Young Writers Society

Manhattan

2047

Has it really been thirty-three years? I wonder. It feels more like a lifetime. I contemplate my past as I walk through the ruins of what used to be Park Avenue. I was such a young, innocent girl back then compared to what I have become now. The things that I've seen and done, the things that she will see and do, have changed me. And hopefully, that change will prove to her just how vital this mission is.

I glance down, and notice that I am about to crash into a piece of debris. Cursing myself for not paying attention while at the same time thanking my lucky stars that the satellites were one of the few things that survived the war, I side-stepped it, and continued on. The street I am currently on is Rogue territory, and the last thing that I need is to be seen by one of them. But at least here a Sentinel would never think to look for a mutant, least of all an X-Man. That's why Wolverine chose this place for our last rendezvous. At last, it's all coming together.

I step on the trap-door before I even realized that it was there, and slid down into the sewer that it opened into. I immediately begin to panic. No, not now! Not when we are so close! I land on the ground in a heap, and groan at the mild pain the fall causes me. What I wouldn't give to have this collar removed from my neck. If I didn't have it on, I would have been able to use my mutation and float over the door the second it opened. But, in this world, that is no longer possible.

Casting my thoughts aside, I quickly take in my surroundings. There are three heat signatures surrounding me, and I mutter a curse under my breath. Just my luck. I try to avoid the Rogues and instead I fall right into a pack of them. Once upon a time, it would have been no problem to deal with them. But now it was not as easy. I braced myself.

“Well, well, well. Looks like we got ourselves a mutie here boys.” One Rogue said in a slimy, frog-like voice.

I decide to take a somewhat diplomatic root. “I am on official Sentinel business! You are advised to leave me alone.” They laughed at me. Guess diplomacy is officially dead.

“Who cares if your with the Sentinels, girly?” the Rogue asked, reaching out and grasping my chin. I didn't bother to struggle, I knew he had a gun. “We hate them robots as much as we hate your kind. So beg all you want, sweetie. Scream as loudly as you please. No one will hear you, and even if they do, no one would come.”

Oh well. It appears that I am going to die soon anyway. I swing my leg out and kick him in the crotch, hitting my target dead on. The man (if you could call him that) collapses in front of me, swearing and grasping himself between the legs.

I ready myself to fight, but stop when I feel another heat signature approaching us. I recognize this one, and smile. Things just got a bit more interesting.

“Come on you to, let's flay this mutant scum!” a different Rogue screams, “Danny, get up man, you're fine.” He won't be in a few seconds.

“Last chance,” I say, “Walk out and leave me alone now, and I'll let you live.”

“I don't think so.” the Rogue I kicked growls out. Apparently he healed quickly.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a match striking, and I turned to see Wolverine lighting up his latest cigar. He inhaled deeply, and blew some smoke rings while staring our guests down. Stepping forward, he nonchalantly tapped his cigar on the shoulder of the nearest man, removing all the excess ash.

“I believe that the lady asked to be left alone.” he said slowly. “And that is exactly what is going to happen.”

The Rogues proceeded to tell Logan things that I should not repeat in polite company, and several of them I never imagined a person could do with their....I'll let you use your imagination.

That was a big mistake. Without a word, The Wolverine attacks. He doesn't use his claws for fear of being caught by the Sentinels, but he doesn't need his mutation to kill a few baddies. It's all over in a manner of seconds, and then he is helping me to my feet.

“You okay kid?”

I look into the eyes of the man who might as well be my father. “I'm fine, thanks Dad.” He smiles softly at my nick-name for him. “So,” I continue on in a more serious tone, “How is life in the Canadian Resistance army?”

“We're gaining ground, but you and I both know that that is only temporary. They outnumber us, outskill us, and outgun us. We don't stand a chance in hell. Not like this. But maybe we can change that. Here.” He hands me a small mechanical piece. “That is the last component of the jammer. The Sentinels won't be able to detect it. Plug it in, and we'll be set.” I nod.

“Got it.” he turns away from me.

“I'll meet you at the designated area. Kitty,” he pauses, “Be careful.” I watch as he vanishes into the night.

~*~

I make it back to the compound just before curfew, and have to endure a humiliating security exam. I can be grateful for the fact that it was conducted by machines, who had no way to process lust or other perversions. And thankfully, Logan was right. They didn't detect the component.

This place has been my home for over a decade now. And god in heaven, I hate it with every fiber of my being. As always, the first thing I see when I step behind the gate is the graveyard.

It rolls across several of the compound hills, and is placed near the entrance to serve as a reminder to every mutant who walks through the gates. Resistance is punishable by death. The war may have ended years ago, but I am still haunted today by those we have lost.

Iceman

Spider-Man

The Avengers

Fantastic Four

Angel

Beast

Polaris

Xavier

Scott

Jean

Kurt

Each name I see is a dagger through my heart. I'm so sorry, I silently say as I walk past them, We will never be able to avenge you. But we can make sure that this nightmare never happens.

I stop when I reach the end of the row, as I always do. The last grave has three little crosses on it in place of a headstone. I kneel next to it and lower my head, lightly kissing the earth. A tear drips down my face as I repress a sob. This time, my darlings, Mommy will have you. No one will ever be able to tear you from me ever again. The grave is actually empty since my husband and I were never given their remains, but our children will always have a place of honor alongside their family. Alongside their uncle. I lightly brush my fingers across Kurt's headstone, thanking him for keeping an eye on my kids. I know he will always watch over them.

I begin to move on, as much as it kills me. The others are waiting, and we cannot start until I am there. I'm already late, and I bet they are worried.

It doesn't take me long to reach the barracks.

They are all there, waiting in the alley. Franklin Richards has his arm slung around Rachel Summers, Scott and Jean's only surviving child. They were supposed to get married, but the anti-mutant marriage law passed the month before their wedding. We still had a small, private ceremony.

Ororo is next to them, hair as white as ever. Beside her is Magneto, Erik, as imposing as he ever was even though he has lost the use of his legs in a time long gone. And behind him, pushing the chair is the love of my life. I let a smile ghost across my face as I approach them. Together, we are the last of the X-Men.The only survivors. The only hope for the world.

“I'm sorry I'm late,” I call out as I get closer and they gather around me, “I ran into some Rogues, who ran into Wolverine. I think he was happy he got to see some hand-to-hand combat for once, rather than directing it from the sidelines.”

“But what about the module, Kate?” Erik pressed. I glance at him.

“Got it right here,” I said coolly, pulling it out of my pocket. Jut because we are allies now doesn't mean that I completely forget the time he tried to kill me. I turned to Storm and Rachel. “We already know from the grapevine chatter that there will be a final nuclear attack the day after tomorrow. The final strike will be at midnight. Phase One must be completely before then.”

Storm takes the component from my hand and hands it to Rachel, who hands it to Franklin, who disappears into the nearest building where the rest of the jammer is stored. Hopefully, it won't take him long.

“How normal we make it sound,” my husband muses, “And yet what we contemplate is so fantastic, I can hardly believe that it is possible.”

“That is strange talk,” Erik says, “Coming from someone who has seen and done what you have.”

“We all changed for this war, Erik,” he responds, and I continue to listen to their conversation while Storm and Rachel talk in hushed tones, “But in my heart I am still the simple boy who first came to America to learn. Not a super-hero.”

Magneto's tone grew somewhat heated. “If there was another way, you know we would take it. But there isn't. Tomorrow the world will be at war, the day after it will be dead. What we are doing may not make things better, but it certainly cannot make them worse.”

He turned to Rachel and Franklin, who had just stepped out of the building with the jammer in his hand. “Rachel, so much depends on you. Are you ready?” She nodded nervously, and Franklin put a gentle, reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“The jammer is operational.” Franklin said. “We can start at any time.”

I steeled myself. “Then lets do this.” I began to walk forward, but my soul-mate stopped me.

“A moment, my wife.”

“What?” I asked him impatiently. We were ready to do this, I was ready to do this. If we stopped now, I might not be ready.

“I have my doubts. Will this crazy plan of ours even work? And if it does, should it?” I began to protest but he cut me off. “No, hear me out. We are playing with the very basic fabric of reality. And what happens to us if we do succeed? What happens to our love?” He drew me close and pressed my hand to his heart. “This beats for you,” he said, “It has from the moment I laid eyes on you for the first time. I do not want to lose that.”

I pushed back gently. “What is the love of two people compared to the lives of billions?” I asked softly.

“I am a selfish person Kate,” he bit out harshly, “It matters to me.”

I sighed, “As it matters to me. But, if our love was meant to be, then it will happen again in this new timeline we are creating. The new world will be a place where our children can grow up, free of fear and hate.” My tone grew soft as memories I had long since buried began to surface.

“They took my friends, they killed my family, and then they strapped me to a table and made you watch as they killed our babies before they even had a chance to live.” I let out a small sob, tears swimming in my eyes. Looking up into his face, I could tell that it matched my own.

“If what we are about to do holds the slightest chance that I will get to see our fallen comrades again, and that I get to hold my children while they breath, then I will do whatever it takes. I don't care about the cost.”

He gently brushed my cropped hair away from my forehead and kissed it lightly. I let him hold me as I thought of everything that we had endured to get to this point, and wondered at everything that was possible if this worked.

“How I love you, little one.”

I smiled slightly at his use of the pet name. I hadn't heard it in so long. I looked deep into his eyes. "And I love you, Piotr. From the moment we first met.” I press my lips to his in an act of love and desperation. I don't know if I will ever do this again. His kiss is warm, and familiar, and a feeling that I never want to let got of.

“Kate, are you ready?” I break away from him reluctantly to answer Storm.

“As I will ever be.”

A/N: If you want to receive notifications when I post the next chapter, let me know in the review and I will tag you in a wall post whenever I update. The next chapter should be in by next week.