Uncanny X-Men 1943

Chapter 16

Outside, the eastern sky was beginning to grow lighter. Logan saw this in the side-mirror. He also saw that the petrol levels were getting dangerously low. They'd filled the petrol tank with all that was in the jerrycans before fleeing from the surrounds of the camp.

//How much further?// Emma asked, sensing his thoughts.

//Ten miles. Maybe.//

//Where are we?//

//Beats me, bub.//

Logan had tried to keep track of how fast they'd been travelling, but some areas had been slower, some stretches of road close to destroyed, or were treacherously slippery. And though he'd chosen roads that had mostly headed west, he knew at one stage they were headed almost due-south, and wasn't sure how much they'd self-corrected. They had rumbled through a couple of silent towns, but none displayed any signage or any real points of reference.

//We being followed?// he asked.

//You keep asking, and I keep responding with 'not overtly, but I wouldn't discount it'.//

//You wanna make the call now?// Logan asked. He could smell Emma's apprehension.

Emma took a deep breath. //Considering we don't know where the next town will be...//

//Could be one mile, could be twenty.//

//Then I suppose we need to get it over with.//

Logan nodded. //I'll pull over.//

...

"No," Remy said.

"Remy, this is the best - "

"Non, c'est un plan terrible!"

"Truck's nearly outta gas, bub. They ain't in any condition to walk back."

"I don't much like it either," Warren said, "But I understand the logic."

"It doesn't involve you," Remy snapped.

"Remy," Rogue said softly, "It's all right."

"Non, Rogue, ce n'est pas."

"I do not know - " Kurt said.

"I believe in you, darling," Emma said, and something in the way she spoke quite made Kurt believe in himself too.

Logan had stopped in the middle of the road. There was no point in trying to be inconspicuous; any locals were still tucked up in bed, and should a bevy of Nazis come along, then they would find themselves up against a motley crew of cold, hungry, sore, tired, pissed-off mutants. Despite this, time was of the essence. Everyone had taken a moment to relieve themselves, and breakfast rations had been handed out. While they were eating, Emma had explained the situation.

The truck was all but out of petrol, and they'd have to continue on foot. Rogue was too weak for this, and they couldn't carry her for the couple of hundred miles that still stood between them and any hope of salvation. She needed time to recover, and they simply didn't have any.

Kurt too was in a poor state. He explained that he'd eventually been caught by the Nazis, not for being a mutant, his blue fur and tail gave that away and his had registered his advanced acrobatic skills, but he hadn't been so forthcoming to the authorities on explaining that his mutant powers extended to teleportation. He was finally arrested for transporting Jews out of Germany, across the mountains into neutral Switzerland. Kurt estimated that he'd made close to one thousand trips, often with two 'passengers'. Someone must have tipped him off, because on one return, his apartment was filled with about a dozen members of the Gestapo, who caught him before her could jump himself away again.

"Why'd you keep going back?" Remy had asked.

"They needed my help," Kurt replied, "I have to hope, what I did, that it helped."

"It did," Emma had said in such a way that ended the conversation.

Emma had explained that their best chance was for Kurt to teleport himself and Rogue to safety. London was closer than neutral Spain, and there they could get help. Lots of help. But Kurt had never been to London, and he explained that he could only teleport to places he had seen before. So Emma had allowed him a glimpse inside her mind, a cosy family scene, a kitchen with white cupboards and green tiles, a long breakfast table surrounded by wooden chairs, and a feint smell of roast pumpkin and hot chocolate.

"Can you jump there?" she asked. "With a passenger?"

"I...could try?"

"I can walk," Warren said.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Emma had given him a small smile, "Because I don't know if Kurt could make the jump with two passengers."

Remy was less than impressed with the plan, questioning what would happen to Rogue if the jump went wrong. They hardly knew anything about this strange blue German with broken English and tail, pour l'amour de Dieu, and more or less had to take Warren's word that Kurt was most certainly on the side of the angels, even if he didn't look like one.

"Ah won't make the trip otherwise," Rogue said. She sat on the edge of the back of the truck, Remy ever by her side. "Remy, sugah, Ah know Ah can't. Ah need a doctor. Ah need rest. Ah'm sorry, but we gotta try."

Remy shook his head. "I don't like it."

"You don't have to," Rogue said. "But it gives us a chance. Me an' Kurt. Me an' you. On the other side." She reached her left hand down and took his hand. Her right arm was slung up inside her coat.

To touch her skin without fear of being hurt...Remy looked at Rogue. She looked so sickly and pale in the early morning light. He turned and kissed her. "You have to be there," he said, "When we come back across the Channel."

"Ah'm already countin' the hours," Rogue whispered, Remy's breath warm beside her face. "Ah'll have a whole armada ready to bring ya'll back, so ya'll best get walkin'." She wrapped her good arm around Remy, and slid off the back of the truck onto her feet. Remy held onto Rogue with both hands, and they kissed passionately.

Kurt shook hands with the team, but Warren wouldn't let him get away without a hug. "Scott Summers is a good man. He'll know what to do. Mention Emma's name, and he'll turn the world inside-out if that what it takes to help."

Kurt nodded. "Danke, mein freund."

Remy and Rogue stepped apart. Kurt moved forward and placed him arm around Rogue's waist. "All ready?"

"As Ah'll ever be," Rogue said, her heart pounding in her chest, unable to take her eyes off Remy.

"Good luck," said Emma.

BAMF!

...

"God help us," Scott said, rubbing his brow. It wasn't even eight o'clock on Saturday morning, and the children were already doing his head in. All he wanted to do was read the newspaper in peace. Was it this chaotic when Emma was home? He took a sip of his tea so that the children wouldn't see him smirk, and to give himself a moment to think. Of course it was like this when Emma was here. It was probably worse. Scott put the teacup down. "Nathan, don't touch Rachel's things, and Rachel, don't overreact. Kitty, find something else to wear. Your jumper will turn up somewhere. Girls, I'll fix it, but you'll have to wait. I want you all washed up, beds made, and pyjamas, school shirts and any other dirty clothes in the washing basket. And if you haven't finished breakfast, well, get a wriggle on, please. We've got a lot to do, and - "

BAMF!

The girls screamed. Nathan yelled. Scott swore.

Rogue fell to her knees and vomited.

Kurt collapsed.