𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 || 𝐗-𝐌𝐄𝐍 ||

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕

˗ˏˋ꒰🃏꒱

The jet touched down quietly in a small suburban neighborhood, and the team stepped out, scanning the area. Ahead of them, Jean emerged from a house, her expression distant.

"You shouldn't have come here," Jean warned, her voice edged with tension.

Charles, sitting in his wheelchair, gazed at her with concern. "Why is that? We've only come to bring you home, Jean," he said, his voice gentle but resolute.

Jean shook her head, her expression hardening. "I don't have a home. You made sure of that," she retorted.

Charles wheeled closer, the rest of the group following behind him cautiously. "Look, your father couldn't handle you, and we took you in," Charles explained, trying to bridge the distance between them.

Jean's eyes flashed with anger as she stared at him. "You told me my father was dead, and you used me for my powers," she accused, her voice trembling with betrayal.

Charles shook his head, his eyes filled with sadness. "No, that's just not true. That's not what happened. Jean, we can help you. I can help you, but you have to listen to me," he pleaded, his tone growing more urgent.

Jean shook her head again, more resolute this time. "No. No, I don't," she said firmly, her rejection final.

Just then, the sound of sirens echoed through the street as three police cars sped into the neighborhood. The flashing lights cast a red and blue glow over the tense scene.

"Jean," Scott called out, stepping forward with concern etched on his face.

"Stay away from me. Stay away from me!" Jean screamed, her voice trembling with fear and fury. Without warning, she flung her arms out, and two of the police cars flipped over violently, crashing onto their roofs.

"Stop her, quickly!" Charles urged, panic rising in his voice as he watched Jean begin to float into the air, her power spiraling out of control.

"Charles, wait! Wait!" Scott shouted, but it was too late.

Kurt sprang into action, teleporting into the air in a flash of blue light to grab Jean. In an instant, they both vanished, reappearing inside a nearby house as Jean's energy pulsed with raw power.

A few seconds later, the side of the house exploded, sending debris flying as Jean emerged from the wreckage, her eyes glowing with fury. Without hesitation, the rest of the team—except for Charles and Hank—rushed forward to stop her. But before anyone could reach her, Peter darted into action, slowing everything down to a crawl with his superspeed.

He leapt from one floating piece of wood to another, swiftly closing in on Jean. Just as he was about to reach her, Jean, with a flick of her hand, shifted the piece of wood under Peter's foot. The world snapped back to real-time, and Peter lost his footing, hurtling through the air before crashing into the bushes.

"Asher!" Milo called out, but Asher was already running toward Peter, his face etched with concern as he knelt beside his boyfriend, checking to make sure he was okay.

Jean lashed out, sending Scott, Storm, Andi, and Marlow flying backward with a wave of her hand. "Jean, stop!" Raven called out, her voice filled with urgency. Hank, aiming carefully, muttered, "I've got the shot. I'm taking—"