jean shouted, her voice filled with rage as she sent Logan flying across the room, his back slamming into the wall with a sickening thud.
Without another word, Jean disintegrated part of the door with a mere thought, her expression cold and determined as she walked out of the infirmary, leaving destruction in her wake.
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Ororo burst into the room, with Professor X following closely behind. "Logan?" she called out, rushing to his side as he struggled to get up from the ground.
"Jean? Jean!" Logan shouted, still disoriented, his voice laced with desperation.
"What happened?" Ororo demanded, concern evident in her voice as she helped him to his feet.
The professor's eyes narrowed, his tone sharp as he addressed Logan. "What have you done?"
Logan, still catching his breath, replied, "I think she tried to kill Scott."
Ororo's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? That's not possible."
The professor's expression darkened. "I warned you," he said gravely. "She's left the mansion, but she's trying to block my thoughts. Her power is overwhelming. It may be too late."
"How are we going to fix this?" Ororo asked, her voice tinged with urgency.
The professor hesitated, his face grim. "There's only one thing we can possibly do. We must bring out the one person who may be capable of matching her power."
Logan shook his head, his voice low with apprehension. "No, we couldn't possibly..."
"What choice do we have?" Professor X's tone was resolute, filled with sorrow. "You have unleashed the Phoenix. There is nothing more that can be done."
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In the quiet of the infirmary, the soft beeping of machines was the only sound that broke the silence. Scott lay on a bed, his eyes covered with a thick cloth to protect against any accidental release of his optic blasts. Beside him, Rory was still unconscious, her body healing from the ordeal at the lake.
The door to the room slid open, and Professor Xavier entered, his face lined with worry. He approached the beds, his gaze lingering on Scott before turning to Rory.
"Scott," the professor began softly, trying not to startle him.
Scott stirred, turning his head slightly toward the sound of the professor's voice. "Professor?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "Is she okay? Is Rory alright?"
"She's resting, Scott," Xavier assured him, but there was a weight in his tone that made Scott's heart clench. "But we need to talk."
Scott immediately stiffened, sensing the urgency in the professor's voice. "What is it? What's going on?"
Xavier hesitated, his gaze shifting to Rory. "Scott, there's something you need to know. Jean... the Phoenix... is becoming uncontrollable. Her power is immense, more than any of us have ever faced."
Scott clenched his fists, a knot of dread forming in his stomach. "What does that have to do with Rory?"
The professor looked at him, his eyes filled with a sorrowful resolve. "Rory has unique abilities, Scott. Her reality-warping powers may be the only thing strong enough to counteract the Phoenix. She may be our only hope."
Scott's reaction was immediate, visceral. He sat up, despite the pain that shot through his body. "No. Absolutely not. You can't ask her to do that. She's not readyโ"
"Scott," Xavier interrupted, his tone firm yet gentle, "I understand your fear, but we have no choice. If we don't stop the Phoenix, countless lives will be at risk. Jean is beyond reasoning now. We need Rory."
Scott shook his head vehemently, his voice rising in desperation. "No, Professor. I won't let you put her in danger. She's been through enough!"
"Scott," Xavier said quietly, "I would not ask this of her if there was any other way. But we have to try. If Rory can't help... Jean will destroy everything."
Scott's chest tightened with panic and anger. "You don't get it! I can't lose her, Professor. Not Rory, not after everything!"
The professor sighed, his expression filled with compassion. "I know, Scott. But we don't have the luxury of time. We need to prepare Rory. I promise you, I will do everything in my power to protect her."
Scott's head dropped, a mixture of fear, anger, and helplessness washing over him. "I'm supposed to protect her," he whispered, more to himself than to the professor. "And now you're asking her to fight a battle she might not come back from."
Xavier placed a comforting hand on Scott's shoulder. "We'll do this together, Scott. We'll prepare her, and she won't be alone. But we need to act soon."
Scott remained silent, torn between his instinct to protect Rory and the grim reality they faced. He knew the professor was right, but that didn't make it any easier to accept.
Finally, he nodded, though his heart was heavy with dread. "Alright... but if anything happens to her..."
"Nothing will happen to her, Scott," Xavier assured him, though his own fears were not far behind. "We'll face this together."
As the professor turned to leave, Scott reached out, grabbing his arm. "Promise me, Professor. Promise me you'll bring her back."
Xavier looked into Scott's eyes, the weight of the world reflected in his own. "I promise, Scott. We'll bring her back."
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