FicWad

Never Cage the Beast

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men! The plot though is mine!

Summary: AU: What if Jean was powerful enough to capture Logan's mind and bring back a beast that has been trapped for far too long? Will the remaining X-Men be able to save them before it's too late? Or must both of them perish for the world to become a better place? X-Men: The Last Stand Spoilers! R&R!

Chapter Two - Shattered Glass

"Logan, the Professor wants you to --" Rogue began, not taking the time to see if Logan was inside the laboratory. As she looked up, her voice trailed off. What happened here? Rogue thought as her eyes widened. The lab was a mess, and the door had been ripped off violently. Shattered glass littered the floor and the machines lay in ruins, sparks flying at all directions. Rogue took a step forward, looking around. When she last saw Professor Grey, she was lying on the silver examination table asleep. Now she and Logan were nowhere to be seen. A shiver ran down her spine as she stepped onto the glass, cracking it beneath her feet.

"Logan? Are you there?" Rogue called out, taking a closer look around. "Professor Grey?"

Get out of here now Rogue! a voice in the back of her head shouted warningly, but she pushed it away. "No, Logan might need me..." she murmured under her breath. A loud spark from the broken machines made her jump, as she breathed in and out. "Logan?" she asked louder, and she turned a corner towards the cupboard where the medicine were shelved. Some of the vials lay on the floor, broken, while others stayed on the shelves, well away from the edge. Get out, get out... the voice still continued to repeat over and over again. And this time, Rogue felt she should do what the voice said. Whatever, or whoever, did this may still be lurking around.

Just when she turned to go, she heard something that shouldn't be moving fall with 'tink' on the metallic floor. Rogue's head immediately snapped around, her eyes now going to and fro. Take off your gloves! Her thoughts screamed, and she did as she was told, ripping the gloves off and shoving them into her pocket. There was a crunch of glass in the distance and realized that the intruder was right in front of the door now. Or what was left of the door.

Professor... Professor! Rogue called in her mind, and she felt another presence inside her head.

What is it, Rogue? a worried telepathic voice answered her call.

Professor Grey's gone. And Logan. All the equipment is broken, along with some shattered glass. Professor, what's going on?

Come upstairs, it is dangerous for you to stay on that floor-

I can't Professor. I'm not alone. (A/N: Ahh, the cliché! lol)

Storm and I will come down. Stay where you are.

The telepathy abruptly cut off, and Rogue stood inside the cupboard all alone. Close the door, the voice spoke but Rogue shook her head. She'll have a peak, then perhaps maybe she can help out the X-Men. I'll just try not to get killed... she thought as she tried not to break the glass and alert her presence. There was another crack of glass, and a small whoosh of something cutting through the wind. Rogue froze, her eyes moving to and fro. Silence stretched the lab, as Rogue dodged the glass on the floor until finally back in the examination room. She looked up, expecting to see nothing but the wall, but instead saw something familiar disappear through the corner of the room.

"Logan?" Rogue spoke uncertainly, not loudly but not as a whisper either. The familiar tip of the shirt disappeared from her vision, and quickly followed, ignoring the glass breaking underneath. She turned the corner of the wall into the hallway ready to call his name again, but all she saw nothing but the computer - generated door for Cerebro. Confused, Rogue could only pull her gloves back onto her hands and stare until the Professor and the others came.

X x X x X x X x X x X x X x X

"Did you see Jean?" Professor Charles Xavier questioned Rogue softly and she shook her head. Charles nodded, looking very troubled. Storm right next to them, along with Beast who had entered the room, listening to the conversation. Storm sighed, circling the room uncomfortably. The light seeping from the large windows should have made her relax, but instead made her more uneasy.

"Where is Jean?" Storm asked the Professor, and he looked at him with a shake of his head. "She won't let me in. She's blocking me."

"What about Logan? Maybe he's with Jean," Rogue suggested. The Professor nodded slowly. "Yes, it may work."

His eyes closed, and his brows furrowed as he concentrated. Storm, Rogue and Beast waited as the Professor fell silent. The grip on his armrests tightened, and his brows furrowed even more until suddenly a burst of screeches echoed through the entire mansion like a horrible lament. Beast, Rogue and Storm all winced in surprise, all of them putting a hand over their ears to try and shut the sound out. It took a few horrible seconds for the sound to finally stop.

When it finished, the Professor immediately sagged and slumped on one of his armrest. His eyes opened with a mixture of horror and urgency, as all of his students (and former student) moved forward to help. Storm leaned down so she can come face to face with Professor's gaze. "What happened, Professor?"

"Logan... Logan is in trouble. We must find Jean, or there will be more worse things then the 'cure'."

"What's wrong with Logan!" Rogue shouted, her eyes flashing with worry. The Professor looked at her.

"Jean has taken over his conscious. We must find her."

"Do you know where she is?" Beast asked seriously, and the Professor shook his head. "I would have to use Cerebro, but even that may not be enough to find her. Jean's powers has grown stronger than ever before. By disturbing her, we might damage the telepathic link she has with Logan as well."

"Then what can we do, Professor?" Storm spoke. The Professor's head fell for a second, and then his head went up.

"We can start by visiting her home."