War of Change

Title: War of Change

Rating: R (I think...not sure yet. But later chapters violence,

mature stuff.)

Summary: AU: War of Change is here. X-Men must set out on a serious

of battles to gain a foothold in the West.

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters except a few...which are still

too many to name. But I bet you'll figure out which ones are it and

which ones aren't. For the ones I don't own...they belong to other

people that I don't know. :(

Feedback: Yes, please. I want to know if this story has a future or

if I should just stop it now. :)







PART 2:::::::::



A knock sounds at Xavier's thin door and he looks up in a bit of

surprise. He hadn't detected the person because he had been to busy

studying the charts and worrying over their next move. Letting his

mind detect the person he calls for them to enter with a frown.



Logan steps through the door, wiping snow off of his jacket and

shutting the door quietly to close out the cold night air. He looks

up at Xavier with a serious expression and walks across the room in

front of the table Xavier's sitting at.



"Can I help you, Logan?" Charles asks, leaning back in his chair and

motioning for Logan to sit in one of the many hard chairs set up in

the room. Logan shakes his head at the offer and runs a hand through

his hair, eyes studying the papers and maps set out in front of the

Professor.



"Well," Logan begins, his voice his usual rough growl. He turns his

hard gray eyes up to Xavier and they take on a golden tint as they

reflect the burning fire in the fireplace. "I have my

doubts...serious doubts, that this is goin' t' work."



Xavier rubs a hand against his forehead and lets out a loud

breath. "Logan, we all have our doubts, but this is all we have."



"None of them can work a fuckin' gun even if we had enough t'

give `em," Logan continues. "We need more time. This isn't goin' to

work with all these people that can barely throw a punch!"



"Logan!" Xavier finds himself almost shouting, but keeping his voice

just below that. Logan, narrows his eyes but falls silent. He leans

forward and places his palms on the table. "We have no other choice.

If we don't act now, then we will lose this war!"



Logan growls, "This isn't a war! It's goin' be a goddamn slaughter!"



"Would you rather us stay here? Give Magneto time to find us?! Would

you want that for your family, Logan? For Ororo? For Jaime and

Collin?!" Xavier asks. He watches as Logan takes in a sharp breath

and his eyes suddenly take on an aggressive light. He didn't want to

have to do this, but Logan is allowing his fighting experience get in

the way of seeing that these are lives they are dealing with. This

war isn't about defeating...it's about surviving. And staying here

much longer allows Magneto time to find them and stop them.



"So, you would rather us all die somewhere out there?" Logan asks

coldly. The Professor notices Logan's knuckles go white as he grips

his hands into fists tightly.



"Logan, I don't wish anybody to die," the Professor says. "Staying

here in this camp any longer holds the same dangers as leaving."



"I'm not puttin' my family's lives in these people's hands!!" Logan

growls, glaring down at the table and maps.



The Professor reaches forward and places a hand softly on Logan's

shoulder. "It's alright, Logan. I think you've trained everyone well

enough that we will do better then you think. This is going to be a

fight unlike you've ever fought."



Logan's eyes turn up to Xavier's and he's surprised to see fear in

the gray depths. "Promise me somethin'," he asks, his voice oddly

soft.



The Professor nods, "What is it?"



"Promise me you'll keep `Ro and me apart," he says. "Don't send us

both t' the same place t' fight. We can't do that...'cause--"



Xavier nods and cuts Logan off, "Yes, I understand. Why don't you go

get a little sleep? I know you have that healing factor, but even you

need sleep at times. Don't stay up all night working with the men

that are just coming in tonight."



Logan slowly nods, then stands up straight. He gives Xavier a short,

meaningful glance. His eyes full of a trust, a commitment, of

understanding. Then he turns away toward the door just before it

bursts open. Scott and Gambit both come stalking in, bringing gusts

of freezing air that make Xavier's teeth rattle. Scott slams the door

shut quickly and blows against his hands and rubs them together. The

days here are nice, but the nights become so cold it's almost a

miracle they all survive their sleep.



"Professor, Gambit's back, and he's the last," Scott says, stepping

up beside Logan. The man wipes a finger across the red glass in front

of his eyes, clearing it of snowflakes. Gambit nods and steps up

also. He's wearing only his normal outfit and seems to be freezing by

the way his teeth are banging noisily together. Gambit shakes his

trench coat violently and sends snow piling to the floor with a

frown.



"Was a difficult trip, but Gambit make it out ok," he says. He looks

up at the Professor, his red on black eyes flashing under his sharp

eyebrows.



"So, now that Gumbo's back...this means we're headin' out tomorrow?"

Logan asks before anybody else can speak.



The Professor nods with a sad smile, "Yes, it does. I'm sorry you

can't have more rest, Gambit, but we cannot stay here any longer.

Magneto will learn of this place soon," he says.



Gambit nods and says, "What Gambit thought. It alright."



Logan frowns deeply then without a word leaves the room, sending

another freezing gust into the room with his departure. Xavier frowns

and wraps his arms around himself, the fire not as warming as it had

been.



"Professor, you look like you're freezing. We can get you blankets--"

Scott says.



"No, the children need them...and most everyone else," Xavier says.

He pulls away from the table and wheels himself closer to the fire,

sighing as it slowly begins to warm his frozen bones. "So, was the

mission at all successful, Gambit?" he asks.



"Oui, Gambit t'ink so," he says. "A few places seem t' be popular in

hatin' Magneto, so I t'ink we can count on a little help. And if

anybody else got people...'den we be in better shape."



"Beast says he found a number of places," Scott puts in.



The Professor nods, "Iceman and Shadowcat also say they found places

where Magneto's power doesn't entirely encompass, therefore the

people are not frightened into silence and inactivity."



"That is good news then," Scott says. "We may have a nice number of

people inside to help."



"Maybe," the Professor says. "We will see. Scott, Gambit...you two

will need sleep for tomorrow. You should see to that as soon as

possible."



Scott frowns, "We should plan--"



"Everything has been worked out," the Professor says. "Logan and I

worked out the final details earlier today. There is nothing more

that can be done except prepare ourselves."



"Alright, are you going to be alright in here, Professor?" Scott

asks.



"Yes, I will be fine. Good night," he says. Gambit and Scott both nod

and leave the room, hopefully allowing the last gust of ice cold air

seeping through his door.



Xavier sighs and stares into the crackling fire, getting lost in the

waves and dance it's performing. Tomorrow and the days to come will

be hard...on all of them. He had never foreseen that his X-Men would

be used in such a way...to prepare men for fighting a war. As a last

resort for an entire country.



And he had never wanted such a thing for them either. He loved

everyone of them and having to put them through this...it ripped at

him. Xavier remembers the look in Logan's eyes, the fear lurking deep

in them. It isn't that Logan is scared to fight or die...it's his

wife and children he's scared for. And having to put such a man that

has so much of his respect and love through this, Xavier didn't know

how he got any sleep at night. And Ororo, such a wonderful woman. His

daughter in all aspects except genetics. He loves her more then most

fathers love their daughters and only wants good for her. But

this...she doesn't deserve this. To have her family put through this.

So shortly after having her children and finally finding happiness.



Xavier sighs, closing his eyes and rubbing his fingers against his

forehead, massaging the skin to release some tension. He thinks about

Scott and Jean. The two of them married for 10 years without

children, no less important then Logan and Ororo's family. They wish

to have children, but this war had put a stop to their plans. Their

family having yet to appear because of these events. They deserve

happiness...a long happy life together.



He thinks of his other students and members of X-Men. Rogue, Jubilee,

Iceman, Gambit, Beast, Psylocke, Colossus, and Nightcrawler. Every

one of them as deserving as the next. And all the men, women, and

children out there in the camps and in the rest of the country,

fighting for survival. None deserve this.



Xavier shakes his head sadly and takes a deep breath, composing

himself. The world is cruel place, but he hopes to make it less so

soon.





*********





Ororo places the bowl of soup down on the table in front of Collin,

his small hands reaching for it eagerly. She smiles at him and puts

the other bowl in front of his twin sister, Jaime.



"What's `dis mommy?" the little boy asks as he leans his head down.

His black strands of hair coming dangerously close to dipping into

the Chicken and Noodle soup. But he brings his face up to look up

curiously at Ororo with eyes as blue as an afternoon sky in mid

spring.



"It is dinner, now eat up," she says sweetly, taking a seat between

the two and watching the small girl on her other side carefully as

she slowly lifts the spoon in slightly uncoordinated hands. Her smile

never leaving her face as she watches Jaime. The girl has Ororo's

white hair and smooth features but has sharp, gray eyes like Logan.

Ororo loves how their children have taken so many of their features,

instead of gaining some from a more recessive piece somewhere.



"Where's daddy?" Jaime asks suddenly, looking quite uninterested in

her soup. In fact, her hands drop the spoon altogether. Ororo reaches

and retrieves it. They had been working on getting her to feed

herself, but Jaime still has trouble.



"He'll be home soon," she says, dipping the spoon in the soup and

bringing it to Jaime's lips. The girl huffs softly then opens her

mouth. Collin, scoops his spoon sloppily into his bowl and brings it

to his mouth, most of the soup splattering back into the bowl before

it reaches his mouth.



"Careful, Collin," Ororo says, again dipping her spoon in Jaime's

soup and bringing it to the girl's mouth to eat.



The sound of the door opening brings all their heads up and Ororo

smiles brightly at the man that steps through the door.



"Daddy!" Jaime and Collin both shout in unison. They jump out of

their chairs and run across the floor to Logan, who barely gets time

to shut the door before they are attached to his legs. Logan laughs

and bends down to hug each of them.



"Hey!" he says happily and ruffles Collin's hair easily. He smiles

and wraps an arm around Jaime's waist, hoisting her up into his arms

as he stands. She laughs joyfully and makes a face down at Collin,

who frowns and stomps his foot in protest.



Ororo slowly stands out of her seat and makes her way over to the

three of them as Logan gives in and bends down to lift Collin and

hold him with his other arm. Jaime pouts as Collin sticks his tongue

out at her and Logan gives a laugh. Then he turns his eyes to Ororo

and she kisses him on the lips softly.



"Hey," he says, smiling at her.



"Just in time for dinner," she says, smiling at him. "Here," she

takes Jaime out of Logan's arms and carries her back to the table.

Logan follows silently and sets Collin back down in his seat, the boy

frowning and glaring at the bowl in front of him.



"Eat your food," Logan says and picks the spoon up and waits for

Collin to take it from him. Ororo watches from across the table as

Logan smiles down at the boy. The sight almost bringing tears to her

eyes. That she had found such a wonderful family. A husband who is

more kind and loving then she had ever thought him possible, and two

lovely children that have blessed her so wonderfully. The only thing

that taints the sight of seeing the sight before her is the fact that

they will be leaving in a short time. Logan and her setting out to

help with this war while Jaime and Collin are left behind to be taken

care of by Mrs. Coren. An aged woman that lost her husband a couple

years ago in one of Magneto's attacks. She's fond of children and had

agreed to take care of theirs. The last thing Ororo wants to do is

take the children with them on this. It's going to be dangerous and

definitely not a place for children.



She snaps out of her thoughts as Logan leaves the table with another

ruffle of Collin's hair and enters the space they use as some kind of

kitchen. He clatters around there for a minute while Ororo continues

to feed Jaime. Logan steps back to the table and Ororo looks up at

him as he sets a thick cup in front of her. He smiles warmly down at

her and sits down in the chair across from her. She can smell the

soft aroma of tea. Ororo smiles at him and lifts the cup to take a

nice sip of the tea. That is nice...it was exactly what she needs.



"Thank you," she says softly.



Logan sits back in his chair, himself with nothing to drink or eat

she notices. "No problem," he says. His eyes move to each of their

children and he sighs in the unusual silence and she gets an odd

feeling of tension. Somehow the children had picked up on something

Logan is feeling and aren't willing to push him. Ororo frowns as she

notices the way his eyes are holding a sad light as he smiles at

Jaime, the girl finally taking the spoon and eating by herself.



"Logan?" she says and he looks up at her, gray eyes sharp and soft at

the same time. "You alright?" she asks.



Logan nods slowly and says, "Yeah." He keeps eye contact with her and

she sees something dark in his eyes. Something sad that worries her.



"Daddy!" Jaime says loudly. Logan turns quickly to the girl. "You

said you'd read to us tonight!" She looks from Logan to Ororo then

back again, gray eyes full of curious question and excitement.



"Yeah!" Collin adds, dropping his spoon with a clatter into the soup

bowl.



A slow smile spreads across Logan's face and he asks, "You two done

with eatin?" They both nod enthusiastically. "Alright, brush your

teeth?" he asks. Both of them frown, looking at each other. Then

Jaime nods vigorously.



Ororo laughs and shakes her head, "Jaime! Now tell the truth."



Jaime drops her eyes then says in a hushed voice, "No." Collin laughs

and points at her.



"HA! I have! I have!!" he crows in his high pitched voice.



Logan grins and grabs Collin out of the seat, "You have?!" he asks.

Collin nods. "Well, this morning doesn't count! You have to brush

after you eat, every time!"



Collin's face drops and he frowns at his dad, "You do?" he asks.

Logan nods, "Yep. Now c'mon. You go brush your teeth, and then get

ready for bed and I'll read somethin' to ya."



Ororo stands up and holds hugs each of them, kissing each on their

forehead. "Sleep well," she says.



"Night, mommy!" Jaime and Collin say.



He sets Collin down on the floor and the boy runs off with his sister

to the small bathroom they have. Families at this camp get the larger

compartments. A few families are here, and most with children so they

need places inside the buildings. Ororo, Logan and their children

have an entire floor of one of the buildings to themselves. Though it

makes Ororo feel horrible sometimes that she should get a place with

walls and a roof, she thinks of Jaime and Collin. They couldn't stay

out in the this cold...in one of the tents set up.



Ororo stands and clears the table of the dishes as Logan follows the

children and makes sure they actually brush their teeth. Jaime and

Collin talking to him the entire time. She smiles as she hears Logan

chuckle at one of them and Jaime yelling at Collin to give her room

at the sink.



Then she hears the sounds of them rushing into one of the two

bedrooms as she washes the bowls and plates. She finishes quickly and

dries her hands off as she steps to the half open door leading to the

bedroom Jaime and Collin share. She stops in the doorway and watches

Logan pull the sheet over their children as they protest and cry for

him to read a story.



Logan chuckles and reaches over to a small table, grabbing one of the

tiny books and opening it. "Fine, you just have to be quiet," he

says. "And you're goin' t' bed right after this."



Jaime and Collin quickly agree and fall silent. Ororo takes another

look at their children and smiles. As she hears Logan's voice telling

some story they've read to Jaime and Collin many times she heads back

to the other bedroom that she shares with Logan. The room is a decent

size, with a semi-comfortable bed. She's not about to complain

though. There is a large, beaten up dresser on one side of the room

with a lamp and heavy mirror set up on it. Except for a ripped

cushioned chair, that is all that decorates the room. No pictures or

accessories. No Memories here. This isn't their home.



Ororo sighs and wonders if they'll ever actually have a home. All of

them together once again after she and Logan leave to battle Magneto.

Will they both return to their children? It's a very real possibility

that one of them won't...or both. Sitting down on the edge of the bed

she fights back the sudden tears that threaten to fall. It is her

duty to fight, but she doesn't want to leave her children.



The door opens slowly and she hears Logan's concerned voice, "'Ro?"

he asks.



She looks up as he enters the room, closing it silently behind him.

Logan stares at her from across the room, his eyes worried.



"What's wrong?" he asks. Ororo tries to smile but it doesn't quite

work and it doesn't matter how she looks on the outside anyway, Logan

can pick up how she's feeling with just a sniff.



"Did you talk to the Professor?" she asks, avoiding the question.

Logan nods, seeming to know she'd do that, and finally walks to her,

letting himself sit down on the bed next to her. She sighs as his

warm arms wrap around her, pulling her to him so her head is resting

against his chest. She hears him inhale deeply and feels his fingers

stroking through her long white hair.



"Yeah," he says. "Well, Gambit's back, so we're headin' out

tomorrow." Ororo stops herself from feeling anything at the news. But

she feels Logan's fingers tighten around her skin and he presses a

soft kiss to the top of her head.



"Why so soon?" she asks.



"We have t' get movin' if Magneto's lookin' for us," Logan answers.

She can feel him take another breath as if to say something else, but

he doesn't. She frowns, running her fingers against his forearm

lightly.



"I don't want to leave, Logan," she says, knowing that's exactly what

Logan had wanted to say but couldn't quite get the words out. He was

never very good with words. Logan usually acted, he rarely talked

about it. "We don't know how long we're going to be gone. And leaving

Jaime and Collin here..." she trails off as Logan's arms pull her

tighter against him.



"I know," he says softly. "I don't want t' either, but we have t'.

And I told Charlie not to put us in the same fights together, `Ro,"

Logan adds, still stroking her hair.



"What?!" she says and sits up, causing Logan's arms to fall away in

surprise. Ororo stares at him, his gray eyes watching her curiously.

But the only thing she can feel is the coming of loss. "First, I must

leave Jaime and Collin here and now I must leave you too!?" she asks

angrily.



Logan seems to almost crumble at the look in her eyes then reaches

for her, "'Ro, it's not like that!" he says, pulling her

closer. "'Ro, I just...I just...I don't want Collin and Jaime to be

left without anybody!"



Ororo's eyes widen and she can't take them away from the sad, gray of

Logan's eyes. "Logan, please, don't talk like that."



"It's possible, `Ro," he says calmly, though she knows he's fighting

to stay calm. She frowns at his words, knowing only moments before

she had been thinking the same exact thing.



"So, we aren't going to see each other for...who knows how long." she

says. "Oh Goddess, this is horrible."



Logan sighs softly and kisses her lightly, "It's gonna be fine, `Ro.

Just...be careful and everythin's gonna be alright."



"Promise me this, Logan," she says and as soon as he nods, she

continues. "You're going to make it back here to our children alive."



Logan laughs sadly, "Now you're talkin' silly, darlin'," he says.



"Promise me," she says seriously.



Logan frowns at her and after a long moment he nods, "Just as long as

you do too," he says, bringing his hand up to stroke through her

hair. She smiles slightly and nods. Logan leans forward and rests his

forehead on hers, eyes staring lovingly into hers. "I love you,

Ororo," he says.



"And I love you, Logan," she says. They did this sometimes when they

felt the need. Repeating those words to each other in the exact same

words and feeling as they had the day they had uttered them at their

marriage. Logan smiles and she kisses him softly. She feels his

fingers tighten in her hair and pull her head closer as the kiss

takes on a more heated feeling. Ororo's lips part as Logan slowly

licks across her bottom lip and he caresses his tongue against hers

in a delirious way.



The feeling of overwhelming need and love comes over Ororo and she

kisses Logan hard as he pushes her down to the bed. This may be their

last night together and they both want to express everything they

feel and need to say tonight, somehow.



***********



Scott trots down the long line of men, glancing at each of them to

give them a small look of encouragement. They are all heading out in

a little bit. Actually, half an hour to be precise. He frowns and

wipes his forehead, sweeping the sweat from his brow.



He searches the crowd of families saying goodbye for Jean. She had

disappeared this morning to prepare breakfast for a few people and he

hasn't seen her yet. His eyes suddenly come to a halt as they find

long white hair.



Storm is smiling, a bit sadly, down at two children, her children.

Scott frowns even deeper as he sees a tear fall from her eye. Then

he notices Logan crouched down in front of the two kids, talking to

them with a smile on his face. Logan ruffles the boy, Collin's hair

playfully and the boy laughs. The he takes the Jaime's small hand in

his and says something that makes her break out in a grand smile and

he kisses the back of her hand. Ororo watches this and covers her

mouth with her hand and Scott can tell she's fighting back the tears

now.



He watches, a feeling of great sadness coming to him as he sees Ororo

put a hand on Logan's shoulder as if soothing him. And he notices

that Logan's jaw is set tightly and his smile looks a bit forced.

He's suffering just as much as Ororo is. Scott had found it very

hard to believe that the two of them had even had a relationship, but

then when they had gotten married! He had almost had a heart

attack. Then when they had their twins, he just couldn't believe

that a man like Logan could find it in his cold heart to love someone

as much as they needed. But time made Scott change his view on

Logan. The man wasn't cold at heart, just hardened. But it seems

that Storm had found a crack in there and settled in. Every time

Scott sees Logan with Ororo or his children, his face seems to smooth

out and he becomes a gentler man that he had never thought Logan

capable.



Logan pulls Collin and Jaime to him, wrapping his arms around them.

Scott watches in a sad fascination as Logan closes his eyes tight in

an effort to keep tears from falling also. The children cling to

him, they know what's going on. They were very intelligent kids.

The woman, Mrs. Coren smiles sadly and pats Collin's head

comfortingly as the boy breaks down into tears. Scott finds his own

eyes blurring at the sight. It's a horrible this war is doing to

everyone. To the families most of all. He knows he doesn't have to

separate from Jean because they had no children, nothing that has to

make them insure the survival of at least one parent. But still,

they are separating, Jean not wanting them to be so close during a

war like this, where they will need to be fully alert all the time.

Not acting as a couple.



Scott clears his throat as Logan finally extracts Collin's hands from

his shoulder and kisses the boy on the forehead before he looks up at

Ororo. She shakes her head at something he's saying but then nods

slowly and crouches beside him and takes both the children in her

arms, saying goodbye.



Scott turns his eyes away, the sight becoming too heartbreaking for

him. He continues his search for Jean, needing more then wanting now

to say goodbye and tell her how much he loves her before they head

out.



:::Jean::: he sends out telepathically, knowing even if she is busy

she will answer him.



:::Coming, Scott::: she answers back quickly. Then he sees her in

front of him, walking with a small smile on her face. Her bright

smile fades though as she sees the depressed expression on Scott's

face.



"What is it, Scott?" she asks, reaching for him.



Scott shakes his head and just wraps his arms around her. Pulling

her close and inhaling her sweet scent. "Nothing. Just wanted to

tell you that I love you," he says, brushing her bright red hair with

his hand.



Jean leans back to look at his face, "I love you too, Scott," she

says softly, easily picking up his serious mood. "But we will both

make it back. Do not think about all this negative stuff. You'll

come back in one piece, and I'll come back in one piece."



Scott nods and kisses her softly, "Just wanted to makes sure that I

at least told you one last time that I love you more then anything

in this world. More then the world itself, the universe,' he says.



"I love you so much, Scott Summers. I hope this is the last time we

have to do this," she says, wrapping her arms around him again and

kissing his cheek then finding his mouth. They stretch the smooth

kiss out as long as they can. Before suddenly a voice enters both

their heads.



:::X-Men and EX-Men, it is time to move::: comes Professor Xavier's

telepathic message. Scott frowns and kisses Jean once more.



"See you soon, love," he says.



"Very soon, dear," Jean says. Then they both turn to the mass of men

and women readying themselves for the marching, driving, or flying

they are about to undertake. Each large group moving in a different

direction and on a different mission.



Scott kisses Jean once more before she smiles sadly and walks off

toward the group that's taking the Blackbird deep into New America.

Then he catches a glance of Logan and Ororo again. Logan is going

with the same group that Jean is going on. Logan and Ororo are

hugging each other tightly and he can see that Logan's whispering

something softly into her ear. Then he pulls away and Storm wipes

her hand against his stubbled cheek. He smiles at her so sadly that

it makes Scott's chest hurt. Then they share a soft, short kiss

before they both turn away from each other and Logan moves up the

Blackbird's hatchway with his head slumped. Scott watches Ororo walk

across to another large group that's marching out.



Scott walks up to Storm and puts a soft hand on her shoulder. She

turns to look up at him in question.



"It's alright. We'll all be fine," he says. "Including you, Logan,

Jaime, and Collin." Ororo gives him a soft look, her eyes blue as

the days clear sky.



"Thank you, Scott," she says and kisses him lightly on the

cheek. "You and Jean will come back after this war if finished and

finally have that family you've both always dreamed of having."



Scott nods and smiles down at her. His thoughts temporarily taken

from his depressing thoughts of leaving Jean to his dreams of coming

home and starting a family with the woman he loves.



Then everyone begins walking. A slow walk, with little talk and

people still screaming goodbyes to their loved ones that must stay

behind. Scott glances at Ororo, who's staring straight ahead, her

eyes seeming to be off in the distance. Then he turns and notices

Jaime and Collin crying in Mrs. Coren's arms, screaming for their

momma. The sight brings all his thoughts of sadness back to him and

he wraps an arm around Ororo's shoulder, feeling her shudder once

then still, her face strong and set as she stares ahead.



She's so strong. She's going to need to be strong. The next few

weeks and months are going to test everyone's strength and will.





End of Part 2. :)